Soon we will begin—cautiously – to resume bird walks this fall. While the activity is outdoors, we still want to avoid the need for participants to be in close proximity. Even though the business economy is restarting, we realize that the virus is still a significant risk, especially to older people.

During the pandemic we’ve had to cancel our regular wildlife surveys but some long-time participants are going out individually on an ad hoc basis to continue collecting data. Judy Gallagher is one of those folks who also captures photos of what she sees, in particular the less common species.

Prince William Conservation Alliance held a community conversation on July 12, “Is This Land Your Land?” with keynote speaker, Dudley Edmondson, who presented information and ideas on why African Americans and other People of Color might not think so.

In a rare show of bipartisan support, the Great American Outdoors Act passed in both Congressional houses with a large margin. The Act has been called one of the most important environmental bills in history.

We think these resources from the National Audubon Society offer a helpful introduction not only for our ASNV board but for anyone who wants to better understand how the outdoors and specifically birding, is not equally safe and welcoming for everyone, especially for people of color.

“Tier, Tier, Tier, Tier, Tier.” Have you heard this call? It’s the call of a Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus), but it could be a Blue Jay you’re hearing. Even if you have a discerning ear, the calls can be indistinguishable.

Getting back into nature is often the best therapy for challenging times. Read on for a link to Glenda Booth’s article, originally published in Zebra, on the importance of getting outside.

Last month we asked readers if they could identify a particularly beautiful nest that had fallen from a tree, and we’ve decided to continue our Monday Mystery contest each week on Facebook.

On June 7, 2020 ASNV held its Annual Membership Meeting “virtually” for the first time since our founding in 1980. Members elected three new board members and a current member to three-year terms.

ASNV has held the Northern Virginia Bird Survey every June since 1994, providing a picture of the trends over 25 years on the number and species of breeding birds in our area.

We’re now offering most of our classes and workshops online due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

After the video of a white woman making racist threats against Christian Cooper, a black birder in Central Park, a group of black professionals working across science, technology, engineering and math known as BlackAFinSTEM, organized #BlackBirdersWeek from May 31 – June 5.

It’s summertime and mosquito control companies are once again pushing their services to kill mosquitoes in your yard. Although the companies may claim they target only mosquitoes, the products they use have a broader impact.

National Audubon Society issued a statement about the incident in Central Park’s Ramble that occurred when Christian Cooper, who is black and a board member of New York City Audubon Society, asked a white woman to put her dog on a leash.

Join us online! Read on to learn about some of the virtual classes, workshops and events we have planned.

ASNV, National Audubon Society and the other five Audubon chapters in Virginia have submitted a letter to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) supporting a discussion draft of regulations to implement Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) protections for birds in Virginia.

Many Audubon education and advocacy programs have been canceled or paused due to Covid-19. Fortunately, the Audubon at Home (AAH) program continues. Applicant numbers are down, but people who are proactive, enthusiastic and committed about attracting native wildlife to their yards continue to apply.

It’s been difficult to get out birding as much as we’d like during the shut-down. That gives us a great opportunity to brush up on our birding skills and knowledge from the comfort of our homes.

If you missed Bill Young’s popular four-part series on Spring Warblers, you can now view the first two sessions on our website here.

Looking for a reason to get out into nature? How about making your property more wildlife-friendly by adding plants native to Virginia? If you missed the Audubon at Home Earth Day webinar that discussed why native plants are important and was full of tips on how to integrate them into landscaping, click here to see the recorded version.