Our Area Archives - Page 21 of 21 - Opossum Creek Retreat

The Most Important Thing About Birding (Hint: It’s Not Birds)

The most important thing about a birding trip is not the birds. Really.

Here’s why: All kinds of things can influence the birds you see and hear. So let’s focus on stuff that really matters on a field trip: the people.

It’s like soup; too much of one ingredient is boring. I love time alone in the outdoors, to be sure, but being with a group of fellow bird nerds/naturalists when everyone gets a good look at a fun bird? And it’s a lifer for someone in the bunch? And everyone is smiling and giddy? You can’t help but be excited too.

The fun of birding in a group comes mostly from these moments. They’re contagious. People are dancing smiling laughing when they see something that’s -how can I put it- exotic for them. It’s fun to share these moments. Who you’re with is way more important than what you might see.

I’ve been on dozens of field trips under every type of circumstances, from research and banding to formal surveys and counts to paid private guided field trips. And with the most bizarre groups you can imagine. By far the best groups have beginners in them; If you go out with a bunch of really good birders it can get boring real fast. I think it’s because they all know every peep and who made it and why. There’s no give and take about what is going on around you.

Also sometimes I think they are afraid to say anything because they might (heaven forbid) make a mistake. I promise you if you are on a trip with me I will miss ID a bird at some point during the day, every day. And it’s usually something really obvious and easy like last year when I called a chirping Cardinal a Chat (this is a major bird nerd no-no). Everyone looked at me like I had lost my mind, and by that point in the week, I had.

But I’m not a hired gun. No degree. No life list (that’s another story). So maybe it’s okay for me to make mistakes. Personally I like to see the pros make a mistake once in a while it shows they are human too. Perfection is way overrated.

When you have a good field guide, and some beginners, and you mix them in with other levels of interest and experience, it’s more fun. Makes me smile just writing about it.

The most rewarding bird trips for me are when we’re giving back. You don’t have to be a great birder to be a ambassador for nature. You don’t have to be great at anything. “Showing is better than telling” a 4 year old told me, as I was talking too much to a school group I did a bird presentation for. She wanted more action.

I get really excited when out on a field trip and I see a new bird or bug or critter of some kind. Even plants. But when I see someone, young or old, really getting excited about what’s around them, maybe for the first time ever? That’s a wonderful feeling.

The New River Birding and Nature Festival sponsors hands-on learning experiences for local schools. These are the trips that give me the best feelings of all.

Share what you know, right?

Do You Know The New River Gorge? A Nature Nugget From Keith

I’m an avid outdoorsman.

But I don’t limit it to just going outside. I love to read about the outdoors. When I was a kid I lived for outdoor magazines. Whenever I got a new one I usually consumed it cover to cover in one sitting.

The white tailed deer was my all-time favorite mammal to read about and see in the wild. Dad had me in the woods as soon as I was old enough, and I shared his passion for the outdoors. Still do. Dad doesn’t get out hunting anymore, but there is not a time I go to the woods that doesn’t remind me of something we did together. As I write this, I realize that my daughter Alex will have that same joy.

Gotta say, that makes me tear up a little.

Anyway, not long after moving to West Virginia, I met a man named Max Elkins. Max is, like me, an avid outdoorsman. As a matter of fact, I often say that when I grow up I want to hunt like Max. If there is an open season Max is hunting. It wasn’t long after we met that he introduced me to grouse hunting.

Now, I’ve hunted grouse as a kid a few times but never like this. Max’s dogs were amazing. I was hooked. A year or so later I had a pup out of a litter from his two dogs, Autumn and Thorn. What great names, huh? My daughter Alex had a part in naming the pup, and since Disney’s Aladin was her favorite movie at the time, well, Jasmine it was.

Max operated a bird hunting preserve and there were plenty of birds to train her on in the off season. January and February is the time to be in the woods and after the native birds. There were plenty of birds around ten years ago but they have definitely been steadily declining. Contrary to what a lot of people think, hunters are avid conservationists. We do so much to save habitat and game populations, it’s hard to know where to start. That’s a post for another day, I guess. Thinking about it, I long for the days described by writers like Burton Spiller and George “Bird” Evans, the days when a hunter could have thirty plus flushes in a day.

All of the research done on the Ruffed Grouse says that the bird is cyclic. Meaning that the populations fluctuate over time. There has always been much debate among grouse hunters everywhere as to whether the numbers will ever be what they used to here in Appalachia. I sure hope so, but right now there seems to be fewer than ever.

The West Virginia Division Of Natural Resources has had a research program in place for a while now in cooperation with several other states to try a find out where all the grouse have gone. According to the reports the main source of grouse mortality is due to avian predation. Mammal predation is second and hunting is responsible for only fifteen percent. Anyone who has ever hunted grouse knows that the odds are heavily in the favor of the fast flying, extremely agile bird.

Grouse hunting for me is not about the bag, but where it takes you. Suddenly you will find yourself high on a ridge overlooking an awe inspiring landscape. That, and spending time with friends and family. I think most people like me, who read outdoor magazines, who go outside just to be outside, who love it in their hearts, feel the same way.

Rental Cabins, Beer, and Me: A Love Story

The first beer I ever tasted sucked. I was 8 or 9 and it was a Michelob. I still don’t like Michelob.

Everything about brewing beer makes people happy

I didn’t give up, though. I tried other beers (especially if no one was looking), and eventually found some I liked.

Fast forward 40 years. I’m traveling in the Czech republic with my family. We land in Prauge and the first restaurant we go to has been serving food for over 500 years. They just happen to have my favorite beer in the world on tap. Pilsen Urqual. Brewed by monks, the pils uses the same yeast for over 300 years. And soon I am blessing The Rope Makers Wife. Amazing food. Wonderful setting. Great beer.

We soon set out for the countryside. We traveled by train all over for 3 week and tasted dozens of beers, the likes of which I only imagined during my long gone Michelob days. In the Czech Republic, every town has its own brewery. If there are 500 people within walking distance, there’s a brewery. It’s mind boggling. At the end of the trip we found ourselves back at the Rope Makers Wife. My son Cameron took a sip of the Pilsen and said “This is the worst beer we’ve had on the whole trip” I hate to admit it but the 8 year old was absolutely right.

In West Virginia, we don’t have a brewery in every town. But we have one in ours. There are vineyards’ in every direction and a distillery too. But today we’re talking about beer.

There’s a lot to be said for taking on a craft that has been worked for thousands of years. To think that you could bring something new to it, meaning full contribution to the evolution of the process, seems intimidating.

Well, I suppose you could go a little less philosophical and just make really good beer. Most of the eateries and convenience stores have the local suds, so give ‘em a try. Break your old Michelob habits- you’re on vacation. Live a little, and try some local West Virginia brew.

The First 5 Flowers You’ll See In The New River Gorge

Full disclosure: One of them’s not even a flower. Check out the list below if you feel like skipping ahead.

First, a little background…

I can remember the neighborhood gang of kids and I would all get together and escape to the nearest woodlot any chance we could. Being in the suburbs of Philly, there weren’t vast expanses of forest like there are here in Wild Wonderful West Virginia. The gang and I (probably because of me) were always trying to figure out what kind of tree we were looking at or what kind of animal made that hole or… well you get the idea. The point is my curiosity for the things of nature was always there, and has never waned.

After spending a few years with Jim McCormac during the New River Nature and Birding Festival, my curiosity and intrigue was called to a new level. Jim is a botanist and all around nature guy who can spout the genus and species of almost anything you might encounter out there. The great thing about Jim is his child-like enthusiasm. It’s hard for me to imagine anyone who is even slightly interested in the outdoors not being encouraged to learn more when you’re around him.

Last year on Jims recommendation I purchased Newcombs guide to Wildflowers. It is a great book once you learn to navigate it. Here are my favorite first five:

Coltsfoot – Tussilago fafara

This one is native to Europe but is considered one of our own. The flower resembles a dandelion.

Ramps – Allium tricoccum (comes from the old anglic word rampion meaning leek)

May Apple – Podophyllum peltatum. Forms fruit in late April early May. That’s probably where the name comes from.

Trillium – grandiflorum. This plant has three leaves and three Sepals. Hence the name.

Virginia Bluebells – Mertensia Virginica. Better catch this one while you can. The whole plant is gone by late spring.

Family Trips And Tips- Skiing For Spring Break

Let’s do some word association. Here’s a list of words, and you say what comes to mind:

Snow
Hot Chocolate
Roaring Fireplace
Snuggly Sweaters
Cabin Lodge
Vacation

If you said spring break, you’re right. If you said anything else, you’re not right. Didn’t know we were grading, did you? Anyway, we’re not fans of the beach for spring break (obviously).

Here are 5 tips to plan the easiest family ski vacation ever:

-Size your gear online or over the phone so it’s ready when you get there. You can take all the hassle out of getting fit when you just walk into the rental shop, grab your gear, and walk out.

-Talk to the ski school. It’s always easy to find, and the folks there are friendly and helpful (usually). It’s always a good idea to take a ski lesson, at least on day one.

-Brown bag it. Resort food is overpriced and yucky. Your food is priced just right and yummy. Way easier when you stay in a cabin because of the kitchen factor.

-Take it easy. Sports vacations aren’t about how much you do or how big you go; they’re about how much fun you can have. The kids will be a lot happier with a ski instructor who tells them what to do so you don’t have to.

-Have an backup plan. If the weather goes sour, or something out of the ordinary happens, you should be able to pack up and head on to the next activity without skipping a beat. Here’s a whole rainy day itinerary.

Close to us, WinterPlace Ski Resort has 1 more day of skiing (this Saturday, March 28). A little further away is Snowshoe, and they’ll be open a few more weeks. Timberline also closes this weekend. Wherever you go, take your family and get your spring ski on!

How To Play In The New River Gorge (And By Play, I Mean Community Theatre)

As I sit here going over my lines for the play at the Historic Fayette Theatre I ask myself again and again “what was I thinking when I agreed to do this”? “How did this all begin”?

Well, several years ago I was coerced into helping out with the spring musical at the HFT, after all, my daughter Alex was in it and my wife Tammi was doing the costuming. “This would be a great way to spend time with your family” was the song that everyone involved was singing. I started out helping with the set construction then was asked to take a small part on stage. At first I declined. You see one of my biggest phobias was performing or speaking in front of people. The truth is, all my life I have had a terrible case of “stage-fright”. The requests kept coming. Then one day someone said “do it for your daughter, there is an awful lot of quality time you’re missing out on” then one more blast of the puppy dog eyes from Alex and I agreed to take the part. “But I’m not singing and I’m not dancing”! Needless to say I ended up doing both.

One of Alex’s greatest passions is the theatre. She loves to be on stage and it shows! I knew this was something she would be doing for the next several years and when I thought of all the time we could have together I couldn’t say no. Thus was the beginning of a new relationship with the theatre. Some of the shows we have done together here are Lady Pirates of Captain Bree, Doo Wop Wed Widing Hood and OZ. Alex has now gone on to college where she is majoring in musical theatre. She claims that the worst thing about being away at college is that she can’t participate in the HFT productions. Geoff and his daughter Erin even get involved from time to time. Geoff and Erin were in Doo Wop Wed Widing Hood and Erin also did a great job in last years’ show, OZ. It really is great family time.

When someone would ask why I do this my reply has always been the same, “to spend good, quality time with my daughter”. This year Tammi and I are in the production of “Way out West in a Dress” Tammi is fervently working on the costumes and I am helping with the set build. Alex is away at college and now when I’m asked why we are doing this my daughter can no longer be used as an excuse. Tammi claims that we promised last year in a moment of weakness during the production of OZ. Personally I don’t remember. We really do have a lot of fun preparing for the show. The cast often gets reprimanded for going off task several times during a practice. One of the veteran players used to say that “if it weren’t for the spring show I doubt I’d make it through the winter”.

The HFT puts on several shows over the course of a year. We have only participated in the spring show. A staggering amount of time is required especially when you are doing double duty. Right now is the time that it seems that there is no way that the cast or production will be ready in time for the performance. Somehow it all seems to fall together just in the nick of time. Please check out the HFT website at www.historicfayettetheatre.com so you can plan on catching a show while you’re in the area.