Nesting Bald Eagles Discovered along the New River in Grayson County, VA!

You’re out weeding your garden, perhaps hiking the New River Trail, or just driving along any of our country roads when suddenly you spy a raptor overhead, stretched out like a board, a nine and a half pound bird with a wing span of 80 inches, its white head and tail sealing the identification, a graceful marriage of bird and sky. Take another look if you can, and savor the moment. Fortunately for residents of Grayson County, Virginia, this moment is becoming less rare. Many of us have been increasingly rewarded with sightings of these majestic eagles in southwest Virginia as their population continues to rebound from a low in 1971*. But not everyone, or more accurately, almost no one expects to see a bald eagle nest around here.  Yet that is exactly what happened to Ellie and Roald Kirby of Blue Ridge Discovery Center as they paddled down a quiet section of the New River one recent lazy afternoon.

Here is an account from Ellie Kirby: “On May 3rd my husband Roald and I were floating down the New River in a canoe. Roald had brought his fishing rod but he wasn’t doing any serious fishing as we drifted along. It was a still morning, and we had the river to ourselves. As we were enjoying the peaceful serenity of the water and admiring the lush greens of early spring, we saw a bird soaring above the river. At first we thought it might be a vulture, which are so common here, but then we saw its white head and knew it was a bald eagle.  Another eagle came gliding near the first. The pair didn’t fly very high, and soon one of them perched in a hillside tree. As we wondered why they didn’t fly away, we happened to glance at an island on the other side of the river and saw a big nest in the top of a large sycamore tree. Roald said, “I think there’s a bird in the nest…I can see a head!” We floated on down below the tree to get a better view and to our delight, standing there in the nest was a large, all-dark bird that had to be a baby eagle! We back-paddled a little and spent a few moments taking photos, then moved on down the river. We didn’t linger because the parents seemed perturbed at our presence, and we didn’t want to cause any more distress to this eagle family.”

From Virginia Society of Ornithology records research and conversation with wildlife officers, we have concluded that this is the first documented active bald eagle nest in Grayson County for 100 years. We have heard that bald eagles have been nesting below Byllesby and Buck Dams, and though adjacent to Grayson, that section of the New is in Carroll County. In general, the increase in bald eagle sightings in Grayson has concentrated along the New, from Fries to Mouth of Wilson. This resurgence points directly to a renewal of healthy populations and the success of conservation efforts. “The newly-discovered 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 nest was discovered in a somewhat remote section of the New, with a cattle farm on one side and a steep forested slope on the other. Grayson contains a considerable amount of wilderness areas, private, state and national. Combine that with extensive cattle grazing lands, and a picture of viable habitat for the bald eagles emerges.

"Every trip outdoors holds an opportunity for discovery, but a trip down the New River always seems to be teeming with wildlife. On this particular trip, Ellie and Roald discovered a successful nesting pair of Bald Eagles! This is a landmark discovery many of us have been looking forward to for years." - Aaron Floyd, Executive Director of Blue Ridge Discovery Center

Without the parents flying around, hardly a soul would think to wonder about the presence of a nest. We are in debt to the Kirbys for their sharp observational skills. Through the hard work of birders and other outdoor enthusiasts, it was only a matter of time for this, the first definitive documentation of an active eagle nest, to come to our attention. 

The nest will be documented through the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the Center for Conservation Biology. The Virginia Society of Ornithology has also been contacted.

Life history in brief: bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Most people know about the use, and subsequent ban in 1972, of the pesticide DDT in the United States, defined by the EPA as a persistent bioaccumulative. Attention was drawn to this toxin by Rachel Carson in her seminal work, Silent Spring. One dramatic outcome of the buildup of DDT in the food chain is the thinning of bird shells, especially those of fish consumers. The thin shells cannot support the weight of incubating parents. From 1950 until 1971, the bald eagle’s population plummeted along with other bird species such as the osprey and peregrine falcon. Only after DDT was banned, and slowly over the course of 30 years, were populations returning to viable numbers and showing signs of stabilization. 
In Virginia, from 1972 to 1977 the count on breeding bald eagle pairs came to 33, with 32 restricted to the coastal area. In 1986, records show 66 breeding pairs, and by 2001, 330 pairs. There are now over 11,000 nesting pairs in the continental US and the Bald Eagle was removed from the endangered species list in 2007. They still have protection thanks to the Bald & Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940. "Amercian Eagle Day" celebrates this iconic bird on June 20th the day America added the Bald Eagle as the main image in its national emblem in 1782.
“For all the years (1986-2014 - minus 2011 when the Parkway was closed) in which the hawk count has been carried out at Mahogany Rock for the Hawk Migration Association of North America, an average of 14 Bald Eagles a year have passed along or over the Blue Ridge at the Mahogany Rock Overlook at Milepost 235 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. What is particularly significant is the change in yearly count numbers of Bald Eagles over this 28-year count period. For the first ten years of the count the average number of Bald Eagles was only 2.3 with only 0 or 1 eagles passing each year for the first six years. The yearly average for the second ten year period was 8.4. And for the latest 8 years of the count the yearly average was 18. The change in this yearly average demonstrates the dramatic recovery of Bald Eagles from the persecution of pesticides, shooting and habitat loss eagles experienced for most of the 20th century.” - Jim Keighton
(Compiler of the Mahogany Rock Hawk Count for Blue Ridge Birders and the Hawk Migration Association of North America)

In the mountains of Virginia, the bald eagle is labeled as an uncommon transient, winter visitor, rare in summer, more often seen in the fall migration event. According to the Virginia Society of Ornithology’s 4th edition of Virginia Birdlife (S Rottenborn and E Brinkley), recent breeding records have been documented at Lake Moomaw, and Rockbridge and Shenandoah counties. The Center for Conservation Biology has documented Virginia nesting pairs below Claytor Lake, along the New River in Narrows, in Burkes Garden and on the banks of Watagua Lake.
Preferred bald eagle nesting sites are situated near water, especially coastal, marshes, rivers, large lakes and spillways. They build substantial stick nests, lined with finer materials, in a tall tree with a major fork, often in an open area. Bald eagles hold the world record for the largest bird nest, with one in Florida measuring 6.1 meters deep, 2.9 meters wide, and weighing in at 2,722 kg (almost 3 tons)! A single nest can be used for 35 years. They show nest fidelity, adding to it over the course of many years. Adult pairs show similar fidelity, with well recognized long term bonding. 
At one brood/year they lay from 1 to 3 eggs, with 2 being the expected average. Partly because of the asynchronal hatch, the smaller hatchling usually perishes. It takes a full four years for the young to mature into the white head and tail molt. The bald eagle diet mainly consists of fish, but other birds and small mammals will do in a pinch. They are also known to indulge in scavenging carrion and stealing food from other birds, especially the osprey. 

- Scott Jackson-Ricketts

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Sources:
Virginia Birdlife (mentioned above)
Bird Watcher’s Companion, C Leahy
Essential Field Guide Companion, P Dunne
The Birder’s Handbook, P Ehrlich, D Dobkin and D Wheye
http://www.ccbbirds.org/maps/#eagles

Trout in the Classroom

In 2014 we received generous support from Grayson National Bank to expand the participation in Trout Unlimited's Trout in the Classroom program. Their support allowed us to install two more tanks: one in Mrs. Murphy's 4th grade class at Piney Creek Elementary and one at Mr. Horton's Galax High School Ag class, for a total of three 50 gallon tanks including the one managed by Mrs. Perry's 7th grade class at Grayson Highlands. Each 50 gallon tank included a chiller/pump, an oxygenator, and a multi-tiered filtration system to recreate ideal brook trout raising conditions.  

The Trout in the Classroom program got off to a slow start last fall. After getting all of the equipment up in running in November, we had to wait... and wait... With all of the time to wait, the students created fintastic background artwork to raise the fish in. The "habitats" were complete with hand drawn rocks, aquatic plants, along with friendly and predatory fish.  

We specifically wanted brook trout eggs, not rainbow or brown trout. The brook trout eggs from Marion Fish Hatchery ended up being a month and a half behind schedule, arriving after the winter break. When they finally did arrive they were hatching as we put them in the tanks!

Over the course of the spring the students diligently tracked the water quality, fed the fish and cleaned the tanks. The eggs hatched to alevin and then grew into fry and finally one inch fingerlings! All three classes did a fintastic job managing the tanks, but the difficulties of raising a high mountain cold water fish in the classroom proved too much. All three tanks had catostrophic collapses in April, teaching the kids a hard life lesson. Luckily the Marion Fish Hatchery came to the rescue and supplied each of the devastated classes with new fingerling brook trout!

After feeding the fish for three weeks, Mrs. Murphy's 4th grade class released their young into Potato Creek a few miles from the school on April 27th. Twenty-three very well behaved and enthusiastic students lined up along the creek to watch their trout swim off in to small pool beside a rock ledge. We then swapped shoes for waders and conducted a macro-invertabrate survey in the streams riffles. Each student learned to use a dichotomous key to identify the insect larvae. We ended up with just enough time for each student to get in the water, no doubt the highlight of any 4th grader's day!

Mr. Horton's class at Galax High School took a more scientific approach, completing the insect survey and stream assessment metrics last fall and then again this spring to determine suitability of the habitat for brook trout. As diligent as they were in caring for the fish they had a second tank collapse and lost all of the fish. On the scheduled release day we picked up another 75 brook trout fingerlings from the hatchery and took them straight to the creek. Unfortunately the trip was too long and we once again we had a die-off, losing 25% of the fish. The rest were successfully released into the stream! Mr. Horton plans on continuing the project in hopes of establishing a brook trout population in the stream in the years to come. Many lessons learned will be applied to next year's tank.

Being short on available time, Mrs. Perry's 7th grade class at Grayson Highlands School released 50 brook trout into Wallen's Creek behind their school last Friday afternoon, May 15th. After a year of ups and downs the students were excited to send the fish into the wild. Hopefully these fish thrive in the water as much as the kids did!

Seed Pods of Matthews State Forest by Galax High School Art Program

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The Seed Pods of Matthews State Forest poster has been completed! It is the fourth in an ongoing series of posters from the Blue Ridge Illustrated program. Young artists Adian Chapman, Julio Hernandez Cervantes, Kayleigh Funk, Alondra Ramirez Perez, Kyla Revolorio, Cody McMillon, and Derek Spraker went out into the field last fall and collected seed pods in the forest and along the forest edge. They returned to the classroom where they studied the species with detailed colored pencil illustrations over the winter. Under the tutelage of art instructor, Jarrod Wilson, the students illustrated: Smooth Sumac, Evening Primrose, Sweet Birch, Black Oak, Mockernut Hickory, American Holly, Eastern White Pine, Bull Thistle, Eastern Redbud, Goldenrod, Oriental Bittersweet, Pitch Pine, Common Milkweed, Chestnut, Horse Nettle, and Mountain Mint. You can get a copy of their illustrations at Matthews State Forest or at one of our events for $5. All proceeds go towards funding the Blue Ridge Illustrated program. Program Guides were Scott Jackson-Ricketts and Aaron Floyd of BRDC and the program advisor was Zach Olinger, Education Specialist at Matthews State Forest.

Mid April (2015) BRDC Program Notes

In spite of our fickle weather, which is certainly typical, we have managed to increase outdoor activities married to our principles and mission. As well, we continue through Bird Sleuth, to provide teachers with curricula (and moral) support.

Starting on April 2nd, Grayson County High School’s ‘’Team Birds’’ made another visit to Matthews State Forest with the one and only requirement to search out by sight and sound any and all birds and record their findings. We had Chassney Hodge, our intern from Galax, Sarah Osborne and her intern-in-training son, Jack, and Carol Broderson as guides…along with me, Scott. The day was productive with a belted kingfisher, blue-gray gnatcatcher, yellow-rumped warbler (often referred to as ‘butter-butt’), and a wild turkey rounding off new discoveries. Keeping this team on track is challenging, but clearly they all enjoy time outdoors and many are becoming birders in spite of themselves.

William Roberts and I were invited to give a presentation on all things birdy for the Baywood Cub Scouts on the 9th. Meeting in the gym with 14 kids, along with their parents and siblings, was a noisy affair, but we managed to share with them bird feathers, skulls, feet and lore. We began with comparing screech and great-horned owl parts, and then the wild turkey. Most of these kids knew the turkey, of course, but when we brought out the great blue heron parts, confusion and competition…along with great questions and guesses…challenged the acoustical limits.

Then we moved out to a quieter hallway for a reading from William, based on a Pacific Northwest Indian creation myth, about how light, warmth and the all-important sun were given to people. The raven, a classical trickster figure in Native American stories, played a major role. Given that we had a little more time, I pulled out some bird flash cards to see exactly how much these youngsters knew about birds, and both William and I were amazed by their collective response.

One of my favorite kid groups comes from our local home educators, whose moms show at least as much interest as their children. Brenda Bonk (president of BRDC) joined me as a guide on a cool rainy day at the Matthews State Forest for a morning of birding and an afternoon of insect identification. In spite of the iffy weather, and having our study area situated on Judge Matthews’ old farmhouse porch, we were able to dodge intermittent rains with great productive success. These kids are patient and overwhelmingly excited about natural history. Many of them are already anglers and hunters, with a keen sense of outdoor experience. Sometimes I am happy to learn from them, as it should be.

At this time of year, early spring, and given that the Judge was crazy about apple trees in all of their varied glory, we had a blooming event that brought out a plethora of pollinators, mostly native along with the imported European honey bee. I have begun an insect collection/preservation bio survey component that requires the ‘killing jar’. So far, no one seems to object, but I need to say that we are careful with all insects, most are catch and release episodes, and those that do die are dispatched humanely. BRDC believes that this collection will serve not only as an important educational tool, but also as an archive of here and now, an important historical record. It appears that bees and ants are the first insects ready to go to work during the first hints of warmth.

Finally, on the 16th, Sarah Osborne, Chassney Hodge and I regrouped indoors (because birds and people are not as outdoor active on cold rainy days), we continued with the follow-through next step of Cornell’s Bird Sleuth program based on data analysis. This is a required component of our effort, and though the students would prefer to both escape the paper work and the classroom, giving them a sense of the importance of translating their outdoor experience to another level of value, completes both the school’s prerogative as well as BRDC’s commitment to a rounded out educational experience.

Scott Jackson-Ricketts, Program Director, BRDC

Bio Survey, Matthew's State Forest, March 30th, 2015

At long last, the Southwest Virginia Home Educators returned for another fun-filled day of exploration and discovery at the Matthews State Forest.  Twelve children of a wide age range and four moms joined Evan Worrell and me (Scott Jackson-Ricketts), BRDC guides, for a five hour plot investigation. We dedicated the morning to bird identification realizing quite a data set once the sun came out. Among the species we were able to list were:

• Wood ducks (only Scott saw those)

• Red-winged blackbird

• American crow

• Blue jay

• Common raven

• European starling

• Eastern meadowlark

• Brown thrasher

• Winter wren

• Song sparrow

• Northern mockingbird

• Northern cardinal

• Tree swallow

• American robin

• Eastern bluebird

• Black vulture

• Field sparrow

• Mourning dove

• Eastern phoebe

BRDC provided binoculars and field guides to give our young students a chance to ID birds on their own.  I set up the spotting scope to offer everyone a chance to see some of the more cooperative birds close up, such as the meadowlark and thrasher.  Spring bird song filled the air, which gave us another opportunity to learn how to identify the different birds.
After lunch we switched gears and focused on pond life.  Two boys fished in the tradition of catch and release, coming up with two large-mouthed bass.  One team worked the spring head while team #2 spent their time at the muddy drainage end of the pond.  We worked diligently on identifying what critters and plants we could, mostly through microscopes.

There was an obvious abundance of caddis-fly larvae, which utterly captured the kids’ fascination.  Watching under the microscopes, each student studied the ‘tube-worms’ and their amazing self-fashioned housing or tubes. Caddis-flies use whatever materials are at hand, so in a pond, their tubes are constructed of plant material, rather than the pebbles one finds in a stream.  At the spring head, where there was an abundance of duck weed, each caddis had decorated their homes with this material, in effect camouflaging themselves quite properly.  At the muddy end, there was no duck weed, so these caddis’ homes were built of mud and small sticks, and were brown as the mud.  

Other water dwelling discoveries included damselfly larvae, giant waterbugs (one snacking on a caddisfly), orb snails, bull frog tadpoles, a predacious diving beetle, water striders, a wolf spider and water fleas.  All of these small animals were identified using various charts and field guides, with the older kids reading out loud some of their life histories.  
Towards the end of our survey, Evan took a few kids and moms on a tree identification walk.  Judge Matthews, who gifted this land to the state forest, was particularly interested in trees.  We were investigating behind what was once his farm house.  On two sides there is an apple orchard with a vast diversity of varieties, many with labels.  An abiding interest of his was the American chestnut, to which a significant part of this state forest is dedicated, eventually returning the chestnut to our Eastern forests through a series of back-crossing with the Chinese chestnut.  We will go into that in more detail later.  So it comes as no surprise to anyone that there is a diversity of trees around the old farm house…including buckeye.

Winding up our day’s work, it was agreed by the moms and our guides that these kids need as much of this type of learning experience as time will allow.  To that end, we agreed to continue with a marsh study in two weeks, and continue on through the spring and summer.  

Good science, good fun, and feeding curiosity remain on tap.

Scott Jackson-Ricketts

Bird Sleuth at Grayson County High School

In consideration of spending more time outdoors, and that we are studying birds, the BRDC guides decided to initiate this year’s Bird Sleuth in March, not January, as we did last year.  This Cornell Lab of Ornithology program has different components, and the one we chose for this year is called “Most Wanted Birds” which offers a more basic approach to bird study.  

We are working in two Grayson County High School classrooms:  Becky Absher’s 2nd block and Deborah Greif’s and Kathy Wilson’s  4th block, twice each week for all of March and most of April.  Both classes average 10 students, smaller than last year, offering us a better opportunity to fully engage each student.  The reception has been positive.  By the end of March we should have accomplished most of our indoor studies, and will concentrate on bird identification in the field through a series of short field trips to local ‘hot spots’.

The main goals of Most Wanted are to familiarize students with birds’ size and shape, habitat preference, behavior, feeding strategies and other identification clues.  We study songs, body parts and the nomenclature, molting regimens, flight patterns and seasonal expectations including migration patterns.  Gaining skills with field guides and binoculars are essential to the success of field identification.  The students are keeping journals including written descriptions and sketching exercises.  

Behind the school, along the now infamous Stinky Creek, we have set up several bird feeders, which amazingly attract quite a variety of passerines, or songbirds…including Carolina Chickadee, American Goldfinch, House Finch, Tufted Titmouse, White-Breasted Nuthatch, Northern Cardinal, and Blue Jay…while scratching on the ground beneath the feeders we can expect Song Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, Carolina Wren, and White-Throated Sparrow.  

Along the trail we often startle the territorial Northern Mockingbird, and above us American Crows call, and both Black and Turkey Vultures soar.  But so far, the most exciting thing that has happened surprised even our adult birding guides.  Just as we arrived at Stinky Creek one afternoon, everyone noticed much activity in the brushy area that included some leftover berries.  From a decent distance, we all put our binoculars on the action which turned out to be a largish flock of Cedar Waxwings.  How many?  My guess is 30 to 40.  After everyone got good looks through the lenses, we stealthily moved closer, and eventually ended up within arm’s reach of the oh so beautiful waxwings, who seemed not to be bothered one bit by us.  Every single one of us understood that this was a special event not soon to be repeated.  

Galax Elementary Winter Enrichment Week

Galax Intercession Week:  Guides and program directors from BRDC committed the entire week of February 9th through the 13th to a variety of programs designed to fit both the remedial and enrichment categories built into intercession week requirements.  

After nearly a month of planning, BRDC along with other community organizations, teachers and the Galax City Public Schools’ administration office, came together to offer elementary and middle school students a wide array of educational options and opportunities.  BRDC’s role focused on four programs:  National Fishing in Schools, led by Aaron Floyd and Lisa Benish with assistance from Roald Kirby and Mike Floyd; Reading the Blue Ridge, led by Sarah Osborne and Brenda Bonk with assistance from Scott Jackson-Ricketts and teacher’s aid, Theresa Mawyer; Microscope Fun, co-led by Evan Worrell, Scott, Brenda and with assistance from Lauren Peery, William Roberts and Roald; and Blue Ridge Expeditions trip to Grandfather Mountain, led by William and Joyce Roberts.  All of BRDC’s programs were held in the elementary school.

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Field trip to Grandfather: On Tuesday, William and Joyce Roberts chaperoned a bus-load of middle school students on a BRDC sponsored field trip to Grandfather Mountain.  In spite of the wind and bone chilling cold, the trip was a success, and we are grateful to the staff at Grandfather and William and Joyce for pulling this off.  

National Fishing in the Schools Program: Aaron Floyd and Lisa Benish led five days of fly fishing lessons. The kids learned about equipment, casting technique, journaling, fly tying and fish species. A full description of this program is located here: Blog text for NFSP in Galax

Reading the Blue Ridge: Sarah Osborne explored the Blue Ridge through literature, reading with a group of kids about a wide variety of subjects .

Microscope Fun: Aside from the art component already discussed, each day had its own theme. We started out with leaf litter and soil critters, digging out specimens to be observed through the scopes.  After a break and further instructions on microscope use, the kids got to view stream macro-invertebrates netted from a tank provided by BRDC.  

Day two began with a discussion on trees:  leaves, twigs, and nuts, while describing the variety of ecosystems different trees help create, including animal associations such as food and shelter. BRDC shared boxes of leaves, seeds and twigs for the kids to examine and use for sketching models.  

Wednesday was devoted to birds and bird parts.  Along with feathers, feet, and skulls we offered several very different bird nests and talked about the materials birds use to build their amazing nests.  Feathers were views through the microscopes, and clay was used to model skulls and other bird bones.  William read a book, Roald played the role of an old mountain man whom William interviewed on avian facts, and for the last hour, owl pellets were brought out for the kids to dissect.  

On Thursday, we reviewed the week, worked on our art and prepared for the field trip to CCSA on Friday.  The kids were asked to pick artifacts through touch only, like a grab bag, and then sketched what they had in hand.   

Emphasis for both our reading and microscope programs revolved around the combination of hands on activities and art.  Only Wednesday proved warm enough for area based field trips, but both the fishing and reading programs were able to get their classes outdoors…barely and bravely.  BRDC partnered with Chestnut Creek School of the Arts for two Friday field  trips based on the art work we had the kids make.  CCSA rolled out the red carpet for our little guests (K-1), with a full tour of the facilities populated by some of the older kids who participated in intercession week at the various classrooms and workshops provided by CCSA.  

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BRDC wishes to thank the following for their commitment to making this week a success:

Brenda Bonk, Lisa Benish, William and Joyce Roberts, Lauren Peery, Roald Kirby, the school staff, and central office personnel.  

Galax Elementary Enrichment: Fly Fishing

During the week of February 9th, BRDC participated in the Galax Elementary Enrichment Week. This was a fantastic offering by the Galax Public School System where students got to take in-depth courses on particular subjects. One of the programs we offered was all about fly fishing. 32 enthusiastic second and fourth graders signed up for our five day, 15-hour fly fishing course.

We began the program by introducing them to the concept of journalling and diagramming while handing out their personal journals for the week. They split into groups to research the Blue Ridge Mountains and the essence of fly fishing in a Self Organized Learning Environment (S.O.L.E). After they finished their collaborative poster boards they presented their findings to the rest of the class. The students proved to be very resourceful in their research but shy in their presentations. Although some of the students knew each other, most had never met being that they were from different grades. By the end of the day a sense of camaraderie had developed with the students and new friendships were forming.

The second day of the course was dedicated to teaching them all about the equipment and techniques of fly fishing in preparation for a field trip to the creek the next day. The students braved the cold February wind as we taught them a basic fly cast through the National Fishing in the Schools method. They learned how to put their rods together, string them up, and execute the "11 steps to a basic fly cast".  At the end of the day, we finished in a circle, telling rounds of completely honest fish stories!

Wednesday was the only day of the week forecasted for sunshine, so we dedicated that day to the outdoors and went fishing! We were blessed with a wind-free, sunny and 50 degree day in early February! The kids had come prepared for arctic weather but where shedding layers as soon as they stepped off the bus at Dannely Park. They spent the day swapping waders and casting flies into Chestnut Creek with a Tenkara fly rod. The ones who weren't fly fishing were picking through aquatic insects and identifying them under the microscope. Although no fish were caught (we used hookless flies) Volunteer, Lisa Benish was able to spot two sizable rainbow trout in the cold clear water. Of all of the great activities we did this week the one that I reflect on most fondly was watching the kids cast on the creek. Kids this age are a ball of energy and their focus is often measured in seconds, but when they put the waders on, stepped into the creek and began casting, their attention became singular and they each cast for twenty minutes straight without saying much other than "this is awesome".

On the fourth day the subject was bugs. To start the day the young fly fishermen got some energy out in the gym during an "aquatic macro-invertebrate relay" as part of the NFSP curriculum. They learned about the three most important types of trout food: Mayflies, Stoneflies and Caddisflies. The rest of the class was dedicated to patiently tying imitative flies with equipment generously loaned from Ernie Barker of Trout Unlimited. We set up vises and hooks for each student and they used feathers, chenille and thread to tie a "Wolly Bugger" and a "Griffith's Gnat".  This was a major challenge for this age group, but they stepped up and each student completed their flies for take home at the end of the course.

Our final day together was dedicated to competition! We took over the gymnasium and put the fly rods together. In pairs, the students learned to cast with "rod" hand and "line" hand. As their skills increased they casted for "Real Fake Fish" while learning about different sport fish species. We concluded with a casting competition where the students competed in pairs to hit the bull's eye target on ten sequential casts. At the end of the day the kids went home with their journals, chock-full of of the things they learned during the week.

I am amazed at how much these kids soaked up in five days and I hope that it made an impression on them for a lifetime.

Many thanks to Lisa Benish for her dedicated efforts for the program. Her enthusiasm for the sport of fly fishing is surpassed by none! Thanks to Ernie Barker! His loan of the fly tying equipment took the program to another level. Also many thanks to "Mr. Rob" and Mrs. Webb for their tireless efforts to make sure each kid got the most out of the program. A special thanks to Mike Floyd and Roald Kirby for assisting at the creek.

Galax Middle School, Fall Enrichment Program

As Executive Director of BRDC, I would like to thank the Galax City School System, Bill Sturgill and Rebecca Cardwell.  Also both principals, Kristina Legg and Justin Iroler were instrumental in their guidance.  Aaron Horton rolled up his sleeves for some serious grunt work.  Below are the accounts from both program directors.

Scott Jackson-Ricketts

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The National Fishing in the Schools program took on the task of teaching approximately 30 students the basics of fly fishing in a week. With 1 ½ hours/class, and two classes on each of five days we exposed these energetic kids to a hobby that has great potential for life long enrichment. 

During this crash course the students learned to tie special knots required to setup the fly line and attach the fly. They became thoroughly acquainted with all of the equipment of fly fishing including fly reels, rods, lines, leaders and flies. They kept a running journal to document what they learned and illustrated observations to reinforce the concepts of fly fishing. They participated in competitive relays to release some of the seemingly endless youth energy and studied the three most important aquatic macroinvertebrates: mayflies, stoneflies and caddis flies. They cast at bulls-eye targets to better understand the association between fish species and the different types of flies, while honing their casting skills. They learned the basics of fly casting that can be put to use on any open water. They learned about the culture of fly fishing by watching modern short films and reading famous writers like Norman Maclean. They also discussed conservation ethics including “Leave No Trace” and proper ways to handle a fish.  In the finale, they learned about fish species and tested their new skills with a competition casting for “real fake fish” at 20’, 25’ and 30’. All of the students received a hand tied fly pin for their enthusiasm during the course. 

A gracious thanks to Lisa Benish for her dedicated efforts in teaching the National Fishing in the Schools Program; Katie Cole, founder of the NFSP and Chris Dunnavant, Angling Education Coordinator at VADGIF for providing the equipment and lesson plans.

Aaron Floyd, President of BRDC and FIS program director

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Hands in the Dirt is a program developed by Blue Ridge Discovery Center to give kids exposure to plant, soil, wildlife and habitat education while providing an opportunity for them to improve their school grounds in some way. Approximately 30 Galax Middle School students recently participated by creating and installing a butterfly garden, inspired by a cooperative project in York County, “Schoolyard Habitats: Monarch Initiative” carried out by Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Master Naturalists, and Virginia Master Gardeners. 

For the first 2 days, students become acquainted with the importance of creating butterfly habitat. Program guides used a variety of tools, including worksheets, field guides, a YouTube video, and iPads to assist students with completing self-directed research, focusing on the significant decline of the Monarch butterfly. The kids then got to the heart of the project by examining a variety of soils and beginning excavation on their garden plot. Volunteer Kathy Cole, a master gardener, introduced participants to the types of plants appropriate for the butterfly garden and discussed issues such as spacing, sunlight and water. Students then had the opportunity to sketch out their own designs for the garden.

The kids worked hard for the remaining three days, removing sod, adding top soil, installing a rain barrel, and finally, planting. The project sparked lots of interest from school personnel and passers-by, so students created posters identifying the garden as a butterfly habitat and warning against the use of weed killers. Many of the students expressed interest in ongoing monitoring and maintenance of the garden, and all made a personal contribution to the project.

A special thank you to Barbara Dunbar and Jody Turner for inspiration and ideas; Carol Heiser, Education Director with the VDGIF for support; Cathy Dowling from Blevins Building Supply for the rain barrel hardware; Galax Farm Supply for mulch; Zach Olinger with Matthews State Forest for the rain barrel; Kathy Cole for plants and hard work; and to John Fant for providing top soil. Finally, this success of this program would not have been possible without on-site support from Brenda Bonk.

Sarah Osborne, BRDC board member and HITD program director

Trout in the Classroom

With support from Grayson National Bank, we are happy to announce that we will be bringing Trout in the Classroom to two more regional public schools!  This terrific program, developed by Trout Unlimited, brings hands-on science directly to the classroom.  Students raise native Brook Trout from eggs to fingerlings in a 55 gallon aquarium throughout the school year.  If they are successful, they will get release them into their local VDIGF approved watershed.  I know there are a bunch of kids out there looking forward to this as much as we are!

Thank you Grayson National Bank for your continued support of regional youth education!

Trout in the Classroom: Grayson Highlands School

Over the past four months Mrs. Perry’s seventh grade life science students at Grayson Highlands School have been diligently raising native brook trout in their school lobby for all visitors to see.  This is part of a program called “Trout in the Classroom” and revolves around the students learning about the biology and ecology of one of the most iconic species of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

In November of 2013 the VDIGF fish hatchery in Marion provided the school with over two hundred freshly fertilized eggs.  Transported on ice, the eggs were delivered to the students and their newly minted 55 gallon aquarium.  

With the assistance of Blue Ridge Discovery Center, the students set up the aquarium to replicate the natural environment of the brook trout. Recreating the pristine waters of the Mount Rogers watershed is quite the challenge. To accomplish this they outfitted the aquarium with a four-layer water filter, a powerful oxygenator, and a cooling unit to keep the water temperature at a frigid 51 degrees Fahrenheit.  To make their trout feel at home the students painted a mural of underwater habitat and taped it to three sides of the aquarium. They also collected logs and stones from the brook behind the school to create an aquarium substrate and establish a natural cleansing cycle with healthy bacteria. 

Within two weeks of their arrival the eggs started to hatch, growing tails and beady eyes.  As tiny “Alevin” the brook trout still fed on their egg yolks and stayed relatively inactive. During this stage of development, the students were able to observe the trout under microscopes and watch the tiny two chamber heart circulate blood throughout the body. With a watchful eye from the school custodians, the fragile trout amazingly survived the winter break and a series of school closings until the students returned for the spring semester. 

Now that the brook trout developed into “fry” the students have learned the rocky road of managing an aquarium.  Each day they test the water for high levels of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates then check the water pH balance and temperature for inconsistencies while logging it all in a project notebook.  They make sure they feed the hungry brook trout enough food but not too much!  To date, the students have managed to raise over 100 fingerling brook trout in their 55 gallon tank.

With a little luck and a lot of hard work, this spring the students will be rewarded with a trip to a local trout stream to release their prized young into the wild! While at the stream the students will don waders and participate in another Blue Ridge Discovery Center program called “Project Fishbugs” where they will learn all about the complex context that sustains brook trout in our wild mountain streams.

“Trout in the Classroom” (A Trout Unlimited Program), was provided by Blue Ridge Discovery Center with generous support from The Harris Francis Block Foundation, Trout Unlimited and Grayson National Bank.

If you would like to see Trout in the Classroom in your school, please contact Blue Ridge Discovery Center to express your support this program: info@blueridgediscoverycenter.org

K-2 Reading Program coming this fall!

BRDC has received generous support from the Harris Francis Block Foundation to fund a K-2 Reading Program for the fall of 2014 and spring of 2015!  We are really looking forward to sharing some great reads with these young explorers!

National Fishing in the Schools Program

Blue Ridge Discovery Center President and Guide, Aaron Floyd, has been tapped by the National Fishing in the Schools Program to train ten United States Fish and Wildlife Service employees how to teach the NFSP "Cast a Fly, Catch a Student" curriculum. Training will take place during the week of July 14th at the National Conservation Training Center in Sherpherdston, WV. Aaron will be stepping in for program founder Katie Cole who has spred this wonderful program throughout the country. This intensive training session will surely help Aaron learn the ropes as we work to implement this program in Southwest Virginia.

Bird Sleuth: Chapter 2

After weeks of often interrupted effort, snow, sleet and hail held off for Bird Sleuth's grand finale on Friday, March 21st.  Bird Sleuth, an educational tool box designed by Cornell's Lab of Ornithology is a project managed under Avain Adventures, a BRDC program.  Eight study groups from two Grayson County High School classrooms offered their presentations to each other, their teachers, and a delegation of school dignitaries.  Ms. Greif made the celebratory cake seen above.  And below, we observe the students working on their presentations.

The work process combined indoor research and outdoor observation and experimentation.  Each group followed through on their question and hypothesis, and after collecting enough data to either support or negate their educated guess, they then began work on their final product...the presentation. Among the study topics were comparisons of bird eyes to human eyes (most avian bird vision is superior to human), choices birds made on food offerings (difficult to assess due to the aforementioned weather interruptions and mammal disturbances to the feeders), what causes lie behind same sex behavior in birds (found to be mostly normal), and do birds have bellybuttons (only in the egg sac).  What always needs to be understood under the scientific method is:  all results are of value, regardless of whether the hypothesis is proven or not.  The absence of data is data.  There are no 'right' answers.

All but one presentation was delivered through PowerPoint.  The group above chose to create a poster with hand drawn pictures of the focus birds.  Michael is the artist, seen at the left.

In the educational tradition of BRDC, journaling and sketching as documentation tools were encouraged...as was spending as much time outdoors as possible.  The group below is studying a song sparrow and its flight style (as compared to the black vulture).  Both species were commonly seen on or above the school campus, and provided strong comparisons between a bird with small wings and one with large wings.

 So, on Friday, it all came together.  Shannon Holdaway (school board member), Stephen Cornett (

Director of Instruction and Assessment), Brandi M.Ray (principal of GCHS) and Kevin Chalfant (Grayson County School Superintendent) made up our delegation of dignitaries, and we were all pleased that they had and made the time to be there!  Mr. Cornett converses with Allen (student) below.

Again, we wish first to thank the teachers who were willing to share their classrooms with us...Deborah Greif, Becky Absher and Kathy Davis, along with back-up from Sheila Jones.  From BRDC, besides myself, we had support through our volunteer in Carol Broderson and guide Sarah Osborne.  A huge gratitude goes to the Jack Matthews Foundation for their trust in BRDC through generous funding.  And finally, THANKS, KIDS!  You were great.

Scott Jackson-Ricketts

Executive Director

Blue Ridge Discovery Center

Bird Sleuth, chapter one

Bird Sleuth is a program designed by Cornell's Lab of Ornithology (http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Page.aspx?pid=1478).  Blue Ridge Discovery Center decided to offer a first run of this investigative and hands-on citizen science project to two classes at Grayson County High School.  Through the able assistance of Rebecca Absher, Deborah Greif and Kathy Davis, we launched Bird Sleuth on the 13th of January.  As all teachers in the Blue Ridge understand, weather events conflict with continuity and focus, but we have persevered to the best of our abilities. 

Bird Sleuth is based on birds, naturally, and begins by giving the students some investigative tools, including a basic understanding of how data is collected and documented.  For our work at GCHS, we studied narratives of real scientists, what excited them, and how they went about their work.  Inside of these first steps, we learned about creating a hypothesis based upon targeted curiosity, various forms of graphs and other data assimilation devices, and how to walk through the mounting accumulation of evidence.

Then the students must devise their own questions, hypotheses and methods of investigation.  Documentation and end-products will eventually be shared with the community as well as the Lab of Ornithology.

An important aspect of any BRDC sponsored program is to spend as much time outdoors as possible.  Our other philosophical advocacy is to give kids/students/audience a stake in the learning process. To that end, Bird Sleuth seemed a perfect fit.  Scientific investigations require a combination of skills, including components of observation, experiment, and research. Depending on what each group of kids decides, their investigation might weigh heavily on one or two aspects, but rarely on all three.

Each class divided itself into these smaller groups, in order to remain both intimate and manageable.  As classes, we explored the school campus with an eye to the habitats that might be more productive bird-wise, while scoping out relatively good places to hang bird feeders for closer examination of what species were readily available for closer study. 

Behind the school, a small branch runs the entire length, and along the edges on one side are scrubby vines, small bushes and trees, thickets of brambles such as blackberry, and on the other side, a decent wood lot rises up the hill.  We labeled the branch 'Stinky Creek' for good reason, and that is where the avian action was happening and where we placed our first and most productive feeder.  Nearby we hung another feeder behind the nurses' station in a more open area.  Since initially choosing these feeder spots we have added some behind the ball stadium and further up the hill in a more defined wooded area.  It was gratifying to witness how quickly the feeders were discovered.  Keeping them full of seed has become another good reason for a walk outside, and while we walk along the trails, parking lots and ball field, we always keep an eye to the skies for soaring birds. 

At this time, all of our groups have decided upon an hypothesis and will soon begin their chosen investigations.  Stay tuned for chapter two.  And lest we forget, this is supposed to be fun!

We wish to thank our volunteers and guides Carol Broderson, Sarah Osborne and Sheila Jones...and a special thanks goes to our sponsors through the Jack M. Matthews Foundation. 

RAPTORS OF HARVEY'S KNOB HAWK WATCH

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This project is a partnership with the Community School of Roanoke and Harvey's Knob Hawk Watch.  5th, 6th and 7th graders of the Community School in Roanoke, VA diligently observed and illustrated the raptors at Harvey's Knob Hawk Watch.

Hawk Watching with Galax High School

Mahogany Rock Hawk Watch with Galax HS Biology Students. On September 24th, BRDC hosted this year’s final Avian Adventures program at Mahogany Rock Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Teachers Emily Brown and Sam Starkey brought 12 kids for a day of hawk observations and discussions on migration.BRDC guides William Roberts and Scott Jackson-Ricketts began the program with a focus on a map, compass and questions about migratory patterns and the dynamics of energy saving flight techniques.

As the sun’s warmth was dissipating the fog and heating up the valley, we talked about thermals, which are columns of rising air caused by this heating up process.

For more in depth information on this phenomenon see:

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/HawkPrimer.html.

William and Scott also brought a box of raptor wings, talons and skulls (courtesy of the Carolina Raptor Center and William), giving the kids an opportunity to study up close the details and differences.

From the great horned owl to an Eastern screech owl, red-tailed hawk to a sharp-shinned hawk, we passed the parts around while referring to our hand-out guides, reminding everyone that shape and silhouette would be our key identification tools for the day…along with behavioral distinctions.

Wrapping up the primer session, we set up scopes, distributed binoculars and field guides and began to scan the skies.

We were not disappointed, and in fact, had a very good day.

Starting out slowly, with small numbers of broadwing hawks popping up over the ridge, eventually kettles (groups of birds that rise within the thermals) began to appear off in the distance.

Interspersed with the expected broadwings we also observed a couple of sharp-shinned hawks, a red-tailed hawk or two, one osprey high overhead, resident ravens, and both turkey and black vultures.

The culture of hawk-watching began as a protest and replacement for hawk gunning, a sport that has fortunately died out in the USA.

All over the world, but especially in North America, folks gather in the spring and fall to observe and count migrating hawks.

Carefully collecting the necessary data, including day, time, temperature, wind and other weather related information, hawk watching has grown from just a pleasurable past time to a serious effort to assess population trends and changing behavioral patterns.

BRDC would like to thank Jim Keighton and Blue Ridge Birders for their work as station monitors of Mahogany Rock, and for sharing the hand-outs, maps and space.

We also would like to thank the Matthews Foundation for their ongoing support through Avian Adventures.

Scott Jackson-Ricketts

President, BRDC

Birding at Grayson Highlands State Park

Birding with campers at Grayson Highlands State Park 6/29/13 Julie Slater, intern at GHSP, and Blue Ridge Discovery Center have joined forces for a series of on-site programs this summer and fall. (See previous blogs regarding the currency of this association through BRDC’s Fish Bugs program.) Our choice of study for this program was Sullivan Swamp (defined as an Appalachian shrub bog), with a strong focus on birds. However, we took along the data sheet created through Devin Floyd’s 2012 BRDC SiteSection survey as a handy back-up.

Julie had done the preliminary work of rounding up some eager campers, giving us 4 adults and 4 young children. This was a good crowd, really just the perfect size for spending a couple of hours in a sensitive ecosystem. One of the parents was a botanist, who works with the Shenandoah National Park…an added perk.

Eric Harrold, through Avian Adventures, led the walk. As seen in the photos, we had some very young kids, but they were up for crawling through the twisted rhododendrons, squishing through deep dark mud, and rock hopping. Our determined aim was to find alder flycatcher and saw-whet owl, neither of which gave us the pleasure. But we had plenty of entertainment in the reliable chestnut-sided warbler, common yellowthroat, cedar waxwing, Eastern towhee, spittle bug, silky willow, cinnamon fern, sphagnum moss and just the pleasure of spending some time in an exotic landscape. What always becomes obvious is that kids love the adventure of discovery. Given that all four parents were in tune with this need and desire, we took our time as magnifying glasses, tactile moments, and questions became part of our collective experience.

For those who would like to study a bit more on the definition of bog versus swamp, start here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bog

Scott Jackson-Ricketts

Grayson Highlands School and Grayson Highlands State Park go fishing...

On June 12th, Blue Ridge Discovery Center's Roald Kirby and Scott Jackson-Ricketts assisted the school and park on a fishing expedition at Cabin Creek, in the park.  This was not planned by BRDC, but we were happy to bring our Fish Bugs program in support of the event. 

We did not know until the night before, that 55 grade school age kids were to be on hand.  Knowing the narrow path that is Cabin Creek trail, and the lack of fishing space, we discussed strategy just before the two busloads of kids arrived. 

There were plenty of adults on hand to ensure that this many kids could be managed.  So off we went, down the trail, carrying the Fish Bugs tools, and at least 30 spin casting rod and reel outfits. 

Chaotic would best describe our initial efforts to organize groups of kids assigned to the two stations we set up.  But, frankly, when we did, all went very well.  Roald helped with the fishing component, sharing information about the habitat, food sources, water quality and temperature; while Scott managed the aquatic invertebrate collection and identification tables. 

Because there were so many kids, a lot of time was allowed for free exploration, which was exciting for the kids, who continued to find critters and questions to go with. 

This second picture is evidence of the chaos, given that it was quite difficult to stand in one position.  But it also exemplifies the moment.  No fish took the bait.

Scott Jackson-Ricketts

Fish Bugs returns to Grayson Highlands State Park

Winding up this season’s Fish Bugs Program

On both May 20th and 21st, Aaron Floyd led groups of grade school age kids, all from Grayson Highlands School, to Grayson Highlands State Park for a day of stream exploration. I was not able to help on Monday, so my report will focus on Tuesday’s outing. 22 kids helped us move our equipment from the Massie Gap parking area to our chosen spot along Cabin Creek, just below the large falls. Under a brilliant spring sky, we set up our sorting tables, distributed waders, nets, and began our first survey. Two seines were employed to gather our macro-invertebrates and other water critters.

To say it was a challenge to keep an eye on everyone, while keeping a focus on our task at hand, would be putting it lightly.

We had teachers Mrs. Sherri Perry and Mr. Van Harris, along with the eager bus driver, Mrs. Roberta Paisley, on hand to help with everything and body.

Aaron Parlier, AmeriCore volunteer for the park, was also an able assistant.

The high count for the day fell to mayflies. Adults were hatching as we dug our nets into the water for the nymph phase samples. A few caddisflies and stone flies were also found and compared. The kids always love to find salamanders and crayfish, which were in abundance at this relatively pristine spot.

We packed up our gear and hiked upstream to an easier spot, and took our second sample, breaking into two groups…boys and girls.

A few girls got very wet, but the day was warm and by the time we made it back to Massie Gap, everyone was dry, thirsty and hungry.

After a picnic lunch, we spread out owl pellets on two picnic tables and spent our last hour digging out tiny bones from the pellets and examining them under magnification.

Several kids wished to take home the tiny rodent and shrew skulls to show Mom. We have never received any feedback from those lucky moms. This was, to my recollection, our first survey work with grade schoolers, and overall, it went very well. There is certainly a different level of enthusiasm when working with younger kids that includes various components such as limited attention span and unbridled energy. All adults on hand were very good with the kids, and together we helped make the day a memorable one for all involved.

Scott Jackson-Ricketts