Winter Wildlife Festival 2020

The next Virginia Beach Winter Wildlife Festival will be held January 24-26, 2020. Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Winter Wildlife Festival.

Three days of guided outdoor field trips offer the chance to see wintering coastal birds and wildlife, including ducks, seabirds, owls, whales, seals, winter songbirds, and more.

Winter Wildlife Festival weekend includes a free keynote reception with renowned birding consultant, Sharon "Birdchick" Stiteler, as well as wildlife excursions, walk-up workshops, an exhibit hall, and children's activities.

Since 1997, Sharon ‘Birdchick’ Stiteler has traveled the world as a field trip leader, birding consultant, humorous keynote speaker, bird field technician, bird bander and writer.

She is the author of the books “Disapproving Rabbits”; “City Birds/Country Birds” and “1,001 Secrets Every Birder Should Know.” Birdchick is #32 in the Geek A Week Trading Card set and works as a National Park Ranger for the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area.

Birdchick is a regular on television and radio broadcasts including “Outdoor News Radio”; “All Things Considered”; and the ”NBC Nightly News” where she answers bird questions.

The Winter Wildlife Festival headquarters is located at the Princess Anne Recreation Center, however activity locations vary. For information on the excursions, workshops and other activities, as well as to register, visit VBgov.com/winterwildlife.

source: City of Virginia Beach

Eastern Shore Birding Festival 2015

Eastern Shore Birding Festival
October 8 - October 11, 2015
Cape Charles, VA

Held on the southern tip of the Delmarva Peninsula near Cape Charles, Virginia, the Eastern Shore Birding and Wildlife Festival celebrates the peak of fall bird migration in a pristine coastal environment.

The region is surrounded by the Chesapeake Bay to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, which creates a natural “funnel” effect for migrating hawks, warblers and other songbirds in the Fall.

The festival includes lectures, field trips (by land and boat), kayaking tours, an oyster roast, photography contest, and other activities.

In addition to birding, visitors can explore historic Cape Charles and other seaside villages.

For more information, visit www.esbirdingfestival.com.

2015 Lynnhaven River Osprey Survey

The Virginia Aquarium and the Center for Conservation Biology at The College of William and Mary have conducted a two month-long Osprey survey of the Lynnhaven River identifying 98 nests.

To learn more about Lynnhaven River osprey, visit:

http://lynnhavenrivernow.blogspot.com/2015/08/ospreys-keep-their-iconic-place-in.html