A Letter to Our Members
Northern Saw-whet Owl, Carolina Sanabria
The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, MD, hosts a Project Owlnet bird banding station as part of a project studying Northern Saw-whet Owl migration. I was allowed to participate as a volunteer last year, which gave me a truly memorable experience, seeing the Northern Saw-whet Owl for the first time.
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Mystery Arlington Bird Carried Disease First Found in Alaska
Red-breasted Nuthatch with deformed beak, Alaska Science Center, USGS
An enigma alighted on an Arlington birdfeeder in late July, a sparrow-sized bird with an inverted feeding style and a prodigious beak almost as long as its brown and white body. Who was this strange visitor?
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NVBA Photo Calendars are Here!
American Kestrel, Randy Streufert
Thank you to everyone who participated in our calendar contest! Calendars are ready to purchase through our online shop and they make great holiday gifts for the bird lovers in your life. Order by the end of this week to get your order before the holidays, either via pickup at our office or USPS shipping.
Visit the NVBA Shop >
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Prepare for the Next Virginia General Assembly: Two Programs on Advocacy
VA State Capitol, Wikimedia user Skip Plitt via CC BY-SA-3.0
Advocating for your legislative priorities can be intimidating. NVBA is offering two programs that will help demystify the process and provide an advance look at legislation that will be introduced in the 2026 Virginia General Assembly.
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Back for the Holidays: The White-throated Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow, Ashrith Kandula/Audubon Photography Awards
“Oh-sweet-Canada-Canada” or “Old-Sam-Peabody-Peabody” – no matter which phrase you associate with the song of the White-throated Sparrow, northern Virginia residents can expect to hear it throughout the coming months as these little birds sing of their return from breeding grounds in Canada.
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How Birds Survive the Winter
Mourning Dove, Danny Brown/Audubon Photography Awards
How do our feathered friends survive winter? They have two options: migrate south to warmer temperatures or adapt to the winter weather.
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A Closer Look: Nature All Around Us
Cynapid Wasp gall on Pin Oak , Judy Gallagher
Judy Gallagher is an NVBA board member and a regular surveyor of local wildlife who also captures photos of what she sees, in particular the less common species.
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Wildlife Sanctuary Almanac: Use - and lose - Nandina
Nandina, Emóke Dénes, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
It’s a beautiful plant - evergreen, red berries, soft foliage - but evil lurks in its heart. Nandina, a.k.a. Heavenly Bamboo or Nandina domestica, is a woody shrub native to Asia. It is not a true bamboo but, just like its namesake, it is a real problem in the landscape.
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Upcoming Classes and Events
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 for our full schedule of events.
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Virginia Conservation Network General Assembly Preview
Graphic courtesy of Virginia Conservation Network
Join us at our offices in the Reston for a General Assembly Preview Watch Party to prepare for the upcoming General Assembly. We’ll provide breakfast, followed by a streamed presentation from experts across the Commonwealth, and an in-person discussion about local issues.
You can register for the General Assembly Preview here.
When: Saturday, December 6, 9:00 AM - noon
Where: National Wildlife Federation Building, 11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston, VA
Suggested Donation: $20
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Wildlife Sanctuary Presentation Hosted by the Native Plant Circle
Certified Wildlife Sanctuary
Are you intrigued by observing wildlife in your own yard? Do you want to contribute to the environmental health of our planet? If so join us to learn about the Wildlife Sanctuary program and how you can transform your yard to create habitat, attract beneficial wildlife, and get your yard certified as a Wildlife Sanctuary. You’ll learn about habitat best practices and receive tips to help you select native trees and plants that suit the conditions in your yard.
When: Saturday, December 13, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Where: Mount Vernon Unitarian Church, 1909 Windmill Lane, Alexandria, CA 22307
Fee: FREE
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Effective Advocacy with Delegate Kathy Tran
Virginia State Capitol Building, Wikimedia user Skip Plitt via CC BY-SA 3.0
Do you want to learn how to be a more effective advocate? Join NVBA and Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy for a virtual program with the Honorable Kathy Tran, Representative for Virginia District 18 and Majority Caucus Chair for the Virginia House of Delegates.
When: Tuesday, December 16, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where: Online
Fee: FREE
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Manassas-Bull Run Christmas Bird Count
Carolina Chickadee, Jeff Drake/Audubon Photography Awards
The Manassas-Bull Run Christmas Bird Count (CBC) will be on Sunday, December 14. 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 14, 2025, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Where: Centreville, VA
Fee: FREE
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Bird Walks
Birding, Camila Cerea
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Check our Bird Walks page for upcoming walks! Registration is requested for NVBA-sponsored walks to help our walk leaders prepare and communicate with participants.
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Conservation Counts
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.
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National Audubon Society Action Network
The National Audubon Society invites all Auduboners to join its action 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.
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Too many emails? Now you can update your profile to let us know how often you'd like to receive email communications from NVBA.
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