Plunging into the World of Freshwater Fishes

A participant demonstrates the “Alligator crawl”

Last Saturday, 8 intrepid explorers joined BRDC staff on a snorkeling program at Straight Branch, a tributary of the South Fork of the Holston. We donned wetsuits to protect us from the 60 degree water and fastened masks and snorkels to plunge into the world of freshwater fishes. While the water in these mountain creeks may seem too shallow for snorkeling (ranging from less than a foot to around 3 feet at the deepest), it is the best way to experience this underwater world. By moving slowly and “alligator crawling” upstream, the fish quickly become accustomed to our presence and swim just inches away from us! Fortunately, we thought to bring an underwater camera this trip to share some of the experience.

A Snubnose Darter tries to blend in with the silt

The aptly named Snubnose Darter (Etheostoma simoterum) stands out from other darters thanks to its very blunt face. While these fish are quite common in our area, they are only found in mid to large side streams in south western Virginia, mostly in tributaries of the Tennessee river system. This male (identified by the row of orange scales above its dark lateral stripe) was curious but cautious, getting close enough to allow everyone to get a good look at him. If his dorsal fins were flared, the striking red would be more visible, but he was likely hiding these colors to help camouflage with the silt below.

The Northern Hog Sucker only swam away when a large group of us got very close

This ~8 inch Northern Hog Sucker (Hypentelium nigricans) was one of the largest fish we got to see, besides a few rainbow and brown trout who sped past us too fast to get a good look. Hog Suckers are mostly benthic feeders, meaning they suck up tiny crustaceans, insects, and algae from the bottoms of stream beds to feed on. They tend to stay close to the stream bed, and only swim quickly when evading predators. With their large size and slow lifestyle, this fish barely minded the gaggle of humans as long as we respected its personal space. 

Large schools of shiners earned their name with shocking colors and mesmerizing iridescence. In this river system, we see several species including Warpaint Shiners (Luxilus coccogenis), named for bold red and black streaks on the males’ faces, Saffron Shiners (Notropis rubricroceus), identified by the males’ gold and scarlet lateral stripes, and Tennessee Shiners (N. leuciodus), who are silver with an olive back and a thin dark lateral stripe. These fish often swim in mixed schools, using bright colors and reflective scales to disorient predators. This defense was certainly effective against our camera- most of our pictures of shiners came out as shiny, unfocused streaks!

Mixed schools of Warpaint Shiners, Saffron Shiners, and Tennessee Shiners were a dazzling sight

Creek Chubs are a common sight, along with their nests if you know what to look for

Creek Chubs (Semotilus atromaculatus) were very abundant today. Almost anywhere we looked, a school of half-foot brown fish lazed along the bottom of the stream. While these fish may look boring compared to some of the flashier fish in this river, they have a fascinating life history. Adults develop large tubercles on their snouts- thick scales that stand out from the face. The males use their tubercles to roll pebbles into nests each spring, providing a place for a courted female to lay her eggs. This streambed was full of these pebble nests, even months after their construction.

Most of the participants were able to catch glimpses of trout, with potential sightings of all three species that occur in southwest Virginia! The beautiful native Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) can be identified by the squiggly pattern on its back called vermiculation. This river is stocked with Brook trout and Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), who have small speckles and a pink lateral stripe. Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) are stocked in connecting rivers, and populations have found their way here as well. All three species are very fast swimmers and voracious predators, so they were very difficult to observe except for quick glimpses as they sped past. We managed to photograph one juvenile trout (possibly a young rainbow), seen below.

A juvenile trout, likely Rainbow finally caught on camera! We also saw Brown Trout and everyone’s favorite- Brook Trout. How many other fish can you count in the background?

The barrier between aquatic ecosystems and terrestrial is the thinnest line possible, yet these two environments are completely alien to one another. It’s easy to forget all the action and excitement going on just on the other side of the water’s surface. Snorkeling is an amazing opportunity to literally immerse yourself in a different world. It’s a great reminder that sometimes, the best experiences come when we take a moment to observe and appreciate everything that’s already around us.

The Great Monarch Migration

In mere weeks, a humble insect will begin an incredible journey. The current generation of monarch caterpillars, Danaus plexippus, is preparing to transform and make their annual migration. The butterflies take to the wind as the end of summer draws close, bound for warmer weather in Mexico. Most of the monarchs born in our stretch of the Blue Ridge will depart by mid October, though we may continue to see populations from further north passing through until the first frost. Once in Mexico, hundreds of millions of individuals crowd flowers and hang from trees in enormous roosts- also called bivouacs- while they wait out the winter weather. 

Some of the butterflies in our collection. The three in the bottom left box are monarchs, Danaus plexippus. The middle butterfly is a male, evidenced by the pheromone-producing black spots on the vein of the hind wing called his “pouches.” The top and bottom are females, who tend to have thicker black lines along the hind wing veins and lack these pouches. The box above them holds three commonly confused, but still very cool, Viceroy butterflies- Limenitis archippus. They mimic the coloration of monarchs and are similarly distasteful to predators. Notice the continuous black arc on the hind wing that runs parallel to the wing border present only on viceroy wings.

A female monarch visiting milkweed in our rain garden, likely selecting a suitable plant to host one of her young

When temperatures start to rise and days grow longer in northern Mexico, the monarchs prepare to make their return flight by increasing nectar consumption and beginning to mate. Come March, the butterflies depart- following the spring warmth as it stretches north. On their return flight, the butterflies fly low and stop often to feed and lay eggs. A female monarch may carry more than 300 fertile eggs at a time, and will continue finding new mates as she journeys onward. Mother monarchs are very particular about where they will leave these eggs. While the adult butterflies forage nectar from a variety of flowers, the caterpillars exclusively feed on milkweed species. She carefully examines each milkweed plant she finds and, should it pass her inspection, lays a single egg on the underside of a leaf near the top of the plant. This ensures her caterpillars have plenty of food to grow quickly without competing with others or decimating the plant. 

Monarch caterpillars feed exclusively on milkweed- a plant that is toxic to many other animals. The monarch stores these toxins in its own body so predators learn not to eat them.

Many of you are aware of the monarch butterfly migration; and we all are familiar with the four stages of their complete metamorphosis from egg to caterpillar, then chrysalis and finally adult butterfly.  However, the way these two life cycles interact may come as a surprise. In our region, D. plexippus experiences 4 generations every year. We have two generations of summer monarchs composed of small, short-lived individuals who will only know this land as home. The successors of the second summer monarchs are significantly larger, stronger, and longer-lived (Up to 9 months as a butterfly!) It is this generation, the fall monarchs, that will make the entire flight to Mexico and return more than halfway back, dispersing their eggs the entire return flight. From these eggs emerge the spring generation, who will complete the migration past the US’s northern border, recolonizing their entire native range.

Poster created by Paul Mirocha for Monarch Watch. This stylized map shows the seasonal ranges of monarch migration over North America. Our fall monarchs fly to Mexico before winter, then fly up into the South East in the spring. The next generation continues moving north, recolonizing the northern half of the continent. Summer generations breed in the north until the rise of the next fall generation, who will make the entire migration south to Mexico and halfway back.

Despite being one of the most extensively studied butterfly species, there are still many mysteries entomologists are working to solve. A community science project called Monarch Watch has volunteer participants help generate data about monarch populations during the fall migration. Unfortunately, the winter roosts in Mexico have been rapidly shrinking in recent decades, sparking much of the research and conservation efforts going on now. Leading theories of causes for this decline include habitat loss and resource scarcity. Much of their historic breeding and feeding lands have been converted to farms, making the butterflies’ journey even more perilous.

Monarch Watch is a community science project that began in 1992. Participants catch and tag fall migrating monarchs with a sticker that has a unique code. Data is recorded including the tag code, date, location, and information about the individual, before it is released. In the winter, butterflies are recaptured in Mexico and searched for tags. The data generated is crucial for estimating monarch population change over time as well as predicting migration times, routes, and survival rates.

Helping monarch populations can be an easy feat for anyone with the lawn space to grow a few native plants. Research some local long-blooming wildflowers, especially those that provide plenty of nectar and bloom through fall. Asters, columbine, vervain, mountain mint, and many others are fairly low maintenance native wildflowers that are great nectar sources for pollinators, including monarchs. Milkweed prefers to have a fair amount of space and well drained soil that gets plenty of water. However, there are several varieties that prefer different conditions, so researching a variety that would do well in your area is a great way to support the monarch population.

At our latitude of around 36° 50’ N, monarch tagging begins at the end of the month- August 29. Peak abundance usually occurs in late September, and the last of this year’s monarchs might be seen into early November. As we look forward to watching another generation of butterflies follow in the wingbeats of their great-grandparents, let these beautiful creatures remind you of the enormous cycles that make up nature.

Happy Bee-lated World Bee Day

We all love bees for the enormous role they play as pollinators. Over a third of the food we eat is thanks to these incredibly hard workers, as well as nearly all flowers and even many trees. When most people hear about bees, they usually imagine the European Honeybee, Apis mellifera. While this is an extremely important species to us humans, they are far from the only important species of bee out there. In fact, over 20,000 other species of bees have been described! Here in the US, more than 750 species can be found east of the Mississippi River. About a quarter of our native bees are specialists, meaning they have coevolved with a specific host plant to feed from and transfer pollen between its flowers. Without these native bees, a huge diversity of native wildflowers would disappear.

This Dunning’s Miner, Andrena dunningi, is taking a quick rest on a guide’s hand. As their name suggests, mining bees are ground-nesters. Females dig narrow burrows, preferably in clay soil. Although they are solitary nesters, several females will often construct nests near one another. These small bees overwinter as adults in their brood cells and emerge in early spring. While many mining bees are specialists, the Dunning’s miner is happy to visit several different families of spring blooms.

Despite being the poster child of Apoidea (the bee family), the European Honeybee is actually not very representative of the rest of the bees. While a few other species have social nests (the bumble bees and a handful of sweat bees), the majority of our native bees construct solitary nests or even just a few dispersed brood cells without a nest at all. Even in these social nests, there may be several fertile females that work together to raise their young rather than a single queen. Most bees nest underground, in plant stems, or in tree cavities and pack brood cells with enough rations to feed a larva to adulthood. The female will then lay a single egg in each and seal it off. These species are usually univoltine, meaning they have one generation every year. The larvae only eat the provisions their mothers stored for them before they pupate and emerge as adults the next year

The Spine-Shouldered Cellophane Bee, Colletes simulans, is a Goldenrod specialist. Like the rest of the Cellophane Bees, they nest underground in dry, sandy soil. This group of bees get their name from a plastic-like wax the females secrete that they use to line their nest, holding up the walls and making them waterproof.

There are many important pollinator species- butterflies and moths, flies, beetles, even some birds and bats. All of these species visit flowers to drink from its nectar and sometimes graze on pollen, then “accidentally” transport pollen between flowers. Bees are unique in their behavior of collecting and moving pollen on purpose. Female bees collect large quantities of protein-rich pollen and carbohydrate-rich nectar to provision her brood cells. As she visits flowers, she collects pollen in her pollen basket, commonly found either on the hind legs or under the abdomen. Upon visiting a new flower, she drops off some pollen she is already carrying to make room to pick up more. This results in very high rates of pollen exchange, helping the plant successfully fertilize its seeds.

This Two-spotted Bumblebee, Bombus bimaculatus, is collecting pollen from a sneezeweed aster. Perhaps the best known group of native bee, the bumblebees are adept pollinators. Most species are generalists and are active the entire growing season. Thanks to their long proboscis and robust build, they are able to access flowers with concealed nectaries. They are also some of the only native bees that live in eusocial nests made of a queen and her daughters.

In 2006, news broke of a crisis to bees- Colony Collapse Disorder. Data from beekeepers showed a decline of nearly a third of honeybee populations from 1989 to 2008. Several factors were identified including over-application of pesticides, the introduction of the Varroa mite to European honeybees, and the several disease outbreaks from hive transportation. Since 2008, honeybee populations have been recovering thanks to many of these threats being identified and mitigated. While this is a great success story for the domestic honeybees, research into our native bees’ populations is only just beginning. In addition to many of the same threats, native bees also suffer from habitat loss, resource scarcity, and competition with introduced species. In very recent years, lots of important research is being published, putting native bees in the spotlight of conservation efforts.

The Pugnacious Leafcutter Bee, Megachile pugnata, is an Aster family specialist. Female leafcutters use their large shear-like mandibles to cut circular flakes from leaves, which she uses to line her brood cells. Rather than a single nest with several brood cells, leafcutters typically build several dispersed brood cells in dead, hollow plant stems and other preexisting holes in plants.

If you have a garden, you can help support native bees just by being a lazy gardener. Instead of pulling weeds, do a quick search to see if that plant supports native species and only remove the invasive weeds. Try to support a variety of native wildflowers. Leave clippings on the edges of the garden to provide habitat and resources to nest-building bees. And avoid using toxic pesticides- by supporting a variety of species, they may begin to self-regulate. But an easy way we can all help out the native bees is just by learning a little about them, and checking in on them once in a while. So take a moment this spring and summer to appreciate some of nature’s hardest workers for all the beeauty they make possible.

Recent Sightings of the Blue Ridge

Recent Sightings of the Blue Ridge

By Cade Campbell - Pre-MRNR, Spring 2024

West Virginia White nectaring on Star Chickweed (Stellaria pubera) along Della’s Branch. Photo by Cade Campbell.

As anticipation builds for the 50th Spring Mt. Rogers Naturalist Rally, there are some species reappearing on the landscape to add to the excitement. During our programs for local schools over the past few weeks, the full force of spring has shared some special moments and special residents that call our Virginia mountains home.

The federally-threatened West Virginia White (Pieris virginiensis) butterflies are abundant in the forests behind the Schoolhouse searching for toothwort plants to lay their eggs. They’re easily recognized as the only solid-white butterfly found in the state of Virginia, and the dwindling species is endemic to the Appalachian Mountains. Look for them in sun-dappled areas of cove forest with lots of spring ephemeral wildflowers. The invasive-exotic garlic mustard is lethal to these butterflies but smell like their caterpillars’ favorite foods, other plants in the cabbage family. Our habitats around Whitetop Mountain composed of intact native plant communities are essential for the butterfly’s survival.

A Margined Madtom (Noturus insignis) captured accidentally during an aquatic macroinvertebrates program with Fries School. Photo by Cade Campbell.

Underwater, life is also thriving. Fish are entering the breeding season, moving from deep pools into the shallow waters where they’re easily visible. One of the more unusual fish we’ve been noticing recently with stream ecology programs is the tiny, mildly-venomous catfish known as the Margined Madtom (Noturus insignis). They’re only found in rushing water full of smooth stones with crevices and crayfish burrows. To protect themselves from the wide gape of larger fish, particularly trout, they’re armed with painful, needle-like pectoral barbs. When handled, they can leave a sharp, swollen pinprick, the aquatic equivalent of a bee sting. Margined madtoms are easily distinguished from other native catfish by eel-like, black-fringed fins and a silver, scaleless body, seldom growing more than six inches in length.

The large Dragonhunter (Hagenius brevistylis) nymph, an excellent leaf mimic.

Dragonflies are also emerging. Nymphs are large and ready to climb onto land, shedding hollow exuviae and drying into fast and bloodthirsty aerial predators. The largest native dragonfly, the Dragonhunter (Hagenius brevistylis), is one of the most charismatic. An impressive hunter that mainly captures other dragonflies, they can take down prey as large as a hummingbird. The aquatic nymphs are very different. The palm-sized juveniles are leaf-mimics, and hide flattened in clusters of sycamore and boxelder roots in larger streams where they eat other aquatic macroinvertebrates. Large, spider-like Allegheny River Cruisers (Macromia alleghaniensis) are also preparing to emerge. Both a Dragonhunter and River Cruiser nymph from this spring are pinned in the library collections. In the colder, smaller and more inhospitable waters of Della’s Branch, the delicate, golden-striped Southern Pygmy Clubtail (Lanthus vernalis) is emerging camouflaged against shimmering riffles as the creek flows through dense rhododendron thickets.

The mother Eastern Black Bear (Ursus americanus) beckoning her last cub to escape into the woods, just before the entire family vanished back into the hillside forests of Fairwood Valley.

Black bears are back! We observed a healthy family of bears in Fairwood Valley last week. The mother successfully raised three cubs last year we observed several times throughout the year, and they will remain a nomadic family unit this year. Early mornings and evenings are the best time to see bears foraging, but it is an unusual treat. Unlike other, more populous areas in the Southern Appalachians, the bears found in the Mt. Rogers region are rarely habituated, or accustomed to humans. Most are still very reclusive and fearful of humans, and it’s a unique privilege to see one of these truly wild bears. Since they utilize ancient strategies to find food, instead of raiding dumpsters, coolers, and picnic baskets, black bear signs are abundant. Right now, many black bears survive the surprisingly lean spring season by flipping rocks in streams to hunt salamanders, similar to herpetological adventures at the rally. However, unlike the humans attending our programs, bears are allowed to eat the salamanders.

Be aware of your surroundings, and you may get the chance to see some amazing creatures! The Spring Rally is a wonderful time to explore, with a host of experts to help you identify and understand some of Virginia’s strangest and most biodiverse communities of wildlife on a rejuvenated spring landscape. If you have not yet registered for the rally, you can do so below. The big weekend is almost here, and we hope to see you on the mountain.

Fifteen Fun Native Fish Facts!

Summer Fly Fishing Camp is back! Join us August 6-10 for a week of tying, casting, and catching! To celebrate the return of this beloved BRDC camp, here’s fifteen fun fish facts, all about some of the awesome freshwater fish found natively here in Virginia’s creeks, streams, and rivers!

1) There are 226 species of freshwater fish in Virginia.

2) Fish in the family Ictaluridae (the catfish family) do not have scales.

3) Fish in the genus Etheostoma (which includes many darters, though ‘darters’ is a broad term that applies to a few genuses) do not have a swim bladder! This helps them stay safe and sheltered near the bottoms of streams.

4) The Banded Sculpin, Cottus Carolinae, is nocturnal. They prefer to rest during the day, and hunt at night. 

This Bluegill, a native member of the perch family, is so named for the silver-blue band and dark blue spot along the gill slit

5) There are 48 species of perch in Virginia (members of the family Percidae), including species of darters and dace. These beautiful, vibrantly colorful fish are referred to as “aquatic butterflies” or “living jewels.”

6) The Candy Darter, Etheostoma osburni, is a particularly colorful darter. Featuring bold red stripes across its blue, green, and yellow body, this rainbow of a fish would look right at home in a tropical coral reef. But it wouldn’t feel at home there -  the Candy Darter’s only home is the Kanawha River system, which flows through West Virginia and Virginia. 

7) The Channel Catfish, Ictalurus Punctatus, can lay 10,000+ eggs per spawn! Of course, many of these eggs are eaten before they fully develop, providing a great source of food in our aquatic ecosystems. 

Brook Trout play a big role cycling nutrients through the ecosystem

8) Freshwater fish help cycle nitrogen, phosphate, and other key nutrients through the ecosystem, and help maintain the balance of these nutrients in streams. Fish move nutrients from aquatic to terrestrial environments when they are consumed by terrestrial predators, and they carry nutrients upstream to small tributaries when they migrate to spawn. 

9) The Northern Hogsucker, Hypentelium Nigricans, is a messy bottom-feeder that sucks up debris in the beds of moderately sized creeks. Darters and dace will follow behind the hogsucker as it forages, eating the food it stirs up.

This Banded Sculpin has left its hiding spot between rocks. Notice its camouflage and large mouth

10) Banded Sculpin, a species in the Cottidae family, are skilled ambush predators. They’ll hide in cavities under rocks and logs, waiting until the moment is juuuust right, then BAM! They’ll strike in a split second, opening their mouth fast enough to suck in their prey! In a flash, whoever was unlucky enough to pass by is gone and the sculpin has already retreated back into hiding.

11) Many freshwater fish are living hosts for freshwater mussels. Some mussels have adapted to develop organs that look very convincingly like fish food. They’ll tempt fish into trying a bite, but instead of food, the fish receives a mouthful of hitchhiking mussel larvae! The baby mussels catch a ride throughout the river system before dropping off somewhere new. 

12) Before spawning begins in late spring, male central stonerollers, Campostoma anomalum, grow large facial tubercles. These modified scales on their heads help them to- you guessed it- roll stones and build a nest. From May through early June, females pick suitable nests to lay their eggs.

13) River chub get their species name Nocomis micropogon from a pair of small organs on either side of their mouth called barbels. In fish with well-developed barbels, such as catfish, these are the sensitive “whiskers.” But the river chub’s are very small, so its latin name micropogon literally translates to “tiny beard”

14) Brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, like many of their Salmonid cousins, make an incredible migration before spawning each fall. During summer, a brook trout may swim up to 80 miles upstream into small tributaries in search of a suitable spawning location before October. There are three populations, which are named for where they travel between spawns- the Great Lakers, the Salters/Sea-Runners, and the Eastern Brook Trout, which is the population we have here in the Blue Ridge and spends its entire life between large rivers and tiny mountain creeks.

Brook Trout rising on a fishing fly, showing off its defining pattern

15) We had to include a second fun fact for a fan-favorite! The Brook Trout is the only native trout to our waters in the Blue Ridge, while other species- brown trout and rainbow trout- were introduced as game fish. The best way to identify brook trout is by the beautiful squiggly design on their top side. This pattern is called a Turing pattern, and it appears all over in nature!

Spring Salamander Migration

As February draws to a close, the first warm spring rains nurture a tiny, threatened ecosystem nestled in the forest floor: vernal pools! Last week, our intrepid crew of BRDC naturalists had a chance to visit these ecosystems and celebrate on Ali Reilly’s last day as program coordinator at the Blue Ridge Discovery Center.

An adult Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) Photo by Cade Campbell

Vernal pools are seasonal wetlands that fill up in late February, making a home for amphibians that take amphibiousness to the extreme. Spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) are migratory salamanders. In the summer, they disappear from the human world by burrowing up to six feet underground in wet burrows. The adults, around eight inches long, hunt earthworms, insects, and even small vertebrates hidden beneath the mud. But when the February rains reach temperatures of 50-60°F, these salamanders emerge from underground and start to move. Every year, they wander to the places they hatched in vernal pools, sometimes journeying miles. The males migrate first, and leave behind nutrient packets called spermatophores that also fertilize the eggs of females. Females arrive later, and lay clusters of around one hundred eggs on waterlogged branches.

Spotted salamander eggs are no ordinary eggs. Some clusters of eggs are milky-white, others are completely transparent aside from black dots (the developing salamander embryos), but all of the eggs share an amazing cohabitant. These eggs work in a symbiotic relationship with the Salamander Algae (Oophila amblystomatis). Salamander algae is mildly toxic to most aquatic wildlife, and produces sugars with photosynthesis. Protected in the gelatinous membrane of salamander eggs, the algae helps the eggs develop safely and quickly. Some of these algal cells may stick with the salamander for life, in pores on their skin even deep underground as adults. In their own unique way, spotted salamanders rank among the world’s few photosynthetic animals!

Spotted Salamander eggs, laid secretively on a rainy night in early March. Photo by Cade Campbell

When the eggs hatch, tiny, four-legged tadpoles emerge; the salamander larvae. These salamanders are greenish-brown, have feathery external gills, and a translucent, paddle-shaped tail; bearing no resemblance to the large, yellow-spotted black adults. They are helpless, and almost any other carnivore in ephemeral wetlands can eat them with ease. It can take years for the larvae to metamorphose in permanent wetlands, and some never do. Vernal pools will dry in a few months. Normally, Southwest Virginia spotted salamanders require about four to five months (February-June) to reach a terrestrial stage. After crawling onto land and changing colors, the salamanders may require a few additional years before they grow large enough to return to the breeding grounds.

But they have to be lucky. Another mole salamander, the Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum), lays eggs in November. Mothers guard the eggs on land, until February rains fill up the ponds. The mother leaves when the ponds are flooded, and her eggs hatch almost as soon as they are submerged. Marbled salamander larvae mature as spotted salamanders develop in the eggs, growing just large enough to hunt the spotted salamander larvae when they hatch. As adults, marbled salamanders are beautiful animals with black-and-white stripes. Males have solid white bands, while females have frosted gray bands. No two marbled salamanders, or spotted salamanders, have the same pattern, and individuals can easily be recognized from each other (especially those with unusual patterns). Mole salamanders can live for several years, and possibly for decades in ideal habitats. 

A Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum), leaving a vernal pool in late February. Photo by Cade Campbell

Life is hard for these salamanders, but there is hope. On warm, rainy nights, you can help them! Many migratory salamanders are forced to cross roads at night, from backroads to highways, to travel from summer burrows to the winter breeding grounds in vernal pools. By carefully moving a salamander across the road in the direction it is traveling, you might save the next generation of salamanders. But remember, always make sure to prioritize your own safety when rescuing amphibians, and never attempt to save salamanders in dangerous conditions. 

Wildlife Preparing for Winter: Reptiles

Snakes, lizards, and turtles all call the Blue Ridge Mountains home, but these animals are rarely seen in the cold. So, where do reptiles go during winter?

Reptiles are cold-blooded animals, meaning that their body temperature fluctuates with the temperature of their external environment. Birds and mammals, who are warm-blooded, maintain a consistent internal temperature. As it gets colder outside, reptiles’ body temperature drops. This causes their metabolism to slow, along with other bodily functions like heart rate and respiration. To survive a long, cold winter, most reptiles have adapted a hibernation-like behavior known as brumation.

Brumation is a period of low activity exhibited by reptiles, amphibians, and other cold-blooded animals. Animals in brumation are not fully asleep, rather, they are experiencing low levels of bodily activity that results in a state of torpor. Reptiles in brumation are too cold to digest food, so they will not eat during this time. Instead, most reptiles spend fall filling up on food and finding ideal spots to shelter overwinter, when they will try to conserve as much heat and energy as possible. Different reptiles experience brumation in different ways.

Snakes often seek shelter below the frost line in underground burrows (built and abandoned by mice, rabbits, or other burrowing animals). The spots where snakes overwinter are known as hibernacula. During this time, snakes will stay hydrated by absorbing moisture from the soil through their scaly skin. Commonly, many snakes will shelter together in a single hibernacula for safety and warmth. A single hibernacula can have hundreds of snakes and multiple species. On particularly warm winter days, snakes may expend enough energy to crawl to the surface and sun themselves in order to wake up their internal systems.

Box turtles also seek shelter under the frost line. Using their strong forelimbs, they will dig their own tunnels, sometimes underneath leaf litter or fallen logs for an extra layer of insulation. At the end of their tunnels, they will create a cozy den by pushing soil aside with their shell, creating their own little microclimate. Similarly, painted turtles employ burrowing as a brumation strategy. For the aquatic painted turtle, though, burrowing takes place in the muddy bottoms of ponds and lakes. Painted turtles will bury themselves in over a foot of mud, insulated by both the wet soil and the water above. Oxygen is extremely limited in this environment, but because cold temperatures slow respiration rates for cold-blooded organisms, lack of oxygen isn’t as big of a problem for turtles in winter as it would be for humans. Painted turtles have additional adaptations for low oxygen levels too; they will no longer breathe air through their mouths, instead, they absorb oxygen directly through the thin skin of their cloaca.

As temperatures increase, reptiles will emerge from brumation seeking warmth. Turtles, snakes, and lizards can be found basking in sunny areas during spring while temperatures are still chilly, trying to warm up enough to seek food.

Pre-Order Your Fall Naturalist Rally T-Shirt!

The Mount Rogers Fall Naturalist Rally is a little over a month away and we could not be more excited! Starting this week, we have opened pre-orders for the limited edition Fall Naturalist Rally t-shirt. Illustrated on the Rally shirt are the squirrels the Blue Ridge region. What signifies fall better than squirrels! They are the perfect fall mascot due to their abundance and increase in activity. This increased activity is due to their need to store food for the winter. The five native squirrel species are the Eastern Gray Squirrel, the Red Squirrel, the Fox Squirrel, the Northern Flying Squirrel, and the Southern Flying Squirrel. 

If you’re interested in pre-ordering one of our Limited Edition Mount Rogers Fall Naturalist T-Shirts, click on the link and check out our Mount Rogers Fall Naturalist Rally page for more rally information to come!

Eastern Gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis carolinensis) are one of the most common squirrels in Virginia. They can be identified by their gray coat, white belly, and narrow tails. During this time of year, these squirrels spend a great deal of time hiding food in a variety of places so that they do not need to go into a full hibernation. Eastern Gray squirrels will be able to feast on their hidden sustenance all winter long since they tend to hide more food than necessary for survival. Due to this excess of food, these squirrels play a vital role in seed dispersal. 

Red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus abieticola) are another common species in Virginia. These squirrels can be easily distinguished from the Gray and fox squirrel due to their reddish coat and small size. While other squirrels tend to favor tree nuts, the American Red squirrels tend to be more inclined to devour seeds and fungi. They are also known to steal from bird feeders since most are designed to prevent larger squirrels from invading the feed supply. 

Fox squirrels (Sciurus niger niger) are the largest of the squirrel species in Virginia. They can be identified by their large size, brown/gray back fur, and orange belly. These squirrels follow the same food storage protocol that Gray squirrels follow, meaning that they also store an abundance of nuts in various locations in order to feed themselves throughout winter. These squirrels tend to be more social in comparison to other native squirrels and are likely to be found in neighborhoods or parks rather than trees.

Virginia Northern Flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus fuscus) are actually endangered, so their abundance in the area has declined. These squirrels can be identified by their brown coat with a gray belly  and membrane-connected hind and fore legs. This membrane connection is what allows these squirrels to glide through the air from tree to tree. Northern flying squirrels can be distinguished from the southern flying squirrels by their vast difference in size. The northern flying squirrel is much larger in comparison to the southern flying squirrel. While these squirrels also store seeds for themselves to eat during the cold months, they also are able to feed on lichens and fungi, which makes them less reliant on storing seeds. 

Southern Flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans volans) are slightly more abundant than the northern flying squirrels, but still prevalent in Virginia. These squirrels also have a grayish-brown coat along with a brown belly and membrane-connected hind and fore limbs. The Southern Flying squirrel can be distinguished from its fellow Virginia native flying squirrel, the northern flying squirrel, by its smaller size. These squirrels tend to feed on nuts and store these in various locations. 

The Early Bird Catches the Worm

A sure sign that the winter will come to an end and spring will begin; the American robin (Turdus migratorius). It is one of the first birds we see return from their wintering spots. Although not all robins leave for the winter, we don’t see them as often as they roost in trees rather than hop around in your yard. Once they arrive, you are likely to see them in large numbers running around your yard in search of earthworms.

American robin (Turdus migratorius)

Most everyone knows the robin, a truly cosmopolitan bird. They are found in just about every habitat and are so common that it is used as a size reference to other species. Robin red-breast is a term I heard growing up. A fitting name as the bird boasts a russet, red-orange breast. The head is dark with a distinguishing white eye-ring and its back is a varying gray-brown depending on age and sex. It is a rather large, plump songbird and the largest member of the thrush family. The robin's rich song is among the earliest heard at dawn in spring and summer, often beginning just before first light. Its song is often described as cheerily, cheer up, cheer up, cheerily, cheer up. Hear it here.

As most also know, they dine on earthworms. But, they eat a wide variety of other invertebrates and fruit. Sixty percent of their diet is fruit and berries with earthworms and invertebrates at 40%. Generally, once spring arrives, they spend mornings searching the ground for earthworms and transition during the heat of the day to fruits and other insects.

Searching for worms while on the lookout for predators.

Robins can produce up to three broods a season. They have a relatively high mortality rate and the entire population turns over about every 6 years. However, some robins have been known to live up to 14 years. (https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Robin/overview).

This early bird has arrived in Southwest Virginia and searching your fields and lawns for worms. Soon, if not already, they will be waking you with their cheery pre-dawn song. Spring is just around the corner!

Snipe Hunting

Have you been the recipient of a snipe hunt? A practical joke in existence since the mid 1800’s where naivety is not your friend. The unsuspecting individual is sent out…at night no less…armed with a bag or pillowcase to catch an imaginary creature called a snipe. Left alone in the night, the target of the practical joke realizes they have been duped. Only its not imaginary!

It seems many new to birding are familiar with the case of the “imaginary” snipe. When we introduced some new birders to an area where the Wilson’s snipe would likely be found, they exclaimed that they didn’t think there was such a thing as a snipe. Well there is! And a beautiful, elusive bird it is.

The Wilson’s snipe is a stocky shorebird with a very long straight bill, about the size of a robin. It is very cryptically patterned with brown and buffy colored stripes along the back and a brown streaked and spotted chest. It is perfectly camouflaged in its habitat of muddy pond edges or damp fields with thick vegetation. Unless they move or you get right up close to them as they flush up and away, you’d likely never see them and even when they do, it is quick and then they seem to disappear into the grass.

They forage by probing their long bills into the soft ground searching for earthworms and other invertebrates moving up and down slowly like a sewing machine. The bill is flexible allowing them to slurp up small prey without removing their bill from the soil. The location of the eyes are set far back so it can see well behind them when their head is down to avoid potential predators.

Wilson’s snipe build their nest on the ground with the female only tending the nest and nestlings. A cool fact however is that once fledged, the parents split up, the female departs with the youngest while the male departs with the oldest with no further contact.

So, don’t let anyone fool you about “snipe hunting”. You really can go out and find them!

Irruption of the Pine Siskin

Patterned like a sparrow but shape, action and calls reveal a goldfinch in disguise. These very small songbirds are members of the finch family. Their primary range is in northern North America but they sometimes invade southward in large numbers coming to feeders along with other members of the finch family.

Pine siskin - notice the sharp pointy beak

If you have not been fortunate enough to see them, this is the year to look! This is one of the biggest irruption years in recorded history for these finches. So strong that they are even migrating at night. This is likely due to depleted conifer seeds in their native montane and boreal habitats. They are not shy and will readily take nyjer and sunflower seeds. 

If you put out feeders for our feathered friends, you are likely to see them right now. It’s the first time I can recall seeing them at mine! What caught my attention was the slight bit of yellow on the wings. At first glance, they can easily be mistaken for female purple finches, winter colored American goldfinches, or even a sparrow. I wondered if I might have just been overlooking them as one of our other winter finch visitors all along.

Pine siskin on the left and Purple finch (female) on the right - notice difference in wing patterns/color and brow.

As I spent more time observing the vast numbers of finches at my feeder, I became more aware of the variations in the finch species visiting. It was intriguing and challenging to identify them. The house finch, purple finch, American goldfinch, and pine siskin are so similar! Here is a link to help differentiate them. Mainly, the bill is sharp and more pointed than the others and they have a touch of yellow on their wings and tails. The house and purple finches were another level of challenge. This link will help you get a grasp on them! Purple finches are also on the swing with larger numbers likely for the same reason as the pine siskins.

American goldfinch - notice the white on the wing bars and the lack of streaking on the chest

Male and female Purple finches - notice the extensive coloring on the male and the strong white brow on the female.

The Pine siskin is a gregarious little bird! Get out your feeders, add some nyjer and sunflower seeds, and have a watch!

Goatsuckers

Nighthawks and nightjars of the family Caprimulgidae were once erroneously referred to as “goatsuckers” because they flew into barns at night to suckle on goats. Inappropriately named, nighthawks are not as nocturnal as once thought, nor are they related to hawks. They are active at dawn and dusk usually seen swooping and twisting high over fields, rivers, and towns in search of insects.

During the day, they roost on the ground or perch lengthwise on a branch. Cryptic colors aid them in blending in with their surroundings. In flight, they are easily identified by their erratic “bat-like” pattern. A white wing bar and white chin are other distinguishing features. Usually solitary, they form large, loose groups when feeding or migrating.

The birds begin their southward journey in late August and early September to South America where they will spend the winter in the Amazon rainforest and tropical savannas of Brazil. During fall migration, birds travel southeast through Florida, cross the Gulf of Mexico, stop in Cuba, and enter South America through either Ecuador, Colombia, or Venezuela, and then east to Brazil. This fall pattern sends them over the Blue Ridge where we can see large numbers this time of year. Come spring, they migrate back to their nesting grounds to nearly the exact location of the previous year. They return northwest through Brazil, across the Gulf of Mexico, stopping in Cuba, continuing northwest through the United States. This loop style migration keeps us from seeing them on their return flight.

Limited breeding bird survey data suggests a substantial decline in numbers of this species. It has been listed as threatened in Canada -- a decline of about 50% has been noted there over the past 3 generations. The 2014 State of the Birds Report lists common nighthawk as a “common bird in steep decline”. Across North America, threats include reduction in mosquitoes and other aerial insects due to pesticides, and habitat loss including open woods in rural areas and flat gravel rooftops in urban ones. Nighthawks are also vulnerable to being hit by cars as they forage over roads or roost on roadways at night. Creating nesting habitat by placing gravel pads in the corners of rubberized roofs and by burning and clearing patches of forest to create open nesting sites has been shown to have some success.

So, from the last week of August through the first week of September, enjoy the lovely pre-fall evenings outside looking up. How many common nighthawks do you see?

Photo credit: Steven Hopp

Cited Sources:
Brigham, R. M., J. Ng, R. G. Poulin, and S. D. Grindal (2011). Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor), version 2.0. In The Birds of North America (A. F. Poole, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bna.213

Cornell University. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Nighthawk/lifehistory

Canadian Journal of Zoology. https://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/10.1139/cjz-2017-0098#.XXFui5NKjK0

The Secret Life of Our American Treecreeper

By Cade Campbell

Brown creeper (Certhia Americana)

The brown creeper (Certhia americana) is a bizarre bird. If you’re not looking for them, they are virtually invisible against the craggy bark of large trees. The only member of the Treecreeper family in North America, brown creepers are pretty aberrant when compared to their more typical companion species. Nonetheless, these birds are known for performing a highly sought-after role in mixed-species flocks during the winter. When frigid temperatures push these flocks of wintering birds south, chickadees, titmice, and nuthatches band together to forage more efficiently on each tree. Tufted titmice and chickadees share the branches and twigs of large trees, while nuthatches forage downwards along the trunk of the tree. When brown creepers join one of these flocks, they will begin foraging at the base of the tree and spiral upwards. Four or five species of these birds will engage in this behavior, encircling trees in search of tiny insects, cocoons, or seeds hidden in the bark.

The entire livelihood of the brown creeper is dependent on tree bark. When threatened by a predator, a brown creeper will freeze, pressing its grizzled, brown body against a tree trunk to camouflage itself. The brown creeper’s scythe-shaped bill enables them to stab, pluck, and pry invertebrate prey from cracks in bark. The toes, feet, and legs of brown creepers are positioned to allow the birds to adhere themselves to the tree trunk. The long, tawny tail of the bird allows it to stabilize itself while foraging vertically on tree bark. But most importantly, at least to this population, the reproduction of the species also occurs within tree bark. A pair of brown creepers generally constructs a nest in a thick stand of evergreens, such as the spruce forests of Canada and the Northeast. However, the high elevations of Whitetop Mountain and Mount Rogers also host a population of breeding brown creepers. While many Southern birders are familiar with the occurrence of this peculiar little bird during the winter months, few get to observe the remarkable nesting behavior of the species, even though they are nesting in the backyard of America, right in the mountains of Southwest Virginia, Eastern Tennessee, and Western North Carolina.

Brown creeper nest behind Blue Ridge Discovery Center.

However, these habitats would not be very unique without the elevation changes of each mountain, as well as the constantly shifting plant and animal communities. As you begin the ascent towards Whitetop along a very steep embankment, there is a noticeable, clinal shift from a riparian, acid cove forest into a drier forest speckled with pines and hemlock. Songs of the hooded warbler and Louisiana waterthrush fade away and are replaced by the jingling of ovenbirds and the raspy whistling of black-throated green warblers. Eventually, one will reach the summit of Whitetop’s spruce-fir forest and high-elevation grasslands, one of the most unique and beautiful ecosystems in the entire world. Brown creepers nest in this habitat, where they build some of the coolest little nests imaginable. A pair will build a thick cup of shredded bark, pine needles, and other soft, fibrous material under a flap of bark peeling from one of these trees. The bark serves as a roof, protecting the young from the harsh wind and rain of the Southern Appalachian “cloud forest” where the temperature, weather, and wind speed is constantly shifting, sometimes quite dramatically. The opening of the nest is inconspicuous and resembles a window or a door in shape, a feature which creates a slight resemblance between the nest and a miniature tree house.

Currently, there is an active brown creeper nest in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area behind Blue Ridge Discovery Center in an almost vertical grove of white pines. However, before I found the actual nest, I was led by a singing individual to a “dummy nest.” Whether the nest was constructed by brown creepers to serve such a purpose, or whether it is a repurposed nest from a previous year or another bird is questionable, but this individual was certainly utilizing its presence. A “dummy nest” is a fake, empty nest built by birds as a decoy to distract or deter potential predators. I have to admit that the “dummy nest” strategy worked on me, even though my intent was quite the opposite of harming any eggs or young I might have found.

Mountain Boomer

You may wonder why this small tree squirrel has caught my attention and is now being shared in writing. I have found them to be quite intriguing and am told, by a colleague (not mentioning any names) that I am quite similar to this small rodent. I am flattered and shall share why.

More commonly know as a pine squirrel, chickaree or mountain boomer, this little squirrel is great at scampering through the trees with their compact, muscled bodies even though they spend the majority of their time on the ground flitting around gathering and collecting. Their color is variable depending on the region and season but generally reddish brown on the upper parts with a creamy white belly. They don’t have a very bushy tail like the gray squirrel but have a most distinguishing feature of white bands that encircle their large black eyes.

They prefer coniferous forests for their cool, moist environment, and that have abundant conifer seeds, fungi, and tight canopies for efficient foraging and escape. This preferred habitat aids in preservation of food and fungal growth. Being omnivores, they eat seeds, berries, fruit, mushrooms, bird eggs, and tree sap; Sugar maples in particular. In the Eastern US, they are scatter hoarders (much like my sons) and will store large quantities of food in caches called middens.

Red squirrels build multiple nests in various locations in case one is destroyed or taken over by another animal, preferring cavities. They do not hibernate, are diurnal, and breed in very early spring having 2-5 young weaned quickly in just 7-8 weeks.

The thing I most enjoy about these little squirrels is their vocalizations or “barks” (most likely the reason for our similarities as stated above). They will “bark” at intruders and can do so for long periods of time when annoyed. And then just “chatter” when staking out and defending their territory and/or middens. There are five distinct calls of Tamiasciurus hudsonicus: a chirp - an alarm in the presence of potential predators, a rattle - threat call for territorial defense, a variable screech - alone or in a sequence with rattles, a growl - aggressive defense or female to male interaction, and a buzz - a male to female interaction. My guess is the variable screech and the growl are how I am associated with this lovely creature. Next time you are in a coniferous forest, stop and listen for the mountain boomer…and think of me.

Color in the field!

As spring rains give way to warm, sunny days, the meadows of Mount Rogers come to life with the emergence of a plethora of insects. Among these creatures is a beetle with a striking iridescent blue body and a yellow-orange wash across its elytra (forewings). The elderberry borer beetle (Desmocerus palliatus) also has knots running up its long antennae, lending to its alternate name, cloaked knotty-horned beetle.

This species of long-horned beetle is an obligate specialist, requiring elderberry plants for larval development. Eggs are laid near the base of the stem. After hatching, larvae burrow into the stem and down to the root system. Here, they feed until they are ready to form a pupal cell in the pithy stem tissue. Maturation takes two years. As soon as the mature female emerges in the spring, her scent begins to draw in males and mating takes place immediately.

This individual was spotted near a cluster of elderberry plants in a Konnarock meadow.

Very distinctive, the elderberry borer was featured on a US postage stamp in 1999.

The Grayson Bald Eagles are Back!

One of the pair headed back to the nest across the New River.

The Bald Eagles are back! The Grayson county Bald Eagle nest is active again this year! BRDC staff are happy to report that a pair of Bald Eagles have two nestlings along the New River in Grayson county. The nest site was discovered in 2015 and has been active every year since. Its remote location along the river limits the amount of potential human disturbance and with several juvenile eagles seen around the location over the years it seems that it has been a successful location. Bald Eagles have made a wonderful comeback over the past couple of decades with over 1,000 active nests in Virginia alone.  As a large raptor which specializes in eating fish, most of the known nests are adjacent to the Virginia coast and along the Chesapeake Bay. The Grayson county nest is one of only a handful that are known to be active within the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

The United States national emblem since 1782, the bald eagle was listed as endangered in 1967. This iconic bird was finally delisted in 2007, however, the species is still under protection through the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. These acts prohibit the "take, possession, sale, purchase, barter, etc of eagles dead or alive."

The photographs with this blog were taken from a distance with a powerful telephoto lens to avoid disturbing the pair and their chicks.

Back on the nest with the two nestlings

Harbinger of Spring

You may have noticed the great many numbers of American Robins over the past few weeks; massive flocks spread throughout the farm fields of the Blue Ridge, or more recently groups lining the roadside during the recent snow event. These birds are part of a mass annual robin migration that is the dawning of spring. 

Robins, as we all know from children’s books, love some earthworms! During the depths of winter those earthworms move deep into the soil to avoid the freeze. When the soil thaws with warming temperatures and rain, the earthworms migrate to the surface and American Robins follow suit. So, you can imagine a wave moving north across the US following the average ground temperature of 36 degrees as it marches toward Canada. The timing of this can vary year to year, and therefore the Robin migration dates can vary dramatically, but scientist have been monitoring those dates with observations from citizens throughout the country. To learn more and contribute your sightings visit: https://www.learner.org/jnorth/robins

Bald Eagles Nesting in Grayson County

Photo Credit: Jay Martin

BRDC staff recently visited the site of Grayson county's nesting bald eagles.  The nest site was discovered in 2015 in a somewhat remote section of the New, with a cattle farm on one side and a steep forested slope on the other. Grayson county's large areas of wilderness, combined with the New River and extensive cattle grazing land, provides a viable habitat for the birds.

Their resurgence in Grayson county points directly to a renewal of healthy populations and the success of conservation efforts. “The eagle nest in Grayson County is a welcome sign of the recovery of our Bald Eagle population, nearly lost from the widespread use of DDT decades over 50 years ago.” (Allen Boynton, formerly with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, is now employed by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission.)

The United States national emblem since 1782, the bald eagle was listed as endangered in 1967. This iconic bird was finally delisted in 2007, however, the species is still under protection through the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. These acts prohibit the "take, possession, sale, purchase, barter, etc of eagles dead or alive."

This photograph was taken from a distance with a powerful telephoto lens to avoid disturbing the pair and their chicks.

Wood Frogs Calling

Have you heard a strange, turkey-sounding frog call?

Wood frogs, Lithobates sylvaticus, whose calls have been described as sounding like a turkey call or duck quacking, are adapted to the cold.  They appear very early in the year, emerging from under logs or beneath leaf litter and migrating to woodland ponds, pools, and bogs.  They mate quickly, with all eggs laid in the course of a few days.  

Wood frogs are calling and mating in our area now, so tune your ears and learn the call of these small creatures.  

These eggs, as big as marbles, were found this week in a ditch on the New River Trail Park property.

To learn more about the frogs and toads of Virginia, visit http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/frogsandtoads/frogs_and_toads_of_virginia.htm

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