Blog

The cool 50 degree weather brought out 28 birders to join Janet Paisley from the Monticello Bird Club on Saturday, October 5.   The cool weather also brought out birds--42 species in total including:   Black-throated Green Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Northern Parula, Black and White Warbler, White-throated Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Double-crested Cormorant and two Bald Eagles who flew over the parking area as the group was dispersing.

Rochelle Garwood

found on the Little Naturalists' nature table

Alice Cannon

Thank you to Alice Cannon for this photograph of Comma butterflies in the parking area.

Doug Rogers took this photograph of a Great Egret from the peninsula trail.  

Doug Rogers also took this photograph of goldfinches, noting:   "This is an American Goldfinch adult who has taken its baby to the thistle patch to teach it how to get its own food. The baby is on the left and below the adult flapping and begging the adult to put the food into its beak!"  

Thank you Doug for sharing these.
 

43 people joined Leigh Surdowski of the Monticello Bird Club on Saturday, September 27th for the first Saturday bird walk.  The morning was clear and the temperatures were in the low 70s.  27 species were found including: Canada Goose, Great Blue Heron, Mourning Dove, Chimney Swift, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, White-eyed Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Bluejay, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Carolina Wren, House Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Robin, Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Cedar Waxwing, Nashville Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Cardinal, Indigo Bunting, and Goldfinch.  Thank you to Doug Rogers for sharing the photograph and to the MBC for being such a welcoming group for birders of all skill levels and experience.

Catherine Boston

The bird feeders are back around the education building and are already being visited.  Our thanks go to Dan Nissen, Bob and Paulette Gore, and Patty Kalbfeisch for their work!

27 people joined David Hogg of the Monticello Bird Club on a cloudy Tuesday evening, August 27, to watch for nighthawks migrating over Ivy Creek.  Two nighthawks were seen right away flying high and fast.  Other species seen that evening included an Eastern Wood-Pewee, Chimney Swifts and Bats.  Another 20 people joined on a clearer evening on Thursday, August 29 where a total of 12 nighthawks were seen with four visible to the naked eye.  Also seen: a Broad-winged Hawk, two Ruby-throated hummingbirds, Chimney Swifts and Bats.   Both nights offered welcome opportunities for local birders (with some new to birding and to ICNA) to gather on a beautiful evening and socialize.    ---catherine

climbing milkvine photo by Catherine Boston

15 people joined Tana Herndon of the Virginia Native Plant Society on a warm, sunny, Saturday morning to explore the August wildflowers blooming at Ivy Creek.  The walk meandered along the native grass fields and into the pollinator garden.  More than 35 species of trees, grasses and wildflowers were identified and discussed including evening primrose, wingstem, crownbeard, horsemint, elephant's foot, whorled milkweed, American hazelnut, winged sumac, wild senna, partridge pea, mountain mint,  and climbing milkvine.  

Matt Rosefsky

Many thanks to our friends at MEDIC SOLO Disaster + Wilderness Medical School for making their recent Disaster + Travel + Wilderness First Aid course a fundraiser for the Ivy Creek Foundation, raising $228! The Disaster + Travel + Wilderness First Aid course is offered periodically and is open to adults and teens with any level of first aid experience. Learn how to save life and limb when pro help is not available! The next courses in Charlottesville will be June 15-16, 2019 and Nov. 16-17, 2019. For more information, like their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/medicwfa.