National Audubon Society

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Thank you for your support in 2024!

The woods near my house have grown quieter over the past week. The balmy fall has given way to colder and windier December. Although I miss the sounds of birds chattering, chirping and honking, I love the silence during my walk. My mind opens to reflection and possibility.

This month’s newsletter reflects this theme – stories about the year past and hints of the year to come. Past and future. Reflection and possibility.

Thank you all for your support this past year. We really could not have accomplished all that we did without your encouragement, program attendance, volunteer efforts, and advocacy. You are what makes our work possible.

I hope each of you have a joyous holiday season full of happy clamor and inspiring silence,

Suzanne

Northern Cardinal in snow. Photo: PJ Kaszas

Audubon Mid-Atlantic's 2024 Impact Report

Over the past year, we have made progress towards Flight Plan in the Mid-Atlantic region. Through innovative strategies to restore Maryland’s saltwater marshes, create healthy forests, protect the Delaware River watershed, and improve public spaces in Baltimore and Philadelphia, the Mid-Atlantic region is making a difference for birds. We also hosted programs designed to welcome all to the wondrous world of birds and bring new community science tools to life. Our regional work is aligned with Audubon’s vision to identify connected, climate-resilient places across the hemisphere. As is true across the Americas, we are focusing our efforts where birds need us the most.

To read the full report, please click below.

2024 Audubon Mid-Atlantic Impact Report

Downy woodpecker on a tree. Photo: Elizabeth Jaffin

Marshes for Tomorrow Featured on Maryland Public Television

Marshes for Tomorrow, a landscape-scale initiative aimed at restoring Maryland’s saltmarshes, was recently highlighted on Outdoors Maryland, the long-running series produced by Maryland Public Television. The episode featured Audubon Mid-Atlantic's coastal team and some of our conservation partners as they navigated the tidal marshes on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The team conducted point-count surveys, monitored key marsh species, and more. You can stream the full episode showcasing the Marshes for Tomorrow initiative on Maryland Public Television’s website. The segment on Audubon's work begins at 9 minutes.

Additionally, Marshes for Tomorrow was featured in the latest edition of Maryland Yellowthroat, the newsletter of the Maryland Ornithological Society. The article delved into the data science behind the initiative and presented findings from the 2024 field season. To read the full article, visit the Maryland Ornithological Society’s website here.

Marsh team in the field. Photo: Sydney Walsh

Audubon’s 125th Christmas Bird Count!

The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is the nation's longest-running community science bird project. Taking place annually from December 14 to January 5, the CBC was first established in 1900 by Frank Chapman and 26 other conservationists as a way to promote bird conservation by counting, rather than hunting, birds on Christmas Day. Many of these counts have continued every year since, and the CBC is now held in over 20 countries across the Western Hemisphere.

We invite you to join this year’s bird census, which engages thousands of volunteers in the U.S. Volunteers participate by counting birds over a 24-hour period on a single day as part of a locally organized group.

To learn more about the history of the Christmas Bird Count or to get involved this year, follow this link.

Tufted titmouse in snow. Photo: Michele Black

Admission at the John James Audubon Center

Joyous Holiday Wishes!

Celebrate the season with Pay What You Wish Admission at the John James Audubon center at Mill Grove between December 11 and December 22 (Wednesdays – Sundays, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.). Visit the website to learn more about the John James Audubon Center. Join us for a page turning of the Birds of America, or look through the interactive exhibits at the museum. See you there!

The John James Audubon Center. Photo: Sydney Walsh

Save the Date for I Bird I Vote 2025

Audubon Mid-Atlantic invites you to attend our annual I Bird I Vote Maryland Conservation Summit on Saturday, February 1, 2024 from 9:00am to 3:00pm at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation headquarters in Annapolis, MD.

This day of conservation and conversation will provide you with opportunities to learn how to advocate for Maryland’s birds and the places they need to survive. Coffee and snacks will be provided in the morning, as well as a sack lunch you are welcome to take with you on an optional mid-afternoon bird walk.

Scientists, advocates, and officials will come together to highlight Audubon’s policy priorities, as well as actions all of us can take in Maryland to protect birds. Audubon Mid-Atlantic staff will provide details about Marshes for Tomorrow and other exciting projects in the region, and leaders of statewide environmental organizations will discuss the landscape of renewable energy in Maryland and beyond.

Registration is $30 per person, and will include coffee, snacks, lunch, and admission to all sessions. If you have questions, please email Tess Wilson at tess.wilson@audubon.org.

You can register for I Bird I Vote 2025 here!

Attendees of 2024's I Bird I Vote.

Upcoming Events in the Mid-Atlantic

Patterson Park Birdwatching Tour

Join Audubon on Saturday, December 14th from 8:00am until 9:30am for a birdwatching tour of Patterson Park in Baltimore, Marland. Over 200 bird species have been recorded at Patterson Park, a significant migratory stopover in Baltimore City. Join experts from Audubon and the Baltimore Bird Club as they guide us in observing and identifying local avian species. No prior experience is required. If you wish to borrow binoculars, please indicate your request on the registration form or contact us via email at baltimore@audubon.org. Please provide at least 72 hours' notice for binocular lending.

More information available on our website, here.

New Year/Who Dis Birding Tour

On Saturday, January 4th from 8:00am until 10:00am, Audubon staff will host a New Year/Who Dis birding tour at the Discovery Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Join us as we pull out the spot scopes, break out the coffee and hot chocolate, and kick off the year with a birding tour of the Strawberry Mansion Reservoir. Binoculars available for loan. We will have warming stations, but wear your outdoor gear! More info on our website.

CONNECT WITH US

Audubon Mid-Atlantic
3401 Reservoir Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19121
(610) 990-3431 | audubon.org

© 2025 National Audubon Society, Inc.

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