Birders across generations participate in Richmond Audubon Society outings. (Photo courtesy Richmond Audubon Society)
Grade schoolers wielding bagged lunches, backpacks and binoculars spill out of yellow buses — not off to the classroom, but into the woods of Bryan Park.
This isn’t a day off from school, though; the journey is part of a series of Richmond Public Schools field trips hosted by the Richmond Audubon Society. Students from multiple schools come together to learn biology, ecology, ornithology and more, and the bird-centric class excursion is part of the nonprofit’s effort to bring avian appreciation to a new generation in Richmond.
Established in 1973, RAS is a regional volunteer chapter of the National Audubon Society that champions environmental protection for birds and their habitats and hosts birding outings, citizen science events, educational opportunities and more. The club includes more than 1,400 members in Central Virginia and ventures to birding hot spots in the region, such as Bryan Park and Ancarrow’s Landing, and across the state, including Caledon State Park and Grandview Nature Preserve.
While birding has a reputation as a popular hobby for older adults, to former RAS President Mary Elfner, walking in nature to identify and discuss birds can attract all ages. “Families are a big part of our focus,” Elfner says. “It’s a great family activity. ... Bird-watching is a window into the environment — it doesn’t mean just looking at birds, but the entire habitat.”
As part of its youth outreach, the chapter offers educational programs to Richmond Public Schools students, homeschool groups, city and county parks and recreation centers, and Scout troops. From college courses on bird banding at Virginia Commonwealth University to summer semester bird walks at St. Catherine’s School, RAS sees education as a strong tool to promote localized conservation.
“Kids can learn really valuable observational and listening skills from looking at the trees, feather patterns, [and from] hearing all the different calls,” Elfner says. “It’s so important to sharpen these skills; that’s how [kids] can learn to appreciate the world in general.”
This year, the RAS is working to develop its Young Birders Club. Thanks in part to a nationwide uptick in birding interest since the pandemic, the club is geared toward children and preteens keen on bird identification, as well as high schoolers seeking leadership opportunities.
Joseph Van Drew, a 17-year-old birder and Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School senior, is one of those high schoolers. “I wanted to expand my bird-watching hobby,” he says. “It’s great for getting fresh air; it makes you more inclined to keep nature clean.”
A new RAS member, Van Drew first went birding as a Scout and hopes to share the interest with new birders of his generation. He says the group’s plans for the Young Birders Club include kid-focused birding lessons at Dutch Gap Conservation Area and workshops to build birdhouses, a helpful tool to restore lost habitat for some species.
“Birding is so healthy for kids — it gets them to start thinking about their actions in relation to the environment and weather patterns around them,” Elfner says. “They need to get away from the screens and out to the birds.”
