Welcome to the AUGUSTA BIRD CLUB
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. Monthly meetings are conducted Sep-May in Staunton that includes a Program by an invited speaker. Our members organize frequent field trips and other events throughout the year. We are also active in various educational programs and conservation efforts. Anyone interested in joining are welcome to attend one of our meetings! Contact us with any inquiries you may have.
Donations
$10.00 – $200.00Membership
$15.00 – $30.00
Conservation
We provide opportunities for members to get involved in a variety of hands-on projects and programs that focus on improving habitat, citizen science and conservation.
Nature Camp
Each year, we award several scholarships to Nature Camp, a non-profit, residential co-ed summer camp specializing in natural history and environmental science education.
Field Trips
We conduct many field trips/bird walks throughout the year, and all are welcome! Most field trips are local; lasting several hours. More distant field trips are also offered.
Recent Local Bird Sightings:
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Springfield, VA (near Luray), 10/27/2024 (Andrew Clem)
Hermit Thrush, Verona, 10/24/2024 (Bill Benish)
Black-throated Blue Warbler, Shenandoah National Park, 9/15/2024 (Andrew Clem)
Kirtland’s Warbler, Coyner Springs Park, Waynesboro, 10/5/2024 (Lynne Parks). 1st record for Augusta Co.
Orange-crowned Warbler, Cowbane Preserve, 10/25/2024 (Scott Priebe)
Palm Warbler, 10/4/2024 (Antonio Martinez)
Turkey Vulture kettle, 10/17/2024 (Bonnie Hughes)
Nashville Warbler, 10/8/2024 (Scott Priebe)
Belted Kingfisher, 10/7/2024 (Matt Diley)
Wilson’s Warbler, Augusta Springs, 9/24/2024 (Vic Laubach)
Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 9/23/2024 (Antonio Martinez)
Cape May Warbler, 9/22/2024 (Tom Roberts)
American Goldfinch, 9/14/2024 (Margaret Johnson)
Chestnut-sided Warbler, 9/11/2024 (Rich Wood)
White-eyed Vireo, 9/11/2024 (Vic Laubach)
Great-crested Flycatcher, 8/31/2024 (Ann Cline)
Eastern Wood Pewee, 9/16/2024 (Margaret Johnson)
Solitary Sandpiper, 8/28/2024, McCormick Farm (Ann Cline)
Great Blue Heron, 9/11/2024 (Bonnie Hughes)
Grey Catbird, July 30, 2024 (Rich Wood)
Barn Swallow, 7/25/2024 (Bonnie Hughes)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird, 7/21/2024 (Matt Diley)
Northern Mockingbird, 7/7/2024 (Eric Pritchet)
Ruffed Grouse, 7/2/2024 (Ann Cline)
Wild Turkey, 7/2/2024 (Lynne Parks)
Barn Swallow, 7/25/2024 (Bonnie Hughes)
Red-shouldered Hawk eating frog (video frame), Dooms, VA, 6/2/24 (Rich Wood)
Tree Swallow babies, Frontier Culture Museum, 5/30/2024 (Jim Hill)
Snowy Egret young, South Carolina, 6/1/2024 (Matt Diley)
Blue Grosbeak, Swoope, Craig Shop Rd, 6/1/2024 (Rich Wood)
Northern Parula, Ramsey’s Draft, 5/25/2024 (Andrew Clem)
Blackburnian Warbler, Ramsey’s Draft, 5/25/2024 (Andrew Clem)
Cattle Egret, Starts Draft, 5/18/2024 (John Shea)
Willow Flycatcher, Middlebrook, 5/21/2024 (Vic Laubach)
Pileated Woodpecker, Swoope, 5/21/2024 (Vic Laubach)
House Finch pair, 5/14/2024 (Warren Faught)
Indigo Bunting, 5/14/2024 (Rich Wood)
Canada Goose family, 5/12/2024 (Bonnie Hughes)
Magnolia Warbler, Heathsville VA, 5/9/2024 (Ann Cline)
Scarlet Tanager, 5/9/2024 (Jim Hill)
Yellow-breasted Chat, 5/2/2024 (Kristin Fuoco)
Baltimore Oriole, 5/8/2024 (Ann Cline)
Kentucky Warbler, 5/1/2024 (Vic Laubach)
Northern Waterthrush, 5/1/2024 (Vic Laubach)
Common Merganser, 5/2/2024 (Bonnie Hughes)
Black-throated Green Warbler, 5/2/2024 (Jim Hill)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 4/30/2024 (Matt Diley)
Spotted Sandpiper, 4/29/2024 (Antonio Martinez)
American Redstart, Staunton, 4/29/2024 (Barbara Brothers)
Barred Owl, Troxel Gap Rd, 3/26/2024 (Vic Laubach)
Brown Creeper, 3/2024 (Antonio Martinez)
Purple Finch (female), 3/2024 (Warren Faught)
Great Horned Owl nest (adult w/ young), JMU Arboretum, 3/2024 (Ann Cline)
Fox Sparrow, Piney Grove nature preserve, 3/2024 (Andrew Clem)
Gray-crowned Rosy Finch, Mount Pleasant, Amherst County Feb 2024. First Virginia record! (Mark Kosiewski)
Gadwall, McCormick Farm, 2/2024 (Ann Cline)
Tundra Swan, Swoope, 2/2024 (Vic Laubach)
American Black Duck, Swoope, 2/2024 (Vic Laubach)
Red-phase Eastern Screech Owl, Verona, 2/2024 (Antonio Martinez)
Pileated Woodpecker, 2/2024 (Matt Diley)
Remembering Grant Simmons
Grant Simmons, a charter member of the Augusta Bird Club since its founding in 1966, passed away at the age of 92 on Dec 22, 2023. He remained active in the club through the years, participating in club activities and serving as both president and seed sale chair at various times. He was invariably kind, generous, and supportive of others, and he had a great sense of humor. These qualities made him a wonderful friend and birding companion on field trips as well as international birding travel.
Grant had two lifetime loves: birding and golf. He grew up in Sangerville in northwestern Augusta County and built his career close by. He was an ordained Brethren minister and served several area churches and ministries. His calling was to soothe the pain of others, and in addition to ministry, he was a professionally licensed family counselor and founder of the Family Counseling Service of Waynesboro.
In his last years, Grant moved to Naples, Florida, to live with his daughter, play golf, and watch the ibises and other birds nearby. He stayed in touch with the Bird Club until the end, supporting the Seed Sale and the club’s scholarships and conservation initiatives.
Remembering Dan Perkuchin
One of the AUGUSTA BIRD CLUB’s most devoted members, Dan Perkuchin (of Fishersville, VA), passed away November 11, 2023. He was active in the club since at least 2010, regularly participating in field trips, editing the 2016 edition of Birds of Augusta County, and playing a key role in the annual Christmas Bird Count and other bird surveys. He was known for being extremely careful in his record-keeping and was a very kind and generous human being. We are grateful for all that he did for the Augusta Bird Club over the years, and we will miss him very much.