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.
Wildlife Sanctuary Almanac: It's Spring! Is it Time to Plant?
Letter to Our Members: Flickers of Hope in Winter
NVBA Helps Preserve Urban Forest in Fairfax City
Following a long and hard-fought campaign by environmental advocates, the Fairfax City Council voted not to proceed with constructing the George Snyder Trail, which would have destroyed much of the city’s urban forest. This victory for the environment over development is a classic demonstration of the effort needed to secure an environmental “win.”
Winter Irruptions
An “irruption” is a large-scale movement of birds to a new area, somewhat similar to migration. However, unlike regular fall and spring migrations, irruptions are typically driven by resource availability (such as food scarcity) and thus occur more randomly, with some winters seeing big irruptions and others seeing none at all.
Updating the Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas
Breeding bird atlases have a long history in the United States, where they are typically conducted at the state level. Like road atlases, at their core they are centered around maps, but the maps relate to the geographic distribution and abundance of breeding bird species—that is, where they are found on the landscape and in what numbers.
The Depths of Winter: What's a Gardener to Do?
Our 2026 Scholarship Winner
The 2026 Audubon Photography Awards are now open!
A Closer Look: Nature All Around Us, February 2026
Wildlife Sanctuary Almanac: Tree and Shrub Pruning that Won't Harm Birds
Letter to Our Members
Perspective on the Dreaded Spotted Lanternfly
NVBA’s Advocacy Committee and the Busy Season Ahead
Feeding Birds in Winter
A Closer Look: Nature All Around Us, January 2026
Wildlife Sanctuary Almanac: Love Our Mighty Oaks
Letter to Our Members
The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, MD, hosts a Project Owlnet bird banding station as part of a project studying Northern Saw-whet Owl migration. I was allowed to participate as a volunteer last year, which gave me a truly memorable experience, seeing the Northern Saw-whet Owl for the first time.
