Now for something really wild!

A few of the animals captured on cameras placed in the wild as part of the Smithsonian Institute's eMammal study. We share the trails whether we know it or not!  

And these animals are within a couple of miles from downtown Roanoke!  Bears, coyotes, raccoon - O My!  Turkey, skunks and deer strutting too! Courtesy of Jim and Denise P.

Visit eMammal on Facebook here, and see 206,340 more "camera trap" images from AROUND THE WORLD here!

Please note the big bear was taken in daylight hours...

REMEMBER IF YOU LIVE IN VIRGINIA YOU LIVE IN BEAR COUNTRY!

Where are the little turtles?

How far does the little box turtle roam?

Bigfoot caught on eMammal photos!

If you will remember my last eMammal blog where I told you about our training by the Smithsonian team for us to learn how to set-up and place our field cameras so that we could get some candid wildlife pictures in the field.  BRFAL has 6 teams out placing 3 field cameras each in Carvin’s Cove or George Washington National Forrest.

So my teammate, Dick LeRoy and I have completed our initial placement and also our second placement.  We also recovered the memory cards from the initial placement and have successfully uploaded our pictures to the eMammal website.

So now for the exciting part…….what did we capture?  Well the majority of the pictures were hikers, bikers and horseback riders on the trail. Unfortunately we are not allowed to show you those pix.

But…..drum roll please, we did capture some real live animals, as you can see below:

deer in the day time caught on eMammal

deer at night

eMammal Camera Deployment Training for BRFALers

On snowy Sunday, March 24^th about a dozen BRFAL Chapter members along with eight others met in Roanoke to receive our eMammal camera deployment training.  

Just what is eMammal Camera Deployment training and why would a passel of otherwise intelligent people risk life and limb to attend this training? 

BRFAL Chapter Members training for eMammal Project in the snow in Roanoke

Save Our Streams Upcoming Orientation

  

Smith Mountain Lake State Park Tree Id Project Update

Kathy Scott shares an update with us from the Smith Mountain Lake State Park Tree Id Project:

BRFAL Chapter Members ready to install tree ID signs at Smith Mountain Lake State Park

Wood Duck Box Inspection

Some of you may remember that last year we had a BRFAL wood duck box refurbishment project at Smith Mountain Lake State Park.  

BRFAL Involvement in SMLA Town Hall Meeting

In case you don’t know SMLA is an acronym for Smith Mountain Lake Association. The SMLA is an organization dedicated protecting the investment of SML residents.  So what does that have to do with our BRFAL chapter and the Virginia Master Naturalists? Well quite a bit actually. The SMLA sponsors several BRFAL activities.

BLAST (Buffer Landscaping) Display (Pictured left to right: Meg Brager, Dick Hendrix and Jim Pilversack)

Did you know?

Blue Ridge Foothills and Lakes is a very active group of Volunteer Citizen Scientists! Here are a few stats from our Annual Report 2012:

Honey, It's Electric: Bees Sense Charge On Flowers

Flowers are nature's ad men. They'll do anything to attract the attention of the pollinators that help them reproduce. That means spending precious energy on bright pigments, enticing fragrances and dazzling patterns.

Now, scientists have found another element that contributes to flowers' brand: their distinct electric field.

Read all about it here on the NPR website, and LISTEN to this here.

The next Basic Training for this chapter of Virginia Master Naturalist will be in the Fall! If you are interested, please drop us a line: contact@brfal.org We will have registration open as soon as the dates are set!  Or you can call 540-365-4613.

Doss Photography captures the beauty of our area

Darrin Doss lives here in Franklin County and takes the most incredible photos. 

If you follow him online you will usually let out a gentle ahhhh when you see his photos. Especially those photos in and around our area, from Rock Castle Creek to the Smith River. 

Note from Shellie - the photo above is one of my all-time favorite places to hike and photograph wildflowers in the Spring! This is Rock Castle Creek.  It is a Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail here in the Blue Ridge Mountains. See trail map and directions here (there is limited parking so carpool y'all)

An Introduction to Caves and Karst

An Introduction to Caves and Karst. Lecture held in Martinsville Virginia at the Virginia Museum of Natural History

Date: February 23, 2013
Time: 6 pm
Place: Virginia Museum of Natural History
For: General Public
Cost: No fee

Author, Naturalist Fred First to Speak Feb 5, 2013

Finding a place in the world

Our neighbor and fellow Naturalist Fred First will speak on Tuesday Feb 5, 2013 at 7PM at the Ferrum College Gerber Hall. This is part of the series on "Sustainability: More for Less, for All" program.

Here is the article from the Franklin News Post (online edition):

Great turn out for the Environmental Conference

We had a great showing with 4 Blue Ridge Foothills and Lakes Chapter Members at the DRBA Environmental Conference "Streams of Stewardship" today in Martinsville. Due to inclement weather, the conference was pushed to the afternoon at the Virginia Museum of Natural History.

We got this cool conference t-shirt

Check out the DRBA website

DRBA (Dan River Basin Association) is a great organization with superior individuals who care about preserving and promoting the natural and cultural resources of the Dan River Basin through stewardship, recreation and education. 

Interestingly enough, they feel if they educate all the neighbors of these blue-ways  then once they have pride of ownership, and a vested interest they too will become stewards of this great region.  Check out their website here: http://www.danriver.org/

One of the presenters for a couple sessions was Brian Williams, here is one of the Hidden Gem videos he has put together about The Smith River, hope it makes you want to get outside!

Those in attendance today from BRFAL Chapter were: Charlotte Hubbard, Dick Hendrix, Guy Buford, and Shellie Leete (with both daughters in attendance).

We learned quite a bit and had a fantastic key note speaker during lunch who is the Executive Director of the Museum (VNMH), Joe Keiper. His expertise in the area of aquatic entomology, and his love for streams made it super interesting! 

Thank you to all who made this conference available to us, and a success.

New Leadership of Master Naturalists

The Blue Ridge Foothills And Lakes (BRFAL) Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist Program (VMNP) recently elected a new Executive Committee.  

The past President, Guy Buford, and Vice-President, Jim Pilversack were replaced by incoming President, Dick LeRoy and Vice-President, Rich Brager.  Continuing in their roles as Secretary and Treasurer are Lee Borgman and Tim Quinn, respectively.

BRFAL Leadership group (L-R, Front Row) - Rich Brager VP Elect, Guy Buford past-Pres, Jim Pilversack past-VP (L-R Back Row) Dick LeRoy President Elect, Lee Borgman Sec, Tim Quinn Treas.

For more than 6 years Buford has provided leadership to establish and then preside as president of BRFAL. From the first organizational meeting at his home in Rocky Mount to handing over the gavel at a recent meeting of the now flourishing group, he has been a persistently steady influence.  In recognition of his pioneering contributions he was awarded a plaque by LeRoy.  Many personal tributes from BRFAL members accompanied the award.

BRFAL President Elect Dick LeRoy presents to Past President Guy Buford a Certificate of Recognition for his dedicated pioneering service over the last 6 (plus) years.

The mission of the VMNP is to train volunteers who are dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities through projects related to education, citizen science and stewardship service.  Over the years BRFAL has grown to a cadre of 32 active members that contribute to many local projects. Some of those projects are listed on the website BRFAL.org. 

The next Master Naturalist Basic Training class will be held in the Fall from early September until mid-November.  The exact dates and class location have not been set yet, but, as in the past, the class will cover various topics such as local Geology, Stream and Lake Ecology, identification of plants, birds, mammals, insects, amphibians and reptiles, weather and farm/forest management.  Graduates are then expected to complete 40 hrs of service projects and 8 hrs of Advanced Training.  To get additional information about this class please send an email to contact@brfal.org, or call 540-365-4613.  Photos and info by Carl Boast.

Virginia’s East Coast is tops for bird-watching

"Still, I hadn’t traveled all the way to Virginia’s Eastern Shore to look at a bunch of ordinary, French-fry-loving seagulls. It was late September, the migratory season was in full swing, and this long finger of land — stretching south from Maryland, with the Chesapeake Bay on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other — is known as one of the country’s top spots for bird-watching."

Tundra Swans enjoying the early morning sun at False Cape State Park

One of the best places to see the winged migration is along Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

Read the entire article here in the NYPOST.

More on False Cape State Park:
No vehicular access. Located in southern Virginia Beach, False Cape State Park is a mile-wide barrier spit between Back Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Access is through the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and is limited to hiking, bicycling or boating. The park features primitive camping and an extensive environmental education program in one of the last undisturbed coastal environments on the East Coast.

In the 1800s, False Cape gained a reputation as a ship’s graveyard. The area got its name because its land mass resembled Cape Henry, luring boats into shallow waters. One of the area’s first communities, Wash Woods, was developed by survivors of such a shipwreck. The village’s church and other structures were built using cypress wood that washed ashore from a wreck.

Vehicular access to False Cape State Park is prohibited because the park is land-locked on the southern end of the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Those wishing to visit the park for the day must either bike or hike through the refuge (via beach or interior trails, and the interior trail is closed from November 1 through March 31), or boat or canoe in down Back Bay. You can also take the Terra Gator, a specially designed vehicle that minimizes impact to this special environment, during this period.

The Back Bay Restoration Foundation operates a tram (PDF) that leaves from the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge (4005 S. Sandpiper Rd. in Virginia Beach) and travels through the wildlife refuge. The trek allows visitors to explore the park for two hours in the Barbour Hill contact station area or ride farther to False Cape's Wash Woods area. This area has a church site and cemetery. The tram provides a round trip ride and is not available for overnight guests. Overnight guests must either hike or bike through the refuge, or canoe or boat in. Both day use and overnight visitors are advised to read all warnings regarding visiting the park to learn what is expected and about preparation. All visitors must follow refuge regulations while on refuge property.

RIVERS & BUGS SUMMIT

Streams of Stewardship Environmental Conference
DRBA is a conservation organization doing great things in our area! We attended this conference before and found it very informative. We hope you will consider attending. It is down the road a spell in nearby Martinsville Virginia, held at the Virginia Museum of Natural History. Visit their website to learn more about DRBA here.

Streams of Stewardship Environmental Conference

Saturday, January 26, 2013

8:30am - 1:30pm

The diversity of Virginia

From the mountains to the seashore there is so much here in Virginia for Master Naturalists to explore!

Potomac River in Winter (along the shore at Caledon State Park) 

Visit a Birding Hotspot in Roanoke

The Roanoke Regional Water Pollution Control Plant is one of the hidden birding gems in the Roanoke Region.

Photos courtesy of  Western Virginia Water Authority

It is one of the best birding locations around and is one of the primary stopover locations for migrating birds.

Species including killdeer, great crested flycatchers, and yellow-headed blackbirds can be spotted regularly from this location. In all more than 242 species have been spotted from the plant, including 62 percent of the birds native to Virginia. 

There are two viewing platforms on site. Birders can also walk along paths within plant along the Roanoke River.

But you do need a permit to visit and check out the wildlife. Single-day and permanent passes are available. Just fill out the online application and return it to the WPC Plant Administration Office on Brownlee Avenue.  

Over 242 species of birds have been documented at the WPC Plant including 62% of the birds native to Virginia.

Learn more here!


What to Expect While Birding at the WPC Plant 

1. The WPC Plant features many different habitats that attract woodland, aquatic and grassland birds. The biosolid lagoons attract birds who prefer coastal mud flats or tidal pools. Birders can walk on gravel roads within the plant along the Roanoke River, next to the biosolids lagoons and adjacent to the wooded areas. As this is an industrial area, bird watchers are urged to use caution while at the plant.
2. Birders may also wish to walk along the Roanoke River Greenway (www.greenways.org) which runs through the rear of the WPC Plant property.
3. Two platforms have been constructed at the WPC Plant where visitors are invited to sit and watch the birds. One of the platforms is ADA accessible.
4. Over 242 species of birds have been documented at the WPC Plant including 62% of the birds native to Virginia.
5. In 2006, Michael W. Donahue wrote an article Bird Records from the Southwestern Virginia Roanoke Sewage Treatment Plant for the Virginia Natural History Society. This paper includes information about the facility and an annotated checklist of the birds seen up to that point.

VIRGINIA MASTER NATURALISTS ARE FOR THE BIRDS! LEARN MORE HERE.

Mystery Snails

ON A RECENT TRIP TO VIRGINIA'S NORTHERN NECK I FOUND SOME OF THESE MYSTERY SNAILS, AMONGST OTHER THINGS. 

Chinese and Japanese Mystery Snails (Bellamya chinensis, B. japonica)

A few of the mystery snails among other debris collected at Caledon State Park