Springtime Bird Sit at Fort C.F. Smith Park

Come hang out with the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance (NVBA) for a relaxed morning bird sit at Fort C.F. Smith Park in Arlington, VA! We'll spend the morning on cozy picnic blankets watching and listening for birds as they start their day and get up to their morning shenanigans. This bird sit will be led by NVBA bird guide Jeph Simmons (they/them).

Please plan to meet your guide at 9:00 AM in the Fort C.F. Smith Park parking lot. The lot is a decent size and includes at least two van-accessible parking spaces, with no obstacles between the paved lot and the nearby trails/sidewalks. (You can view the parking lot on Google Maps at the link here.)

There are a couple of entrances along the main road that may look like they lead to private driveways or small lots, but signage along the road will guide you to the correct parking lot. After brief introductions, we’ll spend most of our time sitting together in a large, patchy grassy area close to the parking lot. Participants who are interested and able are welcome to explore the park’s pathways on their own, but we encourage everyone to return to the group at the end of the outing so we can wrap up together.

Binoculars are helpful but not required for birding. We will have a limited number of loaner pairs available for participants to use. Guides will also be using the eBird app to record sightings during the outing. We encourage participants to download the free app and set up an account ahead of time [click the link here to get started]. A limited number of camping chairs will also be available for participants to use during the event.

Though this is a bird sit, for those who want to explore the trails, please note that trails can be muddy after heavy rain or snow. We recommend wearing comfortable clothing, if you plan to walk, closed-toe shoes with good traction, and applying sunscreen or bug spray as needed. 

During college, Jeph became known as "the bird guy" amongst their friends. Having always had a fascination with and affinity for all things animals, something about birds pulled them in and never let go! Having graduated with a minor in biology and finishing out their last semester with an ornithological lab class, Jeph wishes to continue learning as much as they can about different birds across the planet with the hopes of some day garnering the opportunity to work with birds in field work. 

Fort C.F. Smith Park, located in Arlington, Virginia, is a wonderful place for birding in the spring. The park’s mix of older and younger trees creates varied habitat, making it a popular stopover for migrating warblers and other birds.

For more details about accessibility at this site, see the trail comments on the Birdability Map [use this link to access]. The Birdability Map is a crowdsourced resource created by the nonprofit that documents accessibility features at birding locations around the world.

Everyone’s safety and enjoyment are our top priorities. Occasionally, we may need to postpone or cancel an outing to protect the well-being of participants or guides. Whenever possible, we will notify you at least 48 hours in advance; however, last-minute changes may be necessary. Outings may be canceled or postponed for reasons such as:

• Unsafe air quality
• Guide illness
• Extreme weather, including: Lightning within 10 miles of the event location, temperatures above 90°, heavy thunderstorms, snow, or hail.

If an outing must be canceled on the day of the event, we will do our best to email all registered participants as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding and flexibility!

Pre-registration is not required for NVBA Bird Outings, but it helps us prepare and allows us to contact participants in case of last-minute cancellations (see cancellation policies above.) Otherwise, this outing will take place as scheduled.

Questions? Contact NVBA’s Community Engagement Coordinator, McKenzie, at [email protected].

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Host or Publisher Audubon Society of Northern Virginia