BRDC News: Upcoming Events

The world is thawing out, fauna is getting more active, and here at BRDC we are excited to get back out there and discover more with you! Here’s what’s in store for upcoming events:

Mount Rogers Winter Naturalist Rally

February 17, 2024

Embark on a journey of discovery with us at the Mount Rogers Winter Naturalist Rally! Our upcoming seasonal rally is just around the corner. The Mount Rogers Naturalist Rally is a celebration of the region's diverse ecosystems. Learn about Appalachia’s unique landscape, meet fellow nature lovers in your community, and engage in interactive lessons taught by naturalist professionals.

This event is open to anyone. To learn more, visit the event page below.

Join local artist, Suzanne Stryk, for her talk, “Taking the Pulse of Place: Connecting to the Natural World through the Arts" as she discusses how art offers ways of better connecting us to the natural world.

Woodcock Display: Members Event

Tentatively march 1

The American Woodcock is an anomaly, a plump little shorebird that makes its home in young forests and shrubby fields instead of coastal shores. The woodcock’s long bill and short, and rounded body make this bird a cartoonishly endearing sight - if you can spot them! Their mottled brown plumage, which camouflages them perfectly in their preferred habitats, and elusive behavior means that these birds can be difficult to spot. Except for in spring evenings, when breeding season takes over, and male woodcocks engage in marvelous flight displays. Cornell Lab of Ornithology refers to this mating display as “one of the magical natural sights of springtime in the East.” The males cry a loud, distinctively buzzy peent call and spiral in flight 200, 300 feet into the air, before plummeting in a zig zag back to Earth to do it again.

We invite members to join us as we watch this mesmerizing sky dance - we will meet at the Blue Ridge Discovery Center office and travel by van to the area where woodcocks are currently active. The exact date of this event is determined by woodcock activity as spring approaches, but is tentatively scheduled for Friday, March 1st. Stay tuned to our events page for any changes, and sign up for the event below to stay in the loop.

Family Weekend

March 16 through 17

Come spend the weekend with BRDC and surround your family with the magic of the mountains as you explore, discover, and share endless natural treasures together. This weekend is designed for families that are ready for adventure and fun. With our expert guides, your family will hone their observation skills while exploring seasonally interesting topics, such as beaver ecology, birds, tracks and signs, dendrology, nighttime creatures, and fire building. This package includes lodging in our facility, as well as meals. More information coming soon!

Spring Break Kids Camp

March 25 through 28

Looking for something to keep your young naturalist engaged during spring break? BRDC is now offering Spring Break Camp from March 25-28, 2024! This is a perfect opportunity for any young naturalist between the ages of 6 and 13 to explore, discover, and share the wonders of the Blue Ridge during the springtime!

Programming topics will include tree study, nature journaling, birding, hiking, pollinators, orienteering, native plants, and more! Activities will take place both indoors and outdoors.

Help Scientists by Collecting Data with the Great Backyard Bird Count

The Great Backyard Bird Count ‘24

For four days each February, birdwatchers of every skill level can participate in a global event for the love and wellbeing of birds. On at least one of the four days, participants will spend 15 minutes or more identifying birds in a location of their choice. The birds identified will be submitted to an online database, alongside data from hundreds of thousands of other birders all around the world. 

This is a way for anyone with an interest in birds and wildlife to engage with the world around them and learn new things while contributing to a larger collective with the ability to make a positive global impact. 

How to Participate

If being a part of this project sounds like a fun way to get outside this February–great! It’s easy:

1. Where/Who/When

This year's bird count runs from Friday, February 16, through Monday, February 19. Pick what spot you’d like to bird, and who you’d like to go with. Local parks, trails, forests, around the neighborhood, and yes, even your own backyard, are all lovely options. You can bird anywhere, as long as you can legally and safely access the property, of course. 

2. Watch/Listen/Identify

For at least 15 minutes, at least one time over the course of that Friday-Monday, get out there and observe! Sight and sound are the most helpful cues for bird identification. Helpful tools for bird ID include binoculars, field guides, Merlin Bird ID, and a more experienced birder friend. Be sure to keep careful track of each bird species you see, so that data can be collected!

3. Enter Data

The most crucial step - adding to the international database - can be done in any of three ways:

• Enter data through the Merlin Bird ID App

• Enter data through a checklist on the eBird App

• Enter data on eBird through a compute

If you’re already familiar with eBird and/or Merlin, that’s good news, birder! Any lists added to either over the days of the Great Backyard Bird Count will automatically be a part of the count. So, keep up the good work, and make a point to get outside and do some birding the weekend of the count. 

Project Goals

With everyone’s help, we can better understand bird populations. Data on species diversity, population numbers, and location can help ornithologists and land managers to make informed decisions on how to best protect birds and the environment as a whole. 

Project History 

The Great Backyard Bird Count is a partnership between CornellLab, Audubon, and Birds Canada. Originally founded in 1998 by CornellLab and Audubon, the Great Backyard Bird Count is the first ever community science project launched online, with the purpose of collecting data on wild birds and publicly displaying results. Birds Canada became a part of the collaboration in 2009 to expand the scope of the project in Canada (it was limited to the US when created). In 2013, the Great Backyard Bird Count joined with eBird, the world’s largest ongoing biodiversity related community science project, and became global. 

Resources 

Visit the Great Backyard Bird Count website to learn more about the project, see photos and data from past years, and for anything else Great Backyard Bird Count related!  

Visit eBird to expand your bird knowledge and download a list of target potential species for your area, that you can familiarize yourself with ahead of time.

Data from past counts

We are all in this together.

Migratory birds are a lovely reminder that, across oceans and borders, our planet is one whole. The Great Backyard Bird Count is a testament to our force as a collective. It reassures us with proof that individuals who care to engage and participate in the world around them can come together to make a positive global difference. It reminds us to go outside and be in our world. It encourages us to notice and care for the others we share our planet with. And last but not at all least, it gives us that little extra push to go delight in watching a fluffy little bird hopping around. So get out there and look at some birds! 

Upcoming Christmas Bird Counts!

Pictured: Red-breasted Nuthatch

Christmas bird counts have been a tradition since the early 1900s when an ornithologist suggested that bird hunters count birds rather than hunt them. This bird count has now happened every year since in a multitude of different locations. The Christmas Bird Count, organized by the Audubon Society, is a North American citizen science survey that runs from December 14th through January 5th each year. Information gathered during these counts helps us to better understand the health and status of bird populations. This type of stewardship is something that represents one of our pillars at BRDC and we are so excited to be able to participate in two Christmas Bird Counts this year.

The New River Christmas Bird Count will be the first bird count that BRDC participates in this year. Each year, Blue Ridge Discovery Center heads up to the New River CBC, centered around Sparta, NC. All ages and skill levels are welcome to participate! This event is free to all and we’ll make a full day of it. This will take place on Saturday, December 17th from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.

Pictured: Song Sparrow

The Mount Rogers Christmas Bird Count will be the second bird count that BRDC participates in this year. This bird count will be led by local bird expert Allen Boynton. His knowledge of birds is truly remarkable and we are so glad that he will be guiding the Mount Rogers CBC. This will take place on Sunday, December 18th from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.

Interested in joining us for a Christmas Bird Count? Please contact Keely Doyle at kdoyle@blueridgediscoverycenter.org or (276) 388-3155.

Pictured: Northern Cardinal

Searching for Ducks

BRDC staff ventured into the field on Monday, February 15th in search of wintering/migrating ducks and waterfowl. We had a very successful day, with a total of 15 waterfowl species identified and 531 individuals counted. We spent the day hopping between bodies of water (Rural Retreat Lake, Claytor Lake, New River, and small regional farm ponds), and got to see a diverse array of specimens, even if they were, more often than not, hundreds of yards away. All individuals seen were submitted to eBird.

Pictured above are canvasbacks, which only migrate through the Southern Blue Ridge in the later winter/early spring. Behind them you can see hooded mergansers.

Species documented-

1. mallard

2. canadian geese

3. northern flicker

4. killdeer

5. bluejay

6. belted kingfisher

7. bald eagle

8. song sparrow

9. eastern bluebird

10. dark-eyed junco

11. great blue heron

12. american crow

13. common merganser

14. hooded merganser

15. red-bellied woodpecker

16. horned lark

17. rock pigeon

18. red-tailed hawk

19. northern mockingbird

20. northern cardinal

21. mourning dove

22. canvasback

23. ruddy duck

24. gadwall

25. ring-necked duck

26. bufflehead

27. carolina wren

28. american kestrel

29. american wigeon

30. pileated woodpecker

31. white-winged scoter

32. long-tailed duck

33. common goldeneye

34. downy woodpecker

35. ring-billed gull

36. eastern phoebe

37. golden-crowned kinglet

38. pied-billed grebe

39. common loon

40. common raven

The common loon is another species of waterfowl that can be spotted around the Southern Blue Ridge in the later winter/early spring during their migration north.

Late winter and early spring are excellent times for a birder to stop by ponds, lakes, or rivers in hopes of seeing some beautiful waterfowl. Many species have either been overwintering in the Southern Blue Ridge, or will be migrating through to northern breeding grounds. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience and study these often elusive or rare species!

Kettles over Mahogany Rock

This past weekend is historically the peak migration time frame for Broad-winged hawks over Mahogany Rock in Alleghany County, NC.  So…BRDC staff and volunteers spent Saturday through Monday looking up! We were not disappointed.

Saturday was cloudy and cold and sitting (or standing) looking up into the sky for 7 hours is not for everyone. For those who love it though, the chance to see the mass migration of Broad-winged hawks is worth it. Unfortunately, we were only presented with around 13 Broad-winged hawks along with a couple of other raptors. With the predicted improvement in the weather for Sunday, everyone left looking forward to the sunshine, warmth, and another chance!

Sunday was indeed a better day with 1,413 Broad-winged hawks showing up over a couple of hours. Several large kettles circled above us (only visible with binoculars as they were so high) before souring away to Central and South America. Monday however was spectacular!

There were a couple of 300-600 bird kettles early in the day but around 12:30 pm, they showed up in mass! In a matter of minutes around 1,900 Broad-wings came up over the tree line and just kept coming; some coming down low enough for identification with the unaided eye! By the end of the day, we had 3,140 Broad-winged hawks recorded for the Hawk Migration Hawk Watch data bank.

Huge kettle over Mahogany Rock (photo credit Allen Boynton)

Along with the Broad-wings, Bald eagle, Merlin, Peregrin falcon, Osprey, Red-tailed and Red-shouldered hawks, American kestrel, Copper’s hawk, and Sharp-shinned hawks were seen.

Official Count for September

Many thanks to the many counters and observers this weekend! Special thanks to Allen Boynton, Harrol Blevins, and Bill English for your time, dedication, and expertise!

September & October 2020 Events Calendar

Between capturing the remaining vestiges of summer and welcoming fall, there is a lot to appreciate about September! Can you join us for one of the following events?

2020 Mahogany Rock Hawk Watch
Annual raptor count through Hawk Watch International
September 18th-21st
10:00-2:00 daily

Science in Nature Outdoor Program (Session I)
6-week program for 3rd-5th graders of Washington & Smyth County
Happening now through October 7th
Wednesdays, 9:00-3:15

Science in Nature Outdoor Program (Session II)
6-week program for 3rd-5th graders of Washington & Smyth County
October 14th - November 18th
Wednesdays, 9:00-3:15

Youth Outside Program
Hiking & nature observation program for 6-10 year-olds in Grayson & Carroll Counties and the City of Galax
Happening now through October 30th
Wednesdays 2:00-4:00 & Fridays 10:00-12:00
Various locations

Click on event titles for more information and to register. Hope to see you soon!

7th Graders Discover Hawk Migration

Jim Keighton of Blue Ridge Birders hosted BRDC and 19 Grayson Highlands seventh graders for a day of counting migrating hawks.

Jim has been monitoring the migration from Mahogany Rock Overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway since 1986. The day did not disappoint with hundreds of hawks and several eagles being spotted. Broad-winged hawks were the most numerous with large groups or kettles flying over periodically throughout the day.

The students enjoyed spending the day with local birding experts and the treasure trove of knowledge they carry. By participating in this citizen science project the students learned how to count and record data, how to identify species, how to use binoculars and spotting scopes, learned about migration patterns and techniques, but most importantly they were introduced to phenomenal bird migration happening right in their backyards. 

An August Nature Ramble

We have enjoyed exploring the mountains around Boone for its considerable natural wonders. In August the birds have mostly finished breeding and reduced their vocalizations, so we enjoy watching insects and anything else in the natural world that draws our attention.

I was surprised to find that in August the most common large butterfly near Boone is the pipevine swallowtail. This butterfly is toxic due to consumption of pipevines by the caterpillar. It advertises this fact by a distinctive blue color on the inside of the wings and a row of bright orange spots on the outside of the hindwing. A group of butterflies including the closely related female black tiger swallowtail, and the unrelated red-spotted purple (an admiral in the brushfoot family) mimic the pipevine swallowtail and thus obtain some protection from predators. Strangely enough, only some female tiger swallowtails are black mimics; other females are yellow as are all males. This not only confuses predators, it makes it difficult for humans to identify the "black and blue" butterfly mimics.

Pipevine swallowtail outer wings

Red spotted purple

Pipevine swallowtail

Tiger swallowtail black morph female basking

Milkweeds are growing in many places and not only attract monarchs but a number of other insects that specialize on these toxic plants. The caterpillars of the milkweed tussock moth are often found eating milkweeds in late summer when the leaves are tougher; their bright colors and bristles must serve to warn predators that they are toxic. The bright red milkweed beetle similarly has warning colors; it is often called the four-eyed beetle since each eye is divided by the base of the antenna.  

Milkweed tussock moth caterpillars

Red milkweed beetle

Another insect that humans and predators have learned to avoid is the yellow jacket wasp. I literally ran into a nest in the woods hanging from a branch while looking at the ground and got stung on my lip; I was surprised that this marvelous hanging paper nest was not inhabited by hornets, but by aerial yellow jackets; a more common yellow jacket species nests in the ground. These intricate nests are abandoned during winter when all of the wasps except the queen die. 

I have not seen many reptiles in the cooler high elevations but did find this "snake in the grass," a garter snake basking in the sun on a cool morning. It was well camouflaged except for the bright red tongue.  

Garter snake

Yellowjacket nest

There is often debate/controversy about the value of exotic shrubs for native birds and this photo of a young mockingbird feeding on the fruits of an exotic Mariesii viburnum is interesting. Many birds eat fruits from such exotic plants (privet is widely utilized especially by thrushes during winter).  A study in PA showed that areas containing exotic plants with fruits attracted many birds. One question that remains is whether this benefit is offset by problems with the supply of insects needed by birds to feed their young. In any case, the rigid dogma that exotic plants are all bad is unsupported by the facts. Instead, a careful evaluation of the specific value for wildlife of each plant is needed, whether native or exotic.  

Mockingbird eating mariesiii viburnum fruit

So continue to enjoy the wonders of the natural world as they change during the seasons. I especially urge birders not to stop going on field trips in summer just because the exciting times of migration and breeding are at a low ebb. Not only are birds ecologically connected to the rest of their natural communities, but the insects, amphibians, reptiles, and plants are really quite interesting and beautiful.
 

BRDC Partners with Blue Ridge Birders

Blue Ridge Discovery Center and the Blue Ridge Birders are excited to announce a partnership to make the Blue Ridge Bird Club a program of BRDC! This partnership brings a renewed focus on avian life to BRDC and ensures that the many activities of the Bird Club will continue into the future. Beyond programming, Blue Ridge Birders provided nearly $5,000 from the James Coman Fund to support regional youth education focused on birds.

BRDC hopes to energize the club by expanding its network and providing year-round opportunities for participation.  A variety of field trips, informative lectures, and youth programs will be offered to expand interest in birding.  The birders will also act as stewards by participating in citizen science projects like the VA Breeding Bird Atlas, The Hawk Watch Association of North America and Audubon's Christmas Bird Counts. There are no dues for the club, but we encourage participants to become members of Blue Ridge Discovery and participate in the variety of programs we offer.

On February 11, the Blue Ridge Birders will travel to Burke's Garden for an annual field trip in search of wintering Golden Eagles and Rough-legged Hawks. New members are welcome, and anyone with an interest in birding (beginner and experienced birders alike) is invited to join us.  Visit the website: blueridgediscoverycenter.org/blue-ridge-birders to learn more about the Blue Ridge Birders, the club list serve, and upcoming events.

Blue Ridge Birders has a rich 20-year history.  NC Conservationist of the Year James Coman helped organize Blue Ridge Birders in 1997 to capitalize on what Roger Tory Peterson celebrated when he said, “Birds are the most vibrant expression of the natural world.” His founding goals for the club were “First and foremost, provide enjoyment to the participants; increase the bird skills of the members; provide better communication with the local birding community and with statewide organizations (the Carolina Bird Club and the Virginia Society of Ornithology); and increase the appreciation of the local birdlife with the public through educational outreach.”

Efforts by James and the Blue Ridge Birders led to the establishment of Bullhead State Natural Area, adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the site of a second Hawk Count run by Blue Ridge Birders two miles north of the Mahogany Rock Hawk Count. “Peregrine Pete” Zwadyk helped to keep a spring Bullhead Count along with Jim Keighton and facilitate a late-in-the-season Mahogany Rock Count. In 2003 Harrol Blevins established a Blue Ridge Birders list-serve to facilitate communications about interesting bird sightings in the Blue Ridge/New River region of the club, which now has more than 150 participants, many of whom just want to keep in touch with the region from afar.

Regional birding has been at the heart of Blue Ridge Discovery Center since our founding, and many of the people who shared interest in Blue Ridge Birders inspired BRDC. We would like to dedicate this partnership to the memory of James Coman, William Roberts, Peter Zwadyk and Gale Kuebler.

2016 Christmas Bird Count

Prior to the turn of the 20th century, hunters engaged in a holiday tradition known as the Christmas "Side Hunt". They would choose sides and go afield with their guns—whoever brought in the biggest pile of feathered (and furred) quarry won. Conservation was in its beginning stages in that era, and many observers and scientists were becoming concerned about declining bird populations.

Beginning on Christmas Day 1900, ornithologist Frank M. Chapman, an early officer in the then-nascent Audubon Society, proposed a new holiday tradition—a "Christmas Bird Census" that would count birds during the holidays rather than hunt them.
(From http://www.audubon.org/history-christmas-bird-count).

Many of us have participated in the Christmas Bird Count through the years. In our area there are four: The New River, the Stone Mountain, the Mount Rogers, and the Mount Jefferson counts. We launched this 117th CBC season on Saturday December 17th with the New River circle. Each circle is 15 miles in diameter, within which the counting must take place. The circles cannot be moved or overlap other circles. Typically a circle is broken up into segments, each of which is managed by a team of observers. The NRCBC has five teams working in one of five designated segments. The count period is from December 14th through January 5th. Any day between those dates is open, but the counting only takes place on one specific day for one specific circle. The data we collect go into a central data base from where population and species location trends are mapped. Given the long term effort of this tradition, much data have been collected over the years, giving scientists lots of information to study and compare.

On the 17th, 8AM, a small group met at Cox’s Chapel Low Water Bridge to begin our day’s counting. The weather was warm and calm, so we spent the majority of the day walking while listening, watching, and keeping notes. We explored several places along the New River as well as taking jaunts into woodlands, fields, and checking out small ponds. Two other counters worked another part of our section, so we had a good team well spread out.

Our highlights for that day were: winter wren, brown creeper, bald eagle, Cooper’s hawk, fox sparrow and ruby-crowned kinglet. In abundance were Canada goose (103) and American crow (51). Our full circle tallies were much higher (with one team’s data yet to come in)… for instance Canada goose (423) and crow (246).

The event is great fun, a good excuse to spend a day outdoors with friends both human and feathered.

Turkeys Have a Reason to be Thankful Today

Photo credit: Ltshears (Own work) CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) via Wikimedia Commons

You wouldn’t think that turkeys have much reason to be thankful given their place as the centerpiece of Thankgiving dinner, but since their decline to near extinction in the 1930's, turkeys in the Blue Ridge are a wildlife management success story. 

The eastern wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo, is a majestic native of North America.  When Europeans came to this continent, they were overwhelmed by the diversity of flora and fauna and wild turkey quickly became a staple in their diet.  As human populations grew and forests were cleared, turkeys were over-hunted and almost completely eliminated.

In the 1900s, wild turkey populations were plummeting in the Southeast.  Prime turkey habitat (grassy forest edges with abundant seed and insect forage, with adjoining mature oak/hickory forests to provide winter food and nighttime roosting) was diminishing at an alarming rate.  The National Wild Turkey Federation estimates there were 10 million turkeys when European settlers arrived, and the population had dwindled to less than 200,000 at its low point in the 1930’s.

Turkeys are not great in flight, but can run short distances at very fast speeds. They are extremely wary, and have extraordinary eyesight and hearing, which makes them difficult to hunt and a real prize to hunters.  

Turkeys are the quintessential omnivores: they will eat anything.  Plants (roots, buds, stems, leaves, fruit), insects, small amphibians and reptiles, small mammals (mice, voles, moles), at times, even aquatic plants and fish!

In the spring, females lay their camouflaged eggs in a depression and sit on the nest for nearly a month.  A common sight in the spring is a hen with her brood moving quickly across your path and into the forest for cover. 

Photo credit: Kevin Cole from Pacific Coast, USA (Turkies-2) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The wild turkey has made a great comeback in the last few decades.  State wildlife officials began trapping and relocating wild turkeys to increase their distribution- almost 900 birds have been trapped and relocated throughout Virginia.  Turkey populations are continuing to increase at an annual rate of about 3%.  Hunting regulation and reintroductions have produced a North American thriving flock that is nearly the size of the population before North America was colonized.  Turkeys have a lot to be thankful for.

Blue Ridge Discovery Center is thankful for all of the staff, volunteers, and donors who support our mission to inspire curiosity, discovery and stewardship through the wonders of the Blue Ridge. With you, we envision a world with a deep understanding and appreciation of place. 

Learn more online, and listen to turkey calls http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/wild-turkey 

Photo credit: Teddy Llovet - Morro Bay, CA, USA, creative commons, https://www.flickr.com/photos/teddyllovet/2644580914

The Power of Owl Pellets

During the first week of November, Grayson County 4-H and BRDC teamed up to bring all of the 4th graders across Grayson County our famous owl pellet program. 

It always begins with ew, yuck and gross, because the idea of dissecting something that was once inside a living bird, summons visions of poop or puke. We explain that an owl pellet is similar to a fur ball your house cat occasionally coughs up. Basically, owls (and other raptors) avoid passing bones and hair through their digestive system by separating those parts out prior to swallowing the juicier bits. Yum.

We work with barn owl pellets due to the general ease of collecting them. Barn owls, true to their common name, like to roost and nest in barns, where they leave their neatly packaged pellets on the barn floor for us to find. Then we take them home, wrap them in tinfoil and sterilize them at high heat in our kitchen ovens. 

After overcoming their initial disgust, kids are instructed to dig in, break the pellets apart, and start poking around. We explain that this exercise is similar to archeology and forensic science. Our students use similar tools: tweezers, oversized tooth picks, small brushes and magnifying glasses. Each pellet comes with a chart that first lists the possible skulls they will find (rodent, shrew, mole and bird). After identifying which skull or skulls are contained within, they can then begin the task of identifying the smaller bones found under each skull on the chart. There is always a decent chance that more than one species of owl lunch will be found in a single pellet. By this time, the kids are completely engaged.

View fullsize

We also take time to talk about the barn owl’s life history, sharing pictures of this nocturnal majesty, and discuss more generally the habits of owls and which ones live in our Blue Ridge Region. We compare the call recordings of owls, and look at real owl skulls, talons and wings. It’s a pretty exciting owl hour for all, and the kids do not want it to end.

Many thanks to our 4-H leader, Erin Cox, and her enthusiastic interest in sharing this program with BRDC. 

1st Graders Learn the Ways of Barn Owls

First grade students at Independence, Fries and and Grayson Highlands School learned about barn owls in this month’s K-2 Reading Program.

Volunteer Sarah Osborne read the book Barn Owls, and used talons and feathers from the BRDC collection to engage students in the study of these nocturnal raptors. Mrs. Osborne also used the Cornell Lab’s Merlin Bird ID app to play the sounds of the barn owl. After answering questions such as “What do barn owls eat?” and “How old do they get?”, the class played a rousing game of Owl Bingo.

The purpose of the Reading Program is to enrich nature discovery in grades K-2, using stories and illustrations based on the treasures of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  This program uses nonfiction, imaginative tales and hands on activities, both indoors and out, to encourage curiosity and build relationships with the natural world.

This school year, BRDC will be offering the program to all first grade classes, once a month. Each month, students will have the opportunity to learn about the habitat, ecology, biological diversity and life cycle of a variety of plants, animals and ecosystems. The November program will feature a book and activity about trees. What a fun way to discover the world around us!

Explorers Club travels to Grandfather Mountain Hawk Watch

Aiming for peak broad-winged hawk migration, the explorers club hit the road to visit Grandfather Mountain Hawk Watch. We arrived not a minute too early! As we were setting up shop on Linville Peak (across the swinging bridge), kettles began to form to the southeast. It was if the hawks were appearing out of thin air, rising from the forest canopy below.  We had incredible views looking nearly directly down on the birds. They were taking advantage of the thermals forming on the southeast facing slope of the mountain and soaring right in front of us. They circled up and up in kettles of thirty or more birds until they reached cruising altitude and one by one they would peel off continue their journey south toward Central and South America. 

As the day went on the birds came through higher and higher until the only way we could spot them was if they passed in front of the lone cloud in an otherwise bluebird sky. Noon passed and the migration began to come from the northeast where we relied on spotting scopes to pick out possible migrants. All told we counted over 540 birds of prey including broad-winged hawk, peregrine falcon, american kestrel, sharp-shinned hawk, coopers hawk, red-shouldered hawk and bald eagle!

Many thanks to the executive director of Grandfather Mountain, Jesse Pope, for hosting Blue Ridge Discovery Center and giving us the opportunity to participate in the hawk count. 

The creation of an Ornithology Camp in honor of William Roberts

William assisting youth with the spotting scope.

A scholarship sponsored Ornithology Camp

Over the past five years William Roberts served on the Blue Ridge Discovery Center Board of Directors. He guided us calmly through many difficult challenges with his wisdom and steady hand while also taking the time to inspire youth as a guide and instill in them a deep love of nature.

Blue Ridge Discovery Center, in gratitude and honor of our recently departed and most principled birder and outdoor enthusiast, would like to advance his contagious interest in birds, flight, majesty of raptors, seasonal surprises of migration, and his boundless curiosity.

We believe that the best way to share his love of birds is to create an Ornithology Camp supported by a scholarship fund in his name, with the goal of inviting young people to immerse themselves in the art of bird study through the guidance of BRDC’s pool of experienced birders. The camp will provide an opportunity for young explorers to experience the many facets ornithology through a variety of hands-on learning activities and field trips.

The power of birding as an engagement tool and a gateway into the relationships within an ecosystem is bounded only by getting the binoculars into the hands of our youth. Please consider a donation in his honor and sponsor a kid for this unique opportunity.

The scholarship fund will be known as: The William Roberts Ornithology Camp for Young Birders

Donate Now

The Raven Soars On

From left to right: Allen Boynton, Scott Jackson-Ricketts and William Roberts

Yesterday we lost one of the shining beacons and solid rocks of Blue Ridge Discovery Center. Board member William Roberts succumbed to a long battle with cancer, but only after one amazing journey.

William dedicated his years of retirement to community service and in particular to the good of Grayson County through his commitment to democracy, mentoring young entrepreneurs and volunteerism. Over the past five years William served on the Blue Ridge Discovery Center Board of Directors. He guided us calmly through many difficult challenges with his wisdom and steady hand while also taking the time to inspire youth as a guide and instill in them a deep love of nature.

William Roberts was a man of resounding logic, never ending curiosity and consistent humility. He accumulated many life experiences which came forth in the most humble way possible, one of genuine love and acknowledgement of our shared journey. 

He spent many years of his life as a wildlife rehabilitator with a focus on injured birds. He healed those creatures with the same nurturing hand that he held out for our community. Those who knew William at all, knew his love of raptors and in particular his fascination with ravens. In many ways William embodied the best qualities of a raven, a wry sense of humor, a razor sharp mind, endless curiosity and even his skinny bird-like legs.

William also made time for his own self-discoveries through travels far and wide in search of avifauna, inspiration and enlightenment. He was a shining example of an endless explorer who cherished new vistas. He loved the shared experience of exploration and our journeys with him will never be forgotten.  

William was a man that believed in the power of science, the power of experimentation and critical thinking. Through his long battle with cancer, William repeatedly sacrificed his potential health for the greater good in hopes of assisting the study of this ruthless disease.

He left us with a model persona in which we should all strive to become, but most importantly he worked hard to leave this world much better than he found it. We at Blue Ridge Discovery Center will aim to carry that bright torch forward and do our best to stand in place of our fallen community leader.

We will forever miss him. May we all be as blessed as William was with curiosity, love and wisdom. 

Sincerely, 

Aaron Floyd

Signs of Spring

Red bud blooming at 1931 RR bridge on the New River Trail.  Photo by Bill Dunson

Ruby  throated hummiingbird at Galax farm.  Photo by Bill Dunson

Spring is a wonderful time of year, with leaves and blooms emerging, birds singing, and amphibian reproduction in full swing. But breeding occurs over a prolonged period since different species have distinct tolerances and adaptations for seasonal progression in temperature and related habitat changes.  So for example as I write this on May 2, the bluebirds on our farm near Galax, VA, are already sitting on eggs, but we just heard the first of the season willow flycatchers which will soon be breeding here. 

The arrival of ruby throated hummingbirds is a joyous occasion since they are so active and come readily to feeders.  We have coral honeysuckle vines and red buckeyes in bloom to offer them some natural food. 

Fire pink with swallowtail (possibly spicebush swallowtail) along the  New River Trail.  Photo by Bill Dunson

One of my favorite ways to assess seasonal changes is to bike down a rail trail to the New River.  The view of a red bud tree in bloom next to one of the old 1931 bridges shows one attractive spring scene.  A fire pink flower along the trail was being visited by a spicebush swallowtail butterfly, eager to obtain nectar to fuel its activities.   This  species is interesting since the underside of the wings is brightly marked with orange spots and a blue wash; this is believed to mimic the coloration of the toxic pipevine swallowtail and thus confer protection against bird predators.  

Bullfrog in spring pond.  Photo by Bill Dunson

Amphibians are of course very active in spring time.  In late April bullfrogs are just beginning to be active and the males start calling to defend their territories.  This male is distinctive due to its very large eardrum behind the eye and a bright yellow throat.  

The booming call of the male attracts females to lay floating egg masses in his territory.  Bullfrogs are a dominant predator along the  pond bank but remain close to water, unlike toads which migrate to water only to breed.  Bullfrogs also differ from toads in that their tadpoles can co-exist with fish, which toads generally do not.  I have been careful to keep some of my wetlands fish free for this reason, that numbers of aquatic invertebrates and amphibians cannot live with fish predators.

Baltimore oriole male at Galax farm.  Photo by Bill Dunson

One predominant sound of spring in our front yard is the song of Baltimore and orchard orioles which nest in a large maple tree.  The showy orange male Baltimore is strutting and singing his stuff while the dull yellowish female was just beginning to weave a nest on April 26.  They choose the very end of tiny branches, presumably to discourage snakes and squirrels from reaching the nest.  But it is remarkable that any nests escape predation and my wife constantly hounds me to remove the numerous black rat snakes from our property to increase the chances that the young will survive.

Rose breasted grosbeak male along the New River Trail.  Photo by Bill Dunson

Tree swallows are very active in setting up nests in our boxes and are constantly squabbling over ownership of a box.  The backs of the males have a structural color that refracts light, either green or blue depending on the angle, which contrasts nicely with pink dogwoods in the background.  There is intense rivalry with bluebirds over nest box cavities and the swallows often win the first round.  But the bluebirds will nest up to three times whereas our tree swallows normally only nest once.

If you are lucky you may hear a "chink" sound and see a bird high in a tree which is the spectacular rose breasted grosbeak.  The female is a dull brown pattern but the male has a striking patch of red on its breast.  These do not nest at our lower elevation but we enjoy watching them pass by on their way to the higher ridges.

Bald eagle at Fries Juunction New River.  Photo by Bill Dunson

In Florida we would hardly pay attention to a bald eagle since they are relatively common.  But here in Virginia they are uncommon and I noticed one while biking across the New River.  This was a "dirty bird" with a mottled head and a whitish tail, showing that it is about four years old and nearing maturity.  There are a small number of nests in western VA and young birds also migrate north from FL.  It would be wonderful if this eagle would settle down and raise a family!

So treasure these golden days of spring; each of us is only permitted a limited number of these marvelous spring experiences so savor them well.

Bill Dunson
Galax, VA and Englewood, FL

Canadian migrant arrives early on the New River

With the arrival of August it seems that summer is almost over, most birds have finished breeding, and cooler weather must be coming soon.  But one of the surest signs of the approaching end of summer is the first arrival of migrating birds that breed in the far north.   While on a bike ride to Byellsby Dam along the New River Trail in SW VA on July 26, I was surprised to see a solitary sandpiper feeding along a mud flat.  It would appear that this bird has already bred in the far north and is now returning to its winter home in Central or South America.    

It is always surprising to me that the breeding of these long distance migrants is so quick, and the distances traveled so great.  Conditions in Canada must be very conducive to breeding to justify the dangers of migration to accomplish this rapid reproductive cycle.  Yet how often do we fail to express our wonder at such amazing feats of avian athleticism and the remarkable evolutionary pathways that led to such migratory behavior?

Common Nighthawks

Every year around Labor Day weekend Common Nighthawks migrate through our region in mass. In the evenings keep your eyes peeled to the sky for a bird that at first glance might look like a large bat. They are often seen snapping up aerial insects that rise at dusk. Pay very close attention and you can hear their wide gaping mouths snap shut on the unsuspecting prey! If you can train a pair of binoculars on them you'll notice a distinct white bar on their pointed wings. They have an erratic fight pattern that links insect to insect across the sky and you'll often see a "river" of nighthawks that can number in the hundreds, streaming in a general direction (typically south). Their ultimate winter destination? South America!

So due yourself a favor and witness one of the great bird migrations of the world by spending a few minutes each evening looking up at the sky over the next two weeks.

Snow and Birds on March 7

Today, March 7, was a good day to stay inside, enjoy the falling snow, and watch the birds. The first unexpected arrivals were red-winged blackbirds, three of them—a female and two first-winter males. The first photo shows the female.

The second photo shows a first-winter male. It's basic plumage is so dark that, with snow as the background, what is left of its juvenile striping doesn't show.

Here at the house song sparrows are infrequent visitors because the habitat isn't right. Any time I really want to see them I can drive several miles to her place, complete with pond, tall grass, and brush. I was happy this morning to photograph this one.

Starlings are a nuisance and a small flock has been around for a month or more. One showed up today with a flock of brown-headed cowbirds, the first of the year for my wife and me.

In case you're interested in photography, I took these photos through the window in my study. The feeder is maybe ten feet away, enabling me to use my standard zoom lens to provide more depth of field than my telephoto zoom provides.