"Almost Heaven" - West Virginia in the Early Fall

During Mid-September Julie and I met up with my niece Heidi and her husband Tim for an outdoor adventure in the beautiful Canaan Valley in West Virginia.

Crossing the Blue Ridge on Rt 250 from Virginia, Julie and I stopped for a picture of the Appalachian mountain chain and West Virginia off in the distance.

West Virginia is a wonderful collection of mountain scenery complete with beautiful valleys, expansive meadows and tumbling waterfalls like the Blackwater Falls which we visited.

After checking into our hotel at Canaan Valley State Park our first adventure was to the Dolly Sods Wildlife refuge and the Appalachian Bird Banding Station.

 The Bird Banding station has been monitored by volunteers since the1960's.  Volunteers set up each morning nets to catch the migrating birds. Each morning the birds fly down for the day to feed and rest for their continuing journey south.

Once a bird is caught in a net, a volunteer removes the bird and places a small identifying band on their leg. The bird is identified by species and released to continue its journey.

Birds that are later found in different locations are recorded and added to the body of data which indicates how far the bird has traveled and its eventual wintering grounds.  This research over the years from operations like this have created migration maps that are used around the world. 

The Cornell University Bird-Cast app recorded that on the night prior to our visit, close to 3 million birds migrated high in the sky's over West Virginia. Here young volunteers survey the nets for trapped birds.

Unfortunately, we did not get to see any birds caught in the nets as they tend to land right after sunrise. Given our one hour drive up the forest road to the site we arrived too late....but we still enjoyed the mountain views and learning about the efforts of these dedicated volunteers.

I did get a photo of a migrating Warbler looking for bugs in a pine on one of our hikes

Throughout the week we visited several trails in the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge.

The afternoon woods provided opportunities for photos of the beautiful dappled light peaking through the canopy.

My progressing mobility issues have forced many adjustments to my outdoor adventures. This scooter which fits into the back of my car enables me to take advantage of some birding trails. Many thanks to Tim who helped me assemble and disassemble the scooter at several sites. Thanks of course to my sister Elaine who passed on her husband's scooter to me.

What a pleasure to see the hundreds of migrating Monarch Butterflies that filled the meadows. Monarch numbers are on the decline but not so here. An abundance of milkweed (not pictured) offered them their favored plant in which to lay their eggs.

Cedar Waxwings

A curious Ground Hog in the meadow

A handsome American Kestrel, the smallest member of the the Falcon family

Kestrel in flight on a misty afternoon.

Heidi and Tim were great sports putting up with my bird photography and endless mildly interesting trivia. 

Coming up on 20 years of adventures with my Gal

The Meadows were filled with wildflowers 

I did catch a view of over three dozen migrating Cedar Waxwings. The Fall migration begins in late August and continues through October each year.

Heidi caught this sunrise view out her hotel balcony with the lingering fog settled in the valley.

After a morning breakfast together we parted ways back to our homes in Virginia and Pennsylvania with memories of beautiful scenery and good times. 

Appalachian Spring

"What a wondrous time is Spring, When all the trees are budding"

Spring is my favorite time of year. I've experienced Spring in New England covered in Dogwoods among the stone walls, The Montana Spring with the blooming lupines and snow capped mountains, The English countryside with the rape seed fields and grazing sheep, but my favorite is without a doubt the Virginia Appalachian Spring

Julie and I seized the sunny day to go out exploring the country roads east of the Blue Ridge. After a lovely lunch in Crozet we were off to see the Peach Blossoms on Jarman's Gap road.

Chiles Orchard, a local favorite is a glorious spot in the Spring - Julie and I will be back in April to catch the new Tulip fields.

Driving the country roads of the Blue Ridge unveils special treats around every bend.

What stories does this abandoned home in a wood have to tell? Springtime, just before the trees leaf out, allow for these special peeks into the woods.

Over 40 Vineyards are scattered throughout the Monticello Viticulture Area each one prettier than the last.

The Redbud trees dot the landscapes at this time of year filling the forest with color.

On our drive Julie and I discovered the University of Virginia Polo Center. Who knew? We made a note to return for a match at the center. 

(Photo Courtesy of UVA Website

Do you need a lift of your spirit? Get out and drive / walk / bike the beautiful countryside. Spring doesn't last long. Warm days will bring out the foliage and the subtle Appalachian Spring will mature into summer.  It's a time filled with promise and has inspired literature and music through the ages like Aaron Coplands "Appalachian Spring." We all can use a lift and maybe a glass of fine Virginia Wine.

 

The Year of the Albino Twins

My wife Julie and I will always remember  2025 as the year of the Albino twins. Some time around June we discovered two white flashes running  through our yard that we discovered in amazement were twin Albino deer. Credit goes to my son and grandson for the first sighting. We live in a gated community and have many white-tailed deer in the area that are both revered and disdained by residents. Deer cause a considerable amount of damage to landscaping however I fall in the nature lover camp and enjoy seeing them visit my property. I think it's safe to say that all the neighbors are delighted this year to see these rare beauties.

 We began to see in the area on a regular basis a family group of 4 deer . The family consisted of a mother, two twins and a second female of larger size who always appeared with Mom and the fawns. We called her "Nana" imaging that she possibly was the grandmother helping her daughter raise her first fawns, or so we wished.

The twins have a wonderful Mom who is very protective of them, chasing away intruders and wrangling them up when they wander off.

The incidence of Albino deer is estimated to be around 1 in 20,000 births. The incidence of fraternal albino twins is so rare that estimates vary wildly. I've read estimates that range from 1 in 2 million to 1 in 80 million. The incidence of identical albinos is so rare that it is considered improbable. This leads me to believe that these fawns must be fraternal.

Albino deer have several issues that affect their longevity. The biggest issue is their lack of camouflage. They are susceptible to predators and hunters. Though hunting is not allowed in our community we do have coyote who roam the community at night. Albinos in addition have vision problems with eye diseases as a result of lack of pigment in their eyes. They are known to be prone to skin cancer. Albinos are known to be socially rejected by other deer though several years ago we did have an adult albino female in the community who gave birth to two normal fawns (See Post Script).

The range of deer is surprisingly small, particularly in an area with lots of tasty bushes surrounding residents homes. These deer will probably not wander more than a half a mile from where they were born. They will bed-down in ravines, on patios and even under porches

Another shot of Mom and her fawns. As the year went on, the twins began venturing off on their on, either together or alone, but always retuning to their Mom at the end of the day. It will be interesting to follow them and see if they remain together as the new year progresses. Families have been known to stay together for as long as two years.

 

Our "Babes", as we call them, are quite curious and getting to recognize when I come out to fill the bird feeders. The spillage created around the feeders by the squirrels is a tasty snack which they look forward to. Here is a precious photo of them peeping around the corner of my house keeping an eye on me.

In the snow the twins finally have some camouflage. 

It has been a true joy for Julie and I to watch this family and discuss our sightings. We fear for their future but feel blessed to see these beautiful creatures while we can.

I didn't want those Azaleas to bloom next spring anyway.

POST SCRIPT...

Ten years ago for a few years we had an albino female deer roaming through our property. She was a real beauty and one season she had a set of twins which she wanted to show us...or so we fantasized. Her twins were normal fawns, spots and all. You have about a 1-20,000 chance of seeing an albino dear and several people in our area have claimed to see one in their lifetime. A true albino has pink ears, pink eyes and pink hooves, all a result off no pigmentation. They can often be confused with Pie-Bald deer which have mostly white fur with blotches of normal brown. Pie-Bald deer are not as rare. Our twins this season are extremely rare as stated earlier in this blog. The evidence of an albino in a given area is believed to lead to additional albino deer as their traits pass on in the gene pool. It will take a mating male and female both with an albino gene to produce an albino.  Possibly our 2025 twins are descendants of this beautiful female from 2015. This deer hung around for three seasons and then one day was gone. Possibly taken by a predator, an automobile or disease. 

February 2026

 Here is a picture of one of the Twins and Mom on February 17, 2026. On this day we learned that the other Twin had been found dead by the community maintenance crew. The Twin did not appear to be injured by a predator or car encounter. She possibly succumbed to the recent cold spell we were experiencing. This is very sad to hear but unfortunately a common end for these fragile creatures. It is estimated by Wildlife groups that up to 90% of albino fawns do not make it through their first year.  Good "mothering" is a positive factor. I suspect the fawn that was lost was the one which wondered off and was often seen alone. 

March 20 2026

One of the twins has made it through the winter and looks healthy. Here is a picture on the first day of Spring March 20, 2026

June 21st 2026

Update - First day of Summer 6/21/26 -Our remaining twin and her Mom showed up in the front yard to have a bite of shrub. She looks healthy. Young deer can remain with their Mom up to two years. Stay close to Mom and listen to her advice please.

Our Albino Twins have been memorialized by a commissioned gift from my Son and Daughter-in-law. How special it will be to enjoy morning coffee with the "Babes".