Morning with the Birds

Morning with the Birds

During the peak of spring migration, Ezra Staengl and his brother Theo will lead a bird walk at the Quarry Gardens on Tuesday, April 27, starting at 7:30 a.m. The Yellow-rumped warbler above, photographed by Ezra, is among  many species that have been recorded here.

The brothers (Theo left, Ezra right) are active volunteer citizen-scientists, both contributing data to the 2nd Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas (https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/birds/virginia-breeding-bird-atlas/). Ezra contributes to Birding Virginia (https://birdingvirginia.org), which lists QGs as a Nelson County hotspot with 87 species recorded in the past few years. Both Staengls have had leading roles in the Blue Ridge Young Birders Club, Ezra currently serving as president. As younger men in 2017, ages 13 and 10, they provided text and images for the bird show in the Quarry Gardens Visitor Center.

On the April walk, we’ll roam the Quarry Gardens and parts of the adjoining 400-acre QGs Preserve using the trail sound system that gives each participant a receiver. Reservations are $10 per person, payable online. Sign up at quarrygardensatschuyler.org/visit.

Staengl photographs may be seen here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/80681464@N03/

Ezra posts about their travels and adventures at Birds and Buds:

https://birdsandbuds.com 

 

 

A Walk on the Wild Side

A Walk on the Wild Side

Cynthia Wood (seen here photographing Texas bluebonnets) will lead a wildflower walk  at The Quarry Gardens on Wednesday, April 14,  at 10 a.m.  Cynthia’s delightful, authoritative Virginia Wildflowers blog has earned 4,000 followers and 14,000 monthly readers on Facebook.

If phenology is a guide, participants may expect to see in bloom—and learn from Cynthia about—Wood anemone, Pussytoes, Wild columbine, Green and gold, Dwarf larkspur, Wild geranium, Alumroot, Bluets, Dwarf crested iris, Golden ragwort, Native phlox, Mayapple, Solomon’s seal, Wild pink, Bladdernut, Spring beauty, Foamflower, Mountain and Perfoliated bellworts, Heartleaf, Golden alexanders—and many others.

Clockwise from top left: Dwarf crested iris, Iris cristata;

Eastern red columbine, Aquilegia canadensis; 

Perfoliated bellwort, Uvularia perfoliata;

Virginia heartleaf, Hexastylis virginica.

Reservations are $15 per person, payable online. Sign up at quarrygardensatschuyler.org/visit.