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Rockbridge Bird Club

Birding as a journey

5/7/2014

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I’ve had two pretty amazing birding experiences so far this week (at least two more still to come!) and they couldn’t have been more different from each other.

We have guests in town this week on their own migration north, and one of them is an enthusiastic birder. So one of the events of the week had to be a bird walk with Wes Teets at Natural Bridge. We were part of the Tuesday experience that Wes reported via email - 75 total species including 23 different warblers. Needless to say it was a morning to remember. 

Wes is a gifted young man whose remarkable eyes are topped only by incredible ears. He misses nothing, even at very long range. There were times when the pace was so fast in terms of different birds coming into view (even if only for a fraction of a second) or sounds with (to my ear) very subtle differences leading him to different identifications which were always confirmed when the bird popped out to be seen that it was hard to keep up even when you weren’t keeping a list. It was information overload of the first order that for me has now settled into a bit of a blur but still with lots of standout images.

Left to my own devices I suspect I would have gotten perhaps a third (maybe a quarter?) of the species we (he) identified.  I might even have missed the Ospray over-flight, though it was pretty close, and I’m certain I wouldn’t have seen the Northern Harrier drifting over Short Hills, to say nothing of the Lincoln’s Sparrow and most of the warblers. Did I mention we saw/heard 23 warbler species?

This morning, on the normal walk with the dog in the forest that surrounds us I had an equally remarkable experience on a completely different level. It began in a pasture with the typical old friends in place. Goldfinches and Cardinals and Titmice and Song Sparrows were all singing familiarly. This week we’ve been joined by a group of Indigo Buntings and their distinctive song is now settled in my mind (I’m still pretty new to this. . .) because I could spend a few minutes watching and listening. The Bluebirds that are feeding young in a box were also about – nothing striking but everything pleasant. Further along the stream I heard one of the Louisiana Waterthrushes we’ve had this spring. They seem to be moving further up the streams into deeper cover this week.

Into the woods and up the hill were a couple of Wood Thrushes and several Ovenbirds calling back and forth. Because I took some time I was able to catch a glimpse of one of the Wood Thrushes – not something that happens often for me, and I also got more familiar with the buzz at the end of their song – a completely different sound that even seems to come from a different place. A few minutes later, as I was looking for a Red-bellied Woodpecker my glasses landed on a Scarlet Tanager – completely by accident - proving once again that its better to be lucky than good. Its always nice to see them even if they are pretty plentiful.

But the highlight of all of this came near the end, when I decided to hang around near a group of oaks and other trees that are just leafing out so the visibility is better. I always spend too much time looking for birds where I think I have a chance of actually seeing them, rather than where the sounds tell me they are. . . This time a gentle buzzing was followed by a little movement which was followed by long and often clear views of a Magnolia Warbler, with the brilliant yellow and deep bib markings and the white slash on the wing – just amazing. Even though (perhaps because) I had seen one just the day before as part of the flash card stream of sightings, this one was special, and I held on as long as my shoulders and neck would allow. It wasn’t a ‘big day’ by any stretch, but it was a lot of fun.

I’ve been practicing yoga for a number of years now, hopefully keeping me a little more fit and flexible as the years progress, and while I don’t focus much on the spiritual parts of that process I have come to understand that the practice is a journey with lots of explorations and understandings, some big and many small that only come with time. It strikes me that the education of a birder is a pretty similar and equally enlightening thing.

Bob Biersack

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saturday birding at apple orchard mountain

5/6/2014

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We had a cool but lovely morning for birding at Apple Orchard Mountain this past Saturday, May 3rd.  There were 17 of us with a few others joining in as we hiked up the road into early Spring conditions.  Migrants were everywhere singing and cavorting around.  The sharp eyes and trustworthy ears of our leader, Dick Rowe, resulted in some first time sightings for some folks.  Here’s what we saw and/or heard:

Ovenbird
Scarlet Tanager
Red-eyed Vireo
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Veery
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Hairy Woodpecker
Blue-headed Vireo
Tufted Titmouse
Blue Jay
Eastern Towhee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Canada Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Eastern Phoebe
Dark-eyed Junco
Downy Woodpecker
Red-tailed Hawk
Common Raven
Turkey Vulture
Pileated Woodpecker
Chickadee
Eastern Bluebird
American Goldfinch
Indigo Bunting (seen along the P’way while driving)

Wendy Richards


(eds. note: lots of great views of American Redstarts, Black-throated Blue's and Canada Warblers which are particularly striking.)


Picture
This is why we go up into the mountains to look for warblers during spring migration. Fewer leaves mean better views of the birds.
Photo by Lad Sessions

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thursday birding

4/27/2014

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On April 24, a group of five headed to the Locher Tract and later, up Petite's Gap to the Parkway to see what was about.  Locher was loaded with Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers, along with a Great Crested Flycatcher, Louisiana Waterthrush, Red Winged Blackbirds, Blue Headed Vireos and several more of the usual suspects. We decided to drive up Petite's Gap in search of Warblers and weren't disappointed with good looks at a Black Throated Green and the songs of several more. The highlight of that drive may have been the unexpected sound, and sight of a Ruffed Grouse as it left a small clearing on the road just after we stopped to look around. Next week we're thinking perhaps one more try at a lower altitude, unless the canopy fills in a lot more this week. Perhaps the Chessie Trail.  We leave from the old K-Mart parking lot at 7, and everyone i
Here is our list from the morning - more or less in order of their appearance;
Northern Cardinal
Great Crested Flycatcher 
Tufted Titmouse
Red Bellied Woodpecker
Cowbird
White Breasted Nuthatch
American Crow
Blue Headed Vireo
Yellow Rump Warbler
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
Red-Winged Blackbird
Tree Swallow
Carolina Wren
American Goldfinch
White-Throated Sparrow
Pileated Woodpecker
Raven
Eastern Phoebe
Downy Woodpecker
Dark-Eyed Junco
Eastern Bluebird
Turkey Vulture
Field Sparrow
Ruffed Grouse
American Robin
Black and White Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Black-Throated Green Warbler
Ovenbird
Mourning Dove
Rough-Winged Swallow

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Potluck at boxerwood on may 14

4/25/2014

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The Rockbridge Bird Club will host a potluck dinner at Boxerwood on Wednesday, May 14, from 5:00 to 7:30. You may arrive earlier, at 4:30, for a short tour of some bird-friendly shrubs led by Faith Vosburgh, Boxerwood’s horticulturist. We hope you’ll join us—children and guests welcome, too—to share your birding stories and enjoy the spring beauty of the garden. The potluck will be held at the timber -frame pavilion located near the driveway to the Lodge.

The Club will be providing hamburgers, brats, buns and drinks. We would like to get an accurate count of how many people to expect, and so are asking that you RSVP. We are trying an online program, Sign-Up Genius, where you can RSVP and sign up to bring a dish or assist with the event.

The Bird Club’s Sign-Up Genius page is here. When you click on the link, you will be taken to our potluck page. Here you have 2 options:

1.     Create an account with Sign-Up Genius. This requires providing your name, email address, and a password. Your email address and password will remain private. Once you do this, you can RSVP and decide what item you would like to provide for the event. If you change your mind later, your account lets you edit your RSVP or your item. Sign-up Genius will send you an email reminder 2 days before the event.

2.     Or, use the Sign-Up Genius page without setting up an account. This option requires entering your name and an email address. Your email address will remain private. Then you may RSVP and enter the item you would like to provide. The downside to this option is that you will not be able to change your RSVP/item as easily if you do not have an account. Instead you can just let Betty Besal know what has changed. Sign-up Genius will send you an email reminder 2 days before the event.

The Sign-Up Genius program is used by thousands of groups to organize their events. The program’s creators are very focused on users’ security. While it may take a little of the spontaneity away from having a potluck, we hope that it will help us better organize and enjoy this event, so we do ask that you give it try. If you have had ENOUGH of doing things online, we understand. In that case, just email Betty Besal (bbesal5@gmail.com) and she will “pencil” you in.

Questions about the May Potluck or the sign up process? Please contact Betty  Besal.

See you there!

Betty Besal

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spring migrants arriving

4/19/2014

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So it begins. . . Spring migrants are arriving throughout the county, and for these few days before the trees really leaf out the views can be pretty great.  This means sleep deprived birders can be found all over the area, and they're reporting lots of 'first of the season' sightings.
On April 17th a group of us headed to Moore's Creek Reservoir to see what we might find.  If you haven't been there its a very nice hike - drive out BlueGrass Trail 1.7 miles past where it changes to gravel, then right on Forest Service Rd 3079 for about a mile to the parking area. Highlights included several warblers (including great views of a number of Black and White's circling the trunks of some oaks), and a Red Shouldered Hawk flying over the water. Here's the list of what we saw and heard;
Fish Crow
Red Tail Hawk
Titmouse
Blue Jay
Northern Cardinal
Raven
Louisiana Waterthrush
Cowbird
American Crow
Blue Headed Vireo
Black-throated Green Warbler
Turkey Vulture
Hooded Warbler
Chickadee
Red Shouldered Hawk
Red Bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Ovenbird
Pine Warbler
Black and White Warbler
Carolina Wren
Kingfisher
Blue Grey Gnatcatcher
Ruby Crowned Kinglet
Hairy Woodpecker
Mourning Dove

We're planning to make a regular thing of these Thursday morning outings.  We'll let everyone know where we plan to go and when and where we'll meet each week.

Bob Biersack

Here's a report from Alexia about the club's outing to Brushy Hills on April 19. 

A small group met at 7 am at Town Spring and explored for birds, Paul Cabe leading along with his son Lock (founder of the Kids' Bird Club).  Below is the list of species heard and/or seen.  We were especially delighted to hear a wood thrush singing, first of the season for most of us.  

Several times along the trail we heard ovenbirds "teacher"-ing but couldn't find them; as Paul remarked, they tend to stay still while singing and, without movement, are hard to spot.  Then, towards the end of our walk, Lock saw an ovenbird perched on a branch, not making a sound, moving only its head as it occasionally looked around!  The rest of us were one by one able to pick it out against the dry-leaves background.  

Broad-winged hawkRed-tailed hawk
Red-bellied woodpecker
Downy woodpecker (including a pair foraging together)
Northern flicker
Pileated woodpecker
Blue-headed vireo (heard)
Blue jay
American crow
Tufted titmouse
Carolina chickadee
White-breasted nuthatch
Carolina wren
Blue-gray gnatcatcher
Eastern bluebird
American robin
Wood thrush
Black-throated green warbler (heard)
Ovenbird
Northern cardinal
Eastern towhee
White-throated sparrow
Brown-headed cowbird
American goldfinch

Alexis Smith

Dick Rowe has also reported on some late week birding;

I did a little birding on Thurs and Friday afternoons.  On Thursday I visited Old Farm Rd Pond and Sky Farm (both are private spots).  At OFRP, there were 3 female Ring-necked Ducks, several Swamp Sparrows, 3 Yellow-rumped Warblers, lots of Tree and Rough-winged Swallows, and 2 Pied-billed Grebes.  The grebes are interesting because in 2011 a pair nested there.  Go to this link and scroll down to see the photos of the PBGR at OFRP.  They represent one of the few, nesting records for PBGR in the mountains and valley region of VA.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/vmibiology/sets/72157626122644696/

On Thrus, Kerry Kilday located a White-eyed Vireo at McCormick’s Farm.  I went up there this afternoon to  look for it.  I found it along the nature trail where it parallels Marl Creek.  There were a number of Ruby-crowned Kinglets there and a single Solitary Sandpiper at the back pond, which is now full.  Kerry found 3 SOSA there yesterday.  In addition there were several Blue-gray Gnatchers there.  Last weekend I found 2 Purple Finches there, but none were seen or heard today.

I’ve posted some photos of the White-eyed Vireo, Swamp Sparrows, and Pied-billed Grebes on the Flickr site, if you are interested.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/vmibiology/

Dick Rowe




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birding by ear 102

4/16/2014

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After completing Donna Finnegan's 'Birding by Ear 101' on April 8, a group of 13 birders met at Boxerwood on Saturday to work on Professor Rowe's Birding by Ear 102.
Kerry Kilday and Dick Rowe led us through the nature center finding lots of great birds. It was a great example of birding by ear, with several identified as they sang in the distance.  There were others we were able to seek out and get glimpses after someone recognized the song, and also some great examples of songs and hints we heard about from Donna.

Here is the list of what we saw and heard;

Ruby-crowned Kinglet – heard also seen by some
Eastern Meadowlark - heard
Field Sparrow - heard
Song Sparrow - heard
Carolina Wren - heard
American Crow - heard
Chipping Sparrow - heard
House Finch – heard
Common Grackle - heard

Northern Cardinal – Heard/Seen
Tufted Titmouse – Heard/Seen
Mourning Dove Heard/seen

Blue Jay
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
American Robin
Eastern Bluebird
Green Heron
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Tree Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
European Starling
Brown Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
American Goldfich
Chimney Swift (first of the season fur us)
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Brown-headed Cowbird


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nesting and freezing temperatures

4/15/2014

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I returned home yesterday after a long weekend away to discover three beautiful bluebird eggs in one of the nest boxes I’ve been monitoring; today, the hen laid a fourth. I am wondering what effect tonight’s below-freezing temperature might have on the eggs. Will they freeze and not be viable? Does cold in some way stunt embryonic development? I’ve been googling for information, but coming up with little that's relevant. Most temperature studies are focused on heat. Does anyone in the club know? 

Leave a comment if you have suggestions - thanks

Bonnie Bernstein


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birding by ear 101

4/10/2014

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We had a great presentation on April 9 by Donna Finnegan, helping us get a sense of "Birding by Ear."  There was a great crowd and everyone enjoyed her presentation helping us recognize more of what surrounds us every day.

One of the big themes of her presentation was the use of mnemonics and phonetics to help get a handle on recognizing birds by their songs.  She had a list with her that we'll post on the site as soon as we can.  In the meantime, there are several places on the Internet where you can find this kind of list.  A nice one I found today comes from the Fernbank Science Center in Atlanta.

There are also several guides and apps that help with song ID (though they all have the problem of starting with knowing the bird and then hearing the song. . . we need something that lets us record a song and have the app tell us what we're hearing. . .) We'll be adding more posts about these programs and how they work for us.

Wendy also reminded us that some folks will be meeting at Boxerwood on Saturday the 12th at 8 am to practice - everyone is welcome. We'll 'see' what we 'hear.' 

Update - 4/14/2014 - Here is Donna's list of mnemonics and phonetics;



MNEMONICS FOR COMMON BIRDS


Carolina Chickadee--"feebee feebay, chick'adee-dee-dee"

Black-Capped Chickadee--"feebee"

Tufted Titmouse--"peter, peter, peter" or “Here, Here, Here”

White-Breasted Nuthatch--"yank yank"

Carolina Wren--"virGINya, virGINya, virGINya"


Mockingbird--phrases repeated 3 or more times

Brown Thrasher--phrases repeated 2 times

Blue Jay – Jay Jay Jay! (and squeeky clothesline)

American Crow--"caw"     Fish Crow—“Eh eh

-

American Robin--"cheerup, cheerily, cheerily"

Scarlet Tanager – Like Robin with sore throat. Call “CHIP-bird”

Eastern Bluebird--"cheer, cheerful, charmer"

Northern Cardinal--"Right cheer', Right cheer', birdy birdy birdy'"

Rufous-Sided Towhee--"drink-your-teeee'"

White-Throated Sparrow--"poor Sam Pea'body, Pea'body, Pea'body"

American Goldfinch--"per-chik'-o-ree", "baybeee?'"

 

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher--"spee spee"

Red-eyed Vireo--"look-up, over-here, see-me, up-here"

Yellow-Throated Vireo--same as red-eyed but buzzier

Solitary Vireo--same as red-eyed but slower, sour

White-eyed Vireo -- Chick- a-per-weeo-CHICK

 

FLYCATCHERS:

Great Crested--"wheep! wheep!"

Eastern Phoebe--"feee'-bee"

Acadian--"peet'-suh"

Alder--"fee-bee'o"

Willow--"fitz'-bew"

Least--"che-bek'"

Eastern Wood Pewee--"pee-oo-wee"

 

WARBLERS:

Black-and-White--"wheezy, wheezy, wheezy"

Swainson's--"deeta deeta-whip'-poor-will"

Worm-Eating--insect-like, dry trill

Golden-Winged--"bzz- bzz, bzz, bzz"

Blue-Winged--"bzz-bzz"

Parula--"zeeeee-up!”

Yellow--"sweet sweet sweet, I'm so sweet"

Magnolia--"wheet-wheet'eo"

Black-Throated-Green--"zay zay zay zoo zee?"

Black-Throated Blue--"I am lazeee"

Chestnut-Sided--"please, please, please to meet'cha!"

Ovenbird--"teacher teacher teacher"

Kentucky--"toree' toree' toree'"

Hooded--"wheeta wheeta WHEET'eo"

Prothonotary Warbler -- Zweet-zweet-zweet

American Redstart -- Tzee, tzee, tzee, tzeeo

 

 

PHONETIC CALLS AND SONGS

 

Bee-buzz--Blue-winged Warbler

Bee-buzz-buzz or Bee-buzz-buzz-buzz--Golden-winged Warbler

I am lazeee or beer beer beer beeee--Black-throated Blue Warbler

Che-bek--Least Flycatcher

Chink--Blue Grosbeak

Chup-chup TZEeeee---Seaside Sparrow

Cu-cu-cu--Black-billed Cuckoo

Fee-bee-o--Alder Flycatcher

Fitz-bew--Willow Flycatcher

Hip-hip-hurrah--King Rail

Jeeee---Wood Duck

Ka ka ka...kowp kowp kowp--Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Keeeeer--Common Tern and Forster's Tern

Kerwee...kerwee--Sora

Kid-ik, kid-ik, kid-ik--Virginia Rail

Killdeer killdeer! - Killdeer

Kip...kip--Common Moorhen

Peent--Common Nighthawk

Peet-suh--Acadian Flycatcher

Peet-weet--Spotted Sandpiper

Please please pleased to meet'cha--Chestnut-sided Warbler

Quick, three beers--Olive-sided Flycatcher

Scaipe--Common Snipe

See-bit see-bit see-bit, see-see-see-see--Nashville Warbler

See-see-see-sisi-see--Brown Creeper

Speee  speee--Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Tee-shaay--Sharp-tailed Sparrow

Tee-si, tee-si, tee-si--Bay-breasted Warbler

Tic-tic, tic-tic-tic--Yellow Rail

Tika, tika, tika-swee, swee, swee-chay, chay, chay--Tennessee Warbler

Vee-a--Gray-cheeked Thrush

Weeta-weeta-weeteo--Magnolia Warbler

Weet-weet-weet-weet--Spotted Sandpiper

Whit, whit--Swainson's Thrush

Zweet-zweet-zweet--Prothonotary Warbler

Yank, yank, yank--White-breasted Nuthatch

A-weet, a-weet, a-weet-teo--Hooded Warbler

Bob white, bob white--Northern Bobwhite

Bubble, bubble, zee--Brown-headed Cowbird

Caw, caw, caw--American Crow

What-cheer, what-cheer, what-cheer, or cheer, cheer, cheer--Northern Cardinal

Cheerily, cheer-up, cheerily--American Robin

Chick-a-dee-dee-dee--Carolina Chickadee

CHIP-burr--Scarlet Tanager

Chick- a-per-weeo-CHICK --White-eyed Vireo

Chink--Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Chuck-will's-widow--Chuck-will's-widowChurr, churr, churr--Red-bellied Woodpecker

Chur-ry, chur-ry, chur-ry--Kentucky Warbler

Chur-wee or Cheer, cheerful charmer--Eastern Bluebird

Conquereee--Red-winged Blackbird

Drink-your-teeeee--Rufous-sided Towhee

Dtzee, dtzee, dtzeet--Eastern Kingbird

Ee-o-lay! --Wood Thrush

Fee-bee, or Fee-blee--Eastern Phoebe

Fee-bee fee-bay--Carolina Chickadee

Here, here, here--Tufted Titmouse

Here I am, over here, see me, where are you?--Red-eyed Vireo

Jay, jay, jay--Blue Jay

Keeeeeer--Red-tailed Hawk

Kee-yer, kee-yer, kee-yer--Red-shouldered Hawk

Kik, kik, kik--Pileated Woodpecker

Kill-dee, kill-dee, kill-dee--Killdeer

Kleeyer--Northern Flicker

Who cooks for you, who cooks for you'all--Barred Owl

Maids, maids, maids, put on your tea, kettle, kettle, kettle--Song Sparrow

Meeoow--Gray Catbird

Poor Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody--White-throated Sparrow

Pee-O-wee or pee-wee--Eastern Wood-Pewee

Peeeeeeeeee--Broad-winged Hawk

Peent, peent, peent--American Woodcock

Peet-suh--Acadian Flycatcher

Perchickaree or Babeee?--American Goldfinch

Peter, peter, peter--Tufted Titmouse

Chicki-tuki-tuck--Summer Tanager

Plink, plink--Bobolink

Wheep, wheep--Great Crested Flycatcher

Purty, purty, purty--Northern Cardinal

Queedle, queedle, queedle---Blue Jay

Queer, queer--Red-headed Woodpecker

Skeeow--Green Heron

Spring of the year--Eastern Meadowlark

Sweet, sweet, sweet, I'm so sweet--Yellow Warbler

Teacher, teacher, teacher--Ovenbird

Tea-kettle, tea-kettle, tea-kettle--Carolina Wren

Three-a, three-a--Yellow-throated Vireo

Tow-weeee--Rufous-sided Towhee

Tseer, tseer--Red-winged Blackbird

Tzee, tzee, tzee, tzeeo--American Redstart

Veer--Veery

Weesa, weesa, weesa--Black-and-white Warbler

Wheer--Orchard Oriole

Whip-poor-will--Whip-poor-will

Are you awake? me too (6 hoots) --Great Horned Owl

Wicka, wicka, wicka--Northern Flicker

Witchety, witchety, witchety--Common Yellowthroat

Zay, zay, zay, zoo, zee? --Black-throated

Green Warbler

Zeee, zeee--Cedar Waxwing

Zree--House Finch

Zeeeee-up--Northern Parula





List compiled by:

Georgann Schmalz

Atlanta, Ga.



Bob Biersack


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tick season is here

4/2/2014

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Ticks!  They’re here year around, but now their “high season” is coming.  The tiny deer tick sometimes transmits Lyme and other diseases.  How can we avoid tick bites while out birding?  Here’s some information we hope will be helpful, gathered last year from reputable sources (identified briefly in parentheses, and in full at the end of this note):

Tick facts

Deer ticks cling to tall grass, brush, and shrubs, usually no more than 18-24 inches off the ground.  Deer ticks cannot jump or fly, and do not drop onto passing people or animals. They get on humans and animals only by direct contact. Once a tick gets on the skin, it generally climbs upward until it reaches a protected area. (NY)
Most tick bites won't give you a disease, but some can.  It's not clear how long an infected tick must be attached before it transmits a disease (a crawling tick doesn't transmit anything). For Lyme disease, it probably takes one to three days. (Harvard)

How to protect yourself
  • Wear light-colored clothing with a tight weave to spot ticks easily.
  • Wear enclosed shoes, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck pant legs into socks or boots, and shirt into pants.
  • Check clothes and any exposed skin frequently for ticks while outdoors, and check again once indoors. (NY)
  • Consider using repellants:  A product containing  20% or more DEET on exposed skin, and/or one containing permethrin to treat clothing. (CDC)
  • Walk in the center of trails to avoid contacting vegetation. (NIH)
  • Avoid sitting directly on the ground, logs, stone walls, etc. (NY)
After you get home
  • Bathe or shower as soon as possible to wash off and more easily find ticks.
  • Conduct a full-body tick check using a hand-held mirror.. 
  • Examine clothes, gear, and pets. (CDC)
Removing ticks
  • Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible.
  • Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with clean tweezers. If you can’t remove the mouth easily, leave it alone (the mouthparts by themselves don’t transmit the disease - NY).
  • After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. (CDC)
Symptoms?

If you’ve been exposed to ticks and you develop flu-like symptoms or a rash, see your clinician—even if the symptoms go away on their own.  The symptoms may appear 3 to 30 days after the bite.  A tick-borne infection usually causes no lasting harm if it’s recognized and treated early. (Harvard, NY)  

Sources:

NY - New York State Department of Health

Harvard - Harvard Women’s Health Watch

CDC - Centers for Disease Control

NIH - National Institutes of Health


---compiled and edited by Alexia Smith


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bluebird conservation project update

3/30/2014

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PictureAt Boxerwood, Hank Dobin installs a "blue" nest box built by Dave Buckner
Thanks are in order to the many volunteers who have helped launch the Rockbridge Bluebird Conservation Project.  The project has already exceeded its initial goal – to recruit and train volunteers to maintain and monitor a dozen nest boxes along the Woods Creek Trail. This month, two more nest box trails have been added to the effort:  16 boxes on the W&L campus and 6 boxes along a new trail in the Boxerwood meadow. Both will be monitored by Master Naturalists and Bird Club volunteers.

Thanks to David Buckner and Cleve Hickman, who constructed and donated 15 bluebird nesting boxes. Several boxes have been installed at Boxerwood; the remaining boxes were given to volunteers who plan to monitor them on their own property. In return, recipients have made a donation to join the Virginia Bluebird Society.










Earlier this month, volunteers met at Boxerwood to construct predator guards for new and existing nest boxes; Noel guards to prevent cats, raccoons and squirrels from reaching in; and stovepipe guards to thwart snakes. All boxes on the Woods Creek and Boxerwood trails are now equipped with both kinds of predator guards, qualifying them to be listed as bluebird trails with the Virginia Bluebird Society. (The W&L boxes are mounted on light poles, so only Noel guards could be affixed.) Thanks to Deb Gordon, Beverly Bruck, Hank Dobin, Vicki and Lad Sessions, Anne and Dave Buckner, and Laure Stevens-Lubin for their help in making and installing the guards.

Peter Hamel, a Rockbridge Master Naturalist and Park Service ranger, is coordinating monitoring on the Woods Creek Trail. Pete is also working with Elise Sheffield, Boxerwood’s Education Director, to involve Waddell third- and fourth-graders in the project this spring. The kids will take turns helping Pete, Henry Eichelberger and Ashley Coleman monitor boxes along Woods Creek that are adjacent to the school grounds, and will participate in classroom-integrated lessons facilitated by Boxerwood. Mollie Calomeris has volunteered to monitor two other Woods Creek boxes with her children.

Deb Gordon, president of the Rockbridge Master Naturalists, is coordinating nest box monitoring on the Washington and Lee campus, assisted by Vicki and Lad Sessions, Dawn and Tom Peck, and Pat Stange, all Master Naturalists. Thanks to Chris Wise, the facilities manager who heads up W&L’s sustainability program. Chris and his staff mapped all the boxes on campus and readied them for monitoring.

Maury Hanson, a Kendal resident and member of the Rockbridge Bluebird Club, is coordinating nest box monitoring by neighbors at Kendal.

All monitors participating in the Bluebird Conservation Project are using the NestWatch website platform to record and share nest-watching data. NestWatch, a nationwide monitoring program run by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, tracks status and trends in the reproductive biology of birds. The NestWatch website provides resources and tutorials on monitoring protocols;  how to find, identify nests and monitor nests; how to record data, and more.

Bird club members are welcome and encouraged to join our NestWatch “community.” You may monitor nests for any bird species, in nest boxes or in the open.  For more information, please contact Bonnie (bonnie.bernstein@gmail.com).

Bonnie Bernstein, a Master Naturalist, member of the Rockbridge Bird Club, and Boxerwood education volunteer, is directing the Rockbridge Bluebird Conservation Project for Rockbridge Master Naturalists, the Bird Club and the City of Lexington. She will also serve as the online administrator for the Rockbridge NestWatch Community. 


Bonnie Bernstein


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