Photo: Blackburnian Warbler, Seth Honig/NVBA Photo Contest

When: Sunday, March 29, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Where: Fort C.F. Smith Park, 4211 24th Street North, Arlington, VA 22207
Fee: FREE, but registration is requested

Come hang out with us for a relaxed morning bird sit at Fort C.F. Smith Park in Arlington, VA! We'll spend the morning on cozy picnic blankets watching and listening for birds as they start their day and get up to their morning shenanigans. This bird sit will be led by NVBA bird guide Jeph Simmons (they/them).

Please plan to meet your guide at 9:00 AM in the Fort C.F. Smith Park parking lot. The lot is a decent size and includes at least two van-accessible parking spaces, with no obstacles between the paved lot and the nearby trails/sidewalks. (You can view the parking lot on Google Maps at the link here.)

There are a couple of entrances along the main road that may look like they lead to private driveways or small lots, but signage along the road will guide you to the correct parking lot. After brief introductions, we’ll spend most of our time sitting together in a large, patchy grassy area close to the parking lot. Participants who are interested and able are welcome to explore the park’s pathways on their own, but we encourage everyone to return to the group at the end of the outing so we can wrap up together.

What should you bring?

Binoculars are helpful but not required for birding. We will have a limited number of loaner pairs available for participants to use. Guides will also be using the eBird app to record and report sightings during the outing; we encourage you to download the free app and set up an account ahead of time. Please note that trails can be muddy after heavy rain or snow. We recommend wearing comfortable, closed-toe shoes with good traction, especially for the boardwalk sections. Strollers are not permitted on the boardwalk.

About Your Bird Guides

During college, Jeph became known as "the bird guy" amongst their friends. Having always had a fascination with and affinity for all things animals, something about birds pulled them in and never let go! Having graduated with a minor in biology and finishing out their last semester with an ornithological lab class, Jeph wishes to continue learning as much as they can about different birds across the planet with the hopes of some day garnering the opportunity to work with birds in field work. 

Additional Site Information

Fort C.F. Smith Park, located in Arlington, Virginia, is a wonderful place for birding in the spring. The park’s mix of older and younger trees creates varied habitat, making it a popular stopover for migrating warblers and other birds.

For more details about accessibility at this site, see the trail comments on the Birdability Map [use this link to access]. The Birdability Map is a crowdsourced resource created by the nonprofit Birdability that documents accessibility features at birding locations around the world.

Cancellation Policies for NVBA Bird Outings

Everyone’s safety and enjoyment are our top priorities. Occasionally, we may need to postpone or cancel an outing to protect the well-being of participants or guides. Whenever possible, we will notify you at least 48 hours in advance; however, last-minute changes may be necessary. Outings may be canceled or postponed for reasons such as:

• Unsafe air quality

• Guide illness

• Extreme weather, including: Lightning within 10 miles of the event location, temperatures above 90°, heavy thunderstorms, snow, or hail.

If an outing must be canceled on the day of the event, we will do our best to email all registered participants as soon as possible and/or post the cancellation on our website. Thank you for your understanding and flexibility!

Questions? Contact NVBA’s Community Engagement Coordinator, McKenzie, at mckenzie@nvbirdalliance.org.