This week we held our first Elderhostel of the season: Taking Flight: Birding & Butterflies for Everyone. This is one of our most popular Elderhostels and it is taught by Jerry Via and Bill Akers, avid birders who lead birding programs all over the world. Over half of our group of 16 participants were returning to Mountain Lake for this particular program. Below are some pictures I took from our trip to the Biological Station down the road to spot some birds and wildflowers.
Jerry talking about the Chestnut Blight. Despite the devastation the blight caused to the American Chestnut tree, the root collar and root system of the tree are fairly resistant to the blight, so a large number of small American Chestnut trees still exist as shoots from existing root bases. However, the shoots are seldom able to grow enough to reproduce before the blight attacks them.
Look at those birders go!
Jean is quite excited about what she sees in the trees!
Ferns unfurling from their fiddlehead stage
Foam Flower
Lily of the Valley
Red Trillium
Jerry talking about the Chestnut Blight. Despite the devastation the blight caused to the American Chestnut tree, the root collar and root system of the tree are fairly resistant to the blight, so a large number of small American Chestnut trees still exist as shoots from existing root bases. However, the shoots are seldom able to grow enough to reproduce before the blight attacks them.
Look at those birders go!
Jean is quite excited about what she sees in the trees!
Ferns unfurling from their fiddlehead stage
Foam Flower
Lily of the Valley
Red Trillium
