Help needed for Pocahontas Blue Bird Monitoring
Lee and Jane Hesler went to the park this week to check out all the boxes. Nesting is a bit late due to the very cold March. However half the boxes on Trail B had either marker straw, partial nests or complete nests. Trial A was less active but there were a few boxes with marker straws. partial nests, and one complete nest. Major nesting will begin soon and we are encouraged by the number of starts.
We have had a poor response to the recent Signup Genius mailing asking for trail monitors.
We plan to introduce the current basic training class to monitoring when we have the ornithology class April 10. We need experienced leaders to help with monitoring and to train new monitors in the next few months. Lee and I can not carry the program on our own. We think the program is in danger. Let Lee or Jane Hesler know if you can help.
Benthic Micro Monitoring Help needed
For those that have undergone training......
We still need volunteers for April 25th and April 28th sites.
Wednesday, April 25th at 9:00 a.m.
Johnson Creek - From Route 10 (Hundred Road west...toward Hopewell) turn right (south) onto Bermuda Orchard La. Follow a short distance on Bermuda Orchard La. and turn right onto Derbycreek La. We will gather on Derbycreek before going to creekside in that we'll need to wear safety vests and walk single file along Bermuda Orchard La. due to heavy traffic.
Saturday April 28th at 10:00 a.m. (NEW DAY,TIME)
Kennon Creek - We'll meet in the Rocketts Landing parking lot for The Boathouse/Conch Republic restaurants and carpool. If you wish to drive straight to the site, follow Virginia Route 5 past the Sherwood Forest Plantation and look for a Capital Trail (bicycle trail) bridge on the left side of the road. Coordinates for GPS are 37.3227 -76.9765.
Please send an email to Jim McChord ASAP if you can help. Thank you!
Pocahontas SP Teen Fair May 5, 12-3:15 PM
We have a Teen Volunteer Fair we've agreed to represent at, but other programs have popped up that require a staff member to attend.
May 5th 12pm to 3:15pm we have a table saved for us and would like to have the list of volunteer opportunities and specifically family and youth oriented programs available. All education and brochures and fliers will be provided ahead of time. We need a person who likes speaking with youth and loves our parks.
If anyone is interested in either they can call or text Andi Clinton's cell phone number at 813-507-1898.
"Grasses for the Masses" workshops and program are starting soon!
Registration is now open.
Help restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay and Virginia's rivers by participating in Chesapeake Bay Foundation's "Grasses for the Masses" program. Participants in the program grow wild celery, a type of underwater grass, in a simple grow-out system in their homes for 10-12 weeks. After 10-12 weeks of grow-out, participants will gather to plant their grasses in select local rivers to bolster grass populations and help restore the Bay.
General Program Timeline:
Workshops: January to mid-February
Grow-out period: February to May
Plantings: April to June
Or contact Blair Blanchette, CBF Virginia Grassroots Coordinator,
at 804-780-1392 or at bblanchette@cbf.org
Identification of Eastern Spotted Skunk Habitat and Range Boundaries in Virginia