Winter Wildlife Festival :: VBgov.com - City of Virginia Beach

Winter Wildlife Festival

Join us for a month-long celebration of coastal wildlife and nature! We're going the distance this year and presenting virtual and in-person components to ensure a safe, yet engaging experience for all. See all the festival highlights below.

SAVE THE DATE: The 2022 Festival has been set for January 28-30.

COVID-19 Response: For the latest operational information, please refer to Parks & Rec FAQ, visit Rec Center Safety Guidelines, and follow our Facebook page.

2021 Festival Highlights

The 2021 festival will be celebrated a little differently. We are going the distance to safely observe our nature’s beauty and our health and safety guidelines. Featured activities, virtual workshops, and excursions are taking flight and highlighted in our 2021 Festival Schedule. See full details and registration links below.

A Parks & Recreation membership is not required to register for Winter Wildlife Festival activities.

Photo Contest

2021 Winter Wildlife Festival Photo Contest Winners

Birding Challenge

Get your flock together and take your perch to compete in the new Winter Wildlife Festival Birding Challenge! Designed for teams with two to five members, identify as many bird species as possible in a day. Flap your wings and celebrate your observations with a challenge T-shirt for all participants and award recognition for top teams in each division. See Birding Challenge overview, Rules & Regulations, and resources at right.

Birding Challenge Overview

Best Team Photo: Pine Crest Manor

Birding Challenge Winners:

Big Day – Team Lazuli (89 species) – Steve & Amy Myers
Mini Day – Team What the Flock (37 species) – Ana Colon, Marie Smith, Elisabeth Wilkins, and Michelle Slosser
Backyard Bird Count – Team HartWood (37 species) – Darol & Tony Wood
Best Team Photo – Team Pine Crest Manor – Jessica Hinke and Martin Rothe

Big Sits & Excursions

Big Sits & Other Excursions

Fee based | Online registration is required. View the 2021 Festival Schedule.

Big Sits | Ages 10 & up | $10/person

Birders of all expertise levels come together to spot and identify birds from the comfort of a chair! Leaders will guide the experience and offer Natural History of locations. Participants are asked to BYOC (bring your own chair) as well as their own spotting equipment (binoculars and scopes). Have fun while contributing to Citizen Science as we record how many species we find at each location! All registrants must meet onsite at location.

BIG SITS SCHEDULE
Pleasure House Point	Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge	Princess Anne Wildlife Management Area
Sat., Jan. 30 8:30-9:30am #59106	Sat., Jan. 30 1-2pm #59108	Sun., Jan. 31 8:30-9:30 am #59110
Sat., Jan. 30 10-11am #59107	Sat., Jan. 30 2:30-3:30pm #59109	Sun., Jan. 31 10-11 am #59111
Sun., Jan. 31 8:30-9:30am #60080	Sun., Jan. 31 1-2 pm #59112
Sun., Jan. 31 10-11am #60081	Sun., Jan. 31 2:30-3:30pm #59113

Big Sits After Dark | Ages 10 & up | $10/person

Take the party into the night! Learn about our local owls and the night sky. Binoculars are recommended. Bundle up and BYOC! All registrants must meet onsite at location.

BIG SITS AFTER DARK SCHEDULE
Great Neck Park	Marshview Park
Thurs., Jan. 28, 7-8 pm #59116	Thurs., Jan. 28, 7-8 pm #59114
Sat., Jan. 30, 7-8 pm #59117	Sat., Jan. 30, 7-8 pm #59115

Whale Watching Boat Trip | All Ages

COST: Ages 12 & up: $31.95 | Ages 3-11: $26.95 | Ages 3 & under: Free

Join the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, the longest-running and most experienced whale watching entity in Virginia, in an immersive encounter with some of the ocean's most magnificent creatures. Specialized educators will share a program built upon the Aquarium's scientific research and almost three decades of experience connecting guests with the area's marine mammal visitors.

Trips take place on a spacious and stable catamaran that boasts one of the most comfortable rides in Virginia Beach and has been outfitted especially for conducting dolphin & whale watching trips. Experience spectacular views from the outdoor covered seating areas, or from cushioned seats inside a heated cabin. This 2.5-hour adventure is an exploration in search of whales, dolphins, seals, and seabirds. Marine mammal sightings are not guaranteed.

WHALE WATCHING BOAT TRIP SCHEDULE
Meeting location: Virginia Aquarium Dock
Sat., Jan. 30, 2-4:30 pm #59123
Sun., Jan. 31, 10-12:30 pm #59127

Notable Tree Tours | Ages 12 & Up | $15/car (up to 4 people per car)
Join Lynnhaven River Now's Captain Brent James on tours through Northeast and Central Virginia Beach to take in some notable trees! See trees up close and learn about their history on the properties in which they reside, along with age and size relative to the state and national champions of their species.

Your personal car is required to caravan your party from location to location. It is exceptionally important to arrive on time at 12:45pm for tours and keep up with the group on the road and while walking at sites. All experience levels welcome. Sturdy, waterproof footwear is recommended. Walking short distances may be required. Terrain may be uneven at times.

NOTABLE TREE TOURS SCHEDULE (meet promptly at 12:45pm)
Northeast Virginia Beach	Central Virginia Beach
Meeting Location: Brock Environmental Center	Meeting Location: Princess Anne Recreation Center
Sat., Jan. 30, 1-4 pm #59119	Sun., Jan. 31, 1-4 pm #59120

Virtual Activities & Keynote

Watch the Winter Wildlife Festival 2021 playlist for recordings of the keynote and virtual workshop sessions featured below.

Keynote: 'Man & Gulls' with Amar Ayyash
Workshop: What's that bird?
Workshop: Seabird Conservation in Hampton Roads
Workshop: Introduction to Gull Identification with Amar Ayyash

About Amar Ayyash

Amar is both an expert on gull identification and an evangelist for ‘gull recreation’. He hosts several popular websites devoted to gulling, has published various technical articles on gull ID, molt, and range shifts, serves on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Ornithological Society, and coordinates the Annual Gull Frolic. A well-known speaker and blogger found at birding events and festivals throughout the continent, Amar lives in Northern Illinois and does much of his gull-watching in the Lake Michigan region. Besides supplementing the need to ramble about this fascinating family of birds, the primary objective in maintaining anythinglarus.com is to advance gull recreation in North America.

‭(Hidden)‬ 2021 Photo Contest

2021 Winter Wildlife Festival Photography Contest Winners

Congratulations to all the winners!

Wildlife Portrait Winner

Betty Sue Cohen | Ruby-Crowned Kinglet

Wildlife Portrait Honorable Mention

Hugh Davenhill | Baltimore Oriole

Wildlife Action Winner

Constance Owen | American Oystercatcher

Wildlife Action Honorable Mention

Judy Jones | Barred Owl

Landscape/Scenic Winner

Betty Sue Cohen | Stumpy Lake in Winter

Landscape/Scenic Honorable Mention

Aleshia Matthews | Gulls Against Sunset Waves

Nature Enthusiast Winner

Yasmin May | Adult & Youth Watching Waves

Nature Enthusiast Honorable Mention

Constance Owen | Family Walking on Trail

Youth Winner

Malaya P., age 13 | Gulls on Beach

Youth Honorable Mention

Liam C., age 10 | Belted Kingfisher

People's Choice Winner

Laura Joksaite | American Robin

StoryWalk® & Children's Activities

In partnership with the Virginia Beach Public Library, this traveling exhibit will feature a seasonally-appropriate, nature-themed children’s storybook that pops up at various outdoor locations throughout the month of January.

Featuring Winter Dance by Marion Dane Bauer

Snow is coming, and it's time to get ready! The squirrel gathers nuts, the geese soar south, and the snowshoe hare puts on its new white coat. But what should the fox do? Each animal advises the fox that its own plan is best, but the fox thinks otherwise—yet it's not until he meets a golden-eyed friend that he finds the perfect way to celebrate the snowfall.

Stunning illustrations by the new talent Richard Jones are the perfect complement to the Newbery Honor winner Marion Dane Bauer's lyrical and playful homage to the natural world.

STORYWALK® SCHEDULE
Saturdays (12-3pm)		Wednesdays (12-3pm)		Festival Weekend (12-3pm)
Jan. 2	Marshview Park	Jan. 6	MEO Central Library	Jan. 30	Red Wing Park
Jan. 9	Lake Lawson/Lake Smith Natural Area	Jan. 13	Kempsville Library	Jan. 31	Great Neck Park
Jan. 16	West Neck Natural Area	Jan. 20	Oceanfront Library
Jan. 23	Stumpy Lake Natural Area	Jan. 27	Princess Anne Library

Wildlife Advocate Award

Mary Reid Barrow Wildlife Advocate Award

On Friday, January 29, during the 11th Annual Winter Wildlife Festival keynote presentation, Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation announced the recipient of this year’s Mary Reid Barrow Wildlife Advocate Award as Meredith Broadhurst.

Broadhurst is a valued member of the wildlife rehabilitation community who goes above and beyond to help injured animals in need. Answering the calls of concerned citizens at all times of day or night, her dedication knows no bounds when it comes to assisting wildlife. To aid in her work, she raises funds and finds creative ways to educate the greater community through social media, outreach, training, and workshops. Through those efforts, she has also established a network of other caring individuals to share in the work of caring for the animals. It is for all of those reasons that she was nominated and selected as the 2021 award recipient. Read press release.

Resources

Plan Your Birding Adventure

It’s easy to discover Virginia’s wild side with the Virginia Bird and Wildlife Trail (VBWT), an organized network of outdoor sites highlighting the best places to see birds and wildlife in the Commonwealth. With 400 species of birds, 150 species of mammals, 150 species of amphibians and reptiles, 250 species of fish, plus hundreds of butterfly, dragonfly, and other invertebrate species, you’ll soon see why Virginia is a premier destination for birding and wildlife viewing. The VBWT features 65 trail loops to help you plan your outdoor travels to multiple birding and wildlife viewing sites each with a webpage, map, descriptions, and links to tourism information.

Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources Birding and Trail Guides:

Virginia Bird and Wildlife Trail

Coastal Region

Seashore to Cypress Loop

Free Apps

Connect with Nature. Explore and share your observations from the natural world with these free apps. Download and follow the step-by-step instructions for using the apps from a mobile device.


Download eBird		Download Merlin		Download iNaturalist
Google Play	App Store	Google Play	App Store	Google Play	App Store

Hidden Treasures in our Parks & Natural Areas

Discover the hidden treasures, unique wildlife, flora, and fauna tucked within our city parks and natural areas.
Watch Hidden Treasure video series >>

Osprey Nests

Bat Houses

Pileated Woodpecker

Virginia Beach Public Libraries Wildlife Resources

Little Wings Bird Program and To-Go Craft

Listen and look! Our bird friends are here, all around us, in the trees, around waterways and in our backyards. Learn about birds who are here in Virginia Beach in January, as we celebrate the Winter Wildlife Festival.

Wildlife Booklists

Special Thanks to our Festival Partners