hOLD tHE POINT!
Birds, Art & the Natural Heritage of Hains Point
Merlin falcon.
MORE WAYS TO HOLD THE POINT!
There are so many species of birds and just as many ways to celebrate them! That's why we're expanding HOLD THE POINT! beyond photography to welcome sketches, paintings, illustrations, and other forms of visual art. Different perspectives, one shared purpose: celebrating and protecting the birds, habitats, and natural beauty of Hains Point!
Same mission. More ways to tell its story!
Show Us Hains Point Through Your Eyes!
Have you photographed, sketched, or painted the birds and natural beauty of Hains Point? We want to see your work!
DC Bird Alliance is inviting amateur and professional photographers and visual artists to contribute to HOLD THE POINT!, a community art book celebrating the extraordinary birdlife and natural heritage of Hains Point and East Potomac Park.
From Bald Eagles soaring overhead to warblers passing through during migration, the birds of Hains Point tell a remarkable story about the importance of urban green spaces. Through photography, sketching, painting, and illustration, artists help us see what makes this place so special.
Now, we're bringing those perspectives together in a book that celebrates the birds, the artists, and the public landscape we share.
Art With a Purpose
Hains Point is more than a beautiful place to spend the day. It's an important habitat for resident and migratory birds, a place for people to connect with nature, and a treasured part of Washington, DC's natural heritage.
As proposed golf course redevelopment threatens to change this landscape, we're using art to tell the story of what's at stake.
HOLD THE POINT! will serve as a fundraiser supporting charitable preservation efforts to protect Hains Point and its natural habitats.
Share Your Best Work!
We're looking for original visual artwork that captures the beauty, diversity, and personality of the birds of Hains Point, its natural habitats, and the ways people experience this special place.
Amateur and professional photographers and visual artists are welcome.
Submissions may include photographs, urban sketches, paintings, illustrations, and other original visual artwork.
All artwork must depict Hains Point or East Potomac Park. Birds, wildlife, natural habitats, landscapes, and people connecting with nature are welcome subjects.
Both recent and historical works are encouraged.
Each artist may submit up to five works.
Selected artists will receive publication credit and retain copyright to their work.
Whether you've spent years photographing birds at Hains Point, sketched a morning bird walk, painted its shoreline, or captured one unforgettable moment during a visit, we'd love to see what you've seen!
Submit Your Artwork
Submission Deadline: Monday, November 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET
Complete our submission form and share your artwork for consideration.
Selected contributors will be contacted regarding publication permissions and next steps. Submission does not guarantee inclusion.
This is more than an art project. It's an opportunity for our community to celebrate the wildlife of Hains Point, document its ecological and cultural importance, and help protect a place that belongs to all of us.
Let's HOLD THE POINT!
Our calendar followed its own migration route this year, but it has officially landed.
Congratulations and many thanks to our talented photographers for sharing their phenomenal images from across the region. Every purchase supports our bird walks, advocacy, youth programs, and community conservation work throughout DC.
A white-throated sparrow at Malcolm X Park © Nicole Kit
Washington, DC is located at the juncture of the piedmont and the coastal plain and at the confluence of the Anacostia and Potomac rivers. Our location, and beautiful parks make DC a great city for bird watching.
Notable among them are Rock Creek Park and Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens where you’ll find migratory species in spring and fall. You can hear our official bird, the Wood Thrush, singing from spring throughout the summer.
Join our DC community!
Support DC Bird Alliance by becoming a member, donating, or through volunteer opportunities.
Field Trips
Whether you’re someone who appreciates the sounds of birds, a backyard feeder, or an experienced birder, we warmly welcome people of all skill levels. All trips are open to the public, and we have a limited number of extra binoculars available for use.
Did you find an injured or baby bird?
If you find an injured or baby bird in DC please contact City Wildlife, DC’s only wildlife rehabilitation center.
Do you have other general questions about birds? Check out Tucson Audubon’s FAQs or send us an email.
Baby Blue Jay (Wikimedia Commons)
Sick birds in DC? Here are the latest news:
Audubon partners with local conservation agencies to identify the disease and stop the spread. (Audubon MD-DC. July 15, 2021).
Authorities are urging the public to take down bird feeders and baths in hopes of curbing the spread of what could be a wildlife disease. (Smithsonian Magazine. June 6, 2021).
Bird deaths in DC area are down, but scientists call for continued caution. (wtop news. July 8, 2021)
EXPLAINER: What’s Making Mid-Atlantic Songbirds Sick? (U.S. News. July 21, 2021)