The latest news and events from Audubon Society of Northern Virginia

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** December 2023
ASNV HOME ([link removed]) DONATE ([link removed]) JOIN ([link removed])
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** Board Notes
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** Gadwall, Gary Robinette/Audubon Photography Awards
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This month, hear from ASNV board member Andreas Seiter on what makes us birders.

Read more > ([link removed])


** 2024 Educator Scholarship Application Now Open
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** Atlantic Puffins, Walker Golden
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Each year ASNV offers a full scholarship to Sharing Nature: An Educator's Week at Hog Island Audubon Camp in coastal Maine. Applications are open now!

Read more > ([link removed])


** The Audubon Name: An Update on Our Survey
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** Tundra Swan, John James Audubon
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Earlier this fall, we conducted a survey to learn how our members and friends feel about the possibility of changing the name of the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia. If you participated, thank you!

Read more > ([link removed])


** Some Ways to Donate to ASNV: Planned Giving
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** Barn Swallows, Alan Peterson/Audubon Photography Awards
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Many people review and plan their charitable giving at this time of year. Making a donation typically may involve writing a check or using a credit card, but there are other options for planned giving, some of which can provide tax advantages for the donor.

Read more > ([link removed])


** A Combined Effort to Stretch Monticello Park
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** Scouts rehabilitating the trail at Monticello Park, Deidra Bryant
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On the Sunday before Thanksgiving more than 30 volunteers came together for a service project at Monticello Park in Alexandria.

Read more > ([link removed])


** Controlling English Ivy Saves Trees and Combats Climate Change
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** English Ivy via Wikimedia
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Unfortunately, many people think English Ivy is a benign plant that grows in the shade where nothing else grows. .

Read more > ([link removed])


** Christmas Bird Count 2023
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** Carolina Chickadee, Jeff Drake/Audubon Photography Awards
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The 124th Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC) will take place between this December 14 and January 5, 2024. Find out how to get involved!

Read more > ([link removed])


** Get Ready for the 2024 Virginia General Assembly
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** Virginia State Capitol, Wikimedia User Skip Plitt via CC BY-SA 3.0
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ASNV is sponsoring an in-person meeting on Saturday, December 2 and a virtual program on Tuesday, December 5 to get ready for the 2024 Virginia General Assembly. Join us!

Read more > ([link removed])

Monthly Features


** Observations from Meadowood
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** Wavy Mucksucker, Judy Gallagher
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Judy Gallagher is a long-time participant in the Meadowood Recreation Area survey. Here are some of her findings.

Read more > ([link removed])

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** Upcoming Classes and Events
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We have some exciting classes and events coming up, both virtually and in-person! Click any event to learn more and register. You can also check our calendar ([link removed]) for our full schedule of events.


** General Assembly Preview, Regional Watch Party
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Image courtesy of Virginia Conservation Network


Please join us for a preview of what issues we expect to see during the 2024 General Assembly session. ASNV is sponsoring this event with the Sierra Club Great Falls Group and Virginia Conservation Network. We’re providing breakfast and the opportunity to learn about the issues we expect to see during the 2024 General Assembly session. The cost is $20, but if you register early, you can get a free pass using the Promo Code RESTON. There also is an option to attend virtually for free, or at other locations in the area, but, however you sign up, we encourage you to donate $20, which supports our partner VCN.

When: Saturday, December 2, 9:15 AM - 11:00 AM
Where: 11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston 20190 (map ([link removed]) )
Fee: $20, Free with Promo Code RESTON for those registering early
MORE INFO ([link removed])


** Bird Conservation Legislation with ABC's Steve Holmer
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U.S. Capitol, Wikimedia user Raul654


Overuse of pesticides, urban sprawl, habitat destruction, and invasive species all are major threats to birds in the Western Hemisphere. Birds also die from collisions with windows and predation by cats. Join Steve Holmer, Vice-President of Policy for American Bird Conservancy, for a discussion of opportunities to advance bird conservation through advocacy. Steve will highlight pending federal bills and regulations, as well as legislation in Virginia that citizens can support to better protect the birds they love.

American Bird Conservancy is a national non-profit membership organization with the mission of conserving wild birds and their habitats throughout the Americas.

When: Tuesday, December 5, 2023, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where: Virtual
Fee: FREE, but registration is required
MORE INFO ([link removed])


** Rock Pigeon History, Biology and Behavior with Rosemary Mosco
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Rock Pigeons, Andrew Birkey/Audubon Photography Awards


The Rock Pigeon is such a familiar sight that you may never have noticed its beautiful iridescent throat plumage. Did you know that this species was domesticated over 5,000 years ago?

Join us for an author talk with Rosemary Mosco, author of A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching, a book that takes a closer look at this common bird. Her travel-sized book details pigeons’ coloration, field marks, and anatomy. But it’s more than a field guide. It’s also an informative account of pigeon history, biology, and behavior, complete with Mosco’s delightful illustrations and a hefty dose of puns. Join this talk for a dive into the science, history, biology and behavior of the Rock Pigeon.

When: Thursday, December 7, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where: Virtual
Members: $10
Non-members: $15
MORE INFO ([link removed])


** Duck Walk: Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge
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Occoquan Bay NWR, Tina Dudley


Early December is prime time for waterfowl in northern Virginia, and Occoquan Bay NWR is one of the best places to see them. Greg Butcher, the walk leader, will have a spotting scope, but bring yours if you have one.

When: Sunday, December 10, 2023, 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Where: Meet at the Visitors’ Center, Occoquan Bay NWR 14050 Dawson Beach Road Woodbridge, VA, 22191 (map) ([link removed])
FREE, but registration is required
MORE INFO ([link removed])


** Manassas-Bull Run Christmas Bird Count
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** Carolina Chickadee, Jeff Drake/Audubon Photography Awards
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The Manassas-Bull Run Christmas Bird Count (CBC) will be on Sunday, December 15. The center of the 15-mile diameter count circle is near the intersection of Routes 28 & 29 in Centreville. Birders of all skill levels are needed.

When: Sunday, December 17, 2023, 8:00 AM 12:00 PM
Where: Centreville, VA (map) ([link removed])
MORE INFO ([link removed])


** The How and Who of Urban Wildlife Conservation with Dr. Charles Nixon
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** Dr. Charles Nixon
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Join us Sunday afternoon, January 7, for a virtual Audubon Afternoon that features the first of our Stretch Our Parks Lectures featuring Dr. Charles Nilon, an ecologist and professor from the University of Missouri.

Dr. Nilon’s decades of research and service have combined two of his lifelong passions – understanding how to safeguard urban biodiversity and making conservation biology more inclusive. He has been a lead researcher on projects combining data from more than 150 of the world’s cities to assess how ecological and socioeconomic factors influence birds in urban environments. He will share his ideas about what actions cities and towns might take to protect biodiversity as human density increases, and why making conservation efforts more diverse, inclusive, and just is paramount to their success.

When: Sunday, January 7, 2023, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Where: Online
Fee: FREE, but registration is required
MORE INFO ([link removed])


** Preventing Avian Extinctions: What Works with Dr. David Luther
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** Cerulean Warbler, Matt Felperin
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Join Dr. David Luther for a program on preventing avian extinctions. More species in the world are threatened with extinction today than at any other time in recent history. However, at the same time, a number of programs have made great strides in successfully conserving threatened species and preventing their extinctions. Dr. Luther will explore the state of birds globally, the threats they face, and what is working in the field of conservation biology to prevent the extinction of endangered bird species. The talk will focus on global and local examples of successful conservation efforts, his research on conserving endangered species in the United States and around the world, and future conservation opportunities.

When: Thursday, January 11, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where: Virtual
Members: $10
Non-members: $15
MORE INFO ([link removed])


** Birding in Colombia with ASNV
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Santa Marta Woodstar, Luis Eduardo Urena


With over 1,900 avian species — more than any other country in the world — Colombia is a birder’s paradise waiting to be discovered. This 9-day program focuses on the country’s northern highlights, including the Caribbean region and the Santa Marta Mountains, famed for their high level of endemic species. Explore high-elevation mountains, dry forest, and coastal habitats in search of an array of tropical avifauna, including flycatchers, hummingbirds, tanagers, toucans, and more. Throughout your journey, meet members of the local community and learn about conservation efforts to use birding as a sustainable development resource.

When: Saturday, January 13, 2024 - Sunday, January 21, 2024 9:00 AM
Where: Colombia
Fee: See registration page ([link removed]) through Holbrook Travel for pricing information
MORE INFO ([link removed])


** Bird Walks
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Birding, Camila Cerea


Check this page ([link removed]) for upcoming walks! Registration is no longer required for ASNV-sponsored walks.


** Monday Nature Mystery
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** Southern Red Oak, Wikimedia user Katie Schulz via CC BY 2.0
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**
Monday Nature Mystery continues! Read on to learn who correctly identified our last mystery and see what this week's mystery holds.
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**
Read more > ([link removed])
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** Conservation Counts
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Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Rusty Moran

Join Jim Waggener in his ongoing natural resource surveys at two of Northern Virginia's best birding spots. Surveys alternate between Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge and Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area on Mason Neck.

Read more > ([link removed])

E-Activist Network: Volunteers Needed

The National Audubon Society invites all Auduboners to join its e-activist network. When you subscribe to the Society’s newsletter, you'll receive alerts about important congressional actions and information about how you can affect legislation by contacting your members of Congress. [link removed]
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