Eastern Shore Master Naturalists

💡 Birding Field Trip - Chincoteague
2026-01-17 13:00 (America/New_York)
Please log your hours under Better Impact Category 2/Continuing Education.

🧤 Savage Neck Dunes NAP Work Session
2026-01-19 12:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Savage Neck Dunes Natural Area Preserve, 2186 Savage Neck Rd. Drive, Cape Charles, VA, United States
VDCR staff will be on site to let volunteers park beyond the gate. Join us in trimming the Southern Wax Myrtle and other species along the field loop trail. Since this area faces east and with a noon start time, we hope that it won’t be too cold. Although staff will bring some extra loppers and gloves, volunteers are encouraged to bring their own favorites from home for their own use if they’d like. No RSVP required – there’s plenty to do for everyone!

Staff will have first aid kits and an AED. Please dress appropriately with layers and watch the forecast. If it is raining, the event will be cancelled.

Please log your hours under Category 3, Savage Neck Dunes NAP.

🧤 Cape Charles NAP Work Session
2026-01-20 12:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Cape Charles NAP, 301 Patrick Henry Avenue, Cape Charles, VA, 23310, United States
Join us in pulling young privet and Amur honeysuckle shrubs while the bugs and poison ivy are mostly dormant. Although staff will bring some gloves, volunteers are encouraged to bring their own favorites from home for their own use if they’d like. No RSVP required – there’s plenty to do for everyone!

Staff will have first aid kits and an AED. Please dress appropriately with layers and watch the forecast. If it is raining, the event will be cancelled.

Please log your hours under Category 6, Cape Charles NAP.

💡CE: ESMN Chapter Meeting
2026-01-21 17:00 - 19:00 (America/Halifax) | Virginia Institute of Marine Science Eastern Shore Laboratory, Seaside Hall, 36 Atlantic Street, Wachapreague, VA, United States
Speaker: Libby Bieri of The Nature Conservancy will talk about “Nature-based solutions: building oyster reefs to help defend a low-lying coastal town,” an update on TNC’s Wachapreague Inlet oyster reef effort.

5:00-5:30: Social time
5:30-6:00 Business meeting
6:00-7:00 Speaker.

Better Impact Info: Log speaker time under Category 2/Continuing Education.
Check out other ESMN CE Opportunities and VMN CE Webinars.

💡 Birding Field Trip - Onancock
2026-01-22 09:00 (America/New_York)

🚫 Savage Neck Dunes NAP Closed for Hunting
2026-01-23 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-01-24 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-01-25 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)

💡Cooperative Extension Coffee Hours
2026-01-23 09:00 - 10:00 (America/New_York) | Eastville Community Center, 17202 Courthouse Road, Eastville, Virginia, 23347
Per Northampton County Cooperative Extension:

Northampton Virginia Cooperative Extension is excited to unveil our 2026 Coffee Hour Lecture Series — a year of engaging, seasonal topics designed for gardeners, nature enthusiasts, and lifelong learners across the Eastern Shore.

2026 Topics Include:

– Jan 23 – Ticks & Their Diseases on the Eastern Shore

– Feb 20 – History of Agriculture on the Eastern Shore

– Mar 20 – Planning Your Spring Garden & Plant Exchange

– Apr 10 – TBD

– May 22 – Eastern Shore Birds Through the Seasons

– Jun 26 – Mothing on Virginia’s Eastern Shore

– Jul 24 – Native Edible & Medicinal Plants

– Aug 21 – Planning Your Fall Garden & Plant Exchange

– Sep 18 – Soil Health & Cover Crops

– Oct 23 – Controlling Invasive Plant Species

No registration required — just bring your curiosity and enjoy coffee and conversation with neighbors and experts.

For accommodations or questions, contact Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent Helene Doughty at 757-678-7946 or hdoughty@vt.edu

💡 CE: Invasive Species Spring Webinar Series
2026-01-27 11:00 - 12:30, 2026-02-24 11:00 - 12:30, 2026-03-24 11:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York)
Invasive Species Spring Webinar Series

The Invasive Species Collaborative at Virginia Tech is excited to host a spring webinar series that highlights their partners and affiliates. The webinars will be held monthly from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Free and open to the public! These sessions will not be recorded, so you must attend live.

Dates and topics:

January 27 – Invasive Species Management & State Agencies

February 24 – Mobilizing Volunteers & Communities

March 24 – Restoring Invaded Landscapes

April 28 – Invasion Pathways & Agricultural Biosecurity

Speakers include representatives from: Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Virginia Master Naturalists, Town of Blacksburg, Loudoun Invasive Removal Alliance, Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc., Plant SWVA Natives, the Schmale Lab at Virginia Tech, and the Lieurance Lab at Penn State.

Registration for all dates: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/meeting/register/G1Xuv0EqTfWl6v0f4SNWig#/registration

Please log your hours under Better Impact Category 2: Continuing Education.

💡 CE: VMN January Continuing Education Webinar: Looking Back and Moving Forward! VMN Program 2025 Retrospective and 2026 Kickoff
2026-01-29 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Description: Join VMN Program Director Michelle Prysby and VMN Program Assistant Tiffany Brown for a review of what VMN volunteers accomplished in 2025 and a preview of what’s ahead in 2026. We will share results from the #Treemendous20th service focus and kickoff our 2026 focus, Wonderful Water (#WOW2026)!

Date: Thursday, January 29, 12:00-1:00 pm

Registration: Pre-registration required

Recordings: As with all of our VMN CE Webinar Series, this session will be recorded and posted on the CE Webinar Series page of our website.

Please log your hours under Better Impact Category 2: Continuing Education.

💡 Birding Field Trip - CBBT
2026-02-07 08:00 (America/New_York)
THIS EVENT IS FULL.

Please log your hours under Better Impact Category 2/Continuing Education.

💡 Birding Field Trip - Brinkley
2026-02-11 09:00 (America/New_York) | Edward S. Brinkley Nature Preserve, 20199 Seaside Road, Cape Charles, VA, United States
Co-leaders are Randy Reed and Maggie Long.

Text Maggie at 610 500 9971.

Please log your hours under Better Impact Category 2/Continuing Education.

🧤 Volunteer: Great Backyard Bird Count
2026-02-13 00:00 - 2026-02-16 23:59 (America/Halifax)

💡 Birding Field Trip - Chincoteague
2026-02-16 13:00 (America/New_York)
Meet Gary and Helen Smith at 1PM at Queen Sound on the Chincoteague causeway. After birding the exposed Oyster reefs the tour will continue to CNWR birding down to the beach and lastly driving around the wildlife loop to observe more waterfowl and waders.

Contact Gary and Helen Smith (803-292-6883).

Please log your hours under Better Impact Category 2/Continuing Education.

💡 Cooperative Extension Coffee Hours
2026-02-20 09:00 - 10:00, 2026-03-20 09:00 - 10:00 (America/New_York) | Eastville Community Center, 17202 Courthouse Road, Eastville, Virginia, 23347

💡 Birding Field Trip - Mutton Hunk Fen NAP
2026-02-25 09:00 (America/New_York) | Mutton Hunk Fen Natural Area Preserve, 28583 Baker Road, Parksley, VA, United States
Maggie Long (610-500-9971) and Paul Anderson

Please log your hours under Better Impact Category 2/Continuing Education.

💡 CE: Virginia Association for Environmental Education Conference
2026-02-26 08:00 - 2026-02-28 17:00 (America/New_York)
The VAEE conference will take place February 26-28 in Richmond. Right now, VAEE is collecting submissions for presentations. Many of you are engaged in environmental education and would have great things to share, so please consider submitting a presentation proposal.

Invasive Species Removal at MHF NAP
2026-02-26 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Mutton Hunk Fen Natural Area Preserve, 28583 Baker Road, Parksley, VA, United States
As part of Invasive Species Awareness week, we will be targeting Wineberry Rubus phoenicolasius (as PRISM recommended in a recent email). Please meet at the preserve parking area so we can get walking at 10am. If you arrive late, please walk the Whites Creek trail until you encounter your fellow volunteers at work. Please dress appropriately for the weather with layers. Tom Young will be providing removal guidance. DCR staff will be onsite with extra gloves and spades, but please bring your own if you’d like. If the weather is uncooperative, we will send out a reschedule date the day prior to the event.

Please log your hours in Better Impact under Category 4 – Mutton Hunk Fen/Trail and Habitat Management

💡Chincoteague Bird Walk
2026-02-28 08:30 - 10:30 (America/New_York) | Herbert H. Bateman Educational and Administrative Center, 8231 Beach Rd, Chincoteague Island, Chincoteague iIsland, Virginia, United States
Watch snow geese and tundra swans gather to migrate to their Arctic breeding grounds. Late February is peak season for these magnificent birds at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge (CNWR).

Eastern Shore Master Naturalists in partnership with the US Fish and Wildlife Service will lead a bird walk on Saturday, Feb. 28, 8.30-10.30 am. Meet at the Bateman Visitors’ Center. Newcomers to birding are welcome, expect to walk about one mile. We will provide binoculars and scopes.

💡VIMS Science by the Sea Monthly Seminar - SHE STUDIES SEAWEEDS IN THE CITY BY THE SEA
2026-03-04 19:00 (America/New_York) | Virginia Institute of Marine Science Eastern Shore Laboratory, Seaside Hall, 36 Atlantic Street, Wachapreague, VA, United States
Dr. Krueger-Hadfield will discuss her new role as Director of the VIMS Eastern Shore Laboratory, share updates on what’s new at the lab, and highlight the research and ongoing work of the Algal Evolutionary Ecology (AlgEE) Lab at the VIMS Eastern Shore Laboratory in Wachapreague, Virginia.

Please record speaker time in Better Impact under Category 2/Continuing Education.

💡 Birding Field Trip - Seaview Farm
2026-03-12 08:00 (America/New_York) | Seaview Farm, 23039 Rose Cottage Road, Melfa, VA, United States
FIELD TRIP HIGHLIGHTS: Join experienced birder, Captain Meriwether Payne to explore Seaview Farm. Enjoy birding opportunities from shorebirds to songbirds found in the diverse habitats of this Seaside private property protected by a Virginia Eastern Shore Land Trust Conservation Easement.

WHEN: Thursday, March 12th at 8:00 a.m.

LOCATION: 23039 Rose Cottage Road, Melfa, VA

Boots are recommended for this trip. The Program is free. The public is invited to attend. Always be prepared for ticks, the sun, mosquitos, and the weather.

For more information contact: Captain Meriwether Payne 757-710-2454

Please log your hours under Better Impact Category 2/Continuing Education.

💡TNC Bird Walk at Brownsville Preserve
2026-03-13 10:00 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | TNC Brownsville Preserve, 11332 Brownsville Rd, Nassawadox, Virginia, 23413
Join TNC Migratory Bird Specialist, Mario Balitbit for a “tail end of winter” bird walk along Brownsville Preserve’s public nature trail in Nassawadox – Fri, March 13, 10:00-11:30 am!

This outing is free and open to the public, but registration is requested. To sign up and receive details, please email Margaret at mvanclief@tnc.org.

Trail difficulty: Easy. The trail is flat and consists of hard, crushed shell with grassy areas at the end. It is accessible to wheelchairs and mobility scooters. The outing will take 1-1.5 hours.

Please log your time under Better Impact Category 2, Continuing Education.

💡CE: ESMN Chapter Meeting
2026-03-18 17:00 - 19:00 (America/Halifax) | Virginia Institute of Marine Science Eastern Shore Laboratory, Seaside Hall, 36 Atlantic Street, Wachapreague, VA, United States
Speaker: Zak Poulton – “Technology & Conservation at the Virginia Coast Reserve.”
A certified UAV pilot, Zak creates and maintains the technology and data systems that empower the monitoring and stewardship of the Volgenau Virginia Coast Reserve. He leads a range of drone-based imaging and mapping efforts and builds modern data-collection tools that improve accuracy and efficiency as well as field safety across multiple conservation programs. While his work spans many areas, Zak focuses on innovation and the integration of new technologies that strengthen our capacity to meet long-term conservation and research goals in migratory bird, island stewardship, marine restoration, coastal resilience, and land protection programs.
“We do our best work when science, technology, and teamwork come together. I’m proud to help build the tools that drive conservation across this incredible landscape.”

Schedule:

5:00-5:30: Social time
5:30-6:00 Business meeting
6:00-7:00 Speaker.

Better Impact Info: Log speaker time under Category 2/ Continuing Education.
Check out other ESMN CE Opportunities and VMN CE Webinars.

Birding Field Trip - Mutton Hunk Fen NAP
2026-03-28 08:30 (America/New_York) | Mutton Hunk Fen Natural Area Preserve, 28583 Baker Road, Parksley, VA, United States
FIELD TRIP HIGHLIGHTS: Join Joette Borzik and Maggie Long on a walk through the preserve to look for early migrants and resident breeding birds.

Mutton Hunk Fen, a Department of Conservation and Recreation Natural Area Preserve, protects a globally rare sea-level fen along with hundreds of acres of migratory bird habitat.

The field trip is free. The public is invited to attend. Always be prepared for ticks, the sun, mosquitos, and the weather.

Pre-registration is required; please contact Joette Borzik by text to register at 757-350-1659

💡 Bird Walk at Chincoteague NWR
2026-03-28 08:30 - 10:30 (America/New_York)
8:30 am – 10:30 a.m. Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

Join us for a guided walk through woodland and maritime habitat. Newcomers to birding are welcome; expect to walk about one mile. Binoculars and scopes will be available. MEET AT THE BATEMAN VISITOR CENTER PARKING LOT. This program is hosted by ESMN and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, National Park Service. Apologies for errors in earlier postings for this event.

VESLT Conservation Talk - POSTPONED
2026-03-30 09:30 - 11:00 (America/New_York)
