A Letter to Our Members: Right Now is a Great Time to Get Rid of Your Invasive Plants
Callery Pears. Photo: Tom Blackburn
The Virginia Legislature has passed legislation, now awaiting the Governor’s signature, which will help combat the spread of invasive plants. But the new laws don’t do anything about the invasive plants in your own, or your neighbors’, yards. Here are a few that are at the top of my Enemies List, along with some suggestions on what to replace them with.
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Thompson Wildlife Management Area in Spring
Trilliums and Mayapples in bloom. Photo: Sudhir Viswarajan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
During the transition from winter to spring, nature shows off. There are a trillion different emerging sights, but few as captivating as the trilliums (Trilliaceae family).
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It's Time for Birdathon!
2025 Birdathon teams
As spring arrives in northern Virginia, we’re looking forward to Birdathon 2026, our biggest and most FUN fundraiser of the year!
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Spring in Virginia: Some Birders' Thoughts
Green-winged Teal. Photo: Joyce Palm/Audubon Photography Awards
After snow flurries and a couple of cold snaps this past month, here are a couple things local birders are looking forward to in April.
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Birding and Photography along Marumsco Creek
Great Blue Heron. Photo: Kent Blumberg
My favorite birding spot is Veterans Memorial Park in Woodbridge. I keep coming back for the surprises that appear around every bend in the trail.
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The Birds are Coming! It's Time to Turn Off the Lights
Purple Martins. Photo: Keith Kingdon/Audubon Photography Awards
Time to turn off your lights to help migrating birds coming to or through our area! Learn more about the importance of darkness to migrating birds.
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Judging a Plant by its Label
Native plants at a garden center. Photo: Margaret Fisher
Finding natives in commercial garden centers can be challenging. Plant labels, excepting those that Plant NOVA Native volunteers have already tagged in red as “Native,” rarely offer much information and use terms that can be confusing. Here are some definitions and tips to help you find exactly what the biodiversity of the region needs.
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A Closer Look: Nature All Around Us
Palm Warbler with Katydid. Photo: 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: Plant a Butterfly Nursery in the Shade
Canadian Serviceberry. Photo: USFWS/Southeast, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Everybody loves butterflies, but caterpillars can be less charismatic. However, without caterpillars, we don’t have butterflies.
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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. We are always adding events so be sure to check our calendar for the latest schedule of events.
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Beginner Birding at Occoquan Bay NWR
Bird guide training. Photo: McKenzie Ingram
Join NVBA naturalist Andreas Seiter at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge for an introduction to birdwatching and a guided walk to seek out some of the refuge’s diverse waterfowl species.
When: Friday, April 3, 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Where: Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, 14050 Dawson Beach Rd, Woodbridge, VA 22191
Fee: FREE, but registration is appreciated
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In-person Art Class: Sketching Birds 101 with Jess Michetti
Bird sketches, Jess Michetti
In the spirit of Draw A Bird Day, join Jess Michetti in Reston where you will use pencils, pens and copy paper to draw an American Robin. Learn what materials to use and useful techniques. This event celebrates drawing birds as a way to enjoy the challenge of putting pencil to paper and learn something about our subject along the way. Absolutely no experience is required and all skill levels are welcome.
When: Wednesday, April 8, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Where: National Wildlife Federation Building, 11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston, VA 20190
Members: $12
Nonmembers: $23
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Springtime Bird Rehab and Education Day with A.E.R.O.
Red-winged Blackbirds. Photo: Dixie Sommers/NVBA Photo Contest
Join NVBA and our partner A.E.R.O. (Animal Education and Rescue Organization) for an afternoon full of bird-related educational sessions. With Spring Migration in full-swing, we want everyone to be prepared the next time they find an injured or lost bird!
When: Sunday, April 12, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Where: National Wildlife Federation Building, 11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston, VA 20190
Members and Wildlife Rehabbers: $18
Nonmembers: $23
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Birdathon Kickoff: Introduction, Team Building and Q&A
Prairie Warbler. Photo: Matt Felperin
Register for this virtual event to learn about our upcoming annual Birdathon! We will begin with an introduction to Birdathon and discuss how to form a team, sign up, set up your fundraising page, and track your sightings. We’ll also cover important deadlines, how teams will submit observations through eBird, and tips for making the most of your 2026 Birdathon experience!
When: Monday, April 13, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Where: Online
Fee: FREE, but registration is required
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Reducing Bird Collisions: Practical Solutions for Building Glass and Light Pollution
Purple Martins. Photo: Keith Kingdon/Audubon Photography Awards
Join us on April 15 to find out how important it is to reduce outdoor lighting, particularly during bird migration. Hear from our speakers Joelle Gehring and Jo Anna Lutmerding, both with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, on how outdoor lights affect bird migration and birds’ health and reproduction throughout the year.
When: Wednesday, April 15, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Where: Online
Fee: FREE, but registration is required
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iNaturalist City Nature Challenge Insect Walk with Judy Gallagher
Jagged Ambush Bug Nymph. Photo: Randy Streufert/NVBA Photo Contest
Join us in celebrating the 2026 iNaturalist City Nature Challenge with an insect walk hosted by Judy Gallagher, NVBA board member and author of our monthly insect-focused column “A Closer Look.” Judy will guide participants on a short hike, looking for and identifying insects along the way. The City Nature Challenge is a global, community-powered event where people work together to observe and document wildlife in their local environments.
When: Saturday, April 25, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Where: Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, 14050 Dawson Beach Road, Woodbridge, VA 22191
Fee: FREE, but registration is requested
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Beyond the Spray: Protecting Wildlife and Biodiversity with Safer Mosquito Control Solutions
Tiger Swallowtail butterfly on Ironweed. Photo: Betsy Martin
Join us for a free program on mosquito control solutions that avoid pesticides. Learn about the harm to wildlife from broadcast spraying and safer and more effective alternatives.
When: Saturday, April 25, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Where: Mount Vernon Unitarian Church, 1909 Windmill Lane, Alexandria, VA 22307
Fee: FREE, but registration is required
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Bird Outings
Birding, Camila Cerea
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Check our Bird Outings page for upcoming events! Registration is requested for NVBA-sponsored outings to help our leaders prepare and communicate with participants.
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Volunteer with Us!
Volunteers are at the heart of everything we do at NVBA, and we have many opportunities for you to get involved. Check our Volunteer page for a list of ongoing efforts and to fill out our general volunteer interest form. Watch our recorded Volunteer Orientation video to see the different kinds of volunteer activities we have available and learn how to get started. See you out there!
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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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