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ABC By Anita L. Sherman
hey’re gone now. Hummingbirds headed by the millions for points far south. For many in these parts, hanging out the hummingbird feeders is an annual ritual the porches, yards and gardens would not be without.
During the spring and summer, we watch for their frequent, often frenetic, feeding visits. We delight and wonder at the speed of their flight, the pin-pointed accuracy of their sucking prowess and their often territorial protectiveness of nectar bearing flowers or homemade sugar water. We delight in observing them and wouldn’t want them to go away forever. They’re inspiring…so small but so strong. We count on their annual return. But who watches over them? Fauquier County has a reputation and long legacy in land conservation and preservation thwarting efforts at rampant development. Much of the county remains rural and that is by design. That same spirit of saving the environment extends to birdlife as well. With offices in The Plains and Washington, D.C., the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) may be located locally but its reach is global. The headquarters for ABC has always been in The Plains. They also have remote field staff scattered across the country. Celebrating a 25-year anniversary, this nonprofit works diligently to conserve wild birds and their habitats. Across the Americas, more than 500 native bird species are threatened with extinction — 12 percent of 4,230 species. In the United States alone, nearly 300 of 750 native bird species, or 37 percent, are declining in population. ABC’s efforts are measurable in preventing the extinction of endangered birds, conserving bird habitat, reducing threats to birds and building a community of bird conservationists.
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Creating partnerships throughout the Americas, they work with local, regional and national agencies as well as private land managers to protect environments for threatened species.
Go Green Middleburg 8/7/20 9:43 AM | Holiday 2020
