Past Public Events

Upcoming Public Events

​​May 12, 2018 10:00am to 5:00pm, Mason Neck State Park, "Eagle Festival"

Join us at our booth to meet several of our local raptors, dissect an owl pellet and play some raptor games! We'll also be doing two raptor exciting presentations in the main tent. Learn about the hawks, owls and eagles you can find in the park.

​​May 5, 2018 1:00am to 5:00pm, Walker Nature Center, "Spring Festival"

Join us at the Walker Nature Center Spring Festival. Learn about our native raptors through games and activities and meet a few of the birds you might see along the center's trails.

April 21, 2018 10:00am to 3:00pm, Great Falls Park, "Celebrate the Year of the Bird"

Join us in the Visitor's Center to begin the celebration of our local raptors. We'll be returning to Great Falls Park each month through the end of the year to highlight what birds prey are doing as we move through spring, summer, fall and winter. Check out facebook page www.facebook.com/SecretGardenBirdsAndBees for updates.

March 18, 2018 2:00pm, Purcellville Library, "Raptors in Love"

It’s spring and love is in the air! Join us along with our hawks and owls for a peek into the world of “Raptor Romance” to learn how birds of prey find mates, choose nesting sites and raise their young.

March 10, 2018 12:00pm to 2:00pm, Huntley Meadows Park, "Virginia Owls"

Ages 5 to Adult. Learn about our native Virginia owls - what they look like, where they nest, where they hunt, how to find them and what each of us can do to preserve a healthy habitat for them. Join us for a talk from 12:00pm to 1:00pm followed by an opportunity to meet live owls, take pictures and share owl stories and ask questions.

March 3, 2018 10:30am to 12:00pm, Walker Nature Center, "Raptor Exploration"

Join Secret Garden Birds and Bees at the Walker Nature Center in Reston to meet a live hawk and owl, learn about where they live and how to find their nests (without disturbing them), and then go for a walk to see if any are nesting nearby. For registration and cost information, contact the Walker Nature Center at (703) 476-9689.

February 24, 2018 12:00pm to 1:00pm, Huntley Meadows Park, "A Year in the Life of an Owl"

Join us as we follow our native owls through a year of courtship, nesting and dispersal of young with commentary by our great horned owl, Finney, barred owl, Scarlett, and barn owl, Aoife. This program is intended for adults but is suitable for middle school and high school students.

November 19, 2017 2:00pm to 3:00pm, Purcellville Public Library, "Who's Who in the Owl World"

Join Secret Garden Birds and Bees along with great horned owl, Finney, barred owl, Scarlett and barn owl, Aoife to learn about owls in Loudoun County; we'll talk about our resident owl species, how they look and sound, where they live and what we can do to keep the environment safe for them. This is intended as an adult program but is suitable for middle school and high school students.

October 25, 2017 2:00pm to 3:00pm, Friends of Banshee Reeks at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, "Raptors at Banshee Reeks and Whooo We Might See There"

Join us with the Friends of Banshee Reeks to learn about our local raptors with emphasis on owls (but we may sneak in a hawk or two).  We'll provide tips on raptor watching, nesting boxes, and what we can do to encourage them to stay.

September 23, 2017 7:30pm to 8:30pm - Mason Neck State Park, "A Year in the Life of an Owl"

Join us as we follow our native owls through a year of courtship, nesting and dispersal of young with commentary by our great horned owl, Finney, barred owl, Scarlett, and barn owl, Aoife. This program is intended for adults but is suitable for middle school and high school students.

​April22, 2017 10:00am to 12:00 noon - Earth Day with Friends of Dyke Marsh, Secret Garden Birds and Bees, and the U.S. National Park Service.

Celebrate Earth Day by learning more about raptors, a family that includes owls, hawks, and falcons. See live raptors that were injured and have been rehabilitated, but cannot survive on their own. This event is sponsored by the Friends of Dyke Marsh, Secret Garden Birds and Bees, and the U.S. National Park Service. This is a great event for kids of all ages. Find us along the bike path in the Belle Haven picnic area of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, about two miles south of Old Town Alexandria.

May 6, 2017 1:00pm to 5:00pm - Spring Festival at the Walker Nature Center in Reston

Please join us for the Walker Nature Center Spring Festival in Reston, Virginia. This sensational event will include: entertainment, activities for children, displays and information from environmental groups, canoe and kayak rentals and live animals including our own great horned owl, Finney, barred owl, Scarlett, and red-tailed hawk, Midge.

May 13, 2017 10:00 - Migratory Bird Day at Great Falls National Park

Join us as we celebrate Migratory Bird Day with the National Park Service at Great Falls Park. Meet our Great Horned Owl, "Finney", our Barred Owl, Scarlett, and our Red-tailed Hawk, Midge. Learn about the amazing journeys the Osprey and the Broad Winged Hawk must make to their winter homes each year, find out which owls come down from the far north to spend their winters in our relatively warm climate and discover that some "migratory birds" don't migrate at all.

May 20, 2017 10:00 - Eagle Festival at Mason Neck State Park

Join Secret Garden Birds and Bees for the Eagle Festival at Mason Neck State Park this Saturday, May 20th. We’ll be doing talks about our native raptors at noon, 2:00 and 4:00. We’ll also have a booth with activities and information about raptor ID and what you can do to help birds of prey. And of course, stop by to meet our red-tailed hawk Midge, our barred owl, Scarlett, and our great horned owl, Finney. It’s going to be a wonderful day. Don’t miss it! You can find the complete festival schedule here http://masonneckstateparkfriends.org/page-1856808.

June 15, 2017 6:30pm - Introduction to Wildlife Rehabilitation with Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy (location TBD)

There are no wildlife rehabilitators in Loudoun County!  Successful care and release of sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals requires specific skills and knowledge, as well as legal permits and licenses. If you’re interested in finding out what it takes to become a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, join us for a conversation with experienced rehabilitators. We’ll talk about the Virginia Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) permitting process, finding a sponsor, working with a veterinarian, training options, caging and treatment area setup, the time commitment throughout the year, and potential volunteer opportunities. We’ll give you the information you need to make a decision about entering this challenging vocation and a roadmap to get you started. Location TBA. Registration required. Questions: Contact info@loudounwildlife.org.

June 24, 2017 10:00am to 3:00pm - Pollinator Festival at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve in Leesburg

Join Secret Garden Birds and Bees to celebrate pollinator day at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve. The 725 acre preserve contains habitats typical of the piedmont and is home to more than 200 species of birds, some 200 species of wildflowers and more than 120 species of native bees. It's the perfect place to spend the day and see how many pollinators you can find! Meet our native birds of prey and learn why we think barn owls are responsible for the preserves unusual name.