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

2014 Virginia Birding Festivals

The following list includes several birding (birdwatching) festivals that will be held in Virginia during the 2014 season.

Great Dismal Swamp Birding Festival
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, VA
April 24-26, 2014

The Great Dismal Swamp birding festival falls during the height of the spring neotropical songbird migration. Among the species that appear this time of year are the Swainson’s warbler and the Wayne’s warbler, two of North America’s most secretive birds.

The festival is part of International Migratory Bird Day, which highlights journeys of migratory birds between their breeding grounds in North America and their wintering grounds in Mexico, Central and South America.

International Migratory Bird Day Celebration
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, VA, and elsewhere
May 10, 2014

The 20th annual International Migratory Bird Day celebration at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge features workshops, bird walks and guided lighthouse tours. The event is one of many planned to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day.

Eastern Shore Birding and Wildlife Festival
Cape Charles, VA
October 10-12, 2014
The Eastern Shore Birding and Wildlife festival features field trips to the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge.

Assateague Island Waterfowl Weekend
November 27 - 30, 2014

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge will offer special events and programs to mark the fall migration of waterfowl to the refuge.

source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Virginia Birding Festival

The Virginia Birding Festival will be held from Thursday, May 12 - Saturday, May 14 at the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Tidewater, Virginia.

During the festival, visitors can enjoy guided bird walks, owl prowls, refuge bus tours, photography seminars, birding workshops, and other activities.

Free event registration begins in mid-March. To register, call 757-986-3705.

The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is located in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. The refuge consists of over 112,000 acres of forested wetlands. Lake Drummond, the largest natural lake in Virginia, is located in the heart of the swamp.

The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge refuge headquarters is located at 3100 Desert Road in Suffolk, Virginia, and is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm. The headquarters is closed on weekends and federal holidays, the hiking and biking trails remain open.

Winter Wildlife Festival Coming to Tidewater Virginia

The Winter Wildlife Festival will be held January 28-30, 2011. A wide range of workshops and excursions offer something for everyone at the Winter Wildlife Festival.

The festival is presented the City of Virginia Beach and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Partners for the event include the Virginia Aquarium, Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, False Cape State Park, First Landing State Park, Lynnhaven River NOW, and the Virginia Audubon Society.

Registration runs from November 15 through January 21. Space is limited for the excursions and workshops, so register early to secure your spot! There is no cost to attend the festival, but some sessions and excursions do have a fee. You can register online, in person at any recreation center, or by using the mail in registration form.

For more information on the wide variety of programs and how to register, visit:

www.vbgov.com/winterwildlife or call 757-385-4461.

Visit these links for information about Virginia birdwatching and Virginia festivals.

Virginia Wildlife Watching - Birds, Plants and More

During the cooler months of Autumn, walking and hiking is much easier and the bluebird skies of Autumn provide excellent backgrounds for photography. A simple wildlife sighting trip can provide hours of enjoyment, birding enthusiasts, nature lovers, and amateur photographers.

In Virginia, there are forests, wildlife management areas, state parks, other areas where the public can view wildlife.

Virginia's woodlands, swamps and other habitats contain a wide variety plant life. Fall is an excellent time to explore these natural areas. Foliage can be spectacular along woodland trails. Oaks, maples, hickories and gums turn brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow.

During a wildlife watching walk, visitors might see songbirds, hawks, eagles, herons, woodpeckers or other birds. Along the Atlantic Flyway, ducks, geese, and shorebirds can often be spotted as woodlands meet rivers, streams, or cypress swamps. Hikers are often startled as waterfowl take flight in areas where woodlands and rivers intersect.