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.

Spring arrives on March 20. Those occasional warm sunny days that occur in early spring may signal that it is time to add to your native plant gardens. But don’t move too fast!

Working to help birds, I cherish moments in the field. It's a reminder that helping science and volunteering is about more than contributing additional data. It sharpens your noticing. And suddenly you realize there are flickers of hope everywhere.

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.” 

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.

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.

February is a daunting, cold month for sure. But winter dormancy is for plants, not humans, and February can be the perfect time to plan additions to your native plant garden. It is also a great time to remove some invasive non-native species.

This summer NVBA is sending Carrie Lombardi, science coach at Arlington’s Barrett Elementary School, to “Sharing Nature: An Educator’s Week” at National Audubon Society’s Hog Island Camp in Maine.

Attention photographers! National Audubon Society kicked off its 17th annual photography awards on January 15.

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.

Pruning can be good for the tree and good for us, but it isn’t always good for birds. Done wrong, it can disturb nesting sites, remove protective cover and prevent plants from flowering or fruiting. Here are a few tips for bird-friendly pruning this winter and spring.

A year ago, I joined NVBA as Executive Director. I knew I was joining an organization with a strong legacy built by dedicated volunteers over many years, but I wasn't sure exactly what to expect.

Since the spotted lanternfly first made its presence known in Virginia in 2018, we have been faithfully stomping, squashing and squishing the invaders, which the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources describes as a “vampire in a black tuxedo, white shirt, and red bowtie.”

There’s always something the NVBA Advocacy committee needs help with. With the 2026 Virginia General Assembly about to convene on January 14 for a fast-moving two-month session, the committee needs many volunteers to make sure its voice is heard. 

We can help our bird friends survive winter weather by providing them both food and water, particularly in urban and suburban areas where native habitat may be scarce.

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.

Native species of oak trees are abundant across our region. Northern Red Oaks and White Oaks in particular are among our most dominant keystone species, contributing to the ecosystem in ways that are mighty indeed.

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.

An enigma alighted on an Arlington birdfeeder in late July, a sparrow-sized bird with an inverted feeding style and a prodigious beak almost as long as its brown and white body. Who was this strange visitor? 

“Oh-sweet-Canada-Canada” or “Old-Sam-Peabody-Peabody” – no matter which phrase you associate with the song of the White-throated Sparrow, northern Virginia residents can expect to hear it throughout the coming months as these little birds sing of their return from breeding grounds in Canada.