CVWO Projects

In April 1994, the Observatory was established as the 501 (c ) 3 non-profit K.E.St.R.E.L. with Bill Williams of Williamsburg as founding President. The name was later changed to Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory. The mission is “Protecting wildlife through field research, education and habitat conservation.”

The Board of Directors is all-volunteer. Seasonal biology staff are hired for hawkwatching, Monarch tagging and education. A large corps of volunteers assists with all program areas.

There are five teams: Songbird Research, Raptor Research, Butterfly Research, Waterbird Research and Education.

Partnerships include Kiptopeke State Park, Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Northwest River Park in Chesapeake, James City County Parks and Recreation, Williamsburg Bird Club, Hampton Roads Bird Club, the Virginia Society of Ornithology, Colonial National Historical Park at Jamestown, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hawk Migration Association of North America, Monarch Joint Venture, Monarch Watch and the Butterfly Monitoring Network of North America.

The Observatory has funded songbird banding and hawk banding by other organizations and has conducted its own banding programs at Kiptopeke State Park and First Landing State Park. The Observatory participates in the Prothonotary Warbler Nesting Program, in conjunction with Virginia Commonwealth University and partners with Richmond Audubon Society in the study of Northern Saw-whet Owls.

The Observatory operates the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch, which began in 1977 and the College Creek Hawkwatch, which began in 1997.

The Observatory provides grants to graduate students studying birds in Virginia.

The Observatory celebrated its 25th anniversary this year with multiple events, parties, workshops, an annual birding competition and the release of a new book by president Brian Taber entitled Riding the Wind: A Birder’s Ups and Downs (see below).

Since 1977, CVWO has conducted raptor research during fall migration at Kiptopeke State Park located on Virginia's Eastern Shore. During this time, raptor populations have declined due to habitat loss and pesticides, as well as other factors. CVWO's research contributes to international data bases, scientific insight, and preservation of these magnificent birds of prey. 

Experienced biologists are hired each year to conduct the Hawkwatch, from September 1 to November 30, assisted by a corps of dedicated volunteers. Thanks to new technology, called Dunkadoo, you can also view the live Hawkwatch count from Kiptopeke on CVWO’s website. 

Over the past decades, CVWO has recorded nearly 900,000 hawks and vultures of 19 species. Visitors are always welcome.

 You can view CVWO’s video interviews with their hawk biologists on our YouTube channel here: https://bit.ly/2BytKxj 

American Bird Conservancy  Bird Conservation Alliance

City of Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism,

 Northwest River Park

James City County Department of Parks and Recreation

Kiptopeke State Park

Monarch Joint Venture

Hampton Roads Bird Club

Hawk Migration Association of North America 

Teaming with Wildlife

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Craney Island Dredged Materials Management Area 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

 Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge 

U.S. Park Service, Colonial National Historical Park 

VA Department of Conservation and Recreation, 

Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources

Virginia Master Naturalists, Historic Rivers Chapter

Virginia Society of Ornithology 

Williamsburg Bird Club 

Williamsburg Botanical Garden