Our Osprey Garden
Greetings!
How time flies! In just six weeks or less our Osprey will return! I am so excited to see them soaring in the air, occupying their nests and hearing their beautiful calls. This year will be special in that we will be able to view all that goes on in one of the nests through our Osprey Nest Cam. No longer will be the saying, “what goes on in the nest, stays in the nest”! We will be able to learn so much not only here in Colonial Beach but worldwide as long as there is YouTube access.
Here is the link - https://www.youtube.com/@virginiaosreyfoundation. This link is active now, you will observe an empty nest and sometimes in the morning you will see little sparrows up in the nest. I hope you all enjoy!
A reminder that our foundation has been invited to speak at the Colonial Beach Community Foundation’s Meet up on Thursday, February 15 at Dockside Realty located at 104 Taylor Street at 6:00 p.m. I invite you to turn out for this meeting to show you support and meet some of our team! (I won’t speak long)!
Please join us on Saturday, February 24th at 2:00 p.m. for the film screening titled; The Biggest Little Fish You’ve Never Seen. This is a documentary produced by McKeever Films. This film highlights Osprey in the lower Chesapeake Bay and how they are affected by the overharvesting of Menhaden, a nutrient rich fish that Chesapeake Osprey depend on to survive.
Michael Academia, Osprey Researcher from the Center for Conservation Biology will be present to answer any questions and he will also speak about Osprey Watch and how you can be involved as a Citizen Scientist.
The film will be shown at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church located on Washington Street in Colonial Beach, VA. This event is free to the public and any donations are appreciated. There will be give aways, door prizes, and light refreshments will be provided as well as an opportunity to purchase Festival merchandise. We hope to see you there!
Legislative Update– Virginia HB-19 Atlantic Menhaden; VIMS, Et Al., to study ecology, fishery impacts, and economic importance. This Bill has been continued to 2025 by voice vote. Unfortunate for everyone, especially the menhaden and all species that depend on them in the Chesapeake Bay.
Virginia Osprey Foundation Executive Director Joanie Millward presenting to Colonial Beach Library Director Kitty Norris, 6 books donated by the The International Osprey Foundation.
Please visit our website to keep current with all of our activities and events!
Thank you all for your continued support!
Osprey Festival News
Save the date! April 13, 2024
The Festival is coming together very nicely! We have new vendors, exhibitors, and Food vendors too! Our expert speakers this year are excellent as always and I know you will enjoy them.
Good news, I have mentioned before that Vega the Turkey Vulture will be returning with her amazing handler, Heather Shank, and we now have a great line up of owls! There will be a Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl, Barn Owl, and a little Screech Owl! Their handler is Nikki Stamps, please visit her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/birdinthehand.net and learn more about her. We are grateful for her participation this year!
The amazing Osprey Love sign, by Robert Wayt Smith, has been reproduced in the form of an ornament by Beacon Design, the same company that produces the White House Ornament each year. It comes beautifully boxed and you can pre-order online now. The Virginia Osprey Foundation | Virginia Osprey Education | Osprey Festival in Virginia
Ornaments are due to arrive mid-February and will be available for pick-up. Ornaments are $25, all proceeds go to the Virginia Osprey Foundation. For an extra $6.00 we will ship to you.
Early Bird ticket sales and information are now available online at Tickets | Virginia Osprey Festival | The Virginia Osprey Foundation.
You won’t want to miss this one!
***RAFFLE***
Tickets are $10 for a single or three for $20.
Check out this beautiful painting, titled, "Early Spring" 30 x 40, acrylic by artist Robert Wayt Smith (Bob). Bob created this painting explicitly for the Virginia Osprey Festival. It is currently hanging at the Colonial Buzz Espresso and Wine Bar and at the Riverview Inn | Colonial Beach Virginia Motel | 24 Hawthorne St, Colonial Beach, VA 22443 (colonialbeachriverview.com) . Tickets are now on sale, cash or check if purchasing from the Buzz or Riverview Inn. I will accept credit card as well if you run into me (Joanie Millward)!
The tickets will be sold through the festival date, April 13. We will draw the winner in the afternoon!
Thank you, Bob, for your support!!
Again this year, we will be offering off-site bird walks on Sunday. There will be more details to follow soon!
Lots of information and you can keep up if you visit our webpage and festival tab.
Thank you everyone for your support and interest. Together we can make a difference for our Ospreys and our Environment!
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