By Emily M. Grey
Since 2009, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) and Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation (VBPR) have partnered in presenting the Winter Wildlife Festival (WWF). This celebration highlights the diversity of wildlife inhabiting Virginia Beach and the surrounding area along the Atlantic Flyway migration route in winter.
What started in 2010 as a small weekend activity grew into a nine-day event with more than 70 sessions in Virginia Beach and the surrounding areas. In 2024, the festival expanded workshops throughout January, allowing more involvement throughout the month. “In addition, we added an exhibit hall, children’s activities, a keynote address speaker, a photo contest, and a workshop series,” said Katie Webb of VBPR and WWF’s primary organizer.
“Our goal is to promote wildlife watching, related recreation in our community, and wildlife-related tourism,” Webb continued. “We aim to make nature exploration and wildlife watching accessible and give our participants a good foundation so they feel comfortable seeking out further opportunities.”
Each year, the festival attracts more than 2,000 participants, the majority from Hampton Roads and others from Delmarva and Washington, D.C. One couple from New York has attended every year. “It was cool to see people walking around with animals at the exhibits,” said Karen Mudar, a Washington, D.C., resident and newcomer to WWF in 2024. “A U.S. Navy exhibit demonstrated machines turning plastics into disks. We also saw Cape Henry Lighthouse, the first federally funded building in the U.S.”
“DWR is a wonderful partner that readily share its staff’s time and expertise to make our festival so successful,” Webb said. “Besides having a watchable wildlife biologist as part of the festival planning committee year-round, many other DWR staff lead field trips, present workshops, and provide marketing, financial, and DEI support.” In 2025, former DWR board member Dr. Mamie Parker will be the WWF keynote speaker with “My Journey to Passion, Inspiration, and Excellence to Birds and Conservation.” Activities take place each day from January 25 through February 2, 2025, and include wildlife viewing location tours, educational workshops and field sessions, whale watching, an owl prowl, and much more. The central Exhibition Hall in Virginia Beach hosts workshops, vendors, and more, and there is also a photo contest.
DWR Wildlife Area Manager Evan Shearer (left) and DWR Habitat Education Coordinator Steve Living (right) led a wildlife viewing tour of Princess Anne Wildlife Management Area during the 2024 Winter Wildlife Festival. Photo by Luca Pfeiffer/DWR
At the 2024 WWF, DWR Watchable Wildlife Biologist Carolyn Rubinfeld helped lead a Fort Monroe bird walk in Hampton and presented a Birding Skill-Builder Workshop. “I’m a big believer in making learning fun,” said Rubinfeld. “It makes me happy to see people smiling or laughing when I describe a bird or their song in a silly way. Part of why I love teaching beginning birders is because it helps me appreciate every bird that I see.”
DWR Watchable Wildlife Biologist Carolyn Rubinfeld conducting a birding workshop during the 2024 Winter Wildlife Festival. Photo by Emily M. Grey
In 2024, I joined the Blue Goose Tram Tour at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. A 30-minute school bus ride from the Virginia Beach Public Library whisked participants to the 9,108-acre refuge near the North Carolina border. A 3.5-hour guided tram tour rolled by freshwater marshes, grasslands, and an upland maritime forest. The freshwater bay yielded clear views of Wilson’s snipe, tundra swan, and a plethora of ducks.
Wildlife viewers exploring Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge during a 2024 Winter Wildlife Festival tour. Photo by Emily M. Grey
A short walk past a shrub community where Carolina chickadees and yellow-rumped warblers sounded eventually led to massive dunes. From the glorious beachfront overlooking the Atlantic, we saw numerous red-breasted mergansers, scoters, and a lone gannet swimming atop the crests. Finally, our tram proceeded to False Cape State Park where we explored the modern Visitor Center. “This trip was fabulous,” said Rachael Ginsburg, VBPR activity specialist. “I’m not a birder, but I liked the opportunity to learn birds from experts.”
Another trip, the boat trip out of Oyster, a small unincorporated seaside community on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, gifted participants a perfectly sunny, brisk day. “This was one of the best, most organized field trips I’ve ever taken,” said Caroline Prevost of Chesapeake. “I was impressed with the friendliness of the staff. Their knowledge was outstanding. They even brought snacks. And, we saw two bald eagles as well as flocks of brant, dunlins, willets, and oystercatchers on Wreck Island.”
Winter Wildlife Festival attendees can take advantage of unique tours such as this Eastern Shore boat tour for wildlife viewing. Photo by Emily M. Grey
Another popular venue that fills up fast is the Fisherman Island tour. (Vehicular access, with special permission, is off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel). With the Chesapeake Bay, our nation’s largest estuary, on the west and the Atlantic Ocean flanking east, this accreting barrier island affords a staging spot for migratory birds. In winter, one might see northern harriers combing the marsh and Forster’s terns and snow geese flying over whitecaps.
In January 2025, WWF will celebrate its 15th anniversary. It aims to be equally—if not more—exhilarating than past years. There will be more family-oriented and children’s programs as well as walk-up registration for many events. There is a reasonable cost for field trips and some workshops. Registration for the 2025 WWF began on November 15. Find a full schedule and registration links at the Winter Wildlife Festival website.
*The following organizations also are part of the planning committee and provide staff and locations for festival trips: Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, Virginia Beach Public Library, Virginia State Parks, Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Lynnhaven River NOW, and the Virginia Beach Chapter of the Audubon Society.
Emily M. Grey, an award-winning writer, photographer, and naturalist, has watched wildlife on seven continents.
