VDGIF biologists returned to sample the acidic, dark-water swamps and beaver ponds in southeast Virginia. Their quarry was a two-inch long member of the bass family and a state endangered species known as the Blackbanded Sunfish (Enneachanthus chatedon). This sunfish prefers shallow portions of ponds that are thick with submerged aquatic vegetation – bladderwort, water milfoil, and … [Read more...]

  An anonymous donor will now MATCH your financial gift to the Charlottesville Municipal Band. Through the end of this year, contributions up to $500,000, will in essence be doubled. A $50 gift becomes $100. A $1,000 contribution becomes $2,000. With these gifts, it is hoped that the band will be able to create an endowment sufficient to carry them well into their second century with … [Read more...]

By Heather Dale Walton, DPT, OCS   As the weather warms this summer, there is nothing better than cooling off with water sports. Paddle boarding, kayaking and canoeing are excellent ways to get away from the chaos of daily life and the hustle and bustle that prevents us from stopping and smelling the roses. On the water, there is only you, the rippling water, fresh breezes, birds … [Read more...]

Another great Fish Fry is coming up - this time with the Happy Hollow Stringband scheduled to play this Saturday at Slusser's Chapel in Blacksburg. Sponsored by the Mount Tabor Ruritan Club, the event will take place from 5 to 7 PM with music, food and lots of family fun. The cost is just $8 for adults, $4 for kids under 12 and children under 3 are admitted free. Carry out orders are … [Read more...]

  This wasn’t a good spring to be a wild turkey. A lot of the bearded birds ended up on dining room tables as opposed to finding the hens of their dreams. Recent reports from the Game Department announced a near record harvest. The summary is below. A total of 18,860 turkeys were harvested in Virginia during the 2017 spring gobbler season - 9% higher than the 2016 harvest. This year’s … [Read more...]

By David Hart They were called “frankenfish” and “fishzilla,” as if they were created in the laboratory of a mad scientist. They even morphed into a mythological creature that could walk across dry land and survive out of water for days. The hysteria around snakeheads also spawned a rash of B-list movies. One included gruesome attacks by roving packs of six-foot fish that devoured swimmers, … [Read more...]

By Sherman Shifflett   After a recent article about birds in CvilleBuzz, I started thinking about the birds I saw as a kid and how many of those species have become scarce. My family left Covesville in 1957, and I don't think I have seen a Baltimore Oriole since then. I remember a sycamore tree near our bus stop and I used to see the orioles in that tree. Seems to me that they built … [Read more...]

By DU Field Biologists   BRITISH COLUMBIA. After recent thaws, the ground surface in the interior and Peace parkland regions is saturated with water. As a result, wetland conditions are favorable for returning waterfowl, which started to arrive in the southern interior in early March. ALBERTA. Despite below-average winter snowfall, soil moisture levels are near or above normal across … [Read more...]