MVPs of the VABBA2, Part 2
Donna Mateski de Sanchez has singlehandedly completed nearly every priority block in Amherst County. Yet, she calls Atlasing her go-to form of relaxation.
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Hungry Mother Rally Highlights
Fifteen volunteers converged on Hungry Mother State Park this past weekend for the 2nd VA BBA Blockbusting rally. Traveling from every region of the Commonwealth, volunteers included long-time veterans, newer recruits, state park employees, and Team Warbler, a group of field technicians from VA Commonwealth University who are studying Golden-Winged Warbler breeding behaviors.
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VABBA2 Spotlight on Open Habitat: Shrublands
What do lightly-grazed pastures, powerline right-of-ways, and regenerating clear-cuts have in common? They are all examples of shrubland habitats here in Virginia. Shrublands are home to a wide variety of birds that to date are under-represented in the Atlas. Read on for how you can bump up your contribution to the Atlas this year by focusing […]
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Rally in the Mountains: Natural Tunnel SP
Four months ago, Natural Tunnel State Park chief ranger of visitor experience, Rachel Blevins, knew little about the Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas—much less that its follow-up was about to enter the fourth of its five seasons. “A colleague had mentioned the VABBA2 and said it was an important citizen science initiative, but that was basically […]
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High-Elevation Birding in SWVA
Little-known southwest Virginia peaks offer some of the East Coast’s most fantastic birding opportunities. And they’re dramatically under-Atlased.
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MVPs of the VABBA2, Part 1
Diane Lepkowski was hesitant to join a bird club—yet doing so introduced her to a lifechanging passion. Atlasing for the VABBA2 has brought further opportunities and rewards to her birding journey.
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Calling All Blockbusters to Southern VA!
The Tobacco Heritage Trail offers great Atlasing opportunities in one of the VABBA2’s most under-birded areas. To date, VABBA2 volunteers have logged more than 341,000 breeding codes and 3.2 million birds.
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VWL makes the Commonwealth a template for grassland bird conservation
Grassland birds are among the most under-researched of North America’s avian species. Virginia Working Landscapes, a partner of the VABBA2, is making the Commonwealth a template for conservation.
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New Weekend Blockbusting Rally Series
New Weekend Blockbusting Rally Series makes traveling to help with the VABBA2 easier than ever. We know many VABBA2 volunteers would love to help blockbust in under-birded priority blocks—but juggling busy lives often leaves little time for planning.
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To Code or Not to Code?
This is a question we often find ourselves asking each spring, as residents birds get busy with their breeding activities and migratory birds begin moving through Virginia. The simplest way to address this question is to consult our handy Breeding Timeline Charts found on the Atlas website (vabba2.org).
