Photo: Birders, Judy Gallagher

When: Saturday, February 14, 7:00 AM – 2:00 PM; Weather date: Sunday, February 15
Where: Various
Fee: Free

The 2026 Winter Waterfowl Count sponsored by the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance will be conducted on February 14 with the 15th as a weather date. We’re looking for volunteers, preferably with scoping experience, to help out.

The Winter Waterfowl Count is a citizen science effort organized by Northern Virginia Bird Alliance to track data about winter waterfowl. This survey complements the Christmas Bird Count, and the data is shared openly with the public. When it started in 2008, volunteers covered the Potomac River from Algonkian Regional Park in Loudoun County to Quantico Marine Base in Prince William County, as well as many inland bodies of water. In 2020 we expanded the survey by to include areas along the Potomac River in King George and Westmoreland Counties down to the mouth of the Potomac River where it empties into Chesapeake Bay.

Although we expect many veterans from past years to return, we can always use new volunteers. Beginners are welcome but we strongly encourage them to watch our recorded Ducks and Waterfowl Identification workshop online. Each volunteer will be assigned to a team led by an experienced birder. Each team determines the start time, which will vary between 7 and 8:30am. End times may also vary depending on assigned survey locations.

This count is organized by Larry Cartwight. Larry is an avid birder and leads several avian related surveys in Northern Virginia. He lectures on birds and birding for the Lifetime Learning Institute at Northern Virginia Community College. His lecture topics have included the evolution of birds from feathered theropod dinosaurs and birding in the Alaskan tundra. Larry has received several awards from scientific and conservation organizations, including the Virginia Society of Ornithology’s Jackson M. Abbott Conservation Award for 2013.

Please contact Larry to get involved with this year’s count! The deadline to register is Friday, 2/13 at noon.