Wine & Cheese/Quiz

Meet at Violette's Lock.( 39.06731715977291, -77.32852468992381) Parking is available at the end of Violette's Lock Road off of River Road. The walk will cover approximately 2 miles on the towpath and some grassy/natural trail areas.  Plan your footwear accordingly. All children must be accompanied the entire time by an adult. Bring your binoculars.  Reservations required via SignUpGenius https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409094ba5aa2da4fd0-summer#/  Contact [email protected] with questions.  Limit: 10 youth.  Mentor Leader: Lauren Carey

Meet outside at Croydon Creek Nature Center. 852 Avery Rd, Rockville, MD 20851  Additional parking is located next to the tennis courts just past the Nature Center. The walk will cover approximately 2 miles on grassy fields, natural surface trails and along the creek.  Plan your footwear accordingly. All children must be accompanied the entire time by an adult. Bring your binoculars. Reservations required via SignUpGenius https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409094ba5aa2da4fd0-summer#/  Contact [email protected] with questions.  Limit: 10 youth.  Mentor Leader: Josephine (Jo) Cox

Meet at Riley's Lock. A parking lot is available at the end of Riley's Lock Road off of River Road. The walk will cover approximately 2 miles on the towpath and some grassy/natural trail areas. Plan your footwear accordingly. All children must be accompanied the entire time by an adult. Bring your binoculars. Reservations required via SignUpGenius https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409094ba5aa2da4fd0-summer#/  Contact [email protected] with questions.  Limit: 10 youth.  Mentor Leaders: Dave Powell and Nathan Tea

THIS TRIP IS FULL. On a morning walk, we’ll look for Cliff Swallows building mud nests beneath this bridge in the northeastern part of the county. We will also explore wooded trails on WSSC property bordering the reservoir to observe other possible breeding birds including Scarlet Tanager, flycatchers, and thrushes. Be prepared for bright sunlight at the bridge and possible biting insects in wooded areas. Trip will be cancelled in case of heavy rain or thunderstorms. LEADER: Cheryl Hogue at [email protected].

No reservations needed! This trip we’ll be looking for late warblers and shorebirds. Meet at the parking lot on Zion Rd at 7 am. No facilities. LEADER: Dave Powell [email protected]

No reservation needed! We’ll view the Great Blue Heron and Black-crowned Night Heron rookeries on the island, then walk the shoreline to see other waterbirds and local breeding birds. The path is flat and easy walking, making a great trip for new birders. Distance: 2 miles; time: 2 to 2.5 hours. Meet at 7:30am at the Lake Whetstone dock. LEADER: Lauren Carey, [email protected].

THIS TRIP IS FULL.  WAITLIST ONLY. Half-day trip starting at the Blue Mash Nature Trail, where we will look for a variety of songbirds and other species. Then we will drive over to the adjacent Oaks Landfill to look for raptors, Blue Grosbeaks, and possible Dickcissels and Grasshopper Sparrows. Limit:10. Meet at 7 a.m. at 20500 Zion Road, Laytonsville, Md. LEADER: Mark England at [email protected] or 240-308-4114.

Half day. Explore the diverse habitats in this one-square-mile refuge at the confluence of the Potomac and Occoquan Rivers in Woodbridge, Virginia. A variety of raptors and migratory warblers, vireos, thrushes, and flycatchers should be present, and rails and bitterns are possibilities. Meet at the parking lot in the center of the refuge at 7:30 a.m. Limit: 20. LEADERS: Mike Bowen at 202-236-0510 or [email protected] and Gerry Hawkins at 571-277-8406 or [email protected]. Directions: From Maryland, take Rt. 495 south to I-95 south; take LEFT Exit 161 (Woodbridge), follow Rt. 1 south, cross the Occoquan River, turn left at the light onto Dawson Beach Rd. and follow this road to the end.

Join us as we explore this location for some early morning spring birding on the west side of Route 28 (https://rb.gy/qpdqda). We’ll bird the broad fields and separating woods, beginning at 7 a.m., hoping for warblers and sparrows, vireos, woodpeckers, and raptors. Limit: 10. LEADER: Scott Young at [email protected]. Dave Roberts will co-lead.

Join us for our annual social at the Woodend headquarters of Nature Forward! The evening begins with a social hour at 6:00 p.m., with dinner at 7:30 p.m. Smokey Glen Farm of Gaithersburg will once again cater a delicious meal. The evening will feature our recognition of this year’s Guest of Honor, Clive Harris, as well as an awesome photo slideshow by our members.

THIS TRIP IS FULL. WAITLIST ONLY. Half-day trip starting at the Blue Mash Nature Trail, where we will look for a variety of songbirds and other species. Then we will drive over to the adjacent Oaks Landfill to look for raptors, Blue Grosbeaks, and possible Dickcissels and Grasshopper Sparrows. Meet at 7 a.m. at 20500 Zion Road, Laytonsville, Md. LEADER: Mark England at [email protected] or 240-308-4114.