Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit, established in 1994, that strives to welcome and include everyone in our programs.
Our mission is “Protecting wildlife through field research, education and habitat conservation.”
We conduct and support studies of birds and butterflies and we contribute our findings to databases that share the information with our partners, other researchers, decision-makers and the public. We also share information on our website, Blog, Facebook and monthly eNewsletter.
We have five teams: Songbirds, Raptors, Butterflies, Waterbirds and Education. We also provide small grants to graduate students. Our Board is all-volunteer and we hire seasonal biologists and have a dedicated corps of volunteers and donors.
To learn more, please explore our website and sign up for our eNewsletter.
Click on the logo to subscribe to the CVWO monthly newsletter.
Please join us as CVWO prepares to celebrate the 1 Millionth hawk to pass the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch! The Hawkwatch began in 1977 with volunteers and since 1995 the Observatory has hired seasonal staff to count and provide education to the public.
Based on our recent seasonal average of more than 18,000 sightings, the event should occur in fall 2022. The Hawkwatch will start in late August and it typically ends on November 30. We only need 16,790 to reach our goal! Yes, there are other sites, especially in the tropics, that see many more birds, but what a great opportunity to publicly say thank you to Kiptopeke State Park, Hawk Migration Association of North America, Dunkadoo and our many dedicated volunteers and seasonal staff all while highlighting migration and conservation.
To celebrate, CVWO is hosting the One Million Hawks Contest to predict the date and exact time that the 1 Millionth hawk will pass the hawkwatch platform at Kiptopeke Hawkwatch. The contest includes fantastic PRIZES. Entries that are closest to the exact time will win from the generous prizes supplied and donated by partners and supporters!
To enter, click HERE or email your entry to onemillionhawks@gmail.com between August 15 and September 15. Include your name, email, phone and exact date and time you expect to see the 1 Millionth Hawk!
The rules are simple:
Prizes
Grand Prize
Runner’s-up prizes:
The Kiptopeke Challenge (KC) is back for 2022 and takes place on October 1! In this fun and friendly team birding competition, teams compete to identify the greatest number of bird species in a single day. The primary goals of the KC are to raise funds for the Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory (CVWO) and to raise awareness of fall bird migration on the Eastern Shore and along the coastal plain of Virginia. The KC takes place each year during peak migration when birds sing little and many have molted their breeding plumages. Add in hatch-year birds, and you’ll understand why the event is called the Kiptopeke Challenge!
The Challenge is open to anyone. Participants can form their own team or a single individual can request to be placed with an existing team. A team may consist of 1 or more people. Non-birding drivers are allowed.
What are the categories?
· 24-Hour
· 3-Hour
· Youth (age 18 and under)
· Special Venue
There is no fee to participate, however, all teams are encouraged to secure sponsors for donations, such as per species or flat-rate pledges from individuals, bird clubs and businesses. All funds raised are used to support CVWO’s field research and environmental education programs. Team donation links will be updated as we receive entries and can be found on this page.
The geographic count area includes the land, rivers, ocean, and bay areas of the entire coastal plain of Virginia (the area east of the Fall Zone or roughly the area east of Interstate 95).
Ready to Register?
Enter HERE or email your team name, captain's name, team name, phone, email and which challenge category you plan to enter to Sarah O'Reilly at CVWONEWS@GMAIL.COM.
Entries close on September 28.
To support one of the 2022 teams, visit the Kiptopeke Challenge page to use a Paypal link! You can also contact team captains and mail a check made out to CVWO rotating the team you wish to support. All proceeds go directly to CVWO.
Check out Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory's 2021 Annual Report here.
This 48-page report is overflowing with reports from each of our wildlife research teams: songbird, butterfly, raptor, water birds, and education.
Enjoy the photos from this year's wildlife observations, and our annual Kiptopeke Challenge event.
Learn who our partners are, and how you can support our ongoing work!
Click on the image to read and download the PDF version of the annual report.
Find out CVWO's latest announcements, newsletter archives and upcoming events!
Check out our scholarship programs and how you can make a tax-deductible donation
Shop our Cafe Press store and find clothing and gifts to share your CVWO spirit!
Join the birding craze! Where else can you enjoy the beautiful outdoors, witness the majesty of migrating birds, and support an important conservation organization all at the same time.
Since 1995, CVWO has conducted raptor research during fall migration at Kiptopeke State Park located on Virginia's Eastern Shore.
The Observatory has documented more than 101 species of butterflies and skippers in coastal Virginia, where little butterfly work has been previously conducted.
The Observatory conducts its own surveys and also helps with those of other organizations to document the movements of waterbirds in coastal Virginia. From climate change to development to commercial fishing to pollution to habitat loss, coastal areas are under pressure.
The Observatory participates in the study of Prothonotary Warblers, as part of the Virginia Prothonotary Network, monitoring nest boxes in spring and summer by canoe at various sites. This is a species of special concern. See the General Blog for updates about this work.
A major part of the Observatory's mission is environmental education. Seasonal research staff, an Environmental Educator and volunteers provide on-site presentations about our programs and about migration in the Chesapeake Bay area of coastal Virginia.
Check out Anna Strunkels artwork honoring CVWO's Prothonotary Warbler research projects! You can purchase this beautiful design on many Cafe Press items, including tote bags, mugs, and t-shirts below.
Riding the Wind, by CVWO's president, Brian Taber, is a celebration of birds, birding and conservation. The book - released in honor of CVWO's 25th anniversary this year - features essays, some previously published in magazines. Twenty illustrations by award-winning artist Julie Zickefoose accompany the birding stories inside and the cover art is by CVWO Hawkwatcher, Anna Stunkel. The book is a fundraiser for CVWO.
You can purchase a copy of Riding the Wind with the PayPal link below, or visit local Williamsburg bird stores, Wild Birds Unlimited and Backyard Birder, for signed copies of the book.
"Brian writes engagingly of his birding life over the years with essays on his experiences in Arizona, Costa Rica and many other places and times and of course, Virginia. Has two cover color paintings by Anna Stunkel, 19 black and white sketches by Julie Zickefoose and a Foreword by Pete Dunne. " Harry Armistead
"I'm proud and glad to be a part of it!" Julie Zickefoose
Thank you for supporting CVWO's wildlife research!
Many species of birds and butterflies across Virginia and North America are in decline due to habitat loss, pollution and other factors. Our paid seasonal biologists and our dedicated volunteers work to solve those conservation problems by gathering data and providing public education. Your donations support that important effort.
Your welcome donations are tax-deductible, and supporters receive our e-newsletters and our annual report.
Support our nonprofit work securely by credit or debit card using Paypal. No paypal account is required. Simply click the Donate button below, enter the amount when prompted, and click "Continue" at the bottom of the page.
Subscribe to CVWO's monthly newsletter for beautiful photography and updates on wildlife research in Virginia!