Valley Forge Audubon Society

09/06/2026

We had a great time photographing butterflies at Waterloo Mills Preserve.

Photos by Pam Coath, Mark Gotlib, and John Werth

09/05/2026

For any photographers contributing photos to their eBird checklists, please do not use AI to modify your photos. Please read the article at https://ebird.org/news/threat-of-ai-to-archives and watch the video to see what is acceptable to put on an eBird checklist. To summarize:

Don’t put AI-manipulated photos into eBird checklists.

Don’t use AI chatbots or generative AI tools to “enhance” or “improve” photos for your eBird checklists.

Don’t overuse AI-powered editing tools on photos you upload to eBird; avoid using them at all when possible.

Don’t use AI to generate images of what you thought you saw as documentation in an eBird checklist.

Do keep your photos as natural as possible.

Do retain the original metadata for your photos when editing and exporting.

Do describe what you saw with words, especially if you didn’t get a photo.

There are some interesting updates to eBird, ranging from subtle UX...

09/05/2026

Today is International Vulture Awareness Day. Often misunderstood, vultures are the silent sentinels of our natural world. These remarkable creatures are nature’s cleaners, ecosystem guardians, flying giants, and devoted parents.

Vultures are among the most important, yet tragically misunderstood and underappreciated birds on our planet. Far from the underserving caricatures of media portrayals, these remarkable birds play a vital role in maintaining sustainable and healthy ecosystems. By efficiently consuming carcasses and organic waste, vultures likely prevent the spread of deadly diseases that could devastate wildlife, livestock, and even people. In fact, vultures benefit our world in so many ways, from economic benefits to potentially reducing carbon emissions. By implementing effective conservation measures, we can give vultures a chance to recover and restore the numerous benefits they provide.

Vultures are facing a global crisis, and they need our help to make a recovery. Vulture populations worldwide are experiencing catastrophic declines due to various threats, including direct and indirect poisoning, illegal killing, and electrocutions or collisions with power lines. Without these sentinels of the sky, the consequences for our environment could be severe. That is why International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD) is so important. It is a chance to shatter the myths, celebrate the wonder of vultures, and take action to protect these vital birds before it’s too late.

Photo of Black Vultures at Fischer's Park by Tony Nastase

09/04/2026

Friday Funnies

09/03/2026

08/30/2026

Photos from the Friday night Lundale Farm Nighthawk watch by Kayann Cassidy, , Karen Sene, Cheryl Taylor, and John Werth.

08/29/2026

Great turnout last night!

Thank you for a great night watching the Night Hawks ...and other fabulous winged friends...like our Bald Eagles! Amazing as always!