Leslie Sturges, president of Bat Conservation & Rescue of Virginia, organized a bat count on the evening of July 27 at the farm of Carolyn Ford, just within Staunton city limits. We had excellent attendance and weather, with a total of about 17 participants, including three from our Headwaters Master Naturalist chapter. We began with…
by Elizabeth Pass, Cohort VIfor the August 2022 issue of Headwaters Highlights August has always been an odd month for me. It feels like it’s a neither-nor month: it’s neither summer nor fall. It’s still hot—and depending on where in the US you are, it can be the hottest month of the year—but it’s the month…
HMNs participate in new JMU stewardship projects James Madison University holds a designation as a Tree Campus. They have a committee for oversight of activities. Annually they must host service projects, have a tree care plan, and celebrate Arbor Day. One of their goals for this year is to increase the tree canopy coverage on…
The Brown Bag Lunch series at the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum at James Madison University featured two programs in June presented by Headwaters Master Naturalists. The first, on June 22, was “What Humans Hear in Nature & Vice Versa” presented by Lincoln Gray, who is professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at JMU. The focus…
by Elizabeth Pass, Cohort VIfor the July 2022 issue of Headwaters Highlights Welcome to July! Farmers’ Markets, backyard BBQs, fresh lemonade, and lazy afternoons under any shade you can find. Everything is blooming and buzzing so this month I want to share a couple of finds focusing on smells and sounds. July Is for Smells In…
“It was AWESOME!” On June 7th, a group of 15 Headwaters Master Naturalists arrived early to Franklin Cliffs (milepost 49) in the Shenandoah National Park to observe four young peregrine falcons and learn about the program that has been taking place annually in the park since 1989. The forecast was for rain and clouds to…
New HMN Project Anna Maria Johnson is excited to announce a new approved project that you can participate in for volunteer hours. Anna Maria is the coordinator of a group of plant-loving people who are working to create a Ridge and Valley Native Plants Guide. The Guide will be similar to other plant guides that…
Eastern Meadowlark photographed during a VWL grassland bird survey at Crusher Run Farm in Rockingham County. Photo by Zack Perdue. Thanks to Zack Perdue, Cohort VII, who joined the Virginia Working Landscapes project this year, for sharing this report with us! Virginia Working Landscapes or VWL is a program sponsored by the Smithsonian since 2010 to…
by Elizabeth Pass, Cohort VIfor the June 2022 issue of Headwaters Highlights Although this month’s Fantastic Find isn’t specifically focused on Virginia, so much of its content directly apply and simply fascinates me that I want to share it with you. I hope you are also interested in this find! Studio d-o-t-s is a “nomadic…
Our group at Quarry Gardens on April 16, 2022. Photo by Steven David Johnson. A recent continuing education opportunity provided a chance for Headwaters Master Naturalists to combine birding, geology, botany, history and getting together in person. The Quarry Gardens are located in Schuyler, Virginia. In 1991, Bernice and Armand Thiebolt were able to purchase…
Virginia Master Naturalist Headwaters Chapter 