Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory

06/09/2026

Fledge watch day for DWR’s Peregrine Falcons! The pen will remain open to allow them to fledge on their own time. Stay tuned!

IT’S FLEDGE WATCH DAY FOR THE RVA FALCON CAM CHICKS! 🦅

DWR has scheduled the pen opening for this morning between 9:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., giving the chicks access to the ledge as they prepare for their first flights over downtown Richmond. Who do you think will be first to take flight? White, Black, Yellow, or Plum? Make your guess in the comments!

In conjunction with the pen opening, DWR staff will be stationed downtown June 9th and 10th as part of our annual Fledgewatch monitoring to observe the birds during their first days in flight. Once the door is open, the chicks will be free to leave the pen at their leisure, so keep your eyes on the ledge and follow along live on the Falcon Cam!

Link in the comments.

05/27/2026

05/12/2026

05/08/2026

The 2025 Monarch Research Review is now available!

The 2025 Monarch Research Review highlights 85 studies and reports added to our collective knowledge of monarch ecology, conservation, and management. From explorations of brain neurons to international collaborations, these works demonstrate the value that the monarch butterfly provides to our understanding of the natural and societal world.

Read the review at the link in the comments.

04/22/2026

Consider signing up for DWR’s Virginia Birding Classic! CVWO supports this initiative each year.

04/16/2026

CVWO is a supporter of this event. Consider joining the fun this year!

04/15/2026

Have you been following along with the monarch migration this spring?

Each year, monarch enthusiasts and nature lovers report their observations of monarch butterflies as they spread across North America. Their observations fill in the maps of Journey North, a program of the Monarch Joint Venture, to tell the world about monarch movement, migration timing, and more.

Migration has reached West Virginia, Ohio, and Maryland, with more sightings filling the map each day. Out west, sightings are more sporadic, but Journey North has received reports from Utah, Arizona, and Nevada.

Click the link in the comments to check out this spring's map. And when you see a monarch this spring, report it to Journey North!

03/19/2026

Check out the report on the eastern Monarch population which showed an increase from last season!

Monarch overwintering numbers have been released today for the eastern monarch, and this season's numbers are higher than last year's.

The WWF-Telmex Telcel Foundation Alliance, in collaboration with the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP), the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR), announced the total forest area occupied by overwintering monarch colonies today. Nine colonies were located this winter season with a total area of 2.93 hectares, a 64% increase from the previous season (1.79 hectares).

You can view details on our blog post, "Monarch Population Status," at monarchwatch.org/blog (or find the link in the comments). We'll post more details there as they become available.

03/19/2026

Someone laid their first egg! Follow along the RVA Falcon Cam at the link below!!

https://dwr.virginia.gov/falcon-cam/?fbclid=IwdGRjcAQpE25leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEezY5mlQBWgRHuo_rfrb0s6SnIwblNTGLG5QMU8ro3F4ov8aJdFM455faRzlk_aem_2HqOFXmX6oJA32WcyGE75w

03/10/2026

College Creek Hawkwatch team on task as we tallied our 1,000th bird of the season! 🦅

This is the 30th season for CVWO’s College Creek Hawkwatch.

Pictured are Deborah Humphries, Brian Taber, Bill Williams and Nancy Barnhart