April 2008 (includes October ‘07 through March ‘08)
Irregular Publication of the Cape Henry Audubon Society Weyanoke Wildlife Sanctuary

Our spring bird migrations are here! The other day I was thrilled to hear geese honking overhead on their way north. Meanwhile trees, shrubs and plants are hastily putting forth their finery. Last month I marveled at the delicate and intricate Trout Lilly blooms in our "secret" garden. More recently I was captivated by the flowers on the Coastal Azaleas in the Woodland Garden. Spring is when visits to Weyanoke always reward one with something different and delightful. Come and rejoice! Phil Gillette

You Are Invited to an Earth Day and Arbor Day Celebration: Sunday, April 20, 2- 5 PM. Master Gardeners as well as Cape Henry Audubon Society members will lead tours of the Woodland Gardens, the Meadow and the paths through the woods and along the creek. A limited amount of seedlings of native trees will be made available for your selection. We’ll have refreshments. Last year over 100 people attended. Come and bring your friends and neighbors. Contact: Susan Hubbard, 625-1907, or Woody Woodard 625-0776.

Nature Walks Report (led and reported on by Susan Hubbard unless otherwise noted).

October ‘07: Not many birds.....two Box Turtles and a few flowering plants. We bemoaned the drought, which seems never to end.  We spotted several Carolina Wrens, heard Jays and Robins, and saw a Dove under the bird feeder.

November ’07: Our leader Bill Keith right away spotted a large (Red-tailed?) hawk flying along the creek – a flight traceable by Blue Jay scoldings. Near the live oaks we encountered a flock of small birds including Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets, Brown Creepers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, and Carolina Wrens. It was fun to see the quiet woods suddenly come alive! -- Nancy Milner.

December ‘07: Our first wintry nature walk. Just a few birds… a Flicker, a Pine Warbler. We all admired the call of a Carolina Wren and the many, many Robins feasting mainly on the holly berries. 

January ‘08: Led by Bill Keith; however, Phil Gillette misplaced the notes!

February ’08: We saw the very early signs of spring.... a few trees budding out including the Stewardia. We also noted the Carolina Jessamine showing very early buds.  We admired the paths in the Woodland Garden and the Meadow that Woody Woodard and 

helpers Bill Webster and David Harter had covered with mulch, and how Woody had cleared out the invasive Crossvine.

On October 14 a beautiful and moving ceremony took place to dedicate two winterberry holly trees given to Weyanoke in memory of Robert Bastone. The Reverend Pam Allen-Thompson, interim minister of the Unitarian Church of Norfolk, presided.

• Our infrastructure projects include: in December we fixed our front fence; in March we installed an underground pipe bringing water to the meadow; later this month repairs will begin on the Little House.
• Nancy Milner thanks the Weyanoke Committee and friends for supporting the Weyanoke Wildlife Sanctuary exhibit, A Year of Light, at the VB Central Library through February.  We celeb-rated at a great reception, and the photos looked fine in that setting.  Thank you all for helping make this a success!!  
• This spring Weyanoke benefited from extraordinary gifts of volunteerism. For example, with the help of Keep Norfolk Beautiful, four students from Virginian Wesleyan. College spent part of their March spring break helping to clean up our woods. Diane Hotaling at VWC organized this effort, and we particularly recognize students Michelle Neunzig, Korinda Rusinyank, Lan Tan and Sean Weston.
• Another instance of volunteerism happened at our first Spring Workday on March 29. West Ghent residents Linda Hill and Diane McDonough helped us tear out yards of invasive English Ivy. Likewise, George Pegram and his Indian Princess group from the YMCA came out. George informs us that "seven big braves and nine princesses" transplanted violets from our meadow to the front area..
• We expect children from Norfolk schools to visit twice in April and May to plant native grasses along the creek. The Elizabeth River Project is behind this initiative.

Progress of Our Annual Appeal. We have received donations from seventy-one organizations and individuals. We are close to attaining our goal of $3,757. We absolutely depend on this kind of support. If you want to contribute before the year’s end (which is on June 30), make your check out to CHAS and write Weyanoke on the memo line. Also be sure to tell us whether you want to receive Pathways by regular mail or email. Please send to: CHAS/Weyanoke, c/o Phil Gillette, 1205 Westover Ave. A5, Norfolk, VA 23507-1346.

Notes from Cape Henry Audubon Society, from a recent CHAS newsletter:

Bird Walks Planned.

• David Hughes will lead a bird walk on Saturday, April 26, at the Greensprings Greenway Trail, James City County, . Contact 484 -7398.
• David Hughes will lead a bird walk on Saturday, May 10, 8:00 AM in the Great Dismal Swamp NWR, Jericho Ditch Area. Contact 484 -7398.

Programs Upcoming – All are at St. Patrick Catholic School, l000 Bolling Ave., Norfolk - 7:30 PM.  

• The Saw-Whet Owl Banding Progam at Kiptopeke. Fletcher Smith from the Center for Conservation Biology at the College of William and Mary, speaker..

• The World of Carnivorous Plants. Mark Milne, graduate student at Old Dominion University, presenter.

Sanctuary Hours: Saturdays and Sundays, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Norfolk Master Gardeners: Second and Fourth Wednesdays of the month, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Additional volunteers are welcome, regardless of skill-level. For more information, call Elizabeth Francis (489-1450) or Josephine Cole (583-1316).

Guided Nature Walks: Third Saturdays of the month, 8 a.m. Meet at the front gate of the Sanctuary. Duration: from 45 minutes to 1 hour & 15 minutes.

The mission of the Weyanoke Wildlife Sanctuary is to protect the forest, meadows, marshlands and creek and to preserve the native plants within its boundaries -- thereby creating an environment where wildlife will flourish and people can experience and be nourished by the natural world.