Becky has been a Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy member since 2014 and began volunteering with us in 2017. She has been the trail leader on the Oatlands bluebird nestbox trail for seven years and has worked with them to improve the trail and conditions for all cavity-nesting birds. Additionally, Becky led an educational bluebird nestbox walk-about on the Oatlands trail and presented “Lifecycle of Bluebirds” talks to community groups last year.
With her dedication and enthusiasm for the Bluebird Monitoring Program, it’s no surprise that Becky’s favorite thing in nature is Eastern Bluebirds and monitoring nestboxes. She says:
Each year, between March and August, I monitor fifteen nestboxes in order to track new populations of bluebirds and other cavity nesters including Tree Swallows, House Wrens, and chickadees. This allows me each week to make my own personal connection to the natural world. While I have been managing this trail for seven years, I am still thrilled when I open a nestbox and find eggs or chicks and, once fledged, a now empty box!
Eastern Bluebird.
Bluebirds are year-round residents in this area, so at this time of year she enjoys “winter armchair birding at the Dulles Wetlands” using the Eagle Cam and enjoys listening to the “always hopeful bluebird’s song.”
Becky shares her concern with us as “Loudoun continues to lose farmland/open grassland habitats, and bluebird habitat is also impacted by climate change and crashing insect populations. Tree snags [bluebirds’ natural nesting spot] are not valued as they should be for supporting wildlife.” She feels our Bluebird Monitoring Program, with 59 trails and 200 volunteers, makes a difference because “The collective effect of many volunteers is what allows Loudoun to regularly report stable or increasing bluebird populations in Loudoun County.” Becky encourages everyone to learn more about bluebirds and become a monitor!
Becky is also a gardener who is inspired to add more plants to her own garden through our native plant sales and her volunteer work with Plant NOVA Natives. Additionally, Becky has been volunteering with the Loudoun Extension Master Gardener Help Desk since 2016 where she answers horticultural questions from homeowners.
Join us in thanking Becky and all our volunteers for helping protect, preserve, and restore wildlife and wild places in Loudoun.