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Northern Virginia Bird Alliance

Who We Are
Our Mission
Diversity and Inclusion
NVBA Staff and Board
Partners and Benefactors
Territory
What We Do
Classes and Events
Online Programs
Annual Symposium
Community Outreach
Calendar
Scholarships and Grants
Volunteer with NVBA
Shop NVBA
The Potomac Flier
FY 2025 Annual Report
Birdathon 2026
Register Your Team
Guidelines
2026 Team List
Backyard Birdathon
How You Can Help
Get Outside
Birding in Northern Virginia
Bird Outings
Bird Counts and Surveys
Butterfly and Dragonfly Surveys
Natural Resource Surveys
News
Take Action
Current Issues
Environmental Advocacy
How to be an Effective Advocate
Ongoing Local Efforts
Important Bird Areas
Volunteer
Wildlife Sanctuary Program
Wildlife Sanctuary Program
Sanctuary Species
Creating Wildlife Habitat
Native Plants for Wildlife
Wildlife Sanctuary Almanac
Plant This Not That
Human-made Hazards to Wildlife
Ambassador Tool Kit
Contact the Wildlife Sanctuary Program
Presentations
Stretch Our Parks
Bird Safe NOVA
About Bird Safe NOVA
Lights Out for Birds
Contact
Join Us
Español
DONATE
October 14, 2025
News
Jess Michetti
Fall 2025 Cape May Field Trip Recap

On Saturday, October 4, 22 birders awoke before sunrise, loaded into vans, and began our journey from Northern Virginia to Cape May, NJ, our eyes set on this faraway destination perfectly aligned with the Atlantic Flyway, one of the four “avian superhighways” in North America.

Fall 2025 Cape May Field Trip Recap
October 6, 2025
News
Jess Michetti
Help Us Write the Potomac Flier

Will you volunteer to help us write our monthly newsletter, the Potomac Flier?

Help Us Write the Potomac Flier
Jess Michetti
March 31, 2025
News

The Prairie Warbler

Jess Michetti
March 31, 2025
News
The Prairie Warbler

There are more than 50 species to see and hear at this time of year. Most migrants pass through, but the Prairie Warbler, Setophaga discolor, breeds in northern Virginia. 

Tagged: Prairie Warbler, Warblers, Spring Migration, Habitat Conservation, Occoquan Bay NWR, Piney Grove Preserve

Jess Michetti
March 31, 2025
News

Our Hog Island Scholarship Winner

Jess Michetti
March 31, 2025
News
Our Hog Island Scholarship Winner

NVBA is pleased to announce that Deborah Hammer is the 2025 winner of our scholarship to attend "Sharing Nature: An Educator's Week" at Hog Island Audubon Camp in Maine this coming August.

Tagged: Hog Island, Scholarships and Grants

Jess Michetti
March 31, 2025
News

Early Spring Blooms for the Garden

Jess Michetti
March 31, 2025
News
Early Spring Blooms for the Garden

Our woodlands and meadows are about to awaken and burst into a vibrant display of spring ephemerals, the transient native beauties we love to see, especially after the cold and snowy days of winter.

Tagged: Plant Nova Natives, Spring Ephemerals, Woodland Natives, Native Plants, Native Gardening

Jess Michetti
March 31, 2025
News

A Closer Look: Nature All Around Us, April 2025

Jess Michetti
March 31, 2025
News
A Closer Look: Nature All Around Us, April 2025

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.

Tagged: Meadowood, Survey, Wildlife Survey, Observations from Meadowood, A Closer Look

Jess Michetti
March 31, 2025
News

Beyond the Spray: Creating Safer, Biodiverse Habitats Without Mosquito Pesticides

Jess Michetti
March 31, 2025
News
Beyond the Spray: Creating Safer, Biodiverse Habitats Without Mosquito Pesticides

A recent presentation highlighted how conventional mosquito spraying is jeopardizing efforts to create thriving wildlife habitats and offered effective alternatives that protect both people and pollinators.

Tagged: Wildlife Sanctuary Almanac, Mosquitoes, Mosquito Control, Beyond the Spray, Pesticides

Jess Michetti
March 31, 2025
News

Weekly Bird Word: March 31, 2025

Jess Michetti
March 31, 2025
News
Weekly Bird Word: March 31, 2025

Our new feature, the Weekly Bird Word, introduces a new bird-related vocabulary word each week.

Tagged: Bird Word

Jess Michetti
February 28, 2025
President's Corner

President's Corner

Jess Michetti
February 28, 2025
President's Corner
President's Corner

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.

Tagged: President's Corner

Jess Michetti
February 28, 2025
News

The Chimney Swift

Jess Michetti
February 28, 2025
News
The Chimney Swift

Did you know that until the mid-19th century the Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) was called the American Swift?

Tagged: Chimney Swift, Conservation, Migratory Bird Treaty Act

Jess Michetti
February 28, 2025
News

The 2025 Virginia General Assembly Session So Far

Jess Michetti
February 28, 2025
News
The 2025 Virginia General Assembly Session So Far

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.

Tagged: Advocacy, Virginia General Assembly, Conservation Legislation, Volunteer

Jess Michetti
February 28, 2025
News

Clean Water and Native Plants

Jess Michetti
February 28, 2025
News
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!

Tagged: Plant Nova Natives, Riparian Buffers, Native Plants, Native Landscaping

Jess Michetti
February 28, 2025
News

Get Ready for Birdathon 2025

Jess Michetti
February 28, 2025
News
Get Ready for Birdathon 2025

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.

Tagged: Birdathon, Birding, Fundraiser

Jess Michetti
February 28, 2025
News

A Closer Look: Nature All Around Us, March 2025

Jess Michetti
February 28, 2025
News
A Closer Look: Nature All Around Us, March 2025

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.

Tagged: Meadowood, Survey, Wildlife Survey, Observations from Meadowood, A Closer Look

Jess Michetti
February 28, 2025
News

Wildlife Sanctuary Almanac: Wildlife-Friendly Spring Garden Cleanup

Jess Michetti
February 28, 2025
News
Wildlife Sanctuary Almanac: Wildlife-Friendly Spring Garden Cleanup

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. 

Tagged: Wildlife Sanctuary Almanac, Garden Cleanup

Jess Michetti
February 28, 2025
News

Monday Mystery - February 24, 2025

Jess Michetti
February 28, 2025
News
Monday Mystery - February 24, 2025

Monday Nature Mystery continues! Read on to learn who correctly identified our last mystery.

Tagged: Monday Mystery, Facebook, Nature Trivia, Contest

Jess Michetti
January 30, 2025
President's Corner

Board Notes: Think Beyond Your Back Yard

Jess Michetti
January 30, 2025
President's Corner
Board Notes: Think Beyond Your Back Yard

While we’re hunkered down inside during the cold winter months, it’s also a good time to support habitat creation beyond the boundaries of our backyards.

Tagged: President's Corner, Conservation, Board Notes

Jess Michetti
January 30, 2025
News

A Closer Look: Nature All Around Us

Jess Michetti
January 30, 2025
News
A Closer Look: Nature All Around Us

This month we have renamed Judy Gallagher’s monthly feature article, which provides her stunningly detailed photos of insects, along with fascinating information about their lives.

Tagged: Judy Gallagher, Nature Around Us

Jess Michetti
January 30, 2025
News

The Birds Are Coming – Will the Lights Be Out?

Jess Michetti
January 30, 2025
News
The Birds Are Coming – Will the Lights Be Out?

Migration season is approaching fast. Between March 15 and May 31, 100 million birds will pass through northern Virginia, most of them flying at night.

Tagged: Advocacy, Lights Out, Bird Safe NOVA

Jess Michetti
January 30, 2025
News

We’re Recruiting

Jess Michetti
January 30, 2025
News
We’re Recruiting

NVBA relies heavily on its members to execute its mission, and we’re currently looking for members interested in serving on our Board of Directors.

Tagged: Board of Directors, Volunteer

Jess Michetti
January 30, 2025
News

Results of the 2024 Manassas-Bull Run Christmas Bird Count 

Jess Michetti
January 30, 2025
News
Results of the 2024 Manassas-Bull Run Christmas Bird Count 

The results of the 43rd annual Manassas-Bull Run Christmas Bird Count are in! Over seventy birders counted 17,591 birds of 79 species in this 15-mile diameter circle on December 15, 2024.

Tagged: Christmas Bird Count, Bird Count, Citizen Science

Jess Michetti
January 30, 2025
News

Calling All Photographers: 2025 Audubon Photography Awards

Jess Michetti
January 30, 2025
News
Calling All Photographers: 2025 Audubon Photography Awards

The National Audubon Society’s annual photography competition is now open for submissions.

Tagged: Audubon Photography Awards, Bird Photography

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Northern Virginia Bird Alliance, 11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston, VA, 20190, United Statesinfo@nvbirdalliance.org

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Northern Virginia Bird Alliance
11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Ste. 100
Reston, VA 20190

P: 703-438-6008
info@nvbirdalliance.org