Photo by Jim Stocking
Winter Bird Count 2012 Results By Abby Stocking
On January 7, approximately 40 volunteers and staff participated in the annual Reston Association (RA) Winter Bird Count. Every year, RA conducts two bird counts to monitor how well Reston’s natural areas support wildlife. This year, the count was held on an unusual January day with temperatures reaching into the mid 60s. After gathering at Nature House at 7 a.m., participants were sent out to four sectors to tally the numbers of species and individual birds found. A total of 46 species and over 1,700 individual birds were counted. The highest number of species ever seen on a Winter Bird Count was 59 in 2002, and the lowest was 45 in 2007. Average number of species for the counts is around 50. The species seen in the highest numbers were Canada Goose, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse and American Crow. A Bald Eagle was spotted in three of the four sectors. This is the third time eagles have been seen on a Winter Bird Count. If you would like to help in future counts, the Summer Bird Count will be on Saturday, June 2. To sign up, people should e-mail naturecenter@reston.org or call 703-476-9689.
SCHOOL PROGRAMS RECEIVE GRANT By Katie Shaw
The Sallie Mae Fund has generously granted $2,500 to Friends of Reston to support the nature center’s school outreach programs. The funds will be used to update materials in the traveling Nature Trunks, which are available on loan to local schools and youth groups. Topics include migratory birds, trees and watershed conservation. Equipment will also be purchased to enhance our winter classroom visit programs.
Native Spotlight: EASTERN REDBUD
(Cercis canadensis) By Sharon Gurtz
The Eastern Redbud is a small native tree found throughout the eastern United States. It can grow up to 40 feet tall, but is typically 15-30 feet, with a multi-branched trunk and wide rounded or flat-topped crown. With the exception of very wet areas, redbuds can be grown in a variety of soil types and moisture conditions and are relatively disease and pest resistant.
Spring Beauty Redbuds are beautiful in spring. Very showy pink to reddish-purple flowers appear in March to May prior to leaf development. Heart-shaped leaves often emerge as reddish purple and change to green in the summer. This member of the legume family produces flat, reddish brown seed pods one half inch wide and 2-4 inches long in summer, remaining on the tree until fall or winter.
Wildlife Value Flowers of this tree are pollinated by bees and are important in production of honey. The fruit is consumed by some wildlife species including the Northern Cardinal, Ring-necked Pheasant, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Bobwhite Quail. White-tailed Deer and Gray Squirrel have also been observed eating its seeds. For spring color and overall appearance, the Eastern Redbud makes a wonderful landscape tree. Plant it as a stand-alone species or at the forest edge. It is a beautiful alternative to invasive exotic, flowering pear trees which are banned in Reston. For further information on native trees, visit www.na.fs.fed.us/pubs.
Native Plant Sale
Want to use more native plants in your landscape but have trouble finding them, or you don’t like the prices once you do? Pre-order some nature center favorites and enjoy the savings. Species include sun and shade loving wildflowers and ferns that do well in a variety of growing conditions, and add value to your backyard habitat. Orders must be placed by March 26 and picked up at the nature center on Saturday, April 7 • 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. See the plant list and prices on the order form available online at www.reston.org and at Nature House. Contact naturecenter@reston.org or call 703-476-9689 and press 3 for more information.
Photo by Sherly Pollock
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