More snow pictures

From Linda K. and Al F. on the updated rrwv.org site.
It was a winter wonderland up there.

More snow on the Ridge

Started about 10 last night and continuing today (12-19-09) with no sign of abating. We'd had 15.5 inches by noon taday. It's a very pretty and light snow. Enjoy it wherever your are.

Winter comes to the Ridge.

We had close to 4 inches of snow by the time it was over Saturday night. Very pretty and a nice change from all the grey tree trunks. Of course, the first snow of the season is always easy to like.

New visitors

This weekend was the first time we saw either a Carolina Wren (lousy pic) and a Dark-Eyed Junco (a male) visiting our yard.

Hawks were out and about as a red-shouldered hawk followed us in the car for about 5 seconds on Youngblood Rd. He was flying even with us just up and to our right. I think grabbing a camera is the fastest way to make them fly the other way. Another hawk was perched on a tree in the median on I-70 while driving home but I figured I wanted to get home in one piece so didn't try to look for the camera as I blew right by it.

In other news the birds seemed hungry. They devoured an entire feeder full of seed in about 36 hours. A much different scene than when it was left untouched except by squirrels much of the summer.

Now THAT'S a bull.

Note the car height for reference.

Downy Woodpecker

What is this?

Haven't had time to look up the bird on the tree. Anyone know what that is?

Where's my food?

We have had a lot of luck feeding birds the past couple months but now when we arrive we get tufted titmice like this guy staring us down through the window saying, "You can unpack later. Fill that feeder and hang it up!"

Bear Sightings (Sideling Mtn Trail and Youngblood Rd)

[copied from neighborhood group with names removed]

Hi HH,
You surely had a scare! Please call us if you need help at any time!

Our builder reported seeing a mother bear and two younger bears crossing Highway 9 at Youngblood about 7:30a.m. one day last week.
Just a couple reminders for the group:
It is unlawful to feed bear - the animals are left open to disease and may be put to death if they become a nuisance.
It is also suggested that bird feeders not be used until December - I have put ours out already and will remove them for a few more weeks.
Trash is a magnet to bears. Their sense of smell is so much better than ours is. Free lunch - We all know this but it bears repeating.
Adult bears usually weigh between 125 and 400 pounds. Adult female black bears achieve a maximum weight of 150 to 300 pounds.
Adult females have an average home range of about 13 square miles, while adult males can cover 25 square miles or more.
You may also download a pdf of info on bears :
http://www.wvdnr.gov/Hunting/PDFFiles/Nuisance%20Black%20Bears%20in%20WV%20brochure.pdf
LK

HH wrote:

I had an early Friday morning visitor this week. At 2am, I woke to
some heavy thumping noises on the small deck outside my room. When I
looked up, a large (ok...I don't know HOW large, but it was taller
than me) bear reared up and looked in. When I made some noise, it
left. Later, I heard noises on my main deck and found him (her?)
rummaging through my recyling can. I turned on the lights, and it took
off. I haven't seen it since.

I guess we just need to be careful about feeders and garbage.
Fortunately, I had neither outside. And we need to understand that
River Ridge is WILD and Wonderful!

HH

The View from River Ridge

Driving to Paw Paw

Red-bellied woodpecker

It's so tempting to call this is a red-headed woodpecker since it's belly is not red! This is probably a male as the red stripe goes all the way down the forehead. As always, click to enlarge photo.

Morning fog over the Cacapon

Bucks

Finch and bluebird taking it all in

I think that's a finch. Anyone else think differently (click to enlarge photo)?

Pileated Woodpecker

This is a male as you can see the red mustache he wears (click to enlarge).

Black Capped Chickadee

Rudy on the Run

We still have the "game camera" to see if anything more interesting than squirrels or pass through the yard. It helped us capture our dog, Rudy, bolting out the door as we tried to unload a piece of furniture from the car. He's the chocolate blur at the bottom right! He went to greet Jack, Linda and their dog without permission.

The Cacapon River in Fall

That water is incredibly clear this time of year.

More color on the Ridge. A great time of year.

Fall color on the Ridge.

Bucks Clash

It's that time of the year. We saw 4 bucks in a group today although one barely counted with #2 pencil stubs sticking off his head. Here one tries another out in a game of chicken but has second thoughts and pulls back.

Local Scenery

Yes, it's raining now but just a few days ago it looked like this.

White-Breasted Nuthatch

Thanks to an extra long hind toe this bird is able to hop down trees finding seeds and insects other birds miss.

Fall at Cacapon Bridge

Apple Butter Weekend and...

even better wildlife viewing this weekend. It seems, after many months, that our bird feeder was actually feeding birds not just squirrels. I've got more pictures to post from the past few days but was glad to have my camera when this bald eagle decided to soar down the Cacapon River today.
As always, all River Ridge residents are encouraged to share their wildlife pictures and/or stories regardless of their photography skill level!

Fall Birding Festival Success!

I wish I did not miss it this year but was very happy to hear how well it went. I've copied a description here:

This year's Berkeley Springs Fall Birding Festival was blessed with fine weather, drew good crowds, and those who attended voiced enthusiastic support for continuing and expanding the festival in future years.
The festival was held in Berkeley Springs the weekend of September 18-20.
This was its second year, and its first year under PVAS sponsorship.
PVAS hopes to continue sponsoring the festival, and current plans call for scheduling it the third weekend of every September.
This year's attendees included a mix of people from near and far, many of whom were beginning birders.
Those who came from outside the Berkeley Springs area included a physician from Cumberland, MD, who had learned about the festival from her local newspaper to a young couple from Washington, DC, who had found the festival on the Internet.
The festival events were as follows:
A Friday evening Ice House presentation of beautiful bird songs, presented by naturalist Wil Hershberger, proved to us that our ears can only hear a portion of the intricate language that many birds are able to sing.
Wil and Joe Gentile lead a Saturday morning birding adventure and general nature walk at the Eidolon Nature Preserve sighting 19 species of birds.
School age children and adults participated in a Saturday workshop for beginning birders, led by Kelly Smith and Ellen Murphy at Warm Springs Intermediate School.
At The Country Inn, an over-flow crowd of people attended a Saturday evening presentation, Hawks on the Move, by raptor expert Liam McGranahan.
After enjoying coffee and Fairfax Coffee House pastries, Wil and Liam led the group of early risers on a Guided Birding Adventure at Sleepy Creek Retreat. The birders were out early along with the song birds. The hawks, however, apparently slept in until the air currents warmed enough for them to be comfortable just as Liam had explained they would the night before at The Country Inn.
Many thanks are due to Judy Webb and Helen Herlocker for coordinating the festival,
PVAS also thanks other community supporters for their generosity: Berkeley Springs Cottage Rentals and Cowboy Cabin, The Country Inn, Fairfax Coffee House, Jane McCloud, The Morgan Arts Council and the Ice House, Nature Niche, Sleepy Creek Retreat and Sleepy Creek Watershed Association.

The advantage of gravel or dirt roads

You can track the wildlife on these roads better than concrete. Here is the path of a camera shy deer bolting away from us. I can't blame her.

First signs of fall

This was late August on a foggy morning.

I've fallen off the face of the Earth

After a little back injury and too much time on call at work I haven't posted. I'm hoping to be back up and at it soon! If anyone has any local content to post please do!
Glenn

Tufted Titmouse

I think that is what this is. When I took this pic in the yard back in June I figured it was a bluebird but about 2 months of trying to identify birds under my belt I'm pretty sure it is a tufted titmouse.

Country Roads...West Virginia

He may not be fat but he's at least 5 feet long. The picture is not as fun as seeing him in person. Hop in your 4 wheel drive vehicle and take Gamble Rd to Seldom Seen Rd. The ride is worth it especially if you're in a jeep with Indiana Jones at the wheel.

Reminder-Fall Birding Festival

It's about 2 weeks away and Judy Webb is selling tickets for the speaker about Hawks which will be at the Country Inn on 9/19/09.

Here are the details:

http://rrwv.blogspot.com/2009/08/fall-birding-festival.html

West Virginia Rhino??

I've heard about a hog the size of a rhino nearby and apparently someone has a photograph. We'd love to see it!

One of the new residents relayed a story to us of him seeing 3 coyotes after he heard a fawn attacked near Pioneer Trail. The 3 coyotes then strode between his house and garage as they made their after-meal getaway.

Otherwise this weekend was more full of screech owl and barred owl calls than I ever noticed in the past. There were also multiple hawk sightings around the neighborhood.

Moths as Big as Your Head

Although Chicago is known for its deep dish pizza and beef dishes the locals appreciate the great Mexican fare too. One (very) late night destination has a sign that reads: Burritos as Big as Your Head. That's what I kept thinking about when I saw these monster moths outside the house in late July.

I think the top photo is a Luna Moth in very rough shape (missing one of its "tails") and the bottom, an Imperial Moth but anyone with others ideas is welcome to chime in here.

Luna Moth:
http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=3292&chosen_state=54*West%20Virginia

Imperial Moth:
http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=3337&chosen_state=54*West%20Virginia

Wild Turkey 2

These pics are better than the previous. Numerous turkeys seen last Saturday on Constant Run Rd. heading up to Pioneer Trail.

Cacapon River in the Morning

Nothing prettier than the Cacapon River in the morning mist ... or more peaceful.

Little Buck

I have seen this little buck around River Ridge many times the past few weeks. Sightings included once at daybreak on Sideling Mtn Trail and Chipmunk and several times on the upper portion of Constant Run Road. Apparently, a buck with a very large rack was just sighted on Milo School Road near the back gate.

The birds and the bees and... the turtles?

I thought this guy was just passing through our yard on Sunday morning but by late afternoon he had other things in mind.