Virginia Master Naturalists Headwaters Chapter

Tag: photography

  • Conservation Photography

    Conservation Photography

    Join us at the Harrisonburg Central Library, 174 S Main St, Harrisonburg, on July 11, from 7 to 8 pm, for an engaging event on conservation photography as a way of knowing the world. This event will feature stunning visuals and insightful discussions on how photography can highlight environmental issues and inspire conservation efforts. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from acclaimed photographer Steven David Johnson and explore the power of photography in preserving our planet.

    Elaine Smith, CE Committee Chair

  • Wildflower Weekend in Shenandoah National Park

    Wildflower Weekend in Shenandoah National Park

    Turks Cap Lily. Photo by Shenandoah National Park

    Spring wildflowers are at the heart of Shenandoah National Park’s 38th annual Wildflower Weekend celebration! Guided hikes and programs will focus on the diversity and importance of not only hundreds of species of flowering plants that are protected by the park, but other seasonal changes as well. 

    Additionally, winning artwork from Shenandoah’s annual Youth Wildflower Art Contest will be recognized during a ceremony at Byrd Visitor Center.

    All programs are free. No reservations are needed. Adults and children are welcome on all Wildflower Weekend programs. The 2024 schedule of programs for Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12 can be found linked here, along with this year’s program leaders.

    Wildflower Weekend is sponsored by Shenandoah National Park Association.

  • Inaugural Virginia Birding Classic Event!

    Inaugural Virginia Birding Classic Event!

    Don’t miss your chance to be part of this historic event!

    The Virginia Birding Classic is a statewide birding competition in which teams of birders search the public lands of Virginia every spring for as many species as they can find in 24 hours.

    How Does it Work?

    1. Pick a Team Name & Register Online: Your team of a least 3 or up to 6 people register online through GoOutdoorsVirginia.com by April 1, 2024.
    2. Pick When Your Team Goes Birding: Your team chooses a consecutive 24-hour period between April 15th and May 15th to go birding on federal, state, county, and municipal parks in the Commonwealth to identify as many species of birds as possible.
    3. Share Your Team’s Results: Your team submits one official team eBird trip report for their tournament day to Virginia eBird. Final eBird trip reports must be submitted to the official Virginia Birding Classic eBird account by 11:59pm on May 17, 2024.

    All registration proceeds will benefit the Virginia Wildlife Grant Program, which awards annual grants to non-profit programs focused on connecting youth to the outdoors.

    Read more and register online HERE!

    Registration closes April 1, 2024. Don’t delay—Register Now!

  • Connect to Birds, to Nature, and with Each Other

    Connect to Birds, to Nature, and with Each Other

    The Great Backyard Bird Count, is a global event that was first launched in 1998, and was the first online Community Science project to collect data on wild birds and display results in near real time. It is a crucial initiative for biodiversity monitoring, involves ornithologists, bird enthusiasts, and citizen scientists worldwide. Annually, these dedicated individuals collaborate to document and track bird species, helping assess population trends and distribution. Whether in urban landscapes or natural reserves, each observation becomes a valuable data point, aiding researchers in understanding bird populations and their dynamics.

    When making your observations, you are asked to spend 15 minutes or more, at least once over the four days (Feb 16-19, 2024).

    On February 13th, 1:00-2:00pm EST, organizers will host a live Tips Session, including Q&A time. Much more information and how to sign up to help count birds can be found at birdcount.org.