Updated Changes to BioBlitz Schedule

Bioblitz schedule update:

We had some inevitable changes…

Native PLANTS (not trees) for Peggy Dyson-Cobb at 10 a.m. (new focus)

Native TREES by Karen Stanley 3 – 4 pm. (new)

REPTILES/AMPH (Herps) by Dr. Moosman 10 – 11 a.m. (time change)

Mammals (Gordon) 11 – 12 (time change) 

Schedule For Boxerwood BioBlitz

OCTOBER 4, SATURDAY
BIOBLITZ & PLANT SALE

   BioBlitz   8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Growing in popularity across the U.S., BioBlitzes are free, public events in which members of the public help experts identify and tally the total number of living species found in a specific area within a given timeframe.

Volunteers of any age and background may join any of the  "hunts."  The event is free and no preregistration is required. There will be one-hour forays for birds, native plants and trees, mammals, herps (reptiles/amphibians), bugs, and fungi, both in the morning and afternoon. Guest naturalists will lead each foray with volunteers as helpers. The event will occur rain or shine. 

8:00 - 10a.m. Foray: Birds (led by Kerry Kilday, Rockbridge Bird Club) (Walks will be held on the first Saturday of each month and conducted by the Rockbridge Bird Club. See the birds we found in September on our blog.)

10 a.m - 11 a.m. Foray #1: Native Trees (led by Peggy Dyson-Cobb, Native Plant Society); 

Foray #2: Bugs (led by Amanda Rose Newton, 4-H);  Mammals (led by Deb Gordon, Rockbridge Master Naturalists)

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.  Foray #1 Reptiles/Amphibians (led by Dr. Paul Moosman, VMI);

Foray #2 Native Trees (led by Faith Vosburgh, Boxerwood)
12 p.m. - 1 p.m. Siesta

1 p.m. - 2 p.m.: Foray #1: Fungus (led by Betty Besal and Diane Holsinger); 

Foray #2: Bugs (led by Amanda Rose Newton, 4-H)
2 p.m. - 3 p.m.: Foray #1: Native Trees (led by Betty Besal):

Foray #2: Bugs (led by Amanda Rose Newton):

Foray #3: Mammals (led by Deb Gordon, Rockbridge Master Naturalists)

3 p.m. - 4  p.m: Foray #1: Fungi (led by Betty Besal and Diane Holsinger);

Foray #2: Reptiles/Amphibians (led by Dr. Dave Marsh, WLU), 

4 p.m. - 5 p.m: Foray: Birds (led by Wendy Richards, Rockbridge Bird Club)

BioBlitz Coming October 4 at Boxerwood

Boxerwood Hosts Region’s First BioBlitz This Saturday

Boxerwood will be site of Rockbridge County’s first BioBlitz, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; the event also coincides with Boxerwood’s annual plant sale in the afternoon. Growing in popularity across the U.S., BioBlitzes are free, public events in which members of the public help experts identify and tally the total number of living species found in a specific area within a given timeframe.

“Some BioBlitzes go for 24 hours and involve hundreds of people—it’s crazy!” explained Amanda Rose Newton, the Rockbridge 4-H agent  who is partnering with Boxerwood and Rockbridge Master  Naturalists to organize the event.  The local version won’t be quite so ambitious, but the task is still daunting.  “Our woodland garden is only about fifteen acres,” explained Elise Sheffield, Boxerwood Education Director, “but it has many micro-environments that provide habitat for a wide range of creatures.  This will be a great way to get a better sense of who calls Boxerwood home.”

According to Sheffield, expert naturalists will be on hand to help with the identification.  “Basically, the day is made up of a number of small group forays, each led by the volunteer expert.  Each group will go out for an hour, searching for a particular kind of living thing, like mammals, reptiles, fungi or bugs.”  Together these groups will tally their findings, which organizers will compile into an even larger day-long inventory. “This will be a baseline for us,” explains Sheffield, noting Boxerwood hopes to make the BioBlitz an annual event.  “Boxerwood’s mission is to teach people how to care for the earth and its creatures” she explained, “and we see this event as a fun, but important, part of that work.”

Volunteers of any age and background may join any of the hunts. “Basically we need eyes and ears,” said Newton, herself a trained entomologist. “Our experts don’t want to go into the field alone: this is a team sport!”  The event is free and no preregistration is required. “Come for an hour or stay for the day—the length of your BioBlitzing is up to you,” said Newton.  According to Newton, there will be one-hour forays for birds, plants, mammals, herps (reptiles/amphibians), bugs, fungi, and native trees both in the morning and afternoon.

For early risers, the BioBlitz will kick off at 8 a.m. with an extended birding session, led by the Rockbridge Bird Club.  Simultaneous with the BioBlitz will be the annual Boxerwood Plant Sale, from 1 pm to 4 p.m.  Final events of the day will conclude by 5:00 p.m.  The event will occur rain or shine.  A complete schedule of the forays is found on the Boxerwood website www.boxerwood.org.

Bird Seed Sale

 You can help resident birds stay healthy this winter 

... and also support Boxerwood Nature Center! 

2014 Bird Seed Sale 

 Rockbridge Bird Club and Rockbridge Farmers Co-op are co-sponsoring a bird seed sale to benefit Boxerwood. Orders must be received by Wednesday, October 27. Orders will be available for pick-up at the Rockbridge Farmers Co-op on Saturday, November 22 from 8AM to Noon. 

SEED VARIETIES

Black Oil Sunflower Seed (25 lbs or 50 lbs) Premium-quality seed. Recleaned (no chaff), high in protein and fat. Attracts Cardinals, Finches, Chickadees, Grosbeaks, Juncos, Titmice, Woodpeckers and more.

Quality Wild Bird Mix (25 lbs or 50 lbs)

A quality mixture containing only recleaned seed, no filler. Contains 15% oil sunflower, 25% milo, 60% white millet. Meets nutritional needs and preferences of many species.

Gourmet Wild Bird Mix (20 lbs or 40 lbs)

The highest quality seed mix available, attracting a wide variety of birds. Contains 40% sunflower, 54% millet, 2%

nyjer, 2% sunflower kernels, 2% safflower.

Nijer Thistle Seed (10 lbs or 20 lbs)

The seed of choice for finches and other songbirds. Attracts Chickadees ,Goldfinches, House Finches, Juncos, Pine Siskins, Purple Finches, Sparrows, Titmice.

ORDER FORM

Name                                                                                                                                                                                  Address                                                                                                                                                                             City/State/Zip                                                                                                                                                                   Phone                                                               Email                                                                                                       

Prices include Virginia Sales Tax.

Prepaid orders must be received by Wednesday, October 27. Please write checks to Boxerwood. Mail them with your order form to:

Boxerwood Nature Center 963 Ross Road

Lexington, VA 24450

Orders will be ready for pick-up on Saturday, November 22 from 8 am to Noon at the Farmers Co-op. Please call Bonnie Bernstein (460-9147) if you need to make alternate plans to pick up your order.

PRODUCT	QUANTITY	EACH	SUBTOTAL
25 lbs. Black Oil Sunflower Seed		$16.00
50 lbs. Black Oil Sunflower Seed		$31.00
25 lbs. Quality Wild Bird Mix		$16.00
50 lbs. Quality Wild Bird Mix		$30.00
20 lbs. Gourmet Wild Bird Mix		$16.00
40 lbs. Gourmet Wild Bird Mix		$30.00
10 lbs. Nyjer Thistle Seed		$17.00
20 lbs. Nyjer Thistle Seed		$32.00
TOTAL Amount Enclosed:

SPECIAL NOTE: The Rockbridge Farmers Co-op will also donate 10% of gross receipts on items purchased in the Co-op Store on November 22 by Seed Sale customers!

Thanks for participating in the 2014 Seed Sale!

Dale's Creek on the Play Trail Gets a Face Lift

Work has been competed by local contractor Walter Garrett to rebuild Dale's Creek on the Boxerwood Play Trail.  The Creek bed has been completely redone with larger stones in the hopes that this popular feature of the Trail will be more stable and require less maintenance by volunteers and staff.

A new water pump was also purchased and placed in the Creek just prior to this most recent rebuild.

And thanks to the work of volunteers, we have replaced the Play Trail Fence along the Ross Road side of the Trail.  The new fence expands the space in the Play Trail area and is higher and much more securely placed than the old fence.

Stop by when you can to check out this beautiful update at Boxerwood.

Fall Family Festival September 27

Play Trail Work

If you visit the Boxerwood Play Trail you may note a few improvements.

Volunteers worked to replace the fencing and place planting beds along the Ross Road side of the area.    This will also allow for development of a children's touch garden.

Plans are in the works for a new music area where children will be able to make their own tunes or just fun noise.

There are now large "Lincoln Logs" made by our talented Staff Member Ben for children to build with.

And Walter Garrett, a local artisan stone mason, is working to rebuild and improve Dale's Creek so children can safely experience water flowing over the rocks.