I will be presenting this West Virginia Spring Wildflower program for the Brooks Bird Club at the Schrader Environmental Education Center in Oglebay Park, Wheeling, WV.
The program is free and open to the public.
Left to right – Sharp-lobed Hepatica, Blue-eyed Mary, and Bloodroot (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Before my program there will be a Nature Walk at 5pm (in case of rain, there will be a social hour).
At 6pm we will share a potluck supper… bring a dish to share, your own beverage and table setting.
At 7pm, following some comments about club events and bird sightings, come with me, through my professional photos and stories, to enjoy some of West Virginia’s amazing wildflowers.
The tradition of excellent mountain nature studies for adults continues!
This marks the 94th year of Oglebay Institute’s Mountain Camp.
Come discover why West Virginia’s Nature is truly “Almost Heaven”!
At this year’s Mountain Nature Camp (Nature studies for adults) in Terra Alta, WV, I will be the botanist/naturalist. I will be identifying and teaching about the wildflowers and other plants at the camp and on most field trips. I will discuss identification, edibility, medicinal uses and other natural history information. I will also lead an optional hike in the Dolly Sods Wilderness area.
Top left clockwise… Scarlet Tanager, Velvet-foot Mushroom, Wild Columbine and Forest Log Millipede (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Typical Friday supper at Mountain Nature Camp… vegetarian menu is available (Photos (c) Jan Runyan)
The camp is designed for people with a variety of interests and all levels of experience and ability in Nature.
Our field trips to a wide variety of habitats and elevations in the beautiful WV mountains will focus on many aspects of Nature Study.
Campers who hiked ate lunch at the Rohrbaugh Plains Trail Overlook in the Dolly Sods Wilderness (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Facilities: Koehnline Lodge has a meeting room, a dining room and a professional kitchen. It is surrounded by meadows, Lake Terra Alta, and woods with trails. Our shower-house has flush toilets and private showers.
Lodging: Most campers sleep in their own tents in the camp’s woods or meadows (cots available). Some campers choose to make their own arrangements at nearby Alpine Lake Resort.
Meals: Home-cooked meals are made by experienced cooks, using many fresh, local ingredients. For full-day field trips, lunch is brought with us. Most special dietary needs can be accommodated.
Staff: Our staff includes experts in their fields, well-known naturalists, and professional nature interpreters who are distinguished for their knowledge and their ability to teach students at any level in Botany, Ornithology, Ecology, Natural History and other topics.
Lindy Point at Blackwater Falls State Park (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
This event is a tradition for people who love the wildflowers and birds of West Virginia!
Come discover why so many “pilgrims” return year after year! And why the “pilgrims” enjoy their friendships with some of the most knowledgeable and fun leaders in this part of the country.
On Thursday afternoon, you can attend special “get-started” programs like Jan’s “Birding Essentials for Everyone” workshop.
Jan teaching her “Birding Essentials for Everyone” class. (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Jan and I, along with leaders from the Brooks Bird Club, will be leading the early morning bird walks on Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings.
I am giving an introduction for the Friday morning bird walk. (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
On Friday and Saturday participants have a choice of a dozen or more day-long field trips to a wide variety of habitats and elevations. Trips range from “get out of the car to look at this amazing plant” to “must have hiking boots and drinking water to go on the wilderness hike”. Both Thursday and Friday end with an interesting program in the evening.
On Friday I will be leading the DOLLY SODS WILDERNESS HIKE: ROHRBAUGH PLAINS / WILDLIFE TRAILS
DRIVING MILES :60 HIKING MILES : 4 .5 Our drive takes us south on Route 32 through Canaan Valley. Approximately 2 miles south of Canaan we turn left onto Laneville Rd. and continue to the Rohrbaugh Plains trailhead on top of the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area. The trail is not a loop trail and one vehicle will have to be left at the Wildlife Trail trailhead. The hike begins through a mixed Red Spruce/deciduous woodland where we will be greeted with a variety of bird songs; mostly warblers — Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian, Ovenbird, Yellow-rumped, and Magnolia. This trail is rocky at times and eventually enters a mixed hardwood/evergreen forest. Lunch will be at the Rohrbaugh Plains vista looking south through the Red Creek Valley and west toward Rocky Point (Lion’s Head). The vista is one of the best scenic overlooks in West Virginia. The return hike is on the Wildlife Trail, a mostly open trail traveling through several meadows and bordered by deciduous woodlands. There will be opportunities for wildflower and bird identification, however, this tour’s primary focus is the spectacular beauty of Dolly Sods. Hiking shoes/boots are required. Appropriate rain gear is required. There will be restroom facilities available at the Dolly Sods Picnic Area before the hike.
Lunch at the Rohrbaugh Plains scenic vista. (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
On Friday Jan will be leading the CRANEVILLE SWAMP FIELD TRIP
TOTAL DRIVING MILES: 90 TOTAL WALKING MILES : 3 Travel US Route 219 to Oakland, MD, and follow country roads on the WV/MD border to find the Cranesville Swamp Nature Preserve managed by The Nature Conservancy. At Cranesville Swamp wind, water, mountain geology and temperature have created a beautiful and rare “frost pocket” (low area that collects moisture and cooler temperatures) reminiscent of Canadian environments. Eastern Hemlock, Red Spruce, and American Larch are some of the few trees in the acidic boreal bog. The northern relict wetland complex also supports a wide variety of smaller plants such as Goldthread, Trailing Arbutus, Gay Wings, several sundews, cranberry, several ferns, and many mosses. Nineteen diverse wetland communities surrounding the bog are home to such birds as Blackburnian, Magnolia, and Chestnut-sided Warblers, Alder Flycatcher, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Indigo Bunting, and Northern Saw-whet Owl. We’ll explore the boardwalk trail in the bog of the northern section of the swamp, and then venture off the trail into the seldom-visited fen at the southern part of the swamp. A restroom stop will be made at Oakland and “facilitrees” are available at Cranesville Swamp.
Cranesville Swamp Boardwalk (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
On Saturday I will be leading the NATURAL HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA WILDFLOWERSFIELD TRIP
Jan will be the birder on this trip.
RATING: 1 TOTAL DRIVING MILES: 28 This trip will go to Olson Fire Tower and then to Fernow Experimental Forest. There will be plenty of wildflowers and birds to identify. The major emphasis on this trip will be the folklore and natural history of the plants we find. The edibility, medicinal use, and poisonous qualities of many plants will be discussed. Restroom facilities will be available at our lunch stop at Mill Race Park in Parsons.
The WV Mountain State Bird Festival, coordinated from Blackwater Falls State Park, is a wonderful spring treat. On our way there this year, Jan and I visited some special wild areas. Our first stop was a wetland we wanted to explore for a future field trip which will show a group some interesting plants in the area. We accidentally discovered a large area of Pink Lady’s Slippers (𝐶𝑦𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑝𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑎𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑙𝑒) — 39 plants were in full flower and many others had already flowered or didn’t flower this year!
Pink Lady’s Slippers (Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Pink Lady’s Slipper (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
We were fascinated that the “slipper” part of the flower looks like a pair of lungs.
Pink Lady’s Slipper (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
When Jan and I are exploring wetlands we wear shoes that attach securely to our feet. Some areas of the bog can be ankle-deep or deeper in muck and water, so any footwear not securely fastened can easily be sucked off our feet as we walk. (See our post https://wordpress.com/post/wvbirder.wordpress.com/337 )
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
This year has been dry, so the bog was unusually dry. We didn’t have much drying-off to do before we continued to Blackwater Falls State Park.
On Friday afternoon I presented a program called “Learning Bird Songs”, and on Friday evening Jan presented her “Birding Essentials for Everyone” program. The people who attended our programs and field trips were birders and nature-lovers of all levels and a variety of interests.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Our group met at 6 am on Saturday morning for a field trip to Stuart Memorial Drive in Randolph County.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
This time of year the trees are leafed-out and, although we can easily hear the birds singing, they can be very difficult to see. Some of us did get glimpses of the Northern Parula, Black-throated Blue Warbler, and Chestnut-sided Warbler.
Northern Parula (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
We stopped at a variety of habitats looking at and listening to a variety of different kinds of birds.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
We were hoping to see and hear Mourning Warblers at Bickle Knob Tower and then eat lunch there. However, a large group had already arrived and were preparing to have a memorial service, making parking extremely tight. One person of their group came to the tower to warm up playing the bagpipes. It wasn’t the best situation for finding birds, so, after enjoying the amazing view from the top of the tower, we left to find a quieter, birdier lunch spot.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Later we heard a Mourning Warbler singing over and over again, but we weren’t able to see it. Some of us went into the woods to try to find it “just behind that tree over there”. Those who waited on the road glimpsed it as “a bird flying quickly away”. We did get lots of opportunity to learn the song.
Mourning Warbler (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Mourning Warbler song:
Another bird that is difficult to see is the Swainson’s Thrush, and we were lucky to hear two singing in competition. As with so many other birds we heard, we just couldn’t see either of them.
Swainson’s Thrush (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Swainson’s Thrush song:
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Of course, we did find some other interesting creatures besides the birds…we always do.
White Clintonia Lilies (𝐶𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑎) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
White Clintonia Lily (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Daddy-long-legs on Rock Tripe (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Later that evening I presented a program on the “Flycatchers of West Virginia”.
On Sunday morning we met at 6:30 am for a field trip to the Freeland Boardwalk in the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. One of the first birds we encountered was a Bobolink in the field adjacent to the boardwalk. As usual we heard it singing before we could see it.
Bobolink song:
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
As an appropriate follow-up to my program on the previous evening, a few Willow Flycatchers were singing, and Alder Flycatchers seemed to be everywhere.
Alder Flycatchers (Photos (c) Jan Runyan)
Swamp Sparrows were singing at several locations.
Swamp Sparrow (Video (c) Jan Runyan)
One of the highlights of the boardwalk was seeing a breeding pair of Green Herons. We first saw one skulking along one of the water courses apparently looking for food. Then they both flew to different perches and we all were able to get good views of them.
Green Heron (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Green Heron (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Green Heron (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
There were a number of Cedar Waxwings flying around and we could often hear their high-pitched, trilled “bzeee” song as we walked the boardwalk.
Cedar Waxwing (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
The extremely rare white form of the Pink Lady’s Slipper, which we had seen for the first time 5 years ago, was still there. We were glad to see that it had not been destroyed or removed by a misguided person who thought they could transplant it into their garden. That never works because of the complicated chemistry and fungi required by the plant, but sometimes uninformed people try and they end up destroying the plant so no one gets to enjoy it. It was lovely to see the plant thriving in its natural environment.
White form of the Pink Lady’s Slipper (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
After the Freeland Boardwalk we made one more stop nearby to see if we could locate Henslow’s Sparrows. The grass in the fields where the Henslow’s like to nest was still too short for the liking of this bird and we didn’t hear or see any. But that didn’t dampen our spirits, as several of our group demonstrated “Ballet Birding”.
(Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
We were also entertained by a pair of nesting Brown Thrashers continually flying back and forth taking insects to their hungry chicks.
Brown Thrasher with grasshopper. (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
After lunch Jo Santiago presented an amazing program with live raptors. All the birds she uses in her programs are birds who have been rehabilitated from injuries, but are not able to be released back into the wild. They have become her family. Her program is one of the best I have ever seen, and I have seen many nature-related programs. Visit Jo’s website for more information about her Flying Higher programs — https://www.flyinghigherllc.com/
Jo Santiago and the Bald Eagle, Freedom. (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Jan and I are blessed to be able to meet and spend time with such enjoyable, Nature-loving people, like Jo, Paulita Cousin (naturalist at Blackwater Falls SP) and those attending our programs and field trips. We all had a fantastic time in the Nature of Wild and Wonderful West Virginia.
On May 11-14 over 300 people celebrated spring birds and wildflowers in the Appalachian Mountains at the 61st West Virginia Wildflower Pilgrimage presented by the WV DNR and the WV Garden Club, Inc.! On Thursday pilgrims could attend 3 daytime programs at our host location, Blackwater Falls State Park. Birdwalks happened early on Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings. Then on Friday and Saturday pilgrims had a choice of 12 full-day field trips to a variety of amazing locations. Thursday and Friday concluded with evening programs and more, and a banquet finished the day on Saturday.
One of the Thursday workshops was Jan’s Birding Essentials for Everyone. Her program is offered each year and is enjoyed by birders of every ability and plant enthusiasts, too.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Bird Leaders from the Brooks Bird Club led early morning bird walks for pilgrims who enjoyed this wonderful way to start the day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings. I coordinate the walk and begin by introducing the leaders and talking a little about birds and birding. Then smaller groups form as we walk, listen to and look at birds.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
After the bird walk Jan knows where to find me. I take good advantage of my 30 minute wait before the cars for my Dolly Sods Wilderness Hike tour begin to line up for the drive up to Dolly Sods.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
This year’s hike was on the Rohrbaugh Plains and Wildlife Trails in the Dolly Sods Wilderness.
Pilgrims on Rohrbaugh Plains Trail (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Although we did identify some wildflowers and birds, the emphasis of the Dolly Sods hike was the scenic beauty of the wilderness.
Painted Trillium (𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑚) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Our lunch site was the Rohrbaugh Plains overlook, one of the most scenic overlooks in West Virginia.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
After lunch we continued our hike on the Wildlife Trail.
Pilgrims on Wildlife Trail (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Hiking through the open meadows we saw thousands of Green-Legged Grasshoppers hopping everywhere.
Green-Legged Grasshopper (𝑀𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑣𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑝𝑒𝑠) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Jan’s trip on Friday was to Cranesville Swamp in Preston County, WV. The short hike to get to the Cranesville Swamp boardwalk traverses some different habitats…
Pine/spruce woods at Cranesville Swamp (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
…which have a variety of interesting wildflowers.
Gaywings/Fringed Polygala (𝑃𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑔𝑎𝑙𝑎 𝑝𝑎𝑢𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑎) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Goldthread (𝐶𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑎) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Dwarf Ginseng (𝑃𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑥 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑢𝑠) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Foamflower (𝑇𝑖𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑎) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Field trips, walks, and explorations are great opportunities to find something unexpected, like this owl pellet with the fur, bones, teeth, and claws of some small mammal. One of the wonderful things about the Pilgrimage is the way everyone shares what they know, which is often quite extensive.
Owl pellet. (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Video (c) Jan Runyan
Jan’s group wasn’t the only one to visit the swamp.
Black Bear track. (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Black Bear scraping. (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
The raised boardwalk helps protect the swamp’s delicate ecosystem from being adversely impacted by regular intrusions from the many visitors.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
One of the unusual plants in the Cranesville Swamp is the Quillwort.
Quillwort (𝐼𝑠𝑜𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑠𝑝.) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
This larger, West Virginia part of Cranesville Swamp is an acidic bog of standing water. The plants there are much different from those on Maryland side of Cranesville Swamp, so, after lunch, the tour investigated the part few people know about or explore. This part of the Cranesville Swamp system has a definite stream flowing through it, over limestone rock, which changes the chemistry, making it a fen. A short walk through the nearby woods brought the pilgrims to the the higher, drier land near the flowing stream.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
There, the very different ecosystem is not so delicate. They explored the differences in land and plants. Birds, of course, were in both locations!
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
For the first time since Jan has been attending the Wildflower Pilgrimage, I arrived back at our cabin before she did. I had even showered before she got back. When I asked her about getting back so late, she had no explanation. It wasn’t until someone else on her trip mentioned stopping for ice cream at Saffiticker’s on the way back that I knew what had taken them so long.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
On Saturday Jan and I led the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge — Beall North Trail / Idleman’s Run Trail Walk for wildflowers and birds.
The Beall North Trail starts with long, expansive wet meadows which have occasional woodlands on one side of the trail.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
In the summer months these meadows will be full of waist high Bracken Ferns (𝑃𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑎𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑚) which were then just little fiddleheads.
Bracken Fern (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
The rainy day was inviting to creatures that like wet weather.
Red Eft Salamander (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
There is part of a camouflaged Pickerel Frog in this photo.
Camouflaged Pickerel Frog (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
We heard many birds but they remained well-hidden in the trees and shrubs.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
For almost the entire length of the Beall Trail North we were serenaded by the ethereal song of the Hermit Thrush.
Many people are attracted to all the intricate and beautiful patterns in nature. Here, a long dead and decaying tree stump is providing a place for tiny mosses and lichens to grow.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
After lunch we traveled to Idleman’s Run Trail for an afternoon walk on what I consider the prettiest and botanically richest trail in the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge.
Idelman’s Run (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
After parking the cars in the parking area at the top of Idelman’s Run Trail, we walked down the road to start at the lower end of the trail. There was much to see along the road. One of the pilgrims said, “We could do the whole walk just along the roadway! There’s so much to see.”
Here I was teaching about the medicinal virtues of Yarrow (𝐴𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑎 𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑢𝑚) ( (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Yarrow leaves. (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Witches’ Butter Jelly Fungus (𝑇𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝑚𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
A wildflower-lined, gated roadway runs a short distance from the Forest Service road to the beginning of Idleman’s Run Trail.
Two-leaved Toothwort (𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑝ℎ𝑦𝑙𝑙𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Hooked Crowfoot/Buttercup (𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑠) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Common Mouse-ear Chickweed (𝐶𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑓𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑢𝑚) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Idelman’s Run Trail (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
We saw 4 species of violets with flowers, and several other species that had not yet flowered or had already flowered.
Common Blue Violet (𝑉𝑖𝑜𝑙𝑎 𝑠𝑜𝑟𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑎) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Striped White Violet (𝑉𝑖𝑜𝑙𝑎 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑎) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Long-spurred Violet (𝑉𝑖𝑜𝑙𝑎 𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑎) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Sweet White Violet (𝑉𝑖𝑜𝑙𝑎 𝑏𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
As usual, we didn’t get to see all the wonderful plants along Idleman’s Run. We had to return to Blackwater Falls State Park in time to shower and go to the evening banquet. Regardless of the weather, the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge and Blackwater Falls State Park offer many interesting and even some rare creatures and plants.
On Sunday, we ended our weekend by having brunch with friends at the Bright Morning Inn Cafe.
This is only a small taste of the trips and locations visited by the Wildflower Pilgrimage. The interesting excursions and the great leaders are why so many pilgrims and leaders return year after year to this wonderful event. West Virginia truly is wild and wonderful!
Ralph K. Bell was a mentor, role model and friend to a great many people. He passed 9 years ago and many people still feel the loss. This year’s Ralph K. Bell Memorial Walk and Picnic was another way for some of us to celebrate his life and what he meant to us personally and to the science of birding in general. It was a beautiful day.
Ralph and Jan at the 2011 Bell Farm Walk. (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
As usual, Jan and I showed up early so I could help participants know where to park their cars.
While people were arriving we were serenaded by many Red-winged Blackbirds nesting in the large nearby grassy meadows and by Purple Martins in their gourd nestboxes. The home, next door, where Ralph was born is now the residence of Ralph’s grandson C. David and his wife Leah. We met at the home where Ralph lived most of his life which is now the second home of Ralph’s son David and his wife Ruth. Both homes have wonderful plantings, flower beds, gardens and, of course, lots of places for birds to eat, nest and roost. Nearby are the plantings of the Bell Christmas Tree Farm.
Male Red-winged Blackbird (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Many birds also make this area their home throughout the year. On the Bell Farm there are nesting American Kestrels, Purple Martins, Tree Swallows, and Eastern Bluebirds in various nest boxes.
Female American Kestrel (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Eastern Bluebird on nest box with caterpillar. (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
The walk is sponsored by The Ralph K. Bell Bird Club of Greene County, PA. We started with a greeting and introduction by Marjorie Howard for the bird club and C. David for the Bell family.
Greetings and introductions. (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Jan with the Bell family representatives, David, Leah, and C. David. (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Even as we went down the driveway and started down the road, the large group broke into smaller groups, which is typical of bird walks.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Right away we began to pay attention to the multitude of bird songs around us. There were a number of birding experts to help with the identification of the birds everyone was seeing and hearing.
Male Scarlet Tanager (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Kentucky Warbler (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Louisiana Waterthrush (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Larry “Scope” Helgerman was able to show everyone, up close and personal, nests of an Acadian Flycatcher and a Wood Thrush.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Acadian Flycatcher on nest (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Wood Thrush on nest (Photo (c) Larry Helgerman)
We also enjoyed and identified wildflowers.
Miami Mist (𝑃ℎ𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑎 𝑝𝑢𝑟𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑖) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Four-leaved Milkweed (𝐴𝑠𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑝𝑖𝑎𝑠 𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑎) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
After we walked a long mile through several different habitats, we arrived at “the bridge” — our turn-around point. The walk back (and car rides up the last hill) were faster since we knew what was waiting for us.
“The bridge.” (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
There is always a picnic under the majestic spreading Tulip Popular tree after the Ralph Bell Bird Walk, but this year the Ralph K. Bell Bird Club took this opportunity to do some club business, too. They provided part of the meal and invited attendees to bring something to share. Then, after lunch, we honored this year’s two 2023 Ralph K. Bell scholarship winners who are high school seniors from Greene County, PA.
Delicious lunch in a perfect setting (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Finally, after celebratory cake and Krispy Kreme doughnuts, we went over the bird list from the day, adding species that had been seen or heard by small groups, but not yet reported. (Jan and I didn’t hear the final total number of species.) We all had a wonderful day celebrating Ralph, young nature lovers, plants and, especially, birds!
Well… it was just one of those days, the kind of day that calls and says, “Come out, come out! It’s a beautiful day, and there is much to see!”
I didn’t go far. I didn’t have to. Looking closely at tiny things, and seemingly insignificant things I was where I wanted to be… surrounded by Creation.
Some plants, because of the time of year, were predictable. Having spent so much time outside, all my life, I knew where to find certain wildflowers and other plants without their fancy faces. And even though I’ve seen them thousands of times, I continue to be amazed and excited.
There were some plants whose faces most people rarely see, but who are exceedingly beautiful. I walked to several trees I knew would be in flower.
Red Maple (𝐴𝑐𝑒𝑟 𝑟𝑢𝑏𝑟𝑢𝑚) tree flowers (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Silver Maple (𝐴𝑐𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑎𝑐𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑚) tree flowers (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
American Elm (𝑈𝑙𝑚𝑢𝑠 𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑎) tree flowers (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
One plant on our property, especially in our gardens, can have flowers every month of the year. It is Common Chickweed (𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎 𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎).
Common Chickweed (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Not far into the damp woods I found a close relative of the Common Chickweed.
Great Chickweed / Star Chickweed (Stellaria pubera) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Another wildflower is so common I trample one about every 10 steps. The flowers are tiny and go unnoticed by most people.
Hairy Bittercress (𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒 ℎ𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑢𝑡𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
I decided to walk to a nearby seep to see another bittercress.
Pennsylvania Bittercress (𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑦𝑙𝑣𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
I was surprised to see so many Spring Beauty flowers.
Virginia Spring Beauty (𝐶𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑣𝑖𝑟𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
There are many Northern Spicebush (𝐿𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑎 𝑏𝑒𝑛𝑧𝑜𝑖𝑛) shrubs on our property and even though they are in flower, the tiny yellow flowers are often overlooked.
Northern Spicebush flowers (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
The Cutleaf Toothwort (𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑎) was forming flower buds and some seemed ready to burst open.
Cutleaf Toothwort (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
And, of course, there were a great many plants without their flower faces… too many to show them all, but here are a few.
Mayapple (𝑃𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑦𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑚 𝑝𝑒𝑙𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑚) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Hairy Woodmint ( 𝐵𝑙𝑒𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑎 ℎ𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑢𝑡𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Ivy-leaved Speedwell (𝑉𝑒𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑎 ℎ𝑒𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Not everything beautiful and very noticeable was a plant.
A fungus (𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑧𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑠𝑝.) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Any day is a great day to get out and explore nature. Studies suggest we nature-loving people live longer. The beauty is endless. And the exercise is wonderful. So it does great things for your heart in more than one way.
Andy worked closely with me years ago when I was beginning my Eastern Screech-owl research. After graduate school in Oregon, he spent his career in Alaska with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game. We have kept in touch over the decades. This year he returned to West Virginia for an extended stay with family and at Oglebay Institute’s Mountain Nature Camp. Then we planned to meet him and other friends at Canaan Valley for some hiking.
Jan and I had been busy teaching the previous week and were anxious to check into the cabin we shared with Andy at Canaan Valley State Park. Upon arrival we had a unique experience. It went from shock and surprise to eventually laughter. We had found perhaps the squeakiest bed in all of the United States, and it was in one of West Virginia’s premiere Resort State Parks. And Jan and I got to sleep on it! WOW, how did we get so lucky?! (Be sure your sound is “on”.)
Video (c) Jan Runyan
In the morning we were graced with a much more pleasing sound: the ethereal song of the Hermit Thrush.
We gathered our other hiking friends, packed lunches and got going. As a warmup to other wonderful things yet to come, we first hiked the Blackwater River Trail.
Photo (c) Cindy Slater
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Twelve-spotted Skimmer Dragonfly (𝐿𝑖𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑙𝑎 𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
This is a little gem of a trail that goes through a variety of habitats from forests to wetlands and always has interesting things to see and learn about.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Hemlock Varnish Shelf/Reishi Mushroom (𝐺𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑎 𝑡𝑠𝑢𝑔𝑎𝑒) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Although we didn’t see the beavers, themselves, it was clear they had been working to re-engineer the landscape.
Beaver dam (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
A field of “patterned rocks” is evidence of the intense cold in the area during the time when glaciers were not too far away.
Patterned Rock (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
A short distance from the river trail, we stopped to listen for a Sedge Wren that had been singing there earlier in the year. We didn’t hear the wren, but we do always find something interesting — nature is like that — always interesting. Jan photographed the Bird’s-foot Trefoil (𝐿𝑜𝑡𝑢𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑠), a very pretty introduced plant common along roadways.
Top photo (c) Bill Beatty; bottom photo (c) Jan Runyan
After lunch we took a road trip to a secret location to see some of the most interesting and rarest plants in West Virginia.
The Showy Lady’s Slipper (𝐶𝑦𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑝𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑒) is known to be in only 2 locations in West Virginia — in Tucker and Greenbrier Counties — unlike its cousin the Pink Lady’s Slipper which is much more common.
Showy Lady’s Slipper (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Top photo (c) Bill Beatty; bottom photo (c) Jan Runyan
While the Showy Lady’s Slippers were breath-taking, there were other remarkable flowers nearby, too.
Fringed Loosestrife (𝐿𝑦𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑎 𝑐𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Greater Purple Fringed Bog Orchid (𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑎 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑎) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
White Fringed Bog Orchid (𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑎 𝑏𝑙𝑒𝑝ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑙𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑖𝑠) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Bog Jacob’s Ladder (𝑃𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑣𝑎𝑛𝑏𝑟𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑒) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Unripened fruits of Glade Spurge (𝐸𝑢𝑝ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑏𝑖𝑎 𝑝𝑢𝑟𝑝𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑎) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Canada Lily (𝐿𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑒) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Happy to be in such a special place. (Left photo (c) Bill Beatty; right photo (c) Jan Runyan)
We celebrated this special day with a supper feast at Siriani’s Cafe in Davis, West Virginia.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
The next morning we gathered again, drove up Forest Service Road 19 to the Rohrbaugh Plains Trailhead, and spent most of the day hiking and exploring the Rohrbaugh Plains and Wildlife Trails in the Dolly Sods Wilderness.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Three of the 7 of us use hiking sticks and find them very useful and comfortable when hiking.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Pinwheel Marasmius Mushrooms (𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑚𝑖𝑢𝑠 𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑢𝑙𝑎) (Left photo (c) Jan Runyan; right photo (c) Bill Beatty)
In many places along the Rohrbaugh Plains Trail, the fallen Mountain Laurel (𝐾𝑎𝑙𝑚𝑖𝑎 𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑎) flowers looked like hail stones.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Jan said the sun-dappled rocks looked to her like dragon knuckles….luckily we didn’t awaken the dragons sleeping just below the thin layer of soil and needle duff.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Our lunch was at the Rohrbaugh Plains Trail Overlook, one of the most scenic spots in West Virginia.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Photo (c) Lee Miller
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Somehow we just didn’t seem as interested in daring the edges of the rocks as we would have when we were younger.
Our last destination was a leisurely morning walk on the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge’s Freeland Boardwalk Trail.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Two of the most common birds seen along the boardwalk are Cedar Waxwings and Barn Swallows.
Cedar Waxwing (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Barn Swallow (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Swamp Sparrows are often heard along the boardwalk, but not often seen.
Swamp Sparrow video (c) Jan Runyan
There are so many wonderful, special places in the mountains of West Virginia. We had fun together visiting a few of them. But, don’t ask! I won’t tell the secret!
Photo (c) Lee Miller
Showy Lady’s Slipper (𝐶𝑦𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑝𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑒) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Jan and I had a very busy spring/summer teaching about the wonders of Nature. After a week teaching at one of our favorite venues, we packed up and went right to Canaan Valley in the WV mountains to share time with some of the very best students of Nature. On Friday night we stayed with our friends Andy and Bruce who took great care of us at Timberline Resort. On Saturday we had a full day of teaching for the Canaan Valley Chapter of Master Naturalists of WV. From our past experience with Master Naturalists, we knew we would have a great time feeding their passion for learning about Nature.
The Birding Essentials class started early in the morning. After Jan did a short introduction, I took the group outside to demonstrate birding by ear.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Since this was the end of June, there were fewer birds singing, but that meant we could spend more time analyzing the songs of the birds we did hear. Here are a few of the birds we heard that morning. (Click on photos to enlarge, click again to make even larger. Click back button to return to blog.)
Left to right — Chipping Sparrow, Female Northern Cardinal, Gray Catbird, and House Wren (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Then Jan taught about Birding Essentials in the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Identifying birds becomes easier once a person trains their brain to notice the small differences in things like the shape of the head, size and shape of the bill, angle of attachment of the bill, color of the eyes, colors around the eyes, feather patterns on the head and neck, and shape and orientation of the neck.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan and Bill Beatty; PowerPoint slide (c) Jan Runyan
Birds’ tails can tell a lot about how they live, like the stiff tail feathers of woodpeckers and others that perch on the sides of tree trunks. Sometimes tails feathers help birders easily tell the difference between species which have otherwise similar sizes, shapes and colors.
Photos (c) Bill Beatty and Jan Runyan; PowerPoint slide (c) Jan Runyan
Does birding give you the Blues? Sure it does!
Photos (c) Jan Runyan; PowerPoint slide (c) Jan Runyan
In the afternoon I taught a Botany – Identification and Natural History class along Idleman’s Run Trail at one of the most beautiful locations in the Refuge. The trail follows part of Idelman’s Run gently uphill through an interesting variety of habitats which produce a wide variety of plants.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
We had been to this same location a month and a half earlier. Now different flowers were in bloom, but the area was still a real treat with flowers both big and very, very small.
Bishop’s Cap/Miterwort (𝑀𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝑑𝑖𝑝ℎ𝑦𝑙𝑙𝑎) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Canada Lily (𝐿𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑒) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Hooked Crowfoot (𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑠) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Wood Nettle (𝐿𝑎𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑎 𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑠) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Meehania Mint (𝑀𝑒𝑒ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
In the evening I presented a program about Mushrooms and Slime Molds at the Visitors Center. A long-time friend, Chip, owner and operator of the White Grass Ski Touring Center (https://whitegrass.com/) was at the program and we had a good time reminiscing about mushroom adventures.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
Both mushrooms and slime molds come in a rainbow of colors and countless shapes. Here are a few of the mushrooms we discussed.
Turkey Tail Mushroom (𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑟) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Fly Amanita Mushroom (𝐴𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑎 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Yellow Morel Mushrooms (𝑀𝑜𝑟𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝑒𝑠𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Chicken-of-the-woods Mushroom (𝐿𝑎𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑢𝑠 𝑠𝑢𝑙𝑝ℎ𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑢𝑠) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Shellfish Brittlegill Mushroom (𝑅𝑢𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑙𝑎 𝑥𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty) This is one of my favorite wild mushrooms to eat.
A WORD OF CAUTION — before anyone considers eating wild mushrooms, they should be familiar with the identification of a wide variety of mushrooms by study and experience with experts. Some mushrooms are poisonous and a few are deadly. If you are not sure, get your mushrooms from the supermarket — many are very tasty.
The Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge is near to so many fantastic natural areas — Canaan Valley State Park, Blackwater Falls State Park, Dolly Sods Wilderness area, Otter Creek Wilderness, Canaan Loop Road, the Canyon Rim Road/Big Run Bog area, Fernow Experimental Forest, and many remote roadways, hollows and runs. Jan and I have been fortunate to be able to explore much of this area. It is a great location to see and hear Appalachian Nature at its finest. But, throughout the scores of Nature classes, tours, and workshops I have taught in this area since 1977, the best part for me has been the thousands of people we have met who share our love of Nature and passion for learning about it. They’re the best!
Campers arrived on Sunday afternoon and our first official event, other than greeting friends and getting to know new campers, was supper.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Meals at Mountain Nature Camp are not typical camp-type food. We have our own chef and meals are made from scratch with local produce. Vegetarian options are available.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
Each evening, weather permitting, we had a campfire where we got to know each other, shared interesting discoveries of the day, sang songs and told stories.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Each day there was an early morning Bird Walk… usually out the camp lane and then turning left or right along Terra Alta Lake Road.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
Mountain Nature Camp is on 18 acres, part peninsula, which border Terra Alta Lake.
On Monday we stayed on the camp property learning about birds and botany. Larry taught the birding classes.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
I taught the botany classes.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Partridge Berry (𝑀𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑠) flowers were almost everywhere we looked in the shaded woodlands of the camp property. The 2 flowers are fused at their base. The fused ovaries produce one red berry-like fruit which has two dimples from the two flower structures. The flowers have 4 petals, 4 stamens, and 4 stigmas (hard to see) on one style. The oblong fruit has 8 seeds from the two flowers.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Another common camp property plant we talked about was Indian Cucumber-root (𝑀𝑒𝑑𝑒𝑜𝑙𝑎 𝑣𝑖𝑟𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑎). The root tastes and smells like a cucumber. It was used by Native Americans for food, but due to its scarcity in some places, digging is not recommended.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
During our botany exploration, Len showed us slime molds he had discovered earlier.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
Each spring there is a Mountain Nature Camp reunion weekend when past campers visit and get the facilities and grounds ready for that year’s camp. This year Chuck, with help, built 2 new sturdy bridges across difficult areas that connect the Forest Buchanan Trail and the Libby Bartholomew Trail. Chuck also took the “male” and “female” symbols from the old shower house and repurposed them for the new shower house. They bring back fond memories of the “old” TA (“Terra Alta”) Quonset hut and facilities.
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
On Tuesday Greg Park visited camp to lead a morning class about reptiles and amphibians. Boards and pieces of metal have been left for years at strategic places in the woods places for “herps” to live.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
We found Slimy Salamanders and Red-backed Salamanders. After studying, the animals were returned to their original locations
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
On Tuesday afternoon the camp took a field trip to the Rock Maze at nearby Snaggy Mountain in Garrett State Forest.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
There were many warblers singing from nearby trees.
Hooded Warbler (Photo (c) Stephen John Davies)
Large stands of ferns were everywhere.
Left – Cinnamon Ferns (𝑂𝑠𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎 𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑎𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑎); right – Interrupted Ferns (𝐶𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑡𝑜𝑠𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑎) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Top – Christmas Ferns (𝑃𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑢𝑚 𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑠); bottom – Rock Polypody Ferns (𝑃𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑣𝑖𝑟𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑢𝑚) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
At the end of the trail are some huge, fascinating rock formations and incredible tree roots. It’s truly a-mazing in there!
Photos (c) Bill Beatty and Jan Runyan
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
Mountain Laurel (𝐾𝑎𝑙𝑚𝑖𝑎 𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑎) was flowering all along the trail.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
On Wednesday we traveled to nearby Cathedral State Park a Registered National Landmark. At the parking, lot campers quickly found a wide variety of wildflowers. I sat down among the flowers and we identified and talked about them.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
Cathedral State Park has the state’s largest old-growth forest and contains one of the largest stands of virgin hemlock trees in West Virginia.
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
Jan enjoys doing videos of “peaceful water”, for the soothing sounds.
Video (c) Jan Runyan
On some of the dead hemlock trees there was an abundance of Hemlock Varnish Fungus (𝐺𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑎 𝑡𝑠𝑢𝑔𝑎𝑒). Ganoderma tsugae is prized in the alternative medical community by virtue of its very close relationship to Lingzhi, a Ganoderma species with a 2000 year history of medicinal use in China.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
We ate lunch at and explored Chestnut Heights in the afternoon. I have visited and led field trips at Chestnut Heights numerous times. It has an abundance of wildflower and bird species not often encountered in most of West Virginia.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
Chestnut Heights has quite a panoramic view – *note the Indigo Bunting singing.
Video (c) Jan Runyan
We returned to camp for supper and later that evening Paul Shaw from the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve presented an excellent moth program. After an indoor program we all went outside where lights and a white sheet were set up to attract moths.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
On Thursday the campers split into two groups for two very different field trips. I led a hike into the Dolly Sods Wilderness and the other group, via car caravan, explored areas between camp and Blackwater Falls State Park. The most popular stops for the car caravan were a farm with numerous Purple Martin towers and Lindy Point Overlook, the best scenic overlook at Blackwater Falls State Park.
In Pleasant Valley outside of Oakland, MD, Mr. and Mrs. Schrock showed campers how they care for and keep records about the dozens of Purple Martins in their nesting boxes. Each set of nesting boxes was lowered and each individual box was checked. If there was a nest, the chicks were examined for blow-flies. If the flies were found, the nesting material was changed. All chicks were counted: 148 young Purple Martins plus some eggs! Some of the nestlings were so young it was hard to imagine how they could lift their heads to be fed. Some older nestlings had quite a few feathers already. The presence of the campers did not seem to bother the adult birds. It didn’t take long to lower, check, and raise each set of boxes, and the adults immediately returned once each “bird apartment building” was back in place.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
Video (c) Jan Runyan
Video (c) Jan Runyan
My wilderness hike began on a short section of Blackbird Knob Trail, then we struck out cross-country for a long time, eventually meeting up with Blackbird Knob Trail again, and finishing on the Beatty Labyrinth. There were 19 stream crossings, but the low water made those easy. It was a beautiful day with perfect weather for enjoying the amazing scenery and Nature in Dolly Sods Wilderness.
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
Both groups met for a picnic supper at the Pendleton Point Shelter at Blackwater Falls State Park.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
Jan and I had to leave a day early so we could teach some all-day classes for the Canaan Valley Master Naturalist program on Saturday, so on Friday we had to pack up. While we were drying and folding our tent and packing equipment, the campers were working with Jess Reger learning about Nature journaling. We did stay for dinner where we said our goodbyes since we would miss the last campfire.
The 90+ year camping tradition at Oglebay Institute’s Mountain Nature Camp is always an enjoyable time for us — visiting life-long friends, meeting new people destined to become friends, learning about the mysteries and fascinations of Nature, and enjoying time in fabulous, unique places.
Jan and I had another great weekend with wonderful people.
The weekend began with Jan’s Friday afternoon program, Birding Essentials for Everyone.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Following Jan’s program we went to Siriani’s for supper where we met our special friend, Cindy, who later joined us for programs and field trips.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
On Friday evening I presented my program, Thrushes of West Virginia.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
To me, the thrushes sing the most beautiful songs.
Wood Thrush
Wood Thrush song –
Veery
Veery Song –
Hermit Thrush
Hermit Thrush song (my favorite) –
With that beginning, a focus of the weekend was to hear these 3 thrushes and others. Although we heard only 1 Wood Thrush, we heard many Hermit Thrushes and many, many Veerys.
Early on Saturday morning we began our all-day field trip to Big Run Bog, Olson Fire Tower, and Fernow Forest. At Big Run Bog we saw and heard many different birds.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
One of the target birds I was hoping to find was the Northern Waterthrush, a warbler. Some times at the bog I don’t see or hear it, but on this trip it sang, and sang, and sang from the time we arrived to the time we left.
Northern Waterthrush
Some of the most interesting plants in all of West Virginia are in Olson Bog.
Looking at and photographing insectivorous plants in the bog. (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Insect-eating Roundleaf Sundew (𝐷𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑎 𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑎) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Insect-eating Pitcher Plants (𝑆𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑝𝑢𝑟𝑝𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑎) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
On our way to Olson Fire Tower we heard and saw some of West Virginia’s most beautiful birds, including the Indigo Bunting.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Male Indigo Bunting
A few brave people climbed the fire tower.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
After lunch at Mill Race Park in Parsons, WV, we took a stroll along the river and looked for swallows under the highway bridge.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Then we went into nearby Fernow Forest. It was late in the day (for the birds) and so there were fewer sightings and songs. One we did hear frequently was the Blue-headed Vireo, sometimes called “the spectacled bird”, because it appears to be wearing eyeglasses when viewed from the front.
Blue-headed Vireo
Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Male Scarlet Tanager (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
The Saturday evening program was presented by the The Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia. They brought several live raptors as part of their education and outreach program which demonstrates the ways birds are important to healthy ecosystems.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
Our Sunday morning field trip was to Canaan Loop Road. Our first stop, about a mile along the road, was at a large stand of Red Spruce. There we heard birds expected in that habitat: Golden-crowned Kinglets, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Black-throated Green Warblers, and Brown Creepers.
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Black-throated Green Warbler
Brown Creeper
A short distance away we found some beautiful and interesting wildflowers.
Yellow Clintonia Lily/Bluebead Lily (𝐶𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑠) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Pink Lady’s Slipper (𝐶𝑦𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑝𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑎𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑙𝑒) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
As we continued along the road, we visited a variety of habitats.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
There were Veerys singing at most of the stops we made. The most common warblers we encountered were Common Yellowthroats and Black-throated Blues.
Common Yellowthroat
Black-throated Blue Warbler
One of the last stops we made was at a large wetland.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
There we heard and saw a Swamp Sparrow. In the video below, Willow Flycatchers can be heard in the background.
Swamp Sparrow video (c) Jan Runyan
Jan and I later met some of the participants at Sirianni’s Restaurant for a delicious, fun late lunch. It was one of those weekends that we didn’t want to end. It felt like we were saying goodbye to new family members.
Jan and I hope that in our next nature adventure with a new group of people we will have as great a time as we did at this Mountain State Bird Discovery Weekend. We feel blessed to be doing what we do, and especially blessed to meet and get to know so many delightful people.
Most years on our way to the WV Wildflower Pilgrimage at Blackwater Falls State Park, Jan and I stop at the Hemlock Hiking Trail in Coopers Rock State Forest to warm up to our weekend of outdoor activity. This year was no different.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
When Jan chose her coat, she didn’t realize that she had stumbled onto the color of the day!
Immediately surrounded by lots of birds we hadn’t seen or heard in months, we descended the trail through a wooded hillside down to Lick Run. This beautiful stream often runs high, but a sturdy bridge makes it possible to cross without boots getting soaked.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
By the stream it was difficult to hear the spring songs of the migrating birds so we concentrated on plants for a while. Turning left, the first part of the trail is always a great place to compare several kinds of violets the West Virginia woods offer.
Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Sweet White Violet (Viola blanda) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Round-leaved Violet (Viola rotundifolia) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Although we didn’t see the Round-leaved Violets flowering at this time, their attractive leaves were all along the trail. This photo was taken at another visit in March.
The upper part of the trail traversed deciduous woodlands filled with singing warblers. The understory of those trees offered singing thrushes, wildflowers and other nature.
Windflower/Wood Anemone (Anemonoides nemorosa) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Ill-scented Trillium (Trillium erectum) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Painted Trillium (Trillium undulatum) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Wood Fern fiddleheads (Dryopteris sp.) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Last year’s Christmas Fern fronds and this year’s new fiddleheads (Polystichum acrostichoides) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
The lower, return part of the Hemlock Hiking Trail loop goes along Little Laurel Run and follows a path lined with majestic and smaller Eastern Hemlock trees.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
The stream! The geology! The mosses! Everywhere there were wonderful things to see, hear, smell and touch!
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Partridge Berry (Mitchella repens) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Refreshed with memories of wonderful birdsongs and plants, we returned to our car and continued on to Blackwater Falls State Park and the WV Wildflower Pilgrimage.
Jan’s “Birding Essentials” program on Thursday afternoon was well attended and was a great start to the 4-day Wildflower Pilgrimage.
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
On Thursday night I presented a program about “Northern Saw-whet Owl Studies” to all the Wildflower Pilgrimage attendees.
Northern Saw-whet Owl (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Friday was WET! My Dolly Sods Wilderness Hike was quite an experience. I have hiked Dolly Sods by myself when the streams were incredibly high and dangerous, but not as a leader of a group of some seasoned and not-so-seasoned hikers. I decided that, although the water was high, it wasn’t so high as to be considered life-threatening, although a few of the hikers might disagree. We had 19 stream crossings, but usually they only require stepping on one or two exposed rocks to get across. The crossing of Red Creek is usually the only one we sometimes have to wade with bare feet or sandals. But constant rain made this quite a different trip.
Crossing Red Creek (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Once across, we continued on our way through the wilderness to our mid-way lunch spot.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
At lunch the heavens opened and it rained, and rained, and rained, causing the streams to quickly rise a LOT! And the remaining 17 stream crossings, which are usually dry, easy steps, became increasingly more difficult.
Crossing Alder Run (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Due to the constant rain, I couldn’t take any more photos. We had to wade the stream 16 more times. (No, there just isn’t another easier way out from that particular area.) The hike took considerably longer than usual and we knew we would be late getting back for supper, showers and the evening meeting.
Then, to add to our delay, there was a large tree across the road out of the wilderness and we had to make a significant detour.
We got back 3 hours later than we should have. However, I still believe: The worst day on Dolly Sods is better than the best day anywhere else.
Jan’s tour on Friday to Cranesville Swamp was less eventful and more Nature-oriented. Although her group didn’t experience a deluge, they did have a fairly constant light rain, preventing her from taking many photos.
Brian Streets was the botanist on the Cranesville Swamp tour. (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
The West Virginia part of Cranesville Swamp is an acidic bog which has some very unusual plants.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Every year Jan wonders if she will be able to find the Goldthread again, and so far the area has not disappointed. It was a little early to find the insectivorous Sundew plants at the edges of the water.
Goldthread (Coptis trifolia) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
When the rain was lighter, birder Kathy Kern helped the pilgrims identify birds they were hearing. Part of the far end of the boardwalk was under several inches of water, which kept some of the pilgrims from going any farther. After reaching the Hemlock grove beyond the end of the boardwalk, all but 2 pilgrims turned back to avoid even worse mud. The father/daughter team that went all the way around arrived back at the beginning of the boardwalk before those who had turned around.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
The field trip ended with a short stop at the Maryland end of Cranesville Swamp to look out over the alkaline wetland fen.
On Friday night Jan presented, “Allegheny Front Migration Observatory: Over 50 Years of Bird Migration and Sunrises“, to all the Wildflower Pilgrimage attendees.
Bird banders at the Allegheny Front Migration Observatory (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Kirtland’s Warbler at the Allegheny Front Migration Observatory (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Sunrise at the Allegheny Front Migration Observatory (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
On Saturday, Jan and I led the tour called, “Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge Hike“. Like Friday, it was rainy, but the showers were more intermittent.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Our walk on the Beall Tract of the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge was through areas of woodlands and large open wetland-meadows. Along the trail through a woodland part we encountered a mystery plant.
Mystery plant (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
We continued to see this mystery plant each time the trail traversed a woodland. After managing to find the mystery plant in different stages of growth, we determined that these plants were American Beech tree seedlings, shortly after germination.
American Beech tree seedling (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
There were many wildflowers along our route on the Beall Trail North and then after lunch along the Idleman’s Run Trail.
Dwarf Ginseng (Panax trifolius) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
We saw several kinds of violets including Long-spurred Violets (Viola rostrata).
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
Bishop’s Cap/Miterwort (Mitella diphylla) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
The cool, wet weather didn’t dampen the interest of our National Wildlife Refuge explorers.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Two-leaved Toothwort (Cardamine diphylla) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
The last creature we found and talked about was a Red Eft, which is the juvenile, terrestrial stage of the Eastern Red-spotted Newt Salamander.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
On Saturday night at the banquet and at Sunday morning activities, we enjoyed sharing “rain stories” with people who had gone on other trips (the trips eastward into the “rain shadow” of the mountains were the driest), and catching up with many friends from past pilgrimages and other Nature events in “Wonderful West Virginia”.
Since the beginning of the West Virginia Wildflower Pilgrimage, we have had freezing cold, stifling hot, very wet, and amazingly beautiful weekends. However, there is a constant that applies to every Pilgrimage — they are all educational and terrifically fun!
Holt Lodge at Cedar Lakes Conference Center, Ripley, WV
On Friday, as we traveled to the Fall Reunion/Meeting of the Brooks Bird Club, our first stop was for an early lunch at Coleman’s Fish Market in Wheeling, WV, for “the world’s best fish sandwich” and scrumptious lobster bisque soup.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
After we arrived at Cedar Lakes Conference Center in Ripley, WV, Jan was immediately involved in a meeting. I, of course, went hiking. One of the first things I found was a leaf rosette of Great Mullein (𝑉𝑒𝑟𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑐𝑢𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑠𝑢𝑠).
The bottom photo shows the Great Mullein in full flower as it looked earlier in the year. (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
There were Pawpaw (𝐴𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑙𝑜𝑏𝑎) groves in many places with lots of young trees around the older ones.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
The cones and branches of Virginia Pine (𝑃𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑠 𝑣𝑖𝑟𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑎) had fallen everywhere along the trail, possibly from a wind storm which blew through earlier in the year. There was life everywhere – trees, herbaceous plants, squirrels, and a multitude of bird chips, calls and some songs.
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
My mind must have been on up-coming Halloween since, in fallen branches and tree stumps, I saw spooky nature patterns and even imaginary faces.
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
There wasn’t a lot of fall color, but the Flowering Dogwoods (𝐶𝑜𝑟𝑛𝑢𝑠 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑎) were beginning to change.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
In the distance an unusual shade of green caught my attention. It was a beautiful grouping of Pin Cushion Moss (𝐿𝑒𝑢𝑐𝑜𝑏𝑟𝑦𝑢𝑚 𝑔𝑙𝑎𝑢𝑐𝑢𝑚).
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
This late in the season, plants in flower were nearly impossible to find. However, I did find two nettles in bloom: Clearweed (𝑃𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑎 𝑝𝑢𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑎) and what appeared, at first, to be Wood Nettle (𝐿𝑎𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑎 𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑠) except that Wood Nettle has alternate leaves but this nettle had opposite leaves.
Left photo: Clearweed; right photo: unknown (to me) nettle (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
That evening I presented the program, “Northern Saw-whet Owl Studies.” Jan and I described our owl research and answered questions.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Jan with a Northern Saw-whet Owl caught in a mist net. (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Our granddaughter, Lila, releasing a Northern Saw-whet Owl we caught and banded in 2020. (Video (c) Jan Runyan)
After breakfast on Saturday a majority of the group went by car caravan in search of birds. Most of the areas they visited were wetlands, water impoundments, streams and rivers in search of waterbirds. I offered to lead a hike on the Bear Claw Trail of Cedar Lakes Conference Center.
Bear Claw Trail at Cedar Lakes Conference Center
Three friends and I headed out on a hike which was about 4 miles long. The beginning of the trail went quickly uphill and the end came back down, but most of the trail was fairly level on a beautiful ridge. To some, hiking means going from point A to point B quickly. On my hikes, we pause to look at just about everything — plants, animals, fallen branches, tree stumps, rocks and everything else. Our off-trail explorations make the distance we travel a lot father than the map shows.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Jan is particularly fond of ferns and we saw several along the hike route.
Christmas Fern (𝑃𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑢𝑚 𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑠) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
New York Fern (𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑦𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑠) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Maidenhair Fern (𝐴𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑚 𝑝𝑒𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑚) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Sensitive Fern (𝑂𝑛𝑜𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑠) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Broad Beech Fern (𝑃ℎ𝑒𝑔𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑠 ℎ𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑔𝑜𝑛𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑎) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
We found a tiny Camel Cricket (Family: Rhaphidophoridae) nymph exploring the inside a hickory nut shell.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
When looking at the wonders of the natural world, it takes a long time to walk a mile.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
The trail had occasional patches of Heal-all (𝑃𝑟𝑢𝑛𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑔𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑠) growing right in the middle of the path. Each time I saw certain plants, I also visualized their flowers in my mind. Heal-all also goes by many common names: self-heal, woundwort, heart-of-the-earth, carpenter’s herb, bumblebee weed, brownwort or blue curl. Sometimes having so many common names for the same plant can cause confusion.
Left: the leaves as we saw them; Right: the flower heads as they appear in the late-spring into summer. (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
We were surprised by the variety of trees we found, including one we couldn’t identify, until we found the drooping, dried seed clusters around the base of the tree.
Sourwood (𝑂𝑥𝑦𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑟𝑢𝑚 𝑎𝑟𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑢𝑚) leaves and dried fruit clusters. (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
We were well into our hike when we noticed several small American Holly (𝐼𝑙𝑒𝑥 𝑜𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑎) trees. Near the end of the hike there were many more, forming thick holly forests on both sides of the trail. Like most of the other plants we found, they had already flowered earlier in the year and all we saw were the leaves.
American Holly tree leaves. (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
From time to time we found acorns from several kinds of oaks including Chestnut Oaks (𝑄𝑢𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑠 𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑎).
Chestnut Oak acorn (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Spotted Wintergreen (𝐶ℎ𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑎 𝑚𝑎𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑎) leaves are quite noticeable due to their pronounced white midrib stripe.
Left: the leaves as we saw them; Right: the flower heads as they appear in the late-spring into summer. (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Jan found a Sugar Maple (𝐴𝑐𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑎𝑐𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑢𝑚) tree seat for a rest. The heart on the tree was not carved, but appeared to be natural.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
We found a huge Sugar Maple hub tree. Hub trees are also called “mother trees”. They are the older trees in the forest. Typically, they have the most fungal connections, their roots are established deeper in the soil, and they can reach deeper sources of water to pass on to younger saplings. This was the largest maple we saw on the hike.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Martin is very good identifying lichens and mosses. We picked his brain with many of the ones we found. Lichens growing on rocks and tree bark indicate clean air. Here he is showing a lichen on tree bark.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
Martin identified Palm Tree Moss (𝐻𝑦𝑝𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑢𝑚) for us, and it does look like a tiny palm tree.
Left photo (c) Jan Runyan; right 2 photos (c) Bill Beatty
“Are we still having fun?” Although, at this point, we had covered 2 trail miles, I wasn’t sure how many exploring miles we had walked. This photo makes me think it might have been too many.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Early in the hike we didn’t notice any fungi, but in the last half we saw many kinds.
Turkey Tail Mushrom (𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑟) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Old Honey Mushroom (𝐴𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎 𝑚𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑎) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Grisette Mushroom (𝐴𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑎 𝑣𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑎) — maybe (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Black-footed Polypore (𝑅𝑜𝑦𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑢𝑠 𝑏𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Thin-walled Maze Polypore (𝐷𝑎𝑒𝑑𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑠𝑖𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑓𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑜𝑠𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Lion’s Head Tooth Mushroom (𝐻𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑢𝑠) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
We can make it! One more mile to go… sort of.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
I was surprised how many interesting creatures we were finding. If we had had the time, more exploring would have yielded so many more finds.
Flat Red Bark Beetle (𝐶𝑢𝑐𝑢𝑗𝑢𝑠 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑝𝑒𝑠) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Arrow-shaped Spider (𝑀𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛𝑎 𝑠𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Pixie Cup Lichen (𝐶𝑙𝑎𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑎𝑠𝑎ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑒) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
The last event of the day was Tom Pauley’s program of favorite stories about his past students and about reptiles and amphibians of West Virginia. It was excellent!
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
After the Sunday morning membership meeting and then lunch with special friends in Ripley, Jan and I treated ourselves to dessert at Kirke’s Homemade Ice Cream near home. Favorite flavor? Pumpkin, of course, to go with the beautiful fall season!
The “mountains were calling” and so was the Allegheny Front Migration Observatory, so we “must go”! We camped at the Red Creek Campground, adjacent to the Dolly Sods Wilderness and near the AFMO, for 15 days.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
After camp was set up for our extended stay, I took a short walk to take some photos.
Interrupted Ferns (𝐶𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑡𝑜𝑠𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Stiff/Many-flowered Gentian (𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑛𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Fall color of Red Maple (𝐴𝑐𝑒𝑟 𝑟𝑢𝑏𝑟𝑢𝑚) and Black Chokeberry (𝐴𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑚𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑝𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Every day we got up at 5:30 am and were at the Bird Banding Station by 6:15 am. Each morning we were greeted by one of the most scenic views on the mountain. Sometimes there was fog or rain; other times it was clear or partly cloudy. But all mornings were scenic in their unique ways.
Photos (c) Bill Beatty and Jan Runyan
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
Each morning Jan and I volunteered at the Allegheny Front Migration Observatory (AFMO)/a.k.a. Bird Banding Station. Each day the station closed at noon unless heavy fog, high winds and/or rain forced an early closure.
A group visiting the bird banding station one foggy morning. (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
This year, by the time we left, over 60 species of birds had been caught and banded. Many were a kind of bird called warblers.
Black-and-white Warblers (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Photos (c) Jan Runyan)
Cape May Warbler (Photos (c) Jan Runyan)
Hooded Warbler (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Magnolia Warbler (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
American Redstart (also a warbler) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Black-throated Green Warbler (Photos (c) Jan Runyan)
Wilson’s Warbler (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
The female Black-throated Blue Warbler below is a color morph we had never seen before. Normally female Black-throated Blues would be steely blue-gray, sometimes with a light wash of green, on the back, cheek and tail. The throat and belly would usually be very light gray or beige with a light wash of yellow. This one did show the white “eyebrow” line and, vaguely, the square of white on the wing. She is not an albino….just look at the eye.
Black-throated Blue Warblers… male (left) and female color morph (right) (Photos (c) Jan Runyan)
Some days when the number of birds caught was low and there were more volunteers than were needed, I would leave early to hike and explore. One day I went to Big Run Bog. We often go here in the summer months. It was fascinating to see the differences as fall approaches. See these 2 blog posts for summer trips to Big Run Bog: ( https://wordpress.com/post/wvbirder.wordpress.com/5327 ), and ( https://wordpress.com/post/wvbirder.wordpress.com/337 ).
Big Run Bog (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
I have been exploring and leading field trips to Big Run Bog for over 40 years. The Purple Pitcher Plants (𝑆𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑝𝑢𝑟𝑝𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑎) have expanded from several in the mid 1940s to many thousands today. Being insectivorous, limited in habitat, and so unusual and different from other plants, pitcher plants are of great interest to nature enthusiasts.
Purple Pitcher Plants at Big Run Bog (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
I also checked out some of the other interesting, unusual plants found in Big Run Bog.
Kidney-leaved Grass of Parnassus (𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑎 𝑎𝑠𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑖) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Golden Club (𝑂𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑎𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑢𝑚) has expanded significantly from where it was first found in the bog. It is now a principal plant in most of the main waterways. It is the only known representative of the genus 𝑂𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑢𝑚. The flower in the picture below was photographed in the springtime.
Golden Club (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Buckbean (𝑀𝑒𝑛𝑦𝑎𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑎) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Back at the campground, friends hinted that they would like me to take them on a hike on one of my special trails… sooo, we took off one morning to hike a 3.5 mile section of the Allegheny Vista Trail.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Not long into the hike Jodi spotted and caught a Smooth Green Snake, common on Dolly Sods, but difficult to spot due to its great camouflage.
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
One of the most interesting plants we saw was Pinesap (𝑀𝑜𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑎 ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑦𝑠), a close relative of the more common Indian Pipe (𝑀𝑜𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑎 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑎). Unlike most plants, neither contain chlorophyll. Instead of generating food using the energy from sunlight, they are parasitic, and more specifically mycoheterotrophic. The hosts of Pinesap are certain fungi which, themselves, are mycorrhizal with trees. So Pinesap ultimately gets its food, by way of the fungi, from photosynthetic trees.
Pinesap on left; Indian Pipe right. (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
It was a beautiful day for a hike.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
While following a deer trail along the Allegheny Front we encountered another well camouflaged snake, but this one we were a bit more apprehensive to pick up — a Timber Rattlesnake.
Timber Rattlesnake (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
There was a wide variety of mushrooms along our hiking route.
Left — the Grisette (Amanita vaginata); Right — a Red Brittlegill (𝑅𝑢𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑙𝑎 𝑠𝑝.) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Photo opportunities were everywhere.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
One scenic spot I wanted everyone to see was this rock wall with an adjacent American Mountain-ash (𝑆𝑜𝑟𝑏𝑢𝑠 𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑎) and a row of Black Gum trees (𝑁𝑦𝑠𝑠𝑎 𝑠𝑦𝑙𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎) in their fall color.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
American Mountain-ash (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Bear/Scrub Oak (𝑄𝑢𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑠 𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
The end of our hike was through a Red Spruce woods and then along a series of vistas on the Allegheny Front.
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
Each year the bird banding station volunteers gather for a couple of meals together. This year we got together on more than a few nights for group meals. Maybe it’s because we were outdoors, sitting near a campfire (more likely because our friends are great cooks), but the food everyone brought and made was amazingly delicious!
Photos (c) Bill Beatty and Jan Runyan
And, at times, there were just the two of us eating inside or outside, depending on the weather. The only time we went off the mountain to buy things was a trip to Petersburg, WV. Our delicious dinner at Alfredo’s Pizza and Italian Restaurant had left us each with another full dinner of yummy leftovers. The rest of our food, other than shared meals, we had brought with us, designed to be healthy and easy to prepare.
Leftovers from Alfredo’s Italian Restaurant in Petersburg, WV; BLT wraps (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
From the 1970s until the 2000s, I studied Eastern Screech Owls and have a special fondness for them. Our friend Jodie, an artist, gifted me a painting of a screech owl she did on an oyster shell.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
This year the AFMO opened 28 mist nets for catching the birds they band. Ten were north of the banding station and 18 were south of the station.
Bill at a north net, Lee by a south net (Photos (c) Jan Runyan)
One day I decided to hide so I could watch just how the birds were being caught and which north nets were catching the most birds. It was really quite relaxing. I could tell that my presence did not change the birds’ behavior — they were coming uphill so I was hidden behind a big rock as they flew up and many birds were caught in the nets I was close to.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Besides an abundance of warblers, we also caught and banded some other exciting and interesting birds. Flycatcher identification by sight can be difficult, even if the bird is in-hand. With the Eastern Wood Peewee we caught, the definitive identification came down to the bi-colored mandible.
Eastern Wood Peewee (Photos (c) Jan Runyan)
Some of the other interesting birds were bigger than warblers.
Veery (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Photos (c) Jan Runyan)
Blue-headed Vireo (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Photos (c) Jan Runyan)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
And some of our favorites were smaller than warblers.
Left — Male Golden-crowned Kinglet; Right — male Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Photos (c) Jan Runyan)
The Winter Wren is one of my favorite birds. It is so tiny, yet has such an explosive, loud song and sings approximately 107 notes in 7 seconds.
Winter Wren (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Winter Wren song – turn your sound up.
It seems that every time we have an extended stay on Dolly Sods we are surprised by visits from some of the friends. Chris, who I hadn’t seen for years, and his friend Brad took a break from their motorcycle trip to visit the banding station hoping I was there. We did a short hike that went past the 1953 Mercury along the High Mountain Meadow Trail.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan and Bill Beatty
And Cindy visited. Although she is now a volunteer at the AFMO, she wasn’t working while we were there. Hopefully now we will see her there on a regular basis.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
And it was nice to see John and Jodi who have become regular hikers with me on my annual September Dolly Sods hike.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Later in our stay, Jan and I walked Northland Loop Trail to the boardwalk and then explored the roadsides and wetland areas on the way back. The weather was cool, windy and, later, wet.
Photos (c) Bill Beatty and Jan Runyan
Photographing a Pussytoes (𝐴𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑛𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎 𝑠𝑝.) (Top photo (c) Jan Runyan; Bottom photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Sunny day with dark weather heading our way at Alder Run Bog (Video (c) Jan Runyan)
Top photo (c) Bill Beatty; Bottom photo (c) Jan Runyan
Spatulate-leaved Sundew (𝐷𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑎 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
During our stay we had some beautifully clear days and some rainy, foggy, windy days….sometimes all in the same day!
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
One rainy day in particular I was very glad we weren’t in a tent. The rain was so heavy it sounded like continuous thunder.
I’m glad we weren’t in a tent! (Video (c) Jan Runyan)
After our 15 days, it was hard to leave the incredible birds, beautiful plants and scenery, and our wonderful friends at AFMO.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Even when it rains, I agree with others who say, “The worst day on Dolly Sods is better than the best day anywhere else!”
There are 7 (soon to be 8) local chapters of Master Naturalists around West Virginia. (See http://mnofwv.org/index.php/what-is-a-master-naturalist/ for more information.) Once a year they get together for a statewide conference. Jan and I have had the pleasure of being asked to teach and lead hikes at previous conferences. We were excited to be invited to this year’s conference in Canaan Valley.
On Friday I led an all day hike exploring Alder Run Bog and the surrounding Red Spruce and Red Pine forests in the Dolly Sods Wilderness. The day was overcast with intermittent rain and temperatures in the low 70s, a perfect day for hiking.
Right away we encountered some interesting plants: Oceanorus, Flat-topped White Aster and Heartleaf Tearthumb. Although the Oceanorus wasn’t flowering as this photo shows, it was fruiting and was an obvious part of the flora.
Oceanorus (𝑂𝑐𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑟𝑢𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑠) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Flat-topped White Aster (𝐷𝑜𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑎 𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
For those wearing shorts the Arrowleaf Tearthumb (𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎 𝑠𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑎) became quite apparent. The small, sharp spines along the stems can “tear” at one’s skin and leaves somewhat irritating scratches. Fortunately, we didn’t hike in it for very long.
Arrowleaf Tearthumb (𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎 𝑠𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Crossing a section of Alder Run Bog (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
There seemed to be interesting wetland plants everywhere we hiked.
Cottongrass (𝐸𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑢𝑚 𝑠𝑝𝑝.), a sedge, in Alder Run Bog. (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Young blueberry plants and clubmosses growing among sphagnum moss. (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Wild Raisin (𝑉𝑖𝑏𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑢𝑚 𝑛𝑢𝑑𝑢𝑚 𝑣𝑎𝑟 𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑜𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑠) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
The Red Spruce forest we traversed was dark and dank, reminiscent of Mirkwood Forest in the book, The Hobbit. The ecosystem was very different from the bog.
Red Spruce Forest (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Still, there were wonderful things to see.
Pin Cushion Moss (𝐿𝑒𝑢𝑐𝑜𝑏𝑟𝑦𝑢𝑚 𝑔𝑙𝑎𝑢𝑐𝑢𝑚) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Mosses and lichens blended to form beautiful patterns (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
There were numerous Red Spruce nurseries among the larger seed bearing trees.
Red Spruce Tree (𝑃𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑎 𝑟𝑢𝑏𝑒𝑛𝑠) nursery (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Hair Cap Moss (𝑃𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑢𝑚 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑒) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
There were 3 clubmosses we saw in many locations.
Clubmosses, from top to bottom, Tree Clubmoss (𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑐𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑢𝑚), Running Clubmoss (𝐿𝑦𝑐𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑚) and Shining Clubmoss (𝐻𝑢𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑧𝑖𝑎 𝑙𝑢𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑢𝑙𝑎) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Hiking up the High Mountain Meadow Trail to the cars, we stopped to take a group photo at the “Dolly Sods car”, a 1953 Mercury.
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
On Friday night Jan presented the program, The Making of Dolly Sods. She showed how geology, geography and glaciers, with some destructive help from humans, formed the wonders of the wilderness plateau we call Dolly Sods. One of the topics Jan talked about was patterned ground.
Patterned ground (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Another topic was weathering.
Weathered pot hole rock formations (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
On Thursday before the conference, Jan and I had visited Big Run Bog to determine the best way to share the wonders of the bog with 20 people with the least impact. Some habitats there are very delicate.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
The Narrowleaf Gentian (𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑎 𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑠) were as abundant, bright and beautiful as I have ever seen them.
Narrowleaf Gentian (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
On Saturday Jan and I took 20 Master Naturalists to Big Run Bog, which contains some of the most interesting and rarest plants in West Virginia. The group saw many obvious Purple Pitcher Plants (𝑆𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑝𝑢𝑟𝑝𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑎) and many not so obvious Roundleaf Sundew (𝐷𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑎 𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑎) plants. Both of these are insectivorous, and looking closely we could see their insect-eating activities.
Purple Pitcher Plant (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Roundleaf Sundew (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
The tops of Gentian flowers are tightly closed, making it difficult, if not impossible, for most insects to get inside for the pollen and nectar. The only pollinator I have seen get inside is the bumblebee, and they were continually working on the gentian flowers as we walked by.
Narrowleaf Gentian flowers (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Bumblebee pollinating Narrowleaf Gentian flower (Video (c) Jan Runyan)
Our destination was the long beaver dam that is right in the middle of the bog and keeps us from going any farther upstream.
Walking toward the beaver dam. (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
We gathered at the beaver dam and noticed some recent repair work by the beavers.
Top photo (c) Jan Runyan, Bottom photo (c) Bill Beatty
Pondweed (𝑃𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑚𝑜𝑔𝑒𝑡𝑜𝑛 𝑒𝑝𝑖ℎ𝑦𝑑𝑟𝑢𝑠) was floating in many areas of the beaver pond.
Pondweed (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
The only ferns we saw were Cinnamon Ferns (𝑂𝑠𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑚 𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑎𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑢𝑚), and they were quite common.
Cinnamon Ferns (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
A most common bog flower that seemed to be everywhere was Glade St. John’s-wort (𝐻𝑦𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑢𝑚 𝑑𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑒).
Glade St. John’s-wort (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
The only goldenrod in the bog was the Bog Goldenrod (𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑎𝑔𝑜 𝑢𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑜𝑠𝑎). It is common in other habitats where different kinds of goldenrods can be found, but it is the only goldenrod that can tolerate the highly acidic areas in these kinds of wetlands.
Bog Goldenrod (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Leaving the lower part of Big Run Bog I decided to take a different and somewhat wetter, then drier path. Not everyone followed me.
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
Leaving the Bog video (c) Jan Runyan
After lunch I showed everyone a special part of the bog where the rarest plants are. While I took half the group into that part of the bog, the half with Jan began a thoughtful discussion with facts about “Snowball Earth” and other dramatic changes and extinctions of life on Earth. Then we switched groups. The group with me didn’t wander and explore due to the delicate nature of this part of the wetland, but we were able to see some very rare plants.
Buckbean (𝑀𝑒𝑛𝑦𝑎𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑎) (Photo (c) Arthur Haines)
Golden Club (𝑂𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑎𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑢𝑚) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Bog Clubmoss (𝐿𝑦𝑐𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Kidney Leaf Grass of Parnassus (𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑎 𝑎𝑠𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑎) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Canadian Yew (𝑇𝑎𝑥𝑢𝑠 𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑠) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
On Sunday Jan and I didn’t have any field trips to lead or classes to teach, so we attended Sue Olcott’s class, WV Pollinators: An Introduction to Them and Their Conservation. After an excellent indoor class about pollinators and the importance of conservation, we went out to meet some pollinators in person.
Insect/sweep/butterfly nets and clear vials were available and participants traversed a meadow catching insects and other invertebrates. Sue taught us about what we caught.
Jan looking at a Monarch Butterfly caterpillar on a Common Milkweed plant. (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
We were honored to be asked to present to the West Virginia Master Naturalists. They are always some of the most avid, passionate learners about nature, as well as being interesting, sparky people. That made for a great weekend!
This was the 91st year of Mountain Nature Camp! The camp is located on an 18-acre peninsula on Terra Alta Lake in Preston County, West Virginia.
For the first to arrive, the Program/dining hall looked like a bare and lonely setting. But soon it became a place to greet new campers, rekindle old friendships, and, of course, look for the Purple Finches, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Northern Parulas, and Blackburnian Warblers that nest in the spruces adjacent to the building.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
The chairs help eliminate “warbler neck”. Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Following a long-standing tradition, the first activity after supper on the day we arrived was a campfire. It was a time to meet new campers and to introduce those who have been attending for many years.
Sunday supper (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
On Monday, after a birdwalk and breakfast, we took a field trip to the nearby “Rock Maze” in Garrett State Forest. To everyone’s amazement, right near the beginning of the trail was a Timber Rattlesnake (𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑠 ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑢𝑠),the first one most of the campers had ever seen in person.
Timber Rattlesnake (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
All along the Rock Maze Trail were a wide variety of ferns.
Cinnamon Ferns (𝑂𝑠𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑚 𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑎𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑢𝑚) along the Rock Maze Trail (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Rock Polypody Ferns (𝑃𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑣𝑖𝑟𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑢𝑚) and close up of sori (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
Campers checked out the birch tree roots flowing over the rocks.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
Rock Tripe foliose lichen growing on rocks. (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
After a picnic lunch, threatening thunder and lightning chased us back to our vehicles and eventually back to camp. After the storm passed, campers had time to explore the 18-acre peninsula and the variety of habitats available right at camp.
Traditionally our meals at Mountain Nature Camp are homemade from scratch with fresh ingredients from local farmers and growers. This year didn’t disappoint. What a flavorful, delicious variety we had!
Stir fry and strawberry shortcake for one of our suppers (Photos (c) Jan Runyan)
After a birdwalk and breakfast on Tuesday we had onsite classes. The 18-acre peninsula that comprises the Mountain Nature Camp property is home to a wide variety of birds, plants and other creatures. Larry taught an indoor bird class with half of the campers while I taught an outdoor botany class with the others.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
Since 2004 (when this record-keeping started) we have found 109 plant species flowering on camp property and the surrounding road during the week (either the 2nd or 3rd week of June) of Mountain Nature Camp.
White Clintonia Lily (𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘢) and Whorled Loosestrife (𝘓𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘢 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘢) (Photos (c) Bill Beatty)
The day ended with a campfire. We shared observations, stories and sang some of Mountain Camp’s traditional songs.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
Wednesday was a mixed bag of nature activities. After a birdwalk and breakfast, the campers were taught about Nature Journaling, and more specifically, sketching/painting what one sees in nature.
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
It was such a beautiful day Bob prepared us a picnic lunch cooked on the grill.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Throughout the day, between classes and other activities, there are always campers chasing after and looking at birds.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
During the week campers found a variety of bird nests including, Eastern Kingbird, Purple Finch, Blackburnian Warbler, and Ruby-throated Hummingbird.
Video (c) Jan Runyan
Lisa demonstrated how her fold-able kayak snaps together.
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
Len and Hannah used Randy’s stereo-microscope to look at the Many-headed Slime Mold (𝑃ℎ𝑦𝑠𝑎𝑟𝑢𝑚 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑐𝑒𝑝ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑚) Len was raising at home.
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
Here I am looking at and showing the pressed fern collection and other materials Mike Breiding donated to the Mountain Nature Camp.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Shortly after that, I photographed the rare Boott’s Wood Fern (𝐷𝑟𝑦𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑠 𝑋 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑖𝑖) that grows on the property. It is a rare hybrid between the Crested Wood Fern (𝐷𝑟𝑦𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑠 𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑎) and the Intermediate Wood Fern (𝐷𝑟𝑦𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎). Other than Mountain Nature Camp property, it is reported at only one other site in West Virginia.
Boott’s Wood Fern (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Near the end of the day a group of us traveled to Chestnut Heights to watch the amazing sunset from high on the ridge and see the synchronous firefly display.
Happy campers at Chestnut Heights (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
In 2019 our camp group had been dazzled to see a great many fireflies displaying synchronously at Chestnut Heights, but unfortunately this year the weather didn’t cooperate. What we saw in 2019 was something quite amazing, and I will remember it as one of the nature highlights of my life. However, the firefly display on our Mountain Camp property had been impressive on Monday and Tuesday nights this year, similar to the display in the video below, just lacking synchronization.
On Thursday we left camp early for our long field trip day. Most of the campers went on a birding/botanizing trip, while 5 of us hiked in the Dolly Sods Wilderness. The bird/botany group stopped at a farm in Pleasant Valley, MD, to see Red-headed Woodpeckers. Red-headed Woodpeckers are listed as “common locally”, which translates to — they are uncommon in most places, but where they are found, they can be very common. And at this farm they were very common!
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
Stops in Canaan Valley provided the bird/botany group with looks at some interesting plants like the globally endangered Glade Spurge (𝘌𝘶𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘢 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘢).
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
The group also saw several Large Purple-fringed Orchids (𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘢).
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Canaan Valley State Park and the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge offer many thousands of acres to hike and explore, like this trail/boardwalk in the state park.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
And, of course, there is always time to relax, chat and listen to the ethereal songs of Hermit Thrushes.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
One of the last stops was at the Freeland Boardwalk Trail in the National Wildlife Refuge for some birding.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
The Dolly Sods hiking group followed the Bog to Bog Loop Trail, encompassing both Alder Run and Fisher Spring Run Bogs.
The intrepid hikers. (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Mountain Laurel (𝘒𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘪𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘢) flowers were everywhere. Some were still in bud, but most were in full flower. There were all shades of pink and some of the plants had all white flowers. They were exquisite.
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
Crossing the Beatty Labyrinth rock field.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Randy posing, adding his beauty, to that of Mountain Laurel.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
For supper both groups met at Blackwater Falls State Park for a picnic.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
On Friday morning, after the early morning bird walk and breakfast, the Friends of Decker’s Creek presented a program on water quality. After a discussion of watersheds, sources of pollution and indicators of water quality, we went to one of the camp’s streams to conduct a survey of the macro-invertebrates in the Mountain Nature Camp’s wetlands.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
Video (c) Jan Runyan
On Friday afternoon I led a group around the Mountain Nature Camp property looking under rocks and logs surveying for more terrestrial critters. The first log I overturned revealed Hannah’s nemesis, a camel cricket.
Top photo (c) Jan Runyan — bottom photo (c) Bill Beatty
We found 2 Red-backed Salamanders.
Top photo (c) Jan Runyan — bottom photo (c) Bill Beatty
And there were Woodland Millipedes under everything.
Top photo (c) Jan Runyan — bottom photo (c) Bill Beatty
We discovered other wonders of nature just about everywhere we looked.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
For me, the most interesting critter we found was this centipede which was in the process of molting its skin.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Saturday came all too soon. After a birdwalk and another delicious breakfast, we packed up and slowly said our goodbyes to friends old and new. We took with us more knowledge and appreciation of Nature and our place in it, as well as memories to last a full year until many of us, and hopefully some new friends, will meet again.
The 2021 Oglebay Institute Mountain Nature Camp campers, or at least, most of them.
Never yet was a springtime, when the buds forgot to bloom. ~ Margaret Elizabeth Sangster
This quote reminds me of the first flower buds I look for each year. They are not what most people seek in anticipation of the advent of spring — the early spring ephemerals — Bloodroot, Hepaticas and the like. What I notice first, when it is still officially winter, are certain tree flowers. Where I live, in Brooke County, West Virginia, the first tree to flower is the American Elm soon followed by the Red Maple. Right now, in early March, those flower buds are beginning to swell.
American Elm flowers (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Although the buds and flowers of American Elms are not noticeable from a distance, those of the Red Maples can be seen from far away.
Red Maple flower buds (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Closeup, the flowers of Red Maples are interestingly exquisite.
Red Maple flowers (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
I’ve been watching them. The buds are already beginning to swell and flowers will soon follow. Spring begins!!
Jan and I got a new trailer in January. We didn’t get rid of our old one, but when we took our 2006 18-foot Micro-light to have the roof re-caulked, we decided to look at even smaller trailers on the lot. There happened to be a 2015 15-foot Whitewater Retro on consignment. It is light enough to be pulled by our mini-van. We got a great bargain, and all-of-a-sudden we had two trailers! We usually travel a lot each year, especially from mid-April until the end of June, leading workshops, guiding hikes and teaching. We plan to use the smaller trailer for short stays away from home. The “big” one is more like a cabin for longer stays.
But Covid happened and everything was cancelled, so our maiden voyage with the new trailer didn’t happen until 10 months later in October. We had to attend a meeting at Canaan Valley State Park. We could have gotten up really early that day and made a very long day of it, but decided instead to take the “little one” on her maiden voyage, arriving the day before, and staying for some hiking.
The new trailer (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
What turned out to be the best part of a great trip was that our wonderful friend Cindy was camped about 20 yards away for the first 2 days. There was even a trail between our two camp sites! The first thing Cindy asked was, “Can we go to see the Fringed Gentian?” Soon we were on our way.
Cindy and Jan looking at the Fringed Gentian. (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
There is only one known site for the Fringed Gentian (Gentianopsis crinita) in West Virginia, and it is a spectacular wildflower. When we have seen them before, it was about 1 week earlier in the season and they were already in full bloom. Luckily, this year the season was later and we were fortunate to see the Fringed Gentian in various stages of flowering — from flower bud to full flower.
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
Photos (c) Jan Runyan
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
At this same location we found some beautiful Nodding Ladies’ Tresses Orchids (Spiranthes cernua).
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Cindy wanted to make supper for us. Absolutely! We had a lovely supper of delicious Chicken Romano and a table full of side dishes.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Later we sat around a campfire and had fun reminiscing.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Cindy had to leave the next day, but we enjoyed a bit more time together before our meeting started. Due to renovations happening at the Blackwater State Park Lodge next spring, the West Virginia Wildflower Pilgrimage will be held at nearby Canaan Valley State Park in 2021. Since I am in charge of the birding aspect of the Pilgrimage and Jan is one of my bird leaders, we decided after our meeting to hike areas near the Canaan Lodge to see where the early morning bird walks would go. The fall colors were beautiful.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) tree (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) trees (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
On our walk we discovered a hole where a turtle had laid her eggs. Unfortunately, a predator had found the nest and destroyed it, eating the eggs.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Deer were easy to see and approach — they are used to people in the park.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Near Canaan Valley State Park Lodge (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
On our last full day at Canaan we began with a leisurely, hearty breakfast.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Jan and I decided to hike the 6-mile Promised Land Trail loop. Since we often stop, explore and take photos…
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
…we knew there wouldn’t be enough time to do the whole loop. Fortunately, there are several trails that intersect and they made it possible to get back to where we parked well before dinner time.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
I appreciate BIG trees. To put things into perspective, a BIG Sassafras tree isn’t nearly as big as a BIG Tuliptree. I determine a BIG tree as being big compared to others of the same kind/species. What impressed me most about the Promised Land Trail was that, early on, we went through a woods with some BIG Wild Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) trees.
Photos (c) Bill Beatty
Jan saw some unusual patterns to photograph, like these holes made by a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker…
Left photo (c) Bill Beatty; Right photo (c) Jan Runyan
…and other interesting shapes and designs.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Turkey Tail Mushroom (Trametes versicolor) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Evidence of weathering (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
At one point, the trail skirted the woods with views of large, open wetlands on our right. Soon we noticed a beaver dam on Club Run.
Beaver pond with the dam at the right (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
We decided to explore. I went down and stood on the beaver dam while Jan walked to the other end of the pond where Club Run flows in.
Bill standing on the beaver dam (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Video (c) Jan Runyan
After exploring areas surrounding the beaver dam we continued on Promised Land Trail and discovered more interesting things.
A tangle of dead trees and branches —
(Giant pick-up-sticks!) (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Beech Drops (Epifagus virginiana), an obligate parasitic plant which grows and subsists on the roots of American Beech trees —
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Fall-colored Striped Maple (Acer pensylvanicum) leaf with brilliant color —
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
American Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) in bloom —
A truly late-bloomer! (Top photo (c) Jan Runyan; Bottom photo (c) Bill Beatty)
American Basswood (Tilia americana) tree cluster —
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Fall-colored Red Maple (Acer rubrum) leaves everywhere —
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
A tiny Lion’s Mane Mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) —
(Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Thanks to Cindy, we had lots of delicious leftovers to add to our planned supper on the last evening: clam chowder with extra clams and rice, vege slices with dip, Greek olives and homemade applesauce.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
After dinner we enjoyed a campfire and made some new friends (also West Virginians) from the campsite next to ours.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Although Jan did come home with a couple dozen things to get or to do to the new trailer, we were pleased with how things worked on our first trip.
Even after we left Canaan Valley, we continued to enjoy the fall color that helps make West Virginia… Almost Heaven.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Fringed Gentian (Gentianopsis crinita) flowers (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Many of my hikes on Dolly Sods are leading groups and teaching about the Nature of the Sods. Other times I hike with one or two friends to special, rarely-visited habitats. And sometimes I am alone exploring new areas or looking for rare plants and birds. However, this year Jan and I found ourselves with an unusual circumstance — we were alone for a day — just us. Jan said, “I haven’t been to the Rohrbaugh Plains overlook for a long time. I’d like to go there again.” That’s all I needed to hear.
We packed our backpacks and headed for the Rohrbaugh Plains trailhead.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
The first part of the trail is a moderately rocky, uphill hike through a deciduous forest consisting primarily of American Beech trees.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
We soon noticed a familiar Red Spruce tree with a dead branch that had set the stage for a photo I took of our granddaughter, Haley. In 2011 we spent 8 days on Dolly Sods with her for her eighth birthday. She was a great photographer’s model. I decided to see what that was like.
Left photo (c) Bill Beatty; Right photo (c) Jan Runyan
At the top of the hill, the habitat changes dramatically, from a deciduous American Beech woods to a verdant evergreen woods consisting mainly of Red Spruce trees with an under-story of Rhododendron and Mountain Laurel.
Left and center photos (c) Jan Runyan; Right photo (c) Bill Beatty
One of Jan’s favorite photo subjects is root and branch tangles.
Left photo (c) Jan Runyan; Right photo (c) Bill Beatty
All along the trail we found interesting mushrooms.
False Turkey-tail Mushroom (Stereum ostrea) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Red Brittlegill Mushroom (Russula sp.) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Red-gilled Polypore Mushroom (Gloeophyllum sepiarium) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Beside the trail the trees and shrubs were so thick in some places that it was difficult to explore, but easy to hide.
“I see you!” (Photo (c) Jan Runyan)
Because we are often exploring in nature, teaching about the things we observe and showing the wonders of creation, Jan and I sometimes discover secret things — like this recently-used thrush’s nest.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
At first I thought it was a Hermit Thrush nest, but when I looked more closely and saw how much moss was incorporated in it, I decided it was probably the nest of a Swainson’s Thrush. That was an exciting find!
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
The Hermit Thrush is a common nesting bird in the Dolly Sods Wilderness, however, Swainson’s Thrushes are uncommon. While leading spring hikes on Rohrbaugh Plains Trail I have heard many Hermits singing their beautiful song — my favorite. But I have only heard the Swainson’s twice along this trail. Birdsong in the spring is one indicator that the males are staking out territories for nesting. So hearing a Swainson’s at that time of year, when most of those thrushes are much farther north, is a good sign that some stayed to nest on the mountaintop.
Hermit Thrush song —
Swainson’s Thrush song —
The familiar leaf wheels of the Whorled Wood Aster (Oclemena acuminata) were growing in many locations.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
There weren’t many plants flowering along the trail, but there were a few like this Crooked-stem Aster (Symphyotrichum prenanthoides).
Crooked-stem Aster (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Most people who look at an aster in flower don’t notice that there are, in reality, very many tiny flowers which together look like one flower. Look closely at the aster photo below, and you can see that there are many little flowers growing in the central disk, each flower producing just one seed. Each “disk flower” has 5 tiny petals fused together, plus 5 stamens fused around a pistil with antennae-like stigmas.
Crooked-stem Aster (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Identifying an aster to species is difficult for most people, since they psyche themselves out because there are so many similar species. However, if one looks at the color of the rays of the flowers, the size and shape of the leaves and the way the leaves attach to the stem, then the identification is not so difficult. In the two photos below notice the leaf tapering gradually at the end to a point and, on the stem side, abruptly narrowing as the leaf clasps the stem. These leaf characteristics and the violet rays of the flowers together make the Crooked-stem Aster identification easy.
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
The trail crossed several small streams and the only sounds we could hear were made by the water meandering through the rocks.
Video (c) Jan Runyan
We decided to photograph each other at this happy spot.
Top photo (c) Bill Beatty; Bottom photo (c) Jan Runyan
Clubmosses seemed to be everywhere.
Running Clubmoss (Lycopodium clavatum) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Shining Clubmoss (Huperzia lucidula) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Tree Clubmoss (Dendrolycopodium dendroideum) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Ground Pine Clubmoss (Diphasiastrum digitatum) (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
Jan noticed the berry clusters of Canada Mayflowers (Maianthemum canadense). During the spring when I lead hikes on the Rohrbaugh Plains Trail, these plants are in full flower.
Canada Mayflower berries (Photo (c) Jan Runyan), Canada Mayflower with flowers (Photo (c) Bill Beatty)
We had quite a journey to our destination, the Rohrbaugh Plains Overlook. It was time to relax, eat lunch and enjoy the incredible views.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
Photo (c) Jan Runyan
In 2005 I led a group from Oglebay Institute’s Mountain Nature Camp (a nature studies camp for adults) to the overlook and took a photo in the same area. Jan was in that group.
Photo (c) Bill Beatty
After food, rest and wonderful photo ops at the Rohrbaugh Plains overlook, we returned on the same trail we had traveled earlier. It was interesting to see some of the same things from a different angle as we retraced our steps.
And speaking of steps, as usual on this trail, we hadn’t really noticed how dramatically the trail descends from the Red Spruce hilltop. We had heard someone call this section of trail the “Rohrbaugh Staircase”. The return trip was more challenging through the “Staircase”, but it still took us less time than our outward journey — I think we did less exploring as we were homeward bound.
Jan and I had a great time hiking together, taking photos, identifying plants and making nature discoveries. But, what I think was most special to both of us was being alone in the Dolly Sods Wilderness — the solitude of just us.
Bill Beatty Nature 