President's Corner
Yellow-throated Warbler, Matt Felperin
Our work is powered by our volunteers with direction from (and many hours of participation by) our NVBA committees. To encourage you to get involved, we would like to introduce you to those committees and the work they do.
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The Chimney Swift
Chimney Swifts, Ben Cvengros/Audubon Photography Awards
Did you know that until the mid-19th century the Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) was called the American Swift?
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The 2025 VA General Assembly So Far
VA State Capitol Building, Wikimedia User Skip Plitt via CC By-SA 3.0
The Virginia General Assembly adjourned sine die on February 22. It is scheduled to reconvene April 2 to address actions the governor may take on legislation sent to him.
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Clean Water and Native Plants
If your property contains a stream, pond, or any sort of wetland, whether its flow is permanent or intermittent in nature, this article is especially for you!
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Get Ready for Birdathon 2025
Birders, Camila Cerea
As spring arrives in northern Virginia, we’re looking forward to Birdathon 2025, our annual event where teams collect pledges from friends and family and then record how many species they can identify during any 24-hour period between April 19 and May 18.
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A Closer Look: Nature All Around Us
Aplos simplex nymph, 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: Wildlife-Friendly Spring Garden Cleanup
Common Eastern Bumblebee, Judy Gallagher
If you followed the advice to forgo an annual autumn garden cleanup and instead left fallen leaves and dead plant stems in place to provide winter habitat for wildlife, your yard helped lots of local bugs and birds survive the winter and prepare for spring.
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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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Homegrown National Park: Creating Habitat in Our Own Yards
Asclepias tuberosa with Fritillaries, PNN
Join us at Mount Vernon Unitarian Church for an inspiring talk by Doug Tallamy on creating diverse ecosystems in our yards, communities, farms, and surrounding lands. Learn how reducing lawns and planting native trees, shrubs, and perennials can help repair the devastating loss of native species—all while adding beauty to your surroundings.
When: Sunday, March 9, 12:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Where: Mount Vernon Unitarian Church, 1909 Windmill Lane, Alexandria, VA 22307
Fee: $10
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Ospreys in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed with Joanie Millward
Osprey, Doug German/Audubon Photography Awards
Learn about the history of Ospreys, the challenges they face today in the Chesapeake Watershed, and how you can help.
When: Tuesday, March 11, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where: Virtual
Fee: FREE
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Birds in Watercolor: Barn Swallow with Ronna Fujisawa
Barn Swallow, Ronna Fujisawa
Join this digital art class and learn to paint a Barn Swallow. Your instructor, Ronna Fujisawa of Salty Water Art, will be your guide through the step-by-step process. The class is open to all levels of watercolor painters. Beginners are welcome!
When: Wednesday, March 12, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Where: Virtual
Members: $25
Non-members: $35
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30,000 Miles in Search of Godwits with Bruce Beehar
Hudsonian Gotwit, David Seidensticker/Audubon Photography Awards
Between 2019 and 2022, Bruce Beehler, a research associate at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, completed five field trips in search of Hudsonian Godwits. In this illustrated lecture, he will recount the highlights of his more than five months in the field, from Nome and Point Barrow to Tuktoyaktuk, Moosonee, and Monomoy Island.
When: Tuesday, March 18, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where: Virtual
Fee: $15 member; $25 non-member
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Backyard Bird ID Workshop - Get Ready for Birdathon at Home!
Eastern Towhee, Calli Cook/Audubon Photography Awards
Join us for an exciting backyard bird identification workshop, where we’ll dive into the fascinating world of local birds and seasonal visitors! Whether you’re watching from your window, patio, or garden, you’ll gain the confidence to identify and appreciate the birds around you.
When: Thursday, March 20, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where: Virtual
Fee: FREE
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Alliance Afternoon: Matt Felperin's Birdathon Warbler Bootcamp
Yellow-throated Warbler, Matt Felperin
Our quarterly Audubon Alliance Sunday afternoon at the National Wildlife Federation in Reston will feature guest speaker Matt Felperin’s Birdathon Warbler Bootcamp, to get you ready for spring migration. We’ll gather informally starting at 2:30 pm for snacks and visiting. At 3:00 pm, President Libby Lyons will present our revised bylaws for member approval. Matt’s presentation will begin at 3:15 pm, and after his talk, from 4:00 - 4:30 pm, we invite you to stick around to speak with board members and staff representing our very active committees, who will help you learn how you can get more involved through volunteering!
When: Sunday, March 23, 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Where: National Wildlife Federation Building, 11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston, VA 20190
Fee: FREE
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Bird Walks
Birding, Camila Cerea
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Check this page for upcoming walks! Registration is no longer required for NVBA-sponsored walks.
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Monday Nature Mystery
Spotted Salamander, USFWSmidwest, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
In case you missed it, we're providing a link to the February 24 Monday Nature Mystery. AND, we're giving you a heads up! Monday, March 3 will be our last Monday Nature Mystery, so if you haven't played before, now is your chance!
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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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