Questions? Call Pam at 301-652-9188 x16 or email pam.oves@anshome.org.

JANUARY

Winter Birding at Black Hill
Section B: Saturday, January 4 (8:30-11 am)
Section C: Saturday, February 1 (8:30-11 am)
Section D: Sunday, March 1 (8:30-11 am)
Leader: Mark England
Each walk: members $24; nonmembers $34
Entire series $87/$123
The winter months can be an ideal time to learn more about birds and birding, and Black Hill Regional Park, in upper Montgomery County, is an ideal outdoor classroom for this study. Each walk in our series, intended for beginning to mid-level birders, will visit one or more sites in the Park in a search for waterfowl, sparrows, raptors, and other both resident and overwintering species. The Park’s habitats are varied and include wetlands and Little Seneca Lake, as well as forest and field. Join us for the entire series and observe the seasonal changes in numbers and species, or just sign up for individual walks. Image credit: Mike’s Birds REGISTER

Winter in the Parks
(9 am-1 pm)
B: Sunday, January 5: Huntley Meadows, VA
C: Sunday, February 2: Rock Creek Park, DC
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Each walk: members $28; nonmembers $38
Sign up for one or more of these seasonal, broad-based nature explorations of nearby parks rich in natural history. Winter is often called the quiet season, but there is still lots to look and listen for in the natural world despite the cold temperatures. Our Senior Naturalist will lead this series of walks to observe winter wildlife and plants, all the while discussing their strategies for winter survival. We’ll work to cover between 2-3 miles, with some uphill and downhill on walks A and C, in order to counter the likely chilly weather. REGISTER

Winter Walks Along the Canal
Wednesdays (10 am-12:30 pm)
Section A: January 8 – Carderock
Section B: January 22 – Widewater
Section C: February 5 – Swain’s Lock
Section D: February 26 – Violettes Lock FULL – REGISTER FOR WAITLIST ONLINE
Sestion E: March 11 – Pennyfield Lock FULL – REGISTER FOR WAITLIST ONLINE
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Each walk members $25; nonmembers $35
Entire series $113/$159
Join our Senior Naturalist for one or all of these walks along the C&O Canal as we look for over-wintering birds and other wildlife, practice winter botany skills, and enjoy the expansive views along the Potomac River that this season provides. Carpooling will be available from Woodend. REGISTER

Introduction to the Natural History of Lichens
Thursday, January 9 (7:30-9:30 pm)
Saturday, January 11 (10 am-2 pm)
Leader: Dr. Paula DePriest
Members $42; nonmembers $58
Lecture only: members $20; nonmembers $28
Winter is the perfect season to search for the varied hues and forms of lichens, the fascinating and mysterious inhabitants of unpolluted ecosystems. On Thursday night, Dr. Paula DePriest of the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute, will introduce us to the natural history of lichens through an illustrated lecture. Saturday’s field trip to the Widewater area along the C&O Canal will give participants a chance to study and identify lichens in their natural environment. REGISTER

New Year’s Moonwalk
Friday, January 10 (6:30-8:30 pm)
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Members $25; nonmembers $35
Cross your fingers for clear skies as we celebrate the New Year with a brisk walk under the light of the year’s first full moon. We’ll head upriver on the C&O Canal towpath from Swain’s Lock, enjoying the shadows of arching sycamore trees and listening for the calls of owls and winter-active mammals. Distance covered will depend on the weather and conditions underfoot. REGISTER

Winter at Widewater
Saturday, January 11 (10 am-2:30 pm)
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Members: $28; nonmembers $38
It’s a brand new year. Time to get outside and walk off those excess calories consumed over the holidays. And where better to do that than along the Potomac River just outside the Beltway. We’ll hike a 4-mile loop: along the C&O Canal towpath from the Widewater area upriver to Great Falls—and back. Leaves will be down giving us expansive views of the rocky woods, sycamore bottomlands, and flowing waters of the river as we search for winter active wildlife and try our hands at winter plant ID. REGISTER

Natural History of Galls
Sunday, January 12 (1:30-3:30 pm)
Leader: Cliff Fairweather
Members $24; nonmembers $34
Naturalist Edwin Way Teale called galls edible homes and that’s not a bad two-word definition for these hijacked bits of plant tissue. Discover the fascinating, often complex, and occasionally bizarre world of galls, gall-makers, and their associates. Through an indoor/outdoor exploration at our Woodend Sanctuary, we’ll learn about their natural history and develop our gall search-image. REGISTER

Native Plant Gardening
Winter Walk: Wednesday, January 15 (10 am-Noon)
Spring Walk: Tuesday, April 7 (10 am-Noon)
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Members $25; nonmembers $35
Explore the Blair Native Plant Garden, located just outside the Sanctuary Shop, with our Senior Naturalist who helped develop the garden and its educational focus. Find out more about the values of gardening with native plant species, including: lower maintenance; more value to native birds, butterflies and other insects, including pollinators; reduced negative impact on local ecosystems, and more. We’ll discuss native alternatives to popular non-native species such as English ivy, as well as resources for broadening one’s knowledge and understanding of plants natives to the mid-Atlantic. REGISTER.

Fridays at Carderock
Section A: January 17 (10 am-3 pm)
Section B: February 28 (10 am-3 pm)
Section C: March 20 (10 am-3 pm)
Section D: April 17 (9:30 am-3 pm)
Section E: May 15 (9:30 am-3 pm)
Each walk members $34; nonmembers $48
Entire series $155; nonmembers $200
An elder of a Native American tribe from the Pacific Northwest advised: There is more to be learned by climbing the same mountain a hundred times than by climbing a hundred different mountains. Following this admonition, our Senior Naturalist continues our series of broad-based nature explorations along the Potomac River’s C&O Canal and its varied habitats, from upland rocky woods to rich floodplain forests. Our “searching for spring” hikes will return each month to a stretch of towpath from the Carderock Recreation Area upriver to Widewater. We’ll retrace our steps along the Canal back to Carderock for a total of around 4 miles. We’ll experience the winter world in January and February, and celebrate the first signs of spring in March. In April and May, we’ll enjoy spring’s great burst of new life, both in the plant world and amongst all manner of wildlife, including birds, butterflies, reptiles and amphibians, and mammals. REGISTER

Winter Tree ID for Birders
Saturday, January 18 (2-4 pm)
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Free, but registration required.
We’re reprising this popular field trip to help birders learn to recognize the field marks of many common trees through binoculars. The outdoor classroom will be Scott’s Run Nature Preserve near McLean, VA, where we’ll ID trees in their winter aspect, all the while keeping our eyes and ears open for birds moving amongst them. REGISTER

Morning on a Monadnock
Sunday, January 19 (9 am-1 pm)
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Members: $28; nonmembers $38
Start the New Year off with a nature hike on Sugarloaf Mountain, our local monadnock.  We’ll make stops to practice our winter plant ID skills, while keeping our eyes and ears open for activity of still-active wildlife, including birds and mammals. Our hike will include some uphill and downhill as we cover 2-3 miles, including a fairly steep ¼ mile hike up to the summit (and down). Note: the mountain’s trails will be rocky, uneven, and possibly muddy/slippery given the time of year. The choice of trails and actual distance covered will depend upon the weather/ground conditions of the day. REGISTER

Winter Birds of the Coast
Sunday, January 19 (9:30 am-5:30 pm)
Leaders: Cyndie Loeper and Paul Pisano
Members $36; nonmembers $50
Bundle up and enjoy Ocean City, MD, without the crowds while we learn to identify birds that winter in and along the mid-Atlantic coast. Here and at other locations, including Cape Henlopen and Broadkill Marsh, we’ll look for loons, sea ducks, raptors, and winter songbirds. We’ll hope to find, identify, and discuss the natural history of birds such as the Red-throated Loon, Harlequin Duck, Northern Gannet, and Snow Bunting. This field trip is aimed at beginning and mid-level birders, but all are welcome. Our meeting point is about a 3-hour drive from Woodend. REGISTER

Winter Birding at Oaks Landfill
A: Sunday, January 19 (3-5:30 pm)
B: Sunday, February 9 (3:30-6 pm)
Leader: Mark England
Each walk members $24; nonmembers $32
You’ll want to bundle up for these birding treks to the now-closed landfill adjacent to the Blue Mash Nature Trail, a familiar birding spot in upper Montgomery County. As afternoon fades to dusk in the open terrain here, we’ll search for resident and overwintering species, including Northern Harriers and Short-eared Owls. Our leader will bring along a scope for distant bird viewing. Our visit to this area which is “closed to the public” is by special permission. Please register for one session only to allow for greater participation. REGISTER

Winter Walks Along the Canal
Wednesdays (10 am-12:30 pm)
Section B: January 22 – Widewater
Section C: February 5 – Swain’s Lock
Section D: February 26 – Violettes Lock FULL – REGISTER FOR WAITLIST ONLINE
Sestion E: March 11 – Pennyfield Lock FULL – REGISTER FOR WAITLIST ONLINE
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Each walk members $25; nonmembers $35
Join our Senior Naturalist for one or all of these walks along the C&O Canal as we look for over-wintering birds and other wildlife, practice winter botany skills, and enjoy the expansive views along the Potomac River that this season provides. Carpooling will be available from Woodend. REGISTER

Questions? Call Pam at 301-652-9188 x16 or email pam.oves@anshome.org.

FEBRUARY

Winter Tree Identification
Saturday, February 1 (10 am-2 pm)
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Members $28; nonmembers $38
Using the clues of buds, twigs, bark, and fruit, we’ll practice identifying trees in winter in this half day workshop at our Woodend Sanctuary in Chevy Chase, MD. We’ll begin inside with a look at techniques of winter tree identification and then move outside to use our new skills to identify many species of woody plants that grow on the grounds. REGISTER

Winter Birding at Black Hill
Section C: Saturday, February 1 (8:30-11 am)
Section D: Sunday, March 1 (8:30-11 am)
Leader: Mark England
Each walk: members $24; nonmembers $34
The winter months can be an ideal time to learn more about birds and birding, and Black Hill Regional Park, in upper Montgomery County, is an ideal outdoor classroom for this study. Each walk in our series, intended for beginning to mid-level birders, will visit one or more sites in the Park in a search for waterfowl, sparrows, raptors, and other both resident and overwintering species. The Park’s habitats are varied and include wetlands and Little Seneca Lake, as well as forest and field. Join us for the entire series and observe the seasonal changes in numbers and species, or just sign up for individual walks. Image credit: Mike’s Birds REGISTER

Winter in the Parks
(9 am-1 pm)
C: Sunday, February 2: Rock Creek Park, DC
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Each walk: members $28; nonmembers $38
Sign up for one or more of these seasonal, broad-based nature explorations of nearby parks rich in natural history. Winter is often called the quiet season, but there is still lots to look and listen for in the natural world despite the cold temperatures. Our Senior Naturalist will lead this series of walks to observe winter wildlife and plants, all the while discussing their strategies for winter survival. We’ll work to cover between 2-3 miles, with some uphill and downhill on walks A and C, in order to counter the likely chilly weather. REGISTER

Winter Walks Along the Canal
Wednesdays (10 am-12:30 pm)
Section C: February 5 – Swain’s Lock
Section D: February 26 – Violettes Lock FULL – REGISTER FOR WAITLIST ONLINE
Sestion E: March 11 – Pennyfield Lock FULL – REGISTER FOR WAITLIST ONLINE
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Each walk members $25; nonmembers $35
Join our Senior Naturalist for one or all of these walks along the C&O Canal as we look for over-wintering birds and other wildlife, practice winter botany skills, and enjoy the expansive views along the Potomac River that this season provides. Carpooling will be available from Woodend. REGISTER

Looking at Lichens
Saturday, February 8 (2-4 pm)
Leader: Laura Mol
Members $24; nonmembers $34
Amid the winter woodland palette of grays and browns, lichens are often colorful – especially when brightened by rain/snow. We’ll search out these tiny contributors to the woodland web of life, noticing features of color, texture, shape, and reproductions, as well as noting lichen strategies for capturing light and moisture. Most of all, we’ll admire the beauty and intricacy of these oft-overlooked organisms. Our field outing is aimed at lichen novices, but all are welcome on this 1.5 mile ramble in Wheaton Regional Park in MD. Expect a bit of off-trail exploring, but most of our walk will follow natural-surface paths with some uphill/downhill and roots/rocks underfoot. REGISTER

Winter Birding at Oaks Landfill
B: Sunday, February 9 (3:30-6 pm)
Leader: Mark England
Each walk members $24; nonmembers $32
You’ll want to bundle up for these birding treks to the now-closed landfill adjacent to the Blue Mash Nature Trail, a familiar birding spot in upper Montgomery County. As afternoon fades to dusk in the open terrain here, we’ll search for resident and overwintering species, including Northern Harriers and Short-eared Owls. Our leader will bring along a scope for distant bird viewing. Our visit to this area which is “closed to the public” is by special permission. Please register for one session only to allow for greater participation. REGISTER

President’s Day Hike on the Canal: Swain’s Lock to Great Falls Loop
Monday, February 17 (10 am-2:30 pm)
Leader: Cathy Stragar
Members $28; nonmembers $38
Got the day off? Join us for our annual, mid-February holiday hike. This year, we’ll head downriver along the C&O Canal towpath from Swain’s Lock to Great Falls to enjoy views from the islands, made accessible by boardwalks. We’ll retrace our steps along the towpath back to our cars at Swain’s Lock for a total hike of 4.6 miles. As we pass by floodplain forests and wetlands, we’ll keep our eyes and ears open for winter birds and other active wildlife, while practicing our winter botany skills. REGISTER

Wonders at Woodend: Forest Bathing through the Seasons
Wednesdays (10 am-12:30 pm)
Section A: February 19
Section B: May 13
Section C: July 15
Section D: October 14
Leader: Melanie Choukas-Bradley
Each walk members $26; nonmembers $36
Entire series members $94; nonmembers $130
Savor the natural joys of each season on forest bathing walks led by Melanie Choukas-Bradley, a longtime ANS field trip leader and the author of The Joy of Forest Bathing—Reconnect with Wild Places & Rejuvenate Your Life. Discover the magic of shinrin-yoku, translated as “forest bathing,” a nature-oriented mindfulness practice that originated in Japan and has become popular all over the world. Our leader is a Nature & Forest Therapy Guide with certification from the Association of Nature & Forest Therapy Guides and Programs of Sonoma County, California. Experience the restoration of Woodend as we explore and commune with the living things in our meadows, forest, and Blair Garden. A serving of maple sap “tea” and a sharing of nature poetry will conclude each walk. REGISTER

Winter Walks Along the Canal
Wednesdays (10 am-12:30 pm)
Section D: February 26 – Violettes Lock FULL – REGISTER FOR WAITLIST ONLINE
Sestion E: March 11 – Pennyfield Lock
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Each walk members $25; nonmembers $35
Join our Senior Naturalist for one or all of these walks along the C&O Canal as we look for over-wintering birds and other wildlife, practice winter botany skills, and enjoy the expansive views along the Potomac River that this season provides. Carpooling will be available from Woodend. REGISTER

Window into the World of Fungi
Thursday, February 27 (7-9:30 pm)
Leader: Tovi Lehmann
Free, but registration required.
Rooted, yet not plants, heterotrophs, but not animals (growing in fairy rings, yet not even fairies), fungi are members of another kingdom. Mostly hidden under the surface, fungi have evolved their own solutions to life’s persistent problems. Gaining the recognition for their pivotal role in shaping the living world, they now reshape fundamental perceptions of biologists. In this lecture at our Woodend Sanctuary, we will explore the natural history and ecology of our local fungal neighbors, rather than focus on the edibility of particular species of mushrooms. REGISTER

Fridays at Carderock
Section B: February 28 (10 am-3 pm)
Section C: March 20 (10 am-3 pm)
Section D: April 17 (9:30 am-3 pm)
Section E: May 15 (9:30 am-3 pm)
Each walk members $34; nonmembers $48
An elder of a Native American tribe from the Pacific Northwest advised: There is more to be learned by climbing the same mountain a hundred times than by climbing a hundred different mountains. Following this admonition, our Senior Naturalist continues our series of broad-based nature explorations along the Potomac River’s C&O Canal and its varied habitats, from upland rocky woods to rich floodplain forests. Our “searching for spring” hikes will return each month to a stretch of towpath from the Carderock Recreation Area upriver to Widewater. We’ll retrace our steps along the Canal back to Carderock for a total of around 4 miles. We’ll experience the winter world in January and February, and celebrate the first signs of spring in March. In April and May, we’ll enjoy spring’s great burst of new life, both in the plant world and amongst all manner of wildlife, including birds, butterflies, reptiles and amphibians, and mammals. REGISTER

Knock, Knock
Saturday, February 29 (9 am-12 pm)
Leaders: Pam and Chris Oves
Free, but registration required.
On this approximately 3.5-mile roundtrip bird walk along the Canal’s towpath at Riley’s Lock, we’ll work to see or at least hear all 7 species of woodpeckers (a grand-slam!) that frequent our woods this time of year. Our walk is aimed at beginning birders. This walk will go faster and farther than our usual “naturalist’s shuffle.” Limited to 12 participants. REGISTER

Questions? Call Pam at 301-652-9188 x16 or email pam.oves@anshome.org.

MARCH

Winter Birding at Black Hill
Section D: Sunday, March 1 (8:30-11 am)
Leader: Mark England
Each walk: members $24; nonmembers $34
The winter months can be an ideal time to learn more about birds and birding, and Black Hill Regional Park, in upper Montgomery County, is an ideal outdoor classroom for this study. Each walk in our series, intended for beginning to mid-level birders, will visit one or more sites in the Park in a search for waterfowl, sparrows, raptors, and other both resident and overwintering species. The Park’s habitats are varied and include wetlands and Little Seneca Lake, as well as forest and field. Join us for the entire series and observe the seasonal changes in numbers and species, or just sign up for individual walks. Image credit: Mike’s Birds REGISTER

Geology at Woodend
Sunday, March 1 (1:30-4 pm)
Leader: Joe Marx
Members $24; nonmembers $34
Our Woodend Sanctuary sits firmly on the hard rock of Maryland’s Piedmont province. The woods and lawns of today, however, hide evidence of a tumultuous history extending back half a billion years. We’ll hike around the Sanctuary grounds and down onto the floodplain of Rock Creek, examining the topography and underlying bedrock to see how they bear witness to the long-term story. Our walk, mostly uphill and downhill over rocky and muddy terrain, will be 1 to 1.5 miles in length. REGISTER

Maryland’s Marvelous Black Bears
Thursday, March 5 (7-8:30 pm)
Leader: Kerry Wixted
Free, but registration required.
Black bears have a storied history in Maryland and throughout our region. Once roaming across much of the state, Maryland’s black bears almost disappeared before significantly rebounding. This talk will cover the biology, ecology, and history of these large land mammals, as well as adaptations that help black bears succeed. Our presenter, Wildlife Education and Outreach Specialist for the MD Department of Natural Resources, will also cover current management practices. REGISTER

Walking the Winter Woods and Wetlands: Watkins Regional Park
Saturday, March 7 (9 am-1 pm)
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Members $28; nonmembers $38
Winter is often called the quiet season, but there is still lots to look and listen for in the natural world despite the chilly temperatures. Our Senior Naturalist leads this walk to observe winter wildlife and plants, discuss their cold season survival strategies – and search for the earliest signs of spring! Our field trip visits the rich and close-by woodland and wetland habitats alongside the Little Patuxent River near Largo, MD. REGISTER

Woodcock Watch
Saturday, March 7 (5:15-7:15 pm)
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Members $25; nonmembers $35
In his Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold described the mating display of the American Woodcock as a “sky dance.” Announcing its presence with nasal “peents”, the male woodcock ascends high in the sky at dusk. To the accompaniment of a constant twittering, it circles, then plummets back to earth in a series of zigzag movements, wings whistling. On this field program to a natural area in upper Montgomery County, we’ll hope to be lucky enough to catch a performance of this seasonal drama. REGISTER

Vanishing Vernal Pools
Sunday, March 8 (4-6:30 pm)
Leader: Cliff Fairweather
Members $24; nonmembers $34
As hours of daylight lengthen and temperatures begin to rise, animals that have spent the winter in hibernation begin to stir. Among the earliest to be active are certain frogs and salamanders that use vernal or temporary pools for breeding. Unfortunately, the pools – and their breeders – are facing many threats. Our outdoor/indoor program will include an indoor introduction to vernal pool ecology, followed by an outdoor visit to vernal pool habitats in the Rock Creek bottomlands near our Woodend Sanctuary. REGISTER

Winter Walks Along the Canal
Wednesdays (10 am-12:30 pm)
Sestion E: March 11 – Pennyfield Lock FULL – REGISTER FOR WAITLIST ONLINE
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Each walk members $25; nonmembers $35
Join our Senior Naturalist for one or all of these walks along the C&O Canal as we look for over-wintering birds and other wildlife, practice winter botany skills, and enjoy the expansive views along the Potomac River that this season provides. Carpooling will be available from Woodend. REGISTER

Beginning Birding
Thursday, March 19 (7:30-9:30 pm)
Saturday, March 21 (8 am-1 pm)
Leader: Mark England
Members $46; nonmembers $64
Lecture only members $24; nonmembers $34
If you’re curious about birds and bird watching but don’t know where to begin, this class is for you. No experience is required! At our evening lecture, we’ll focus on the selection of field guides, binoculars, and other resources, and we’ll discuss the basic techniques of birding finding and identification. The goal of our field trip, which visits Black Hill and Little Bennett Regional Parks in upper Montgomery County, is to develop the ability to find, study, and identify birds in their natural environment. REGISTER

Fridays at Carderock
Section C: March 20 (10 am-3 pm)
Section D: April 17 (9:30 am-3 pm)
Section E: May 15 (9:30 am-3 pm)
Each walk members $34; nonmembers $48
An elder of a Native American tribe from the Pacific Northwest advised: There is more to be learned by climbing the same mountain a hundred times than by climbing a hundred different mountains. Following this admonition, our Senior Naturalist continues our series of broad-based nature explorations along the Potomac River’s C&O Canal and its varied habitats, from upland rocky woods to rich floodplain forests. Our “searching for spring” hikes will return each month to a stretch of towpath from the Carderock Recreation Area upriver to Widewater. We’ll retrace our steps along the Canal back to Carderock for a total of around 4 miles. We’ll experience the winter world in January and February, and celebrate the first signs of spring in March. In April and May, we’ll enjoy spring’s great burst of new life, both in the plant world and amongst all manner of wildlife, including birds, butterflies, reptiles and amphibians, and mammals. REGISTER

Urban Watershed Restoration Challenges – the Foundry Branch at Glover Archbold Park
Saturday, March 21 (9 am-1 pm)
Leaders: Neal Fitzpatrick and Bill Yeaman
Free, but registration required.
The Foundry Branch begins near the Tenley Metro Station and flows south into the Potomac River, just west of Georgetown. We will look at the natural features of the stream valley park and discuss long-term stormwater impacts and needed infrastructure rehabilitation, including an old DC Water sewer line. We will walk the watershed from north to south, looking at past problems and imagining the changes needed to restore water quality – a primary objective of the Clean Water Act. Reps of the National Park Service, DC Department of the Environment, and DC Water have been invited to join us. Participants can return to Tenley on a Wisconsin Avenue Metrobus and/or make plans for lunch in Georgetown. REGISTER

Spring Saunters Along the Canal
Wednesdays (10 am-12:30 pm)
Section A: March 25 – Carderock
Section B: April 8 – Widewater
Section C: April 22 – Swain’s Lock
Section D: May 6 – Riley’s Lock
Section E: May 20 – Violettes Lock
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Each walk members $25; nonmembers $35
Entire series $113/$158
Enjoy one or all of these leisurely walks along portions of the C&O Canal. The focus of our walks, each beginning from a different location, will be general natural history of the varied habitats along the Potomac River and the Canal. We’ll proceed at a slow “naturalist’s shuffle” pace as we watch spring unfold. We’ll stop often to observe birds, wildflowers, butterflies, snakes, turtles, and whatever else we might find. Carpool from Woodend with the leader if you desire. REGISTER

Warbler Warm-up
Thursday, March 26 (7-9:30 pm)
Leader: Mike Bowen
Members: $24; nonmembers $34
We think it’s never too early to start brushing up on the voices and field marks of the soon-to-be arriving warblers. Even for the most seasoned birders, finding and properly IDing them as they arrive or pass through between late March-May can be a real challenge. Since we all need an annual refresher, we’ve enlisted the help of a veteran ANS field trip leader to use slides and recorded songs to help prepare us for this rich, long-awaiting period of birding. REGISTER

Early Spring Wildflower Hike
Friday, March 27 (10 am-2 pm)
Leader: Sujata Roy
Members $26; nonmembers $36
Beat the winter blues by joining this search for the earliest signs of spring wildflowers in the woods and bottomlands along the Potomac River near Carderock Recreation Area, just outside the Beltway. We’ll look for the greening leaves, swelling buds, and (fingers crossed) unfolding flowers of species such as Harbinger of Spring, Early Saxifrage, Spring Beauty, and Bloodroot. Our field Studies Spring flower ID instructor leads this hike over some uneven, rocky and likely muddy natural surface trails on a roughly 2-mile walk. REGISTER

Spring Early Birds (7-10 am)
A. Saturday, March 28 – Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, DC (Paul Pisano)
B. Saturday, April 11 – Huntley Meadows, VA (Lisa Shannon & Rob Hilton)
C. Sunday, April 19 – Governor’s Bridge Park, MD (Mark England)
D. Saturday, May 2 – Riverbend Park, VA (Mike Bowen)
E. Saturday, May 9 – Lois Green Conservation Park, MD (Lisa Norwalk & Len Bisson)
F. Sunday, May 17 – Glover Archbold Park, DC (Cathy Stragar)
G. Sunday, May 24 – Rachel Carson Park, MD (Lisa Norwalk & Len Bisson)
Immerse yourself in the phenomenon of spring migration with this series of short bird walks at nearby parks. These walks are designed for beginning and intermediate birders for whom the spring pulse of bird activity can sometimes be overwhelming. On each walk, we’ll search for both resident and migrant birds by song and sound. We’ll discuss the arrival sequence the spring travelers, practice spotting them in the field, and attempt to learn the songs of many species. Our trips include walking on natural surface trails and/or boardwalks which may be muddy, uneven, and/or slippery. Trips D, F and G will include some uphill/downhill on narrow and possibly rocky forest trails. REGISTER

Spring in the Parks
A. Saturday, March 28 – Catoctin Mountain Park, MD
B. Sunday, April 26 – Calvert Cliffs, MD
C. Saturday, May 16 – Shenandoah National Park, VA
Leader: Stephanie Mason (Full day field trips)
Join our Senior Naturalist for these broad-based hikes in three of our region’s state or federal parks. On each outing, we’ll experience the dramatic seasonal changes in the natural world ignited by spring’s longer hours of daylight and warming temperatures. We’ll search for showy wildflowers, the unfolding leaves of trees and shrubs, and all manner of spring wildlife activity. Our first field trip visits the front edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Frederick, MD, where we’ll hike 3-4 miles through rocky woodlands and wetlands. In April, we’ll visit southern Maryland to explore coastal plain forests, marshland, and stream valley habitats on a 4-mile round trip hike to the Chesapeake Bay–and back. As the pace of spring change slows down here in the DMV, we’ll head to higher elevations to the west and take a hike along the Appalachian Trail. Here spring will still be unfolding. On this moderately-strenuous hike in the northern section of Shenandoah National Park, we’ll cover a total of around 4 miles, with fairly significant uphill/downhill hiking along the way. Participants should be in adequate physical condition for moving faster and farther than our usual naturalists’ shuffle. All hikes include some uphill/downhill (steepest on A & C) on natural surface trails. Expect hikes in the mountains (A & C) to cover terrain that will be rocky, uneven, and maybe muddy. Hike B trails may be muddy and/or slippery. REGISTER

Searching for Spring at Governor’s Bridge Natural Area
Sunday, March 29 (2-6:30 pm)
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Members: $28; nonmembers $38
Although no excuse is needed, we’ll head outside today to welcome the official arrival of spring at the Governor’s Bridge Natural Area near Bowie, MD. We’ll explore up to a couple of miles on a meander through the meadow, woodland, and wetland habitats of this park adjacent to the Patuxent River. If conditions are right, we might spot our first butterfly of the season, our first raspy-voiced Eastern Phoebe of the season, and wet woods aglow with the blooms of Spicebush. We’ll stay out until the set starts setting with the hope of hearing the voices of early-breeding frogs. REGISTER

Questions? Call Pam at 301-652-9188 x16 or email pam.oves@anshome.org.

APRIL

The Magic of Early Spring Woods
Wednesday, April 1 (10 am-12:30 pm)
Leader: Marney Bruce
Members $24; nonmembers $32
No fooling: even if it’s a chilly day our leader is sure to find signs of spring in the woodlands of Blockhouse Point Park (MD) along the Potomac River. With the colors and forms of unfolding leaves and blooms overhead and early spring wildflowers underfoot, the morning is sure to warm the spirits, regardless of the weather. Our leader describes this exploration as moderately difficult, with some uphill/downhill on natural surface trails. Expect ground conditions that may be rocky and uneven, and possibly muddy/slippery. REGISTER

Introduction to Wildflower ID
Thursday, April 2 (7:30-9:30 pm)
Saturday, April 4 (9:30 am-3 pm)
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Members $48; nonmembers $68
Lecture only members $25; nonmembers $35
In April, spring wildflowers in the Washington area are dazzling! We’ll spend Thursday evening at Woodend discussing books, equipment, and terminology for beginning wildflower identification. On Saturday we’ll travel to the Carderock area along the C&O Canal and explore several short trails between the Canal and the Potomac River. We’ll practice using keys to identify wildflowers and look for Virginia bluebells, dutchman’s breeches, twinleaf, toad trillium, and many other species. Expect some rocky, uneven terrain on the field trip. REGISTER

Bluebells and Budbreak at Boundary Bridge
Saturday April 4 (9:30 am-2 pm)
Leader: Melanie Choukas-Bradley
Members $28; nonmembers $38
We’re delighted that the author of the award-winning book, A Year in Rock Creek Park and the critically acclaimed, City of Trees, will offer her 14th year of nature walks for ANS in the country’s oldest urban national park. On our walk, we will witness the annual floral miracle of Virginia bluebells, spring beauties, and trout lilies in the floodplain forest, as we admire the leaves of tulip tree and American beech begin to spill from their buds. We’ll hope to catch bloodroot, wild ginger, cut-leafed toothwort and other spring ephemerals in bloom as we explore both floodplain and upland woods at a leisurely pace. Our lunch stop, high above the creek on a dramatic rock outcrop offering, will offer spectacular views. Here, we’ll do a bit of “forest bathing,” time permitting. Throughout, we’ll keep our eyes and ears open for belted kingfishers, wood ducks, migrating songbirds, and tiny spring peepers. REGISTER

Botanical Gems of Black Hill Regional Park
Sunday, April 5 (9 am-12:30 pm)
Leader: Carole Bergmann
Members $26; nonmembers $36
Named one of Montgomery County Park’s Best Natural Areas, Black Hill Regional Park near Boyds, MD offers plant enthusiasts a number of special habitats to explore. Our former forest ecologist leader will take us on a loop hike (between 2-3 miles) to visit some of them, as winter wanes and the great burst of spring change in the natural world becomes visible. We’ll ID plants along the way, focusing on their seasonal aspects and ecological niches. REGISTER

Native Plant Gardening
Spring Walk: Tuesday, April 7 (10 am-Noon)
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Each walk members $25; nonmembers $35
Explore the Blair Native Plant Garden, located just outside the Naturalist Shop, with our Senior Naturalist. Find out more about the values of gardening with native plant species, including lower maintenance; more value to native birds, butterflies and other insects, including pollinators; and more. We’ll discuss native alternatives to popular non-native species such as English ivy, as well as resources for broadening one’s knowledge of plants native to the mid-Atlantic. REGISTER

Spring Saunters Along the Canal
Wednesdays (10 am-12:30 pm)
Section B: April 8 – Widewater
Section C: April 22 – Swain’s Lock
Section D: May 6 – Riley’s Lock
Section E: May 20 – Violettes Lock
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Each walk members $25; nonmembers $35
Enjoy one or all of these leisurely walks along portions of the C&O Canal. The focus of our walks, each beginning from a different location, will be general natural history of the varied habitats along the Potomac River and the Canal. We’ll proceed at a slow “naturalist’s shuffle” pace as we watch spring unfold. We’ll stop often to observe birds, wildflowers, butterflies, snakes, turtles, and whatever else we might find. Carpool from Woodend with the leader if you desire. REGISTER

A Year at Theodore Roosevelt Island
A: Budbreak and Spring Wildflower Walk, Wednesday, April 8 (10 am-2 pm)
B: Summer Kayaking Trip with Stephanie Mason, Wednesday, July 22 (10 am-1:30 pm)
C: Autumn Tree Walk, Wednesday, November 4 (10 am-2 pm)
D: Late Autumn Tree Walk, Wednesday, December 2 (10 am-2 pm)
Leader: Melanie Choukas-Bradley
Each walk: members $28; nonmembers $38
Join Melanie Choukas-Bradley, author of the forthcoming Finding Solace at Theodore Roosevelt Island (August 2020), for a year-long exploration of Theodore Roosevelt Island, a 90-acre island in the Potomac that serves as a fitting memorial to our conservationist and naturalist 26th president—and Audubon Naturalist Society member! In the early spring, we’ll witness the miracle of budbreak among the island’s remarkable trees and see the floodplain forest come alive with Virginia bluebells, spring beauties, trout lilies, and trilliums. During summer, ANS Senior Naturalist Stephanie Mason will join us for a kayaking trip around the island, launching from Key Bridge Boathouse on the Georgetown waterfront. We’ll paddle under the island’s graceful silver maples and sycamores, get close to the summer wildflowers along the shore, and watch herons, egrets, wood ducks and—hopefully—the noisy kingfisher! As a bonus, we’ll be treated to stunning views of the Lincoln Memorial and the “City of Trees” on the horizon. Our fall tree walks will take us deep into the swamp and tidal inlet along the boardwalk where willows, bald-cypresses and cattails frame views of the city behind it. Melanie will share details of the island’s fascinating history during this year-long exploration and we’ll witness the ebb and flow of the Potomac tides along with the changing seasons. Fee for trip B does not include canoe or kayak rental. REGISTER

Spring Early Birds (7-10 am)
B. Saturday, April 11 – Huntley Meadows, VA (Lisa Shannon & Rob Hilton)
C. Sunday, April 19 – Governor’s Bridge Park, MD (Mark England)
D. Saturday, May 2 – Riverbend Park, VA (Mike Bowen)
E. Saturday, May 9 – Lois Green Conservation Park, MD (Lisa Norwalk & Len Bisson)
F. Sunday, May 17 – Glover Archbold Park, DC (Cathy Stragar)
G. Sunday, May 24 – Rachel Carson Park, MD (Lisa Norwalk & Len Bisson)
Each walk members $26; nonmembers $36
Immerse yourself in the phenomenon of spring migration with this series of short bird walks at nearby parks. These walks are designed for beginning and intermediate birders for whom the spring pulse of bird activity can sometimes be overwhelming. On each walk, we’ll search for both resident and migrant birds by song and sound. We’ll discuss the arrival sequence the spring travelers, practice spotting them in the field, and attempt to learn the songs of many species. Our trips include walking on natural surface trails and/or boardwalks which may be muddy, uneven, and/or slippery. Trips D, F and G will include some uphill/downhill on narrow and possibly rocky forest trails. REGISTER

Bluebells in the Bottomland
Wednesday, April 15 (10 am-2 pm)
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Members $28; nonmembers $38
Nothing could be finer than a stroll through the bottomlands along the Potomac River this time of year. Spring beauties, golden ragwort and Virginia bluebells add new color to the forest floor, while overhead, trees such as maples, elms, and cottonwood unspool their flowers and leaves. Our route, which is mostly level but could be muddy, will follow the River Trail from Great Falls, MD. We will move upriver along the floodplain and then return along the C&O Canal towpath for a total hike of around 2.5 miles. REGISTER

Fridays at Carderock
Section D: April 17 (9:30 am-3 pm)
Section E: May 15 (9:30 am-3 pm)
Each walk members $34; nonmembers $48
An elder of a Native American tribe from the Pacific Northwest advised: There is more to be learned by climbing the same mountain a hundred times than by climbing a hundred different mountains. Following this admonition, our Senior Naturalist continues our series of broad-based nature explorations along the Potomac River’s C&O Canal and its varied habitats, from upland rocky woods to rich floodplain forests. Our “searching for spring” hikes will return each month to a stretch of towpath from the Carderock Recreation Area upriver to Widewater. We’ll retrace our steps along the Canal back to Carderock for a total of around 4 miles. We’ll experience the winter world in January and February, and celebrate the first signs of spring in March. In April and May, we’ll enjoy spring’s great burst of new life, both in the plant world and amongst all manner of wildlife, including birds, butterflies, reptiles and amphibians, and mammals. REGISTER

Evening on the Canal
Friday, April 17 (6:30-8:30 pm)
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Members $25; nonmembers $35
Early spring evenings can be alive with wildlife as you’ll discover on this stroll from Swain’s Lock up the C&O Canal towpath. We’ll watch for wildlife as the sun sets, and as twilight gives way to the darkness of night, we’ll listen for calling frogs and hooting Barred Owls while discussing the adaptations of these and other nocturnal animals. REGISTER

River Herring Return to Rock Creek
Saturday, April 18 (9 am-1 pm)
Leaders: Neal Fitzpatrick and Bill Yeaman
Free, but registration required.
Tom Horton describes the annual Rock Creek migration of river herring in Bay Country: “No finer parade, or one more unappreciated, ever swung through this capital than the quicksilver legions of Alosa pseudoharengus, the common river herring.” On our 23rdd (!) annual herring walk, we hope to view the spawning run and discuss opportunities for restoring fish migration to Rock Creek. We will visit the fish ladder at Peirce Mill, then walk south on the hiker/biker path to the National Zoo. Meet at the Cleveland Park Metro Station. The walk will end at the Woodley Park/National Zoo/Adams Morgan Station. REGISTER

Hawks Aloft at Fort Smallwood Park
Saturday, April 18 (9 am-3 pm)
Leaders: Hal Wierenga and Lynn Davidson
Members $32; nonmembers $44
Fort Smallwood, situated at the mouth of the Patapsco River where it empties into the Chesapeake Bay, provides one of the region’s premier hawkwatching sites for spring raptor migration. If weather conditions are favorable, we can hope to see good numbers of hawks passing over the park at this season. Though the focus of the day will be watching hawks, there may also be time to look for the earliest songbird migrants, butterflies, and even wildflowers, depending on the day’s weather, the number of hawks aloft, and the interest of the group. REGISTER

Spring Early Birds (7-10 am)
C. Sunday, April 19 – Governor’s Bridge Park, MD (Mark England)
D. Saturday, May 2 – Riverbend Park, VA (Mike Bowen)
E. Saturday, May 9 – Lois Green Conservation Park, MD (Lisa Norwalk & Len Bisson)
F. Sunday, May 17 – Glover Archbold Park, DC (Cathy Stragar)
G. Sunday, May 24 – Rachel Carson Park, MD (Lisa Norwalk & Len Bisson)
Each walk members $26; nonmembers $36
Immerse yourself in the phenomenon of spring migration with this series of short bird walks at nearby parks. These walks are designed for beginning and intermediate birders for whom the spring pulse of bird activity can sometimes be overwhelming. On each walk, we’ll search for both resident and migrant birds by song and sound. We’ll discuss the arrival sequence the spring travelers, practice spotting them in the field, and attempt to learn the songs of many species. Our trips include walking on natural surface trails and/or boardwalks which may be muddy, uneven, and/or slippery. Trips D, F and G will include some uphill/downhill on narrow and possibly rocky forest trails. REGISTER

Geology of Holmes Run Gorge
Sunday, April 19 (12-4 pm)
Leader: Joe Marx
Members $26; nonmembers $36
Alexandria sits atop a wedding cake of overlapping and intersecting terraces created by the Potomac River and its ancestral streams. Holmes Run, a relatively large upland watercourse in the northwestern quadrant of the city, has sliced through the layers down to the bedrock on which they all rest. We will walk about 3 miles on good trails and mostly level ground through the Holmes Run Gorge, examining outcrops of granite, schist and partially formed sedimentary rock. The discussion will focus on the ancient origins of the various rock types we see and on changes that have happened within the gorge in historic time. An added bonus will be a miniature magnolia bog! Note: The pace set and distance covered on our geology hikes will be faster and farther than our usual naturalist’s shuffle. REGISTER

The Secret Lives of Spring Wildflowers
Sunday, April 19 (2-4:30 pm)
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Members $25; nonmembers $35
They’re lovely to behold. But their beauty belies the scrappy, survival strategies of our region’s short-lived spring wildflowers. Coping with cold temperatures, species such as Trout Lily and Dutchman’s Breeches race to complete their flowering and fruiting cycles before the brief window of spring sunlight gets shut out by the unfolding forest canopy. Our Senior Naturalist will spill some of their secrets in a roughly 1.5-mile round trip walk between Violettes and Riley’s Locks along the C&O Canal. REGISTER

Spring Saunters Along the Canal
Wednesdays (10 am-12:30 pm)
Section C: April 22 – Swain’s Lock
Section D: May 6 – Riley’s Lock
Section E: May 20 – Violettes Lock
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Each walk members $25; nonmembers $35
Enjoy one or all of these leisurely walks along portions of the C&O Canal. The focus of our walks, each beginning from a different location, will be general natural history of the varied habitats along the Potomac River and the Canal. We’ll proceed at a slow “naturalist’s shuffle” pace as we watch spring unfold. We’ll stop often to observe birds, wildflowers, butterflies, snakes, turtles, and whatever else we might find. Carpool from Woodend with the leader if you desire. REGISTER

Earth Day Along the River
Wednesday, April 22 (4-7:30 pm)
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Members $28; nonmembers $38
Leave work early and join this Earth Day exploration of the season’s great burst of life in the bottomland woods along the Potomac River just above Great Falls, MD. Our Senior Naturalist leads this search for spring wildflowers, blooming trees, and early spring wildlife activity, including birds, butterflies, and amphibians. The natural surface river trail is mostly level, but could be muddy. Our round-trip walk is roughly 2.5 miles and very uneven. REGISTER

Butterfly Boot Camp: Azures and Elfins
Thursday, April 23 (7:30-9:30 pm)
Saturday, April 25 (full day field trip)
Leader: Rick Borchelt
Members $46; nonmembers $64
Around here, if you see an azure in the spring, must be a Spring Azure, right? And if it’s summer, Summer Azure. Probably not! Naturalists have been hard at work uncovering new species right under our noses, and upending what we thought we knew about these quintessential spring butterflies. One thing that has hasn’t changed: they represent a real challenge for ID. And you can only see most of them in early spring – all but one has only one generation a year. Join us for an evening discussion of what we know about the half-dozen azure butterfly species we can see here in the mid-Atlantic, plus the related five species of elfin butterflies. A Saturday field trip, most likely to Green Ridge State Forest in central Maryland, will help us hone our ID skills in the field. REGISTER

Spring in the Parks
B. Sunday, April 26 – Calvert Cliffs, MD
C. Saturday, May 16 – Shenandoah National Park, VA
Leader: Stephanie Mason (Full day field trips)
Each walk members $36; nonmembers $50
Join our Senior Naturalist for these broad-based hikes in three of our region’s state or federal parks. On each outing, we’ll experience the dramatic seasonal changes in the natural world ignited by spring’s longer hours of daylight and warming temperatures. We’ll search for showy wildflowers, the unfolding leaves of trees and shrubs, and all manner of spring wildlife activity. Our first field trip visits the front edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Frederick, MD, where we’ll hike 3-4 miles through rocky woodlands and wetlands. In April, we’ll visit southern Maryland to explore coastal plain forests, marshland, and stream valley habitats on a 4-mile round trip hike to the Chesapeake Bay–and back. As the pace of spring change slows down here in the DMV, we’ll head to higher elevations to the west and take a hike along the Appalachian Trail. Here spring will still be unfolding. On this moderately-strenuous hike in the northern section of Shenandoah National Park, we’ll cover a total of around 4 miles, with fairly significant uphill/downhill hiking along the way. Participants should be in adequate physical condition for moving faster and farther than our usual naturalists’ shuffle. All hikes include some uphill/downhill (steepest on A & C) on natural surface trails. Expect hikes in the mountains (A & C) to cover terrain that will be rocky, uneven, and maybe muddy. Hike B trails may be muddy and/or slippery. REGISTER