Local Teen Wins National Audubon Society Photo Award

Photo: Green-winged Teals, James Fatemi/Audubon Photography Awards

Tom Blackburn

Green-winged Teals, James Fatemi/Audubon Photography Awards

James Fatemi

James Fatemi, a junior at McLean High School, won the Youth Honorable Mention Award in the National Audubon Society’s 2023 Photography Contest. James’s photograph of Green-winged Teals mating during a snowfall at Huntley Meadows Park impressed the judges, one of whom praised his decision to take the photo in adverse weather and stated, “The colors on the male pop beautifully against the overall muted color palette.”

James is no stranger to photo contests. His photo of an American Toad titled “King of His Domain” won first prize in both the Youth and Overall divisions in the 2021 Friends of Huntley Meadows Park photo contest when James was just 14. He also won first prize in the Youth category for the Friends’ 2020 contest.

“King of His Domain,” James Fatemi

James learned the basics of photography about four years ago from his father, Fredrik, who said, “It wasn’t long before James began teaching me things.” His first important photo was of a Scarlet Tanager that he took for his grandmother, who had only ever seen one. James recently has developed an interest in macro photography and enjoys taking pictures of insects as well as birds and other wildlife. You can see more of James’s photos here and here. You can see all of the National Audubon Society’s 2023 award winners here. 

Nextgen Birders for Conservation: A New Program Targeting Younger Birders

Photo: Morgan Peterson

Tina Dudley and Libby Lyons 

ASNV is excited to announce the official launch of Nextgen Birders for Conservation (Nextgen). This new program aims to cultivate the next generation of birders and conservationists by providing opportunities for younger birders to meet, socialize, learn, and bird together. 

In the 2016 “Birding in the US Report,” the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service found that the average age of a bird watcher in the United States was 52 years old, and the greatest number was in the 55+ age group. As ASNV looks to the future, we see the need to engage more young birders to carry the torch of conservation, citizen science, and education. Inspiring the “next generation of naturalists and conservation advocates,” is a key goal in ASNV’s newly adopted strategic plan. 

This is where Nextgen comes in. To reach younger audiences, ASNV is hosting Nextgen on Meetup, a platform for finding and building local communities. Here is the link to our page on Meetup. 

Nextgen aims to connect young birders, including any young people who enjoy wild birds, with their peers. We welcome people who are new to the hobby, loaning out binoculars during our events to beginners. Since the beta launch in April, Nextgen has attracted over 65 members with various levels of birding experience. Members include new birders, nature enthusiasts, photography hobbyists, aspiring ornithologists, natural resource professionals, and experienced bird walk leaders. 

Nextgen outing at Leopold’s Preserve. Photo: Morgan Peterson

The Nextgen event schedule will include a mix of activities and formats, both peer-focused events and events where Nextgen members will join regularly scheduled ASNV programs. Upcoming events include backyard birding on Lake Audubon and a Wingspan game night. Most Nextgen events include a social component to encourage connections and to counter the isolation some younger birders feel when enjoying a hobby more commonly practiced by an older generation. 

The Nextgen leadership team includes Adam Jenkins, Tina Dudley, Emerson Milam (a member of ASNV’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee) and Andreana Lin. Introduce yourself to the newest member of the leadership team, Andreana Lin, in this member spotlight. We are optimistic that as the group grows its members will join ASNV in promoting conservation and citizen science projects. We encourage Nextgen members to consider volunteering on an ASNV committee or joining our Board of Directors. 

Help us make the Nextgen Birders for Conservation group a success. The group is targeted at younger people with an interest in birds, birding or conservation. Join us and steer younger birders you know in our direction. We also are looking for a few birders with 5+ years of birding experience who can serve as mentors. Interested individuals can sign up as mentors here.