NVBA News Blog
American Robin. Photo: Mick Thompson/Audubon Photography Awards
Welcome to the blog for Northern Virginia Bird Alliance, a wealth of resources about northern Virginia birds, wildlife, habitat conservation and restoration, native plants, wildlife-friendly gardening, advocacy and more.
February 2022 Bird of the Month
Jessica Bigger, who writes our Bird of the Month feature, is away, so we’re bringing you a recent story from the Washington Post about an infrequent visitor from the Arctic – a Snowy Owl.
Monday Mystery - January 31
Monday Nature Mystery continues! Read on to learn who correctly identified our last mystery.
Free the Trees!
Are you upset at the sight of trees being swallowed up by invasive vines? Here is an opportunity to do something about it.
Party Time on the Disc Golf Course
We don’t usually associate the native plant movement or a tree campaign with sports, but players at the Giles Run Disc Golf Course see it as a natural connection.
Volunteers at Upton Hill Regional Park Honored
An urban park with a mini-golf course, a waterpark, and a ropes course might not be the first place you’d visit for birdwatching and nature exploration but if you passed it by, you’d be missing a rare habitat.
Bipartisan Bird Walks for Hill Staffers
Could birding help bridge the partisan divide in Congress?
Observations from Meadowood: January 2022
Judy Gallagher continues to survey Meadowood Recreation Area. Here are some findings from her most recent survey.
Monday Mystery - December 27
Monday Nature Mystery continues! Read on to learn who correctly identified our last mystery.
January 2022 Bird of the Month
Unlike most bird populations that are declining due to loss of habitat and climate change, waxwings seem to be doing quite well.
Bird Walks
Winter is a great time to enjoy birding! Check out our bird walks page to join an upcoming walk.
2021 Hog Island Scholarship Recipient
2021 Hog Island Scholarship recipient Gretchen Linton reflects on her time at Educator’s Week.
New book on The Birds of Northern Virginia for Beginning Birders and Educators
ASNV is pleased to announce that a new digital picture book on local birds, tailored to beginners, is now available free of charge on the ASNV website.
Happy Frostmas!
What’s “Frostmas?” Every year farmers celebrate the end of the growing season when the first frost occurs. Flowers and crops at this time of year turn to mush due to frost damage.
The Importance of Wetlands
Wetland ecosystems protect and improve water quality, offer habitats, provide flood protection and erosion control, maintain surface water flow during dry periods, and present opportunities for recreation and aesthetic appreciation.
Why you should Report your Tree and Shrub Plantings
Every tree counts! And counting every tree also helps show whether Northern Virginia is meeting its environmental goals.
December 2021 Bird of the Month
The Dark-eyed Junco is one of the most widespread species throughout North America, yet the variation in plumage and behavior between regional species is significant.
Monday Mystery - November 29
Monday Nature Mystery continues! Read on to learn who correctly identified our last mystery.
Annual Manassas-Bull Run Christmas Bird Count (CBC)
Audubon Society of Northern Virginia’s Manassas-Bull Run Christmas Bird Count will be held on Sunday, December 19, 2021 with a preliminary online workshop on December 16. This count will be ASNV’s 40th year participating in a 122-year-old annual tradition of citizen science.
Project Feederwatch Workshop is now Online!
This informative workshop with Dixie Sommers and Greg Butcher covers a bit of Project FeederWatch history, its purpose, tips for identifying birds, and the protocols to be followed while counting. Watch the recording!
Black and Latin/Hispanic Bird and Nature Walks Resume at Upton Hill Park
Northern Virginia Regional Parks and Arlington NAACP have resumed their popular nature walk series.