New River Expedition - 2021

Notes from the Blue Ridge Discovery Center New River Expedition I helped guide this year

• Margined Madtoms (Noturus insignis), on average about 4-6" in length, emerge from deep, narrow crevices under smooth, rounded stones in tributaries that tie into the New River. Especially in quiet pools near waterfalls, they can be captured by hand or with a dipnet while hunting. They have beautiful black margins on their dorsal and caudal fins, too.
• Pickerel Frog (Lithobates palustris) toxins are powerful in this area. I received a nice dose from the observed individual in some cuts I had in my finger from invasive canary-grass reeds, which burned profusely for a few minutes. Another guide ended up getting the toxins in his eyes, with similar effects.
• Salamander activity surprisingly scarce; even after rain.
• A great deal of unusual, small fish live in the New River tributaries. Best viewed/captured at night with lights above 500 lumens.
• Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum sp.) and Wild Beebalm (Monarda fistulosa) make a pretty amazing Oswego Tea at camp. Boil in a bush pot, strain through a bandana into a cup, and it tastes like a rich, strong cool mint; herbal edition. Camp kids enjoyed it.
• Wild Garlic (Allium vineale) garlic bread is pretty great. Once again, enjoyed by the kids on the trip.
• Lots of Southern birds mixed with northern species on the river in the willow trees. Great Egrets glide to the song of Warbling Vireos, Orchard Orioles, Yellow-throated Vireos, and Acadian Flycatchers. Wood Thrushes and Eastern Wood-Pewees abundant.
• Apparently, an abnormally large number of deer and beaver chews were located on the river.

Posted on 12 de julho de 2021, 09:15 PM by cadecampbell