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Left to right: Loggerhead Shrike by Vic Laubach, Red-headed Woodpecker by Brenda Tekin, Summer Tanager by Ann Cline, Canada Warbler by Antonio Martinez, and Common Goldeneye by Jim Hill. Bald Eagle by Vic Laubach, Short-eared Owl by Allen Larner, Long-billed Dowitcher by Ann Cline, Golden-winged Warbler by Andrew Clem, and Pileated Woodpecker by Larry Litke.


The Augusta Bird Club was founded in 1966 and currently includes about 190 members from Augusta County, Staunton, and Waynesboro, Virginia, as well as nearby areas. It holds meetings on the second Monday of each month (September - April) at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Staunton, and organizes frequent field trips as well as other events throughout the year. It is also active in a variety of educational and conservation endeavors in the local community. People who are interested in joining are welcome to attend one of our meetings!

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Upcoming events

The next Augusta Bird Club monthly meeting will be held at 7:00 on Monday, April 8, at Covenant Presbyterian Church.
SPEAKER: Robyn Puffenbarger
PROGRAM: Robins to Raptors


Date Destination / Name of event Meeting Place * Time Coordinator(s)
Wednesday, March 20 McCormick Farm Mill parking lot 9:00 AM Jo King
Tuesday, April 2 Bells Lane Bird club kiosk 8:30 AM Penny Warren

News of recent birding activities

Last news update: 15 Mar 2024

Great Horned Owls nest

Great Horned Owls nest

A nest with a family of Great Horned Owls has been discovered at the JMU Arboretum in Harrisonburg. This photo was taken on March 15, courtesy of Ann Cline.

Spring is here!

Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, Tree Swallows, and Eastern Phoebes are among the birds that are suddenly becoming conspicuous thanks to spring migration. Actually, the first two of those species can sometimes be found around this area during the winter months, usually clustered in very large flocks. If you're lucky, you might also see Fox Sparrows or Pine Warblers, returning from wintering grounds in the southern states.

Fox Sparrow

Fox Sparrow, at the Piney Grove nature preserve, Sussex County, Virginia, on March 12.
(Photo digitally retouched.)


Rare western bird in the Blue Ridge!

Earlier this month, a Gray-crowned Rosy Finch (or possibly two) was spotted at the summit of Mount Pleasant in Amherst County. Ever since then, birders from the Augusta Bird Club and from all around Virginia have been driving to the Mount Pleasant National Scenic Area and making a challenging hike to the top in hopes of seeing the bird. One of our own members who succeeded was Mark Kosiewski, who saw it on Valentine's Day -- very appropriate for a species with "Rosy" as part of its name! All three species of Rosy Finches breed in the Rocky Mountains, and this appears to be the first-ever sighting of this species in Virginia.

by Andrew Clem

Gray-crowned Rosy Finch

Gray-crowned Rosy Finch, feasting on Mountain Ash berries, February 14; courtesy of Mark Kosiewski.


Newsletter front page

Newsletter



Want more news? Read the latest Newsletter (or click on the image to the right),

edited by Rich Wood (since May 2023).

Last update: 11 Mar 2024

(Sample image on the right is the May 2023 issue.)



Birds of Augusta County book cover

New, and years in the making...
Birds of Augusta County, 5th edition

Just click on the image to the right. (PDF)
The 5th edition (including records up until 2020) of Birds of Augusta County, edited by Allen Larner and Andrew Clem, replaces the 4th edition (2016), edited by Dan Perkuchin, which replaced the 3rd (2008) edition, which was edited by YuLee Larner.



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