Great Purple Hairstreak by Jim Easton who photographed this "rare" beauty at CVWO's Garden at the James City County Marina near Jamestown.
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Here at the end of June, we’re still wearing masks and social distancing even as the Covid-19 virus seems under control in Virginia – for the time being. We encourage all to be safe, careful, and vigilant; wear masks, wash your hands, and keep your distance!
The virus is not stopping our planning for the fall. We’ve hired a very experienced hawkwatcher, Karl Bardon, most recently of the Derby Hill Hawkwatch. Karl has nine years of experience as a hawkwatcher and is eager to take the platform at Kiptopeke in September.
We’re close to hiring an educator/hawkwatch intern and a Monarch biologist for the fall season on the Eastern Shore. Stay tuned for more news in the next newsletter! Of course, we’ll adjust our efforts as the virus conditions require – particularly our public education efforts.
We’ve moved our fundraising period to July to be closer to our active fall season. As I noted above, we’ve already committed to pay our hawkwater to count raptors at Kiptopeke this fall, and we’ll be paying our Monarch biologist and educator too.
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So NOW we need your financial donations! You can donate safely and quickly on our
web site
with your credit card, debit card, or PayPal account. Or
print out this form
and mail it in with your check. Here are some suggested levels of giving:
Warbler $25
Sparrow $50
Thrush $100
Falcon $250
Eagle $500 (Life Supporter)
You can also donate to a specific project:
- Kiptopeke Hawkwatch
- Monarch butterfly researchWaterbird research
- Prothonotary Warbler Nest Box Trails
- Annual Scholarships to William and Mary and ODU Graduate Students
If you’ve already donated in 2020 — many thanks! Perhaps you’d consider another donation to one of our projects or a scholarship for a deserving graduate student.
If you’ve already donated in 2020 — many thanks! Perhaps you’d consider another donation to one of our projects or a scholarship for a deserving graduate student.
Many thanks for your support. We can’t do it without you!
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CVWO Annual Research Report Now Online
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We invite you to explore the many projects, events and public outreach efforts presented in our just-released 2019 Annual Field Research Report.
You’ll be impressed with the depth and breadth of our studies.
The Annual Report - 56 pages – is now available on our
website as a PDF to download.
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Official College Creek Hawkwatch Results – A Record 2020
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By Brian Taber
Despite Parkway closure due to the pandemic, Nancy Barnhart went out 36 times in April and May by bike!
Our March total was the highest month ever at 1616 and the season total was the highest at 2426.
We'll do more indepth analysis later, but Turkey Vultures and Bald Eagles set new record highs. Here are the numbers:
Black Vulture 155
Turkey Vulture 1913 – a NEW record high
Osprey 109
Bald Eagle 162 – a NEW record high
Northern Harrier 11
Sharp-shinned Hawk 23
Cooper’s Hawk 22
Red-shouldered Hawk 6
Broad-winged Hawk 2
Kestrel 7
Merlin 1
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May 31, 2020 and it's a party for the record breaking 2020 College Creek Hawkwatch's last day. Walkers and bikers joined Nancy Barnhart to celebrate the final day of the season – while social distancing. Photo by Ken Barnhart.
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Summer is the Time for Butterfly Counts
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Red Admiral butterfly. Photo by Shirley Devan
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Edwards' Hairstreak. Photo by Shirley Devan
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Butterfly Counts in the Coastal Plain in 2020.
Count coordinators are going forward with butterfly counts while accommodating social distancing and masks. Counters' safety and health remain top priority. If you can help with any of these counts below, please contact the coordinator.
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Prothonotary Warblers at Powhatan Creek Trail in James City County Show Site Fidelity
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Jim Easton, Volunteer from Historic Rivers Chapter of VA Master Naturalists, checks the status of box 5 on the Powhatan Creek Trail. Not for the faint of heart says photographer Nancy Barnhart.
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Officially she's known as 2850-43660. This female Prothonotary Warbler was originally banded May 28, 2019 at box 5 at Powhatan Creek Trail in James City County. She returned in spring of 2020, found a mate, and laid 4 eggs in box 4 during May. The pair abandoned the nest in box 4. Then June 25 she was incubating 4 eggs in box 5 where she was originally banded.
Dave Youker who monitors Wood Duck boxes and Prothonotary Warbler boxes in Newport News reports:
"Prothonotary Warblers: I only have 2 active nest boxes remaining at Harwoods Mill Reservoir. No activity at Lee Hall Reservoir. Current yearly totals are 23 warblers and 11 Carolina Chickadees.
Wood Ducks: Season complete. Total of 124 fledged Wood Ducks."
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Above photo by Jim Easton shows the male Prothonotary Warbler bringing food to the nestling in box 7 on June 13.
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Photo above by Shirley Devan shows the lone nestling in box 7 with three infertile eggs on June 13.
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Look for these butterflies appearing in July
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Long-tailed Skipper. Photo by Jim Easton
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Wild Indigo Duskywing. Photo by Jim Easton
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Gulf Fritillary. Photo by Brian Taber
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Five species of butterflies make their first local appearance in July
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By Jim Easton
Be on the lookout for:
Family Nymphalidae – Brush-footed Butterflies:
- Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
- Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis)
Family Hesperiidae – Spread Wing Skippers:
- Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus)
- Hayhurst’s Scallopwing (Staphylus hayhurstii)
- Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae)
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Silvery Checkerspot. Photo by Brian Taber
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A New and Improved eButterfly
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We're including this info again about the new improved eButterfly for the butterfly enthusiasts out there who may have missed it in last month's eNewsletter. eButterfly is sponsored by the Vermont Center for Ecostudies.
Many of us have used eBird for years and have longed for a comparable data entry site for butterflies. So many of us were excited to learn about an improved “eButterfly” web site for our butterfly observations.
Click
here
to access your dormant account or set up a new account.
Then check out the
webinar
to learn about the new features and capabilities.
Like eBird, this "completely new and retooled" database will keep track of your locations, checklists, observations, and identifications. Unlike iNaturalist, this database does not require a photo to record an observation. However, if you wish, you can upload up to 5 photos of each species and ask for crowd-based assistance in identification. This is a big improvement for those many citizen scientists who are important cogs in a field so in need of consistent long term data collection.
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Riding the Wind
is a book of essays by CVWO President Brian Taber about birds, birding, and conservation, several of which were previously published. Cover art by our hawkwatcher Anna Stunkel and 20 illustrations by award-winning artist Julie Zickefoose.
For a donation of $20.00 per book (plus $5.00 shipping & handling), email
Nancy Barnhart
and she will mail a copy out to you.
If you live in the Williamsburg area, you can save shipping and handling by visiting Backyard Birder at 1490 Quarterpath Road, or Wild Birds Unlimited, 4625 Casey Blvd, Suite 300.
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Shopping online more these days? You can support CVWO just by shopping at AmazonSmile.
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It's same Amazon you know and love. Start at
www.smile.amazon.com
. Log in as you always do and then look for Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory in their list of charities. Amazon donates a small portion of your purchases to CVWO! Easy as that! And thanks!
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You know you need a new water bottle for the summer! Order one…or two…today!
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Now you can show your support for CVWO with your tote bag, coffee mug, water bottle, or t-shirt! A small portion of each purchase comes back to CVWO to support our efforts.
Click over to CVWO's
store on Cafe Press
to see what else is available and the cost. No tax but there is a nominal shipping fee.
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Visit and Share CVWO's New Website!
You'll find information on raptor, butterfly, songbird and waterbird research as well as beautiful photos and rich stories from the field!
And don't forget to
support
our nonprofit work with your tax-deductible donation!
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Brian Taber. Photo by S Devan
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How many did you guess correctly? Clockwise from upper left: Adult Barred Owl, Barred Owlets, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Tufted Titmouse, Prothonotary Warbler, Red-headed Woodpecker, Northern Parula, and Black-and-white Warbler. In the center, Summer Tanager in top photo; Great Crested Flycatcher on the bottom. Jim Easton photographed all these gems at Powhatan Creek Trail in James City County. Thanks, Jim!
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