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.