Harpers Ferry, WV — Bill Hebb, director of the wildlife
management program at Harpers Ferry National Historic Park, reports a
promising appearance of a young peregrine falcon near the Potomac River
cliffs directly across from the town, at the site of a peregrine
reintroduction effort. The peregrine frequented the cliffs during the late
winter-early spring period associated with nesting area selection.
Radio transmission data indicate that the bird originated in West Virginia's
rugged New River Gorge. Researchers learned from the data that it was a
one-year-old individual, leading to speculation that its young age prevented
an attempt at nesting on the cliff site and raising hopes for a return of
the falcons to Harpers Ferry in the near future. Peregrines historically
nested on the towns's precipitous rock faces but abandoned the area in the
1950s.
New Trail In The Blue Ridge Mountains
Frederick, MD — Frederick County, Maryland now boasts a long-distance path through the northern Blue Ridge Mountains on the border of the Washington, DC. metropolis. New signage marks the high ground hike-bike-horseback path, which outdoor enthusiasts give steadily increasing usage. With the understated name Blue Trail, the path extends 16 miles. It connects two state parks, Cunningham Falls and Gambrills, and runs through the extensive Frederick Watershed. From the city of Frederick, Route 40 west approaches the trail at Gambrills State Park.
Beetles Attack National
Park
Sperryville, VA — Hemlock Springs Overlook, popular scenic view
at milepost 39.7 in Shenandoah National Park, recently lost its
namesake eastern hemlocks ( Tsuga canadensis ) to the global-reaching
hemlock wooly adelgid beetle. The attack further debilitates a nationally
known viewshed already rendered a brown streak in places by gypsy
moth and acid rain. Charred treetrunks from a government evergreen
restoration project which degenerated into wildfire further degrade
the ridgeline aesthetics.
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge recently enhanced its bicycling facilities with an oceanside bike corral constructed to accommodate cycling beachgoers. The Refuge built the parking rack at the Atlantic Ocean terminus of the surviving remnant of the Swans Cove Trail, which branches off of popular Wildlife Drive and formerly ran behind the dunes for approximately 1 mile before storm overwash buried it.
