Hey, y’all. It’s Amie.

I went birding all of one time. Close to two decades ago, my mom’s best friend and her husband built a house out in the country. One day, they invited a group of folks over to go look at some eagle nests by the river—and I tagged along.

It was pretty neat to see the birds out in the wild like that. Sometimes they perched and other times, they flew. And while you still need binoculars to see them well, it was a really nifty walk for a really non-outdoorsy teenager.

While that was my only true birdwatching experience, I do love the little critters. I think they’re adorable and intuitive, and really, who doesn’t like seeing a robin to welcome spring? To celebrate the recent Great Backyard Bird Count, enjoy a lighthearted flight of news today from us here at the Dogwood team. I’m so glad you’re here.

You’ll know a male Magnificent Frigatebird when you see one—it’s nearly impossible to miss (or mistake)—thanks to his bulging, bright red throat. (Don Mammoser/Shutterstock)

By Amie Knowles

Here’s what you need to know: With Virginians’ near-obsession with birding, we wanted to dip our quills into the topic. While researching over 480 species, we came across the American Oystercatcher and thought, what a name.

Our top coastal bird names:

• Requiring no stretch of the imagination whatsoever, the American Oystercatcher, well, catches oysters. Seafood is this bird’s meal of choice, and All About Birds notes that the yellow-eyed animal survives almost exclusively on shellfish.

• While it might look like a small pterodactyl flying overhead, the Magnificent Frigatebird isn’t a stray species off the set of “Jurassic Park”. What makes this bird extra-magnifico is that its current name is just as cool as its former name: Man O’War.

• It’s rare to see the black-headed variety, though not uncommon to find a Blue or Rose-Breasted Grosbeak. While these birds don’t only reside along the coast, it’s rare to see them far inland in Virginia. However, there was a sighting near the West Virginia border—so maybe they’re just sneaky.

Think these are creative? We’ve saved the best bird names for you at the link below.

Virginians identified more than 500 birds across the commonwealth, part of the more than 8,000 species spotted globally. (Adobe Stock)

By Zamone Perez

Did you participate in Virginia’s Great Backyard Bird Count over the weekend? Experts say the event is useful to gather data for conservation and encourages people to give birding a try. 

Every year—and at least once over the course of four days—Virginians are asked to watch birds for at least 15 minutes in one location. A person can count any birds they see or hear and submit a report to researchers. 

Birders in the commonwealth identified more than 500 birds, from waterfowl such as the long-tailed duck and shorebirds such as the American oystercatcher, during last year’s count.

Dr. Colin Ferguson stands in P&HCC’s building trades lab, which will undergo renovation to house the project.

What if there was a job 1) in need of your specific skill set, 2) in your general area, and 3) looking to hire as soon as you graduated? That’s the reality in the Martinsville area, thanks to the Industrial Skilled Trades Regional Expansion project.

Depending on their area of study, students earning specific trade credentials from a regional community college partnership could be eligible for jobs at the upcoming $1.35 billion Berry Hill Megasite (jointly developed by Danville City and Pittsylvania County), employment with Southern Virginia’s modular and manufactured-home builders, and more.

The participating colleges include Patrick & Henry Community College, Danville Community College, and Southside Virginia Community College.

“Across the commonwealth, there is a surge in demand for industrial skilled trades workers, driven by the state’s growth in infrastructure, energy, shipbuilding, healthcare, and more,” said Dr. Colin Ferguson, P&HCC assistant vice president of workforce and technical programs, in a media release. “The project’s design—three community colleges sharing resources, faculty expertise, and mobile training assets—demonstrates how regional collaboration can efficiently expand training capacity without duplication.”

The project is funded in part by a $1.3 million grant from GO Virginia, an economic development initiative that encourages collaboration between local governments, higher education, private industry and workforce.

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