I’ve driven by Oxbow Farm in Clarke County, Virginia, for many years, always admiring the immaculate farm fields and the spectacular vistas. Today, I was invited there for bird identification practice and a picnic via my volunteer work with Virginia Working Landscapes and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.

The 1,400-acre farm was even more impressive on the inside, and we were able to catalog a variety of birds, including bobolinks, orioles, warblers, kingbirds, meadowlarks, red-wing blackbirds and towhees, to name a few. A beautiful setting to expand my knowledge about birds, their activities and habitats, and further appreciate our  natural environment.