Eastern Shore Master Naturalists

Volunteer: The Nature Conservancy - Youth Environmental Education SPECIFIC DATES TBD
2024-04-08 00:00 - 2024-05-31 00:00 UTC
© TNC
April-May SPECIFIC DATES TBD Naturalist: youth environmental education Brownsville Preserve & Parramore Island Learn more and sign up to help.
Category 13 The Nature Conservancy/Assist with Educational Programs.

Volunteer: TNC Eelgrass Seed Collection
2024-05-15 08:00 - 2024-05-26 17:00 UTC
Sign-up required. This opportunity has very specific requirements, including the ability to snorkel. Please review all the details here and contact Jen Dalke if you are interested.
Each year, The Nature Conservancy and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), along with several partners in the Seaside Heritage Seagrass Community Restoration Program, begin another chapter in the largest seagrass restoration project in the world!
And you can be a part of it.
Volunteer snorkelers and water lovers are needed to collect millions of eelgrass seeds offshore of Oyster on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Volunteers must sign up to get updates as collection days each year are weather dependent and cancellations may occur.
Trips will last from 4-5 hours.
CATEGORY 13: Seagrass Restoration

Volunteer: TNC Whimbrel Watch
2024-05-19 17:00 - 2024-05-28 19:00 UTC | Box Tree Farm, Box Tree Drive, Machipongo, VA, United States
The public is invited to join TNC VVCR’s Migratory Bird Conservation staff and volunteers on the evenings of May 19th-28th from 5:00-7:00 pm ET to learn about Whimbrel migration, take in the beauty and biodiversity of the seaside salt marsh habitat and participate in a little citizen science!
Category 13: Whimbrel Watch
Whimbrel have a remarkable migration story! These shorebirds travel from their wintering grounds in South America to their breeding territory in the Arctic and subarctic each spring – over 4,000 miles one way! For many Whimbrel, Virginia is the only stop before reaching their breeding grounds. The Virginia Coast Reserve is especially important for these birds to rest and refuel, where they feed on an abundance of invertebrates, such as fiddler crabs, on the expanses of protected marshland. Whimbrel Watch began in 2009 to document Whimbrel leaving the area and has become an annual outreach event to engage the community in citizen science. This effort is conducted in partnership with William & Mary’s Center for Conservation Biology.
Event Location Details:
To reach Box Tree Farm, east of Machipongo, take Machipongo Road east from Highway 13. Machipongo Road will become Box Tree Drive as you cross through at the stop sign on Seaside Road. Follow Box Tree Drive all the way to the end where you’ll see our team, the salt marsh and the water!
For questions, please reach out to our Migratory Bird Specialist, Mario Balitbit at mario.balitbit@tnc.org or our Outreach and Education Coordinator, Margaret Van Clief at mvanclief@tnc.org or call (757) 414-9227.

Volunteer: Eastern Shore Land Trust Student Field Trips
2024-05-24 09:00 - 13:00 UTC
The Eastern Shore Land Trust is seeking volunteers to conduct the following student field trips (Category 15: Eastern Shore Land Trust Children’s Field Trips):

May 7th – Metompkin Elementary 2nd grade (3 classes/6 volunteers)
May 9th – Metompkin Elementary 2nd grade (2 classes/4 volunteers)
May 20th – Kegotank Elementary 1st grade ESL (11 students/1-2 volunteers)
May 24th Kegotank Elementary 2nd grade ESL (17 students/2 volunteers)

The May 7th and May 9th field trips will be held at Grayson Chesser’s farm on the way to Saxis. The May 20th and 24th field trips will be held at Brownsville Preserve.
The day will look something like this:
9:00/9:30 a.m. Students arrive
9:30 a.m. Welcome and introduction by VESLT
10 a.m. 1-2 mile nature walk with scavenger hunt
11:15 a.m. Activities – identifying bones and shells, art reflection/journaling based on the scavenger hunt
12 p.m. Lunch (please bring your lunch, we will have some snacks available for volunteers)
1 p.m. Departure
Ideally, they will have enough volunteers to co-lead a class of students or to break the classes into smaller groups. They are also looking for help leading the activities.
Second grade is learning about habitat and life cycle. Deer and butterflies are popular and often the classroom example.

To sign up or get more information please contact Hali Plourde-Rogers

Executive Director, Virginia Eastern Shore Land Trust

Volunteer: Clean the Bay Day
2024-06-01 09:00 - 12:00 UTC
REGISTER BY MAY 28th
From CBF:
”Each year, on the first Saturday of June, thousands of Virginians simultaneously descend on the rivers, streams, beaches, and inland parks of the Chesapeake Bay watershed to remove harmful litter and debris. Clean the Bay Day has been a staple for Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay community since its inception more than three decades ago. A true Virginian tradition, it is an annual opportunity for individuals, families, military installations, businesses, clubs, civic and church groups to give back to their local waterways. Watch our video to see why so many people participate.”
The Nature Conservancy is seeking volunteers to help clean the shorelines of Oyster Harbor and the surrounding area during the 35th Clean the Bay Day event in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Join hundreds of volunteers throughout Virginia on Saturday, June 1st, 9:30-11:30 am in pitching in to clean our waterways. Trash bags, gloves, and training provided on site. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. To volunteer and receive information about meeting location, please contact VCR Outreach & Education Coordinator, Margaret Van Clief at mvanclief@tnc.org or (757) 414-9227.
Register here to sign up with Burnham Guides in Onancock (boaters only).
See more information here .
Category 16/Chesapeake Bay Foundation Clean the Bay Day

Volunteer: Magothy Bay Trail Maintenance Day
2024-06-04 09:00 - 12:00 UTC | Magothy Bay Natural Area Preserve, 4829 Bulls Drive, Cape Charles, VA, United States
Meet at the parking lot at the end of Bulls Drive. Participants are encouraged to wear appropriate clothing (including shoes and hat) and bring the following as desired:

tick and insect repellant
sunscreen
favorite gloves and snips/loppers
hydrating fluids and a snack.

We (DCR) will have extra gloves, tools, and a water cooler to refill bottles. We will also have an AED and first aid kit on site, but any unique needs (e.g., epi pen, insulin) should be brought by a participant if it is possible that it will be needed. Most of the work will take place along the northern portion of the trail. If there are a lot of volunteers, some folks may do some work with DCR staff nearer the berm or at the new pollinator area.
BI Category 5/Trail Maintenance

2024 Cape Charles Garden Tour
2024-06-09 12:00 - 16:00 UTC
Posted FYI. No ESMN volunteer hours for this event.

⚠️ NOTICE: Mutton Hunk Fen Natural Area Preserve is CLOSED TODAY
2024-06-10 00:00 - 2024-06-11 23:59 UTC | Mutton Hunk Fen Natural Area Preserve, 28583 Baker Road, Parksley, VA, United States
MHFNAP is closed today for invasive species management activities.

🧤Volunteer: Eastern Shore Oyster Gardening Event
2024-06-15 09:00 - 11:00 UTC
CBF will distribute spat for oyster gardening.
If you are a returning gardener register here . If you are dropping off oysters/picking up new spat the start time is 9:30 a.m. The new gardener seminar begins at 9am. You must register for the event by June 13, 2024.
Read this if you are new to oyster gardening and want to learn more.
For more info contact CBF .
______________________________________________
Better Impact Category 16: Oyster Habitat/Reef Restoration

🧤 Volunteer: TNC ESVA Juneteenth Celebration Event Assistance
2024-06-15 09:00 - 16:00 UTC | Exmore Town Park, 10A3, A-52, Exmore, VA, 23350, United States
ESVA Juneteenth Celebration Event Assistance | Exmore Town Park | email Jen for details. Help staff TNC’s informational booth 10 a.m.—1 p.m. or 1—4 p.m.
Category 13: Assist with educational programs.

🌞 Summer Solstice
2024-06-20 16:51 - 16:52 UTC

🧤 Volunteer: TNC Smith Island Oyster Reef
2024-06-21 09:30 - 14:30 (America/Halifax) | TNC Brownsville Preserve, 11332 Brownsville Rd, Nassawadox, Virginia, 23413
Smith Island Oyster Reef
dumping recycled oyster shells
max of 6 volunteers needed each day
Email Jen to sign-up to help: jdalke@tnc.org

Fri, June 21 from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Mon, June 24 from 12 – 5 p.m.

The Nature Conservancy is looking for up to six volunteers to dump bushel baskets of recycled oyster shell off the boat near one of our Smith Island reefs. The group will meet at the Brownsville Shop in Nassawadox to fill shell baskets and load them into the boats before driving (carpooling or driving separately, depending on your needs) to Wise Point Marina where we will launch the boats and dump shell.
Tentative schedule:

1.5 hours to fill bushel baskets and load the boats at the TNC Brownsville Shop
1 hour to drive to the Wise Point Marina boat ramp and launch the boats
1.5 hours to dump shell
1 hour to wrap-up and drive back to Brownsville

Some volunteers will be in the water dumping and spreading shells while others are needed to hand down the shell-filled baskets from the boat.
Bring: Volunteers should bring waders and gloves if you have them. It will probably be warm enough that closed toed shoes that can get wet will work fine if you don’t have waders. TNC has some extra gloves for those who need them.
Note: volunteers driving separately to the marina can park for free at the county kayak ramp and TNC can shuttle them or they can walk into the ESVA National Wildlife Refuge. Volunteers can also chose to pay a $10 entrance fee/vehicle to drive directly into the ESVA National Wildlife Refuge.

Better Impact Category 13

💡 CE: World Asteroid Day at Wallops - Learn about The Chesapeake Bay Impact Crater!
2024-06-21 10:00 - 13:00 UTC | NASA Wallops Visitor Center, Route 175, Wallops Island, VA, 23337, United States
David Powars, USGS Scientist Emeritus, Research Geologist, and principal discoverer of the Chesapeake Bay Impact Crater! will share his incredible journey of leading the campaign to confirm the presence of the crater and map it’s size! We’re certainly looking forward to this talk, as we often find that many people are unaware of the Chesapeake Bay Impact Crater, which is the largest impact crater in the United States. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about the landform and geological past of the Eastern Shore from a subject matter expert!

The event is from 10am-1pm. Speaker begins at 11.
Category 2 Continuing Education for speaker presentation.
Programs are free and open to the public. Full details and updates available at: https://www.nasa.gov/wallops/visitor-center/events-and-programs/ .
All programs are subject to change or cancellation due to changes in operations. To stay up-to-date on programs, follow the NASA Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center Facebook page.

Better Impact Category 2: Continuing Education

See VMN CE Webinars and VMN High Five From Nature Series for additional CE opportunities.

💡CE: Leopold's Preserve: A Model for Wise Land Use (VMN Webinar)
2024-06-24 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | Virtual
Next Webinar: Leopold’s Preserve: A Model for Wise Land Use
Date: Monday, June 24, 12:00 pm Pre-registration required.
Description: Leopold’s Preserve, a 380-acre park with more than 7 miles of trails located in Haymarket, Virginia, was created as part of a housing development project. The developer acquired a 500-acre parcel of land, carved out a slight portion for a clustered residential community, then used the profits to protect and fund the maintenance of the remaining acreage as public open space. In this presentation, participants will learn about the principles of wise land use that influenced the creation of Leopold’s Preserve, policies governing the preservation of open space in Virginia, and the educational programs and environmental best practices taking place at Leopold’s Preserve.
Presenter: Scott C. Plein is the Chairman and President of the White House Farm Foundation, an environmental nonprofit based in Northern Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. Scott is deeply involved in many other charitable organizations, including the American Horticultural Society (Chairman), the Potomac Riverkeeper Network (past Board Member), and Asian American Success (past Board Member). Scott has been recognized for his tireless work in conservation with the Elizabeth Cabell Dugdale Award for Meritorious Achievement in Conservation, the Prince William Ducks Unlimited Conservationist of the Year Award, and the NVBIA Great American Living Award for Innovative Land Planning.
Better Impact Category 2: Continuing Education

See VMN CE Webinars and VMN High Five From Nature Series for additional CE opportunities.

🧤 Volunteer: TNC - Smith Island Oyster Reef: Dumping Recycled Oyster Shells
2024-07-11 08:30 - 13:30 (America/Halifax) | TNC Brownsville Preserve, 11332 Brownsville Rd, Nassawadox, Virginia, 23413
Thursday, July 11 from 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Smith Island Oyster Reef: Dumping recycled oyster shells (max of 6 volunteers)
Email Jen to sign-up: jdalke@tnc.org
The Nature Conservancy is looking for up to six volunteers to dump bushel baskets of recycled oyster shell off the boat near one of our Smith Island reefs. The group will meet at the Brownsville Shop in Nassawadox to fill shell baskets and load them into the boats before driving (carpooling or driving separately, depending on your needs) to Wise Point Marina where we will launch the boats and dump shell.
Tentative schedule:

1.5 hours to fill bushel baskets and load the boats at the TNC Brownsville Shop
1 hour to drive to the Wise Point Marina boat ramp and launch the boats
1.5 hours to dump shell
1 hour to wrap-up and drive back to Brownsville

Some volunteers will be in the water dumping and spreading shells while others are needed to hand down the shell-filled baskets from the boat.
Bring: Volunteers should bring waders and gloves if you have them. It will probably be warm enough that closed toed shoes that can get wet will work fine if you don’t have waders. TNC has some extra gloves for those who need them.
Note: volunteers driving separately to the marina can park for free at the county kayak ramp and TNC can shuttle them or they can walk into the ESVA National Wildlife Refuge. Volunteers can also chose to pay a $10 entrance fee/vehicle to drive directly into the ESVA National Wildlife Refuge.

Better Impact Category 13/Oyster Reef Restoration

🧤 Volunteer: TNC Youth Engagement Event Assistance
2024-07-11 08:45 - 11:45 (America/Halifax) | TNC Brownsville Preserve, 11332 Brownsville Rd, Nassawadox, Virginia, 23413
Thursday, July 11 from 8:45 – 11:45 a.m.
Butterfly Activity (and more) Field Trip Assistance/Youth Engagement
Brownsville Preserve (Nassawadox, VA)
Contact Margaret to sign-up: mvanclief@tnc.org or (757) 414-9227.
The VCR Outreach & Education Team is seeking 2-3 volunteers to assist with the Northampton County Public Schools Migrant Youth Program’s visit to Brownsville Preserve on Thursday, July 11th, 9:00-11:30 am. Children will range in age from pre-K to high school. Activities will include butterfly/insect netting, habitat exploration, and arts & crafts and will be led by TNC staff with volunteer assistance. NCPS staff will also be on hand, and bilingual skills are not required (students speak English, Spanish, and/or Haitian Creole). Training will be provided, and volunteers must agree to TNC’s Youth Safety policies.To volunteer, please contact, VCR Outreach & Education Coordinator, Margaret Van Clief at mvanclief@tnc.org or (757) 414-9227.

Better Impact Category 13: Education & Outreach

🧤 Volunteer: TNC Youth Engagement Event Assistance
2024-07-16 09:15 - 2024-07-19 13:15 (America/Halifax) | TNC Brownsville Preserve, 11332 Brownsville Rd, Nassawadox, Virginia, 23413
Butterfly Activity (and more) Field Trip Assistance/Youth Engagement
Brownsville Preserve (Nassawadox, VA)

Fri, July 11 (6th-12th Grade): 9:15 am-1:15 pm (4 volunteers)
Mon, July 14 (3rd-5th Grade): 9:15 am-1:15 pm (3 volunteers)
Tues, July 15 (pre-K – 2nd Grade): 9:15 am-1:15 pm (2 volunteers)

The VCR Outreach & Education Team is seeking 2-3 volunteers for each date to assist with the Accomack County Public School Migrant Youth Program’s visit to Brownsville Preserve on Monday, July 15th, Tuesday, July 16th, and Monday, July 22nd, 10:00 am-1:00 pm. Activities may include habitat exploration, butterfly/insect netting, wagon rides, kayaking on 7/15 (optional for volunteer), and geocaching and will be led by TNC staff with volunteer assistance. ACPS staff will also be on hand, and bilingual skills are not required (students speak English, Spanish, and/or Haitian Creole). Training will be provided, and volunteers must agree to TNC’s Youth Safety policies.
Please contact, VCR Outreach & Education Coordinator, Margaret Van Clief at mvanclief@tnc.org or (757) 414-9227 to sign up for one or more of the above dates.

Better Impact Category 13/Education & Outreach

💡 ESMN Chapter Meeting: Speaker Christopher Hein, Director of VIMS Geology Lab
2024-07-17 17:00 - 19:30 UTC | Virginia Institute of Marine Science Eastern Shore Laboratory, Seaside Hall, 36 Atlantic Street, Wachapreague, VA, United States
Christopher Hein, Director of the VIMS Geology Lab will give an update on the Cedar Island Project.
The project aims to improve barrier-island and marsh resilience on a 216-acre site to protect against coastal erosion and island breaching, while expanding wildlife habitat and ecosystem services. This will help protect underserved coastal communities against the impacts of coastal flooding and damage from storm surge.
Christopher Hein. Photo by VIMS.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

More info about Cedar Island.
http://geology.blogs.wm.edu/2016/08/06/twenty-years-of-change-at-cedar-island/Twenty Years of Change at Cedar ISland
Leveraging the Interdependencies Between Barrier Islands and Backbarrier Saltmarshes to Enhance Resilience to Sea-Level Rise
CEDAR ISLAND MARSH COULD MEAN MORE BIRD HABITAT, LESS EROSION FOR EASTERN SHORE
Buying Time – Living on the Edge
Dr. Hein’s vitae as of September 2023

All 2024 speaker meetings will be the third Wednesday of every other month at Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) Eastern Shore Laboratory, Seaside Hall, 40 Atlantic Street, Wachapreague. Note that per VIMS you may park on Atlantic Avenue along the yellow curbs.
Social time 5-5:30pm; speaker 5:30; brief business meeting 6:30.
Better Impact Category 2: Continuing Education (speaker portion only)

See VMN CE Webinars and VMN High Five From Nature Series for additional CE opportunities.

🧤 Volunteer: TNC Bilingual Nature Picnic Event Assistance
2024-07-21 14:00 - 17:00 (America/Halifax) | TNC Brownsville Preserve, 11332 Brownsville Rd, Nassawadox, Virginia, 23413
Sunday, July 21: 2:00-5:00 p.m.
Event Assistance: Bilingual Nature Picnic
Brownsville Preserve (Nassawadox, VA)
Contact Margaret to sign-up: mvanclief@tnc.org or (757) 414-9227.
TNC VCR is pleased to offer our third public bilingual (Spanish/English) picnic on Sunday, July 21st, 2:30-4:30 p.m. on the grounds of Brownsville House. The event will feature authentic Mexican food from La Cocina Maldonado, family activities, games, and bilingual wagon tours of the birding & wildlife trail led by Bilingual Community Engagement Intern, Jasmin Escalante. This family friendly event is free and open to the public!
We are looking for 4-5 helpers. Volunteer tasks will include providing a welcoming atmosphere, serving food alongside Silvia & La Cocina Maldonado, bussing tables, and setting up & breaking down tables and chairs. We would especially love to recruit volunteers who speak Spanish, but it is certainly not a requirement! Anyone is invited to help! Training and bilingual flash cards will be provided, and volunteers must agree to TNC’s Youth Safety policies.

Better Impact Category 13: Education & Outreach (Note: only time spent on educational interactions should be submitted.)

🧤 Volunteer: Plant Eastern Shore Natives Ed & Outreach Info Session
2024-07-23 17:30 - 18:30 (America/Halifax) | Virginia Institute of Marine Science Eastern Shore Laboratory, Seaside Hall, 36 Atlantic Street, Wachapreague, VA, United States
In an effort to reinvigorate the Plant Eastern Shore Natives initiative, we have scheduled three meetings in July for interested members of the public to attend. Registration is encouraged.
These meetings will be almost identical and provide a brief overview of the history and purpose of the initiative, both locally and statewide.
Members of the ES Master Naturalists and the Master Gardeners worked to overhaul the popular original guide that supports this initiative. Virginia Witmer of the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program has completed all of the content alignment and graphic design to have an order of this new edition printed within the month – very exciting!
The hope is that attendees who are keen to become involved will commit to form a new, active work group that focuses on public and vendor education and outreach using the initiative’s communication tools – hosting booths/tables at public events, doing educational talks, working with vendors, and more – to improve knowledge of the benefits of the use of Eastern Shore Native plants.

Better Impact Category 15: Plant Eastern Shore Natives presentations

🧤 Volunteer: Plant Eastern Shore Natives Ed & Outreach Info Session
2024-07-24 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Halifax) | UVA Coastal Research Center/LTER, 6364 Cliffs Rd, Cape Charles, 23310, United States

💡CE: Learn About Mussels! (Webinar)
2024-07-24 18:30 - 19:30 (America/Halifax) | Virtual
The event is free but you must register.
Wild Virginia will host a webinar on Wednesday July 24th at 6:30pm by Alissa Ganser, an expert on freshwater mussels. You’ll learn about the fascinating life cycles of these valuable species, who can live 100 years or more and use mimicry to fool fish into helping these largely sedentary animals spread their offspring throughout streams.
Though little known to most people mussels have an outsized value to aquatic environments and the southeastern US has one of the richest and most diverse assemblages of these species in the world. However, more than 70% of North American species are at risk or already extinct.
Please attend and learn how to help protect them in Virginia streams.Alissa Ganser is a PhD candidate in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences at Virginia Tech and has studied freshwater mussels in the Mississippi River in Wisconsin, and streams in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Photo by Wild Virginia.

Better Impact Category 2: Continuing Education

🧤 Volunteer: NABA Butterfly Count - Delmarva Tip
2024-07-28 09:30 UTC | Eastern Shore National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 32205 Seaside Road, Cape Charles, VA, 23310, United States
This is the North American Butterfly Association count for the Delmarva tip which includes the ES National Wildlife refuge, Kiptopeke State Park, Oyster, and Cape Charles.

Interested volunteers will meet at 9:30am at the visitor center of Eastern Shore of VA National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center.
No need to sign up, you can stay as long (or short) as you like, and no experience is necessary!
May be rescheduled if it looks really rainy.
Contact Brian Taber with questions.
You may wish to bring snacks, water, sun/insect protection, camera, binoculars.

Category 14: Annual Butterfly Count (select “Delmarva Tip” from the list for the “Annual Butterfly Count Location” feedback field)
Note: The North Northampton County count will likely be in early August.

🧤Volunteer: Plant Eastern Shore Natives Ed & Outreach Info Session
2024-07-30 17:30 - 18:30 (America/Halifax) | Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, 8231 Beach Road, Chincoteague Island, 23336, United States

🧤 Volunteer: North Northampton County Butterfly Count
2024-08-04 11:00 (America/Halifax) | OLD Northampton Middle School, 7247 Young Street, Machipongo, VA, United States
We are looking for volunteers to assist with the count. No experience necessary! Please contact Kellie Piekarsky to sign-up or get more info.

Date: Sunday, August 4, 2024 (Rain Date: Sunday, August 11, 2024).
Start Time: 11:00 a.m.
End Time: Up to you. The count will last as long as you do! We appreciate your participation – there is no requirement to spend a particular amount of time.
Meet-up Location: FORMER Northampton Middle School, 7247 Young Street Machipongo, VA (NOTE: The school does not have any accessible restrooms.)
Fee: There is a $3 fee for each participant’. Exact change would be greatly appreciated.
Suggested Attire: Dress and prepare for hot/humid, buggy weather and walking in natural environments.
Refreshments: Bring water and snacks/food as needed. It will most likely be very hot so hydration is important. Safety first.

Also, if you know of any public/private locations within our 15-mile count circle that would be a good place to see butterflies please let us know.
If you’d like to familiarize yourself with butterflies, watch the VMN webinar “Butterfly Identification: Beyond the Basics” and review the reference and presentation slides.

Count Circle for 2024 NABA North Northampton County Butterfly Count

Better Impact Category 14: Annual Butterfly Count – Eastern Shore/Northern Northampton County

Additional Information
Team Roles

Leader – point person for team. Ensures members go to specified locations timely.
Spotters – alert team members to a butterfly they have observed (no skill required!). Note: everyone on the team can spot! Photos are very helpful.
Scribe/compiler – records the number of butterflies/species observed for each location and then calculates an overall total. Forms will be provided for recording counts. If you cannot make a firm ID the scribe should document as much information as possible to assist in later identification.
Drivers – each team will decide how they want to manage transportation – carpool or separate vehicles.
Identifiers – team members who have sufficient familiarity to identify the species observed.

Tips for a Good Counting Experience
Here are some suggestions/requests to consider so that you can be prepared and have as pleasant an experience as possible.

Think about how many hours you want spend counting butterflies. Some prefer to stop after a few hours while other like to do it all day.
Cameras, binoculars, and butterfly guides are great tools to have with you. Taking photos whenever you can is highly recommended, especially if you are unable to ID the butterfly in the field. Also, it’s great to include photos with any reporting.
Please DO NOT net or touch any butterflies. This activity should be as unobtrusive to the butterflies and their neighbors as possible.
Butterflies and Skippers will be counted – Moths are not considered for this count. I will bring the list of species we are most likely to see.

💡CE: Registration Opens for VMN State Conference (Virtual) Sept 27-29
2024-08-05 00:00 - 23:59 UTC | Virtual
Registration and other info here .
Category 2: Continuing Education

💡 CE: FRIDAY NIGHT OWL PROWL - Cape Charles Natural Area Preserve
2024-08-09 19:30 (America/Halifax) | Cape Charles NAP, 301 Patrick Henry Avenue, Cape Charles, VA, 23310, United States
YOU MUST REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT. NO WALK-INS.
Limited Attendees due to State Permit Restriction. Please call us at (757)331-1300 to register or visit us at the Library (Registration begins July 29, 2024).

Join local Interpreter Bill Dyas of REAL VA for an evening stroll through the Natural Area Preserve. Watch a beautiful sunset over the Chesapeake and learn about local nature. Once the sun has set, Bill will take you back through the preserve on a night stroll. Learn about animals of the night and keep an ear and eye open for an owl or two!

Better Impact Category 2: Continuing Education

🌌Perseid Meteor Shower
2024-08-11 00:00 - 2024-08-13 23:59 (America/Halifax)
Perseid meteor shower 2026: All you need to know

💡CE: Improve Your Science Communication Skills
2024-08-15 15:00 - 16:15 (America/Halifax) | Virtual
Register for the webinar at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe9zNIvX9MSFgKdpZ4nP1hzqwLnZZtBIaEVQ3aqBuFiv4MaCA/viewform?usp=sf_link.
A group of science communication practitioners, trainers and researchers have recently completed an NSF-funded project titled On-the-Spot Feedback (www.onthespotfeedback.org). The resulting work provides strategies and resources for science communicators to develop their skills at getting immediate feedback during their public engagements, which allows them to adjust and improve their engagements on the spot.
Although this method was developed with scientists who communicate with public audiences in mind, On-the-Spot Feedback strategies can be used by anyone (including museum educators, science hobbyists, extension agents, etc.) who communicates ideas to public audiences.
By attending this 75-minute informational webinar, participants will be introduced to:
The On-the-Spot Feedback (OTSF) project resources, including the 137 page On-the-Spot Guide detailing the OTSF approach.
How the OTSF strategies help scientists and other science communicators collect instantaneous feedback during their public engagements and improve their science communication skills.
The webinar will be recorded, so please register even if you are unable to attend the event in August. We will send the link to the recording after the webinar

Better Impact Category 2: Continuing Education

🌕 Last Super Blue Moon Until 2037
2024-08-19 14:26 (America/Halifax)
Learn about today’s Super Blue Moon!
Want learn more? Check out NASA’s Super Blue Moon FAQ and Daily Moon Guide!
(Image: NASA/JPL, Source: @rtphokie)
