The time for Christmas Bird Counts is upon us and with it comes the first opportunity to document a breeding bird record for the FINAL Atlas field season.  What species starts setting up breeding territories during the months of frigid temperatures, biting winds, sleet, and snow?  Virginia’s largest breeding owl species, the Great-Horned (Bubo virginianus). The Latin name for … [Read more...]

  By Dr. Leonard Lee Rue III   There are three requirements for a buck to become the trophy that most hunters dream about. Number one is food, number two is age and number three is genetics and in just that order. No buck can ever achieve his potential, whatever it might be, without access to an almost unlimited amount of highly nutritious food. No buck can ever achieve his … [Read more...]

By VDGIF   VDGIF invites all Virginians to join in the mission to ensure that wildlife has healthy places to live and thrive by becoming a Restore the Wild Member. Your membership will help support projects across the state designed to restore and create wildlife habitat vital for their survival. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) is Virginia’s lead agency … [Read more...]

In 2016 and 2017, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF), along with several key partners, completed two restoration projects on Moores Creek in Charlottesville, Virginia to benefit aquatic wildlife and water quality. Moores Creek, which flows through the City of Charlottesville, is a tributary to the Rivanna River, which flows to the James River. For decades, urbanization and … [Read more...]

  Poor old bats. Just because they suck blood and look like a Mini-Me Bela Lugosi, people don’t like them. In fact, many are highly fearful of bats, while in fact, bats are among the neatest creatures on the planet. This being Halloween season and all, the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries reminds us that this is Bat Week and CvilleBuzz is all over it. Here are some interesting … [Read more...]

  A few weeks back, there was a fox drinking from the birdbath in my front yard at mid-day, and he was covered with mange. We haven’t seen that particular animal since, but just this week, we have seen two more foxes, this time in our back yard, and again, at or near mid-day. One was a grown fox with a full coat, while the other appeared to be a younger animal with a touch of mange. In … [Read more...]

  (Juvenile Northern Black Racer, photo by John White)     Here’s a comforting thought. It’s baby snake season. The little slithery guys are out there in large numbers, waiting for an opportunity to scare the bejeezus out of approximately half the human population. I don’t mind snakes, as long as I can see them. It’s the ones I don’t see that cause concern. D. … [Read more...]

  Travelling along our roads and highways, I have recently taken a serious interest in the many lovely wild plants we routinely see. Some are overwhelming in beauty, and none were planted. They are as wild as the wind. And the wind is responsible for planting many of them, most notably the thistles. Thistles include a wide range of plants known for their sharp spines and prickles. These … [Read more...]

“There is a fox drinking water out of the bird bath,” Nancy said. “Is Elvis with him,” I asked. But there was a fox drinking water in our front yard in the middle of the day. And he had very little hair on most of his skinny body. This would be the second fox I’ve seen recently in broad daylight in need of some serious Rogaine. The other mangy animal was at the first hole at Meadowcreek … [Read more...]