From sponsorship of our schools-based Birds for Thirds nest-monitoring program, “Birding at Boxerwood” guided walks, and the annual Seed & Suet fundraiser (now in progress!), our go-to partner is the Rockbridge Bird Club.
Did you know five of seven local elementary schools now host bluebird trails? Each trail features at least six nest boxes monitored during the breeding season by schoolchildren, teachers, and Bird Club volunteers (also serving in their capacity as Master Naturalists). This “Birds for Thirds” program helps students build on habitat lessons first encountered at Boxerwood while also engaging young minds as “citizen scientists.”
The Bird Club also promotes community nature connections through many Saturday bird walks at Boxerwood. Over the years club members have documented some 90 bird species attracted to Boxerwood’s diverse wildlife habitats. Inside the Lodge, visitors can pick up a free pocket guide published by the Club to help identify birds they see and hear as they stroll our gardens.
Further afield, the Rockbridge Bird Club also organizes trips throughout the region, member-led walks beyond Boxerwood, and presentations by noted experts. All are open to the public, free of charge. This fall and winter, the Club will offer covid-safe outings for new birders, including forays at Boxerwood. BYOB(inoculars).
Bird Club members are also active in advocating for the conservation of birds in Virginia and beyond by participating in citizen science efforts, including the Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas, an effort to map the distribution and status of Virginia’s breeding bird community, and Cornell’s FeederWatch and NestWatch online programs.
When it comes to learning about and advocating for birds, we are honored to share a perch with the Rockbridge Bird Club.
