Sunday, March 10 turned out to be a beautiful, warm, spring-like day for 14 Headwaters Master Naturalists and five guests who enjoyed a very informative outing to Maple Flats Ponds near Sherando with James Madison University Instructor in Biology Billy Flint. Billy’s hope was that we would see at least 6 to 8 species of…
The Headwaters Chapter’s Annual Meeting on Saturday, January 26 featured HMN Kate Guenther, Cohort I, presenting about her work to connect wildlife in rehabilitation with their natural-state “wild” foods through her website Wildfoods4Wildlife.com. Note from Kate: Thank you all for allowing me to share my passion for animals and plants with you at the annual…
Robert Jennings of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation recently coordinated a six session training for local volunteers taught by various experts in water quality— a thorough introduction to understanding impacts and water management strategies for our local streams and rivers which feed the Chesapeake Bay. These VoiCeS (Volunteers as Chesapeake Stewards) classes have been held throughout…
On Saturday, November 10th members of the HMN chapter participated in the Saw-whet Owl banding at Highland Retreat in western Rockingham county. Saw-whet Owls are migrating through our area this time of the year from their northern nesting grounds. Dr. Clair Mellinger, assisted by Charles Ziegenfus and HMN trainee Ben Spory, collected the birds and…
On Saturday, October 20, members of the 2018 HMN Basic Training class explored three sites along the Lost Shoe Loop of the VDGIF Virginia Bird & Wildlife Trail. Class member Lisa Klein describes the morning at Lake Shenandoah below. Lunch and a walk followed at Grand Caverns. The trip concluded with a look at Madison…
The life of our state wildlife veterinarian is varied and full … and full of responsibility. On October 22, at the Augusta County Government Building in Verona, members of our HMN Chapter were treated to a presentation by Dr. Megan Kirchgessner, who has been the Virginia state wildlife veterinarian with the Department of Game and…
October 8 was a cool, foggy and breezy night on Reddish Knob when 10 Headwaters Master Naturalists and friends joined Billy Flint of James Madison University to look for and learn about terrestrial salamanders. The thick fog made driving up the narrow road tricky, but conditions were perfect for salamanders. The Cow Knob Salamander is…
