Program and Event Descriptions:

IDENTIFYING HAWKS: A CLASS AND A FIELD TRIP TO WAGGONER’S GAP, PA. October 29 and November 1. Registration Required. Each fall hawks migrate south along the Blue Ridge. On Wednesday, October 29, Liam McGranaghan, a master falconer, licensed bander of raptors, and educator, will teach a 7:00 evening class on how to identify hawks and other birds of prey in the field. On Saturday, November 1, we will take a field trip to Waggoner’s Gap in PA, about a 2.5 hour drive. Waggoner’s Gap is one of the premier hawk-watching sites in our area, and if the weather cooperates, we should see a wide diversity of birds of prey. While the field trip will be free and one does not need to take the class to go on the field trip, there is a fee of $10 ($15 for non-members) for the class, and priority for the field trip will be given to those taking the class. Registration is required ($10/member or $15/non-member fee for the class) – Sign Up Online or contact Laura Weidner at lweidner@loudounwildlife.org to sign up. After signing up, Laura will let you know how to submit the fee for the class.

EXPLORING FALL ― Sunday, November 2, 10:00 a.m. – noon. Registration Required. Join Phil Daley as he explores the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship in fall. During this free family hike, we will look at how plants and animals prepare for winter. Also, come and enjoy the fall foliage in this heavily forested preserve. The Blue Ridge Center comprises 900 acres of field, forest and mountainside on the west side of Harpers Ferry Road in northwestern Loudoun County. Meet at the Neersville Volunteer Fire Station on Rt. 671 at 10:00 a.m. To register Sign Up Online or contact Phil Daley at 540-338-6528 or pdaley@loudounwildlife.org.

BIRDING BANSHEE & THE DULLES GREENWAY WETLANDS MITIGATION PROJECT ― Saturday, November 8, 8:00 a.m. – noon. Join Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, the Friends of Banshee Reeks, and the Audubon Naturalist Society for the free monthly bird walk at the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve. Because of its rich and varied habitat, this part of the county is a birding hot spot. After the walk at Banshee Reeks, we will check out the close-by Dulles Wetlands. Please bring binoculars. Questions: contact Joe Coleman at 540-554-2542 or jcoleman@loudounwildlife.org.

PROTECTING LOUDOUN STREAMS ― Saturday, November 8 from 2:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. at Oakland Green. Join us for a Stream Walk to visit and learn about Loudoun County farms using best management practices to protect streams and streambank vegetation. Pat McIlvaine of the Loudoun County Soil and Water Conservation District and Phil Daley of the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy will lead us on a walk through the Oakland Green Farm south of Lincoln Village to discuss how farm practices can impact the stream environment, and what farmers in Loudoun County are doing to protect our water resources. Wear long pants and hiking boots, and bring drinking water, if desired. Please contact Phil Daley (pedaley@verizon.net) or Meg Findley (mfindley@loudounwildlife.org) if interested, so we can provide directions and not leave the parking/meeting area without you.

CITIZEN SCIENCE CELEBRATION ― AMPHIBIANS, BLUEBIRDS, AND STREAM MONITORING. POSTPONED TO JANUARY 11. Registration Required. Join us as we celebrate the accomplishments of our monitoring volunteers! Meet fellow monitors, share experiences from the field, look at photographs, hear about the different program areas and discuss ideas about how we can make our monitoring even better for next year. With bluebird monitoring, we will say farewell to our bluebirds, tree swallows, and house wrens as we celebrate another great season of these birds raising their young. Meet fellow bluebird monitors and hear reports from trail leaders on fledgling tallies for each of the trails. With amphibian monitoring, we will highlight our successes in gathering information in critical vernal pool areas and in working with the county to identify areas that should be protected. We will also talk about the benefit of the population data that we are starting to see. Free copies of our Amphibian Monitoring Program posters will be available. In the area of stream monitoring, we will recognize our volunteers who are helping reshape and relaunch this important program with new monitoring protocols this year. We will also have a mini-bug fest as we take a look at and talk about different insects seen in our streams and how they are an indicator of water quality. Current volunteers as well as anyone interested in finding out more about our amphibian, bluebird and stream monitoring programs are welcome. This is potluck, so please bring a dish to share. Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy will provide plates, utensils and beverages. Please Sign Up Online or contact Nicole Hamilton at nhamilton@loudounwildlife.org or 540-882-9638.

AUTUMN TREES AT BANSHEE REEKS NATURE PRESERVE ― Saturday, November 15, 1:00 p.m. Trees and wildflowers are stripped down in winter, rather than bundled up like us, giving them a special beauty in their shapes, symmetry and color. Local plant ecologist and author of People and the Land Through Time, Dr. Emily Southgate, will lead a walk to look at how these plants survive the winter, already prepared for spring, and will discuss how to identify many wildflowers and trees in their winter condition in varied habitats. Questions: contact Dr. Emily Southgate at ewbsouthgate@gmail.com or 540-687-8291.

SUNDAY IN THE PRESERVE ― Sunday, November 16, 1:00 p.m. Join Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and the Friends of Banshee Reeks for a free informal, family walk around the preserve. Search for the many natural wonders that make this such a special place. For information call the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve at 703-669-0316.

"RHAPSODY IN BLUE, A CELEBRATION OF NORTH AMERICAN WATERBIRDS” ― Tuesday, November 18, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Join us at the Leesburg Safety Center for a wonderful program presented by nature photographer Middleton Evans, who will discuss and show images from his latest book, "Rhapsody in Blue, A Celebration of North American Waterbirds." This free program is sponsored by Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy. Come at 7:00 p.m. to meet the speaker and have light refreshments. Seating is limited. The program will start at 7:30 p.m. Questions: contact Laura Weidner at lweidner@loudounwildlife.org or 540-229-2816.

MID-WEEK BIRD WALK IN THE LUCKETTS AREA ― Wednesday, November 19, 8:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Join Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy on this free, mid-week birding trip in the Lucketts area as we drive some of the dirt roads looking for migrants and other signs of fall. Until recently this was one of Loudoun County's richest birding areas because of its farm land and proximity to the Potomac River, and it still occasionally reveals a jewel or two. Meet at the Lucketts Community Center parking lot to car pool. Questions: contact Joe Coleman at 540-554-2542 or jcoleman@loudounwildlife.org.

BIRDING THE BLUE RIDGE CENTER ― Saturday, November 22, 8:00 a.m. On the fourth Saturday of each month (except December), LWC leads a free bird walk at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship (BRCES). This beautiful 900-acre preserve is located on Harpers Ferry Road, Rte 671, in northwestern Loudoun County. Only a few miles south of Harpers Ferry and the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, the property includes meadows in the valley and heavily forested slopes on the Blue Ridge. Meet at the Neersville Volunteer Fire Station on Rt. 671 at 8:00 a.m. Questions: contact Joe Coleman at 540-554-2542 or jcoleman@loudounwildlife.org