Northeast & Mid-Atlantic · Autumn 2026

The Autumn Letter

Backyard Bird Haven · Edited by Elizabeth Carpenter

A message from the founder

A smaller starting point.
A wider view.

Dear Backyard Bird Haven reader,

Conservation can feel like a conversation happening somewhere else. I want this publication to begin in places we recognize: a yard in Falls Church, a courtyard in Washington, a garden near Annapolis, or a porch around Quahog Bay.

This autumn, I’m asking a practical question: what is one decision we can look at more closely? For our Mid-Atlantic readers, that might be the next tree or shrub. For our Northeast readers, it might be the light left on after everyone has gone inside.

This edition follows those questions from a Washington-area chickadee study to research on migration and urban light, then brings them back to the choices close to home.

That distinction is part of the work. Good conservation communication should give us a reason to care and enough context to make a thoughtful decision.

Start with the story closest to home. Choose one question to investigate. You don’t need a finished garden to begin paying attention.

Eliz

Elizabeth Carpenter
Founder & editor, Backyard Bird Haven

Goldfinch and autumn maple illustration from the Backyard Bird Haven collection.

Inside this letter

A planting question for the DMV An evening question for Maine Your seasonal notebook

Mid-Atlantic / Falls Church · DC · Annapolis

Before the next plant, ask about the food web.

Research on Carolina chickadees in the Washington metropolitan area linked residential vegetation with arthropod food and bird population growth. Nonnative-dominated yards were less suitable for sustaining the studied population. [1]

Try this: Pick one tree or shrub already growing where you live. Identify it, check its native range, and write down your site’s light and space constraints before planning a change.

Use this autumn to learn what is already growing in your space.

Read the DMV feature ↗

Northeast / Harpswell · Quahog Bay · Casco Bay

Give the evening a second look.

A study of New York City’s Tribute in Light found changes in migrating birds’ behavior when the installation was illuminated; those effects disappeared when it was switched off. [2]

Try this: Inventory the lights around your home. Separate lighting needed for safe access from illumination that can be reduced or switched off when unused.

The research comes from an urban setting; the question for this coastal notebook is how much light we need at home.

Read the Maine essay ↗

Your seasonal notebook

One place. Three visits. Better questions.

Choose a view you can comfortably return to this autumn: a window, a doorstep, or an accessible familiar path. Use these prompts to make your own record.

Record the conditions. Write the date, approximate time, weather, and where you watched.
Separate observations from guesses. Describe what you saw or heard. Leave an identification open when you are unsure.
Choose a follow-up question. What would you like to understand before making a change to the space?

To share a reflection, tag @backyardbirdhaven. Please share only photographs and words you have permission to use. Ask before identifying another person or their property.

From the editor’s notebook

The bird that makes me stop.

The Painted Bunting is a personal favorite. Its vivid colors remind me how quickly a bird can turn a passing glance into a lasting interest. Which bird first made you stop and look?

From the shop desk

Bird feeders, in development.

The Etsy collection is still taking shape. When listings are ready, the shop will provide actual product photographs, specifications, care information, and direct purchase links.

Visit the shop update ↗

Works cited

Narango, D. L., Tallamy, D. W., & Marra, P. P. (2018). Nonnative plants reduce population growth of an insectivorous bird. PNAS, 115(45), 11549–11554.
Van Doren, B. M., et al. (2017). High-intensity urban light installation dramatically alters nocturnal bird migration. PNAS, 114(42), 11175–11180.

Published September 17, 2026 · Web edition. To hear when email editions begin, select the optional newsletter checkbox when requesting the free field guide.

Make it local

Find your people.
Help your birds.

Get involved with a local Audubon chapter. Explore the National Audubon Society’s directory, then check your chapter’s calendar for walks, volunteer opportunities and conservation projects.

Find a local Audubon chapter ↗

External link to Audubon. Backyard Bird Haven is an independent publication.