Podcasts about inland fisheries

Join Corey and Ben as they sit down with Christian Waters, Chief of Inland Fisheries, to explore the ins and outs of fisheries regulations. Why do these rules exist? Who do they impact? Are they even necessary? Tune in as they dive deep into the world of fisheries management. 

After being side characters in two episodes (Rocky Mountain Adventures and White-tailed Deer), it's time for moose to step into the spotlight! Casey and Sara discuss what makes moose special, the tangled web of moose population control, conservation, and climate change, and why in the world the plural of moose isn't "meese."   The two articles referenced in the last portion of the show are: How Should Colorado Handle Its Booming Moose Population? | Smithsonian Do Moose “Belong” in Colorado?   Additional resources for this episode: Moose Research in Rocky Mountain National Park Species Spotlight - Moose (U.S. National Park Service) ‘No chain stores, but moose on every corner': as Colorado herds thrive, clashes with people rise | Wildlife | The Guardian Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Moose Survey Moose Research | Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department Winter tick Winter Ticks: Moose: Mammals: Species Information: Wildlife: Fish & Wildlife: Maine Dept of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife As New England Winters Warm, Ticks are Killing Moose at High Rates | Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) Moose in New Hampshire  

As HGH wraps up, B finally brings us the story that started her special interest in Mt. Katahdin - the 1963 Tragedy that changed how Baxter State Park handled safety and rescue. Sources: Report of Proceedings : Mt. Katahdin Tragedy Board of Review / Conducted Jointly by Baxter State Park Authority and Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Game Desperate Steps: Life, Death, and Choices Made in the Mountains of the Northeast by Peter W. Kick Wikipedia HIKE KATAHDIN VIA THE CATHEDRAL TRAIL IN BAXTER STATE PARK, MAINE BY  DAREN WORCESTER for Northeasthikes.com You can reach out to us via email at homegrownhorrorpod@gmail.com - send us stories, questions, Maine movie recommendations, or just say hi! Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/homegrownhorrorpod/⁠ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hghpod/support

Join us as we dive into the topic of bears in Maine! Known for its stunning wilderness and diverse wildlife, Maine is home to one of the most intriguing residents - the Black Bear. IM NOT A BEAR IM A REALTOR In Maine, Black Bears are the only bear species you'll encounter. These majestic creatures typically have black fur, though some may appear brown or cinnamon. Males average 250-600 pounds, while females range from 100-300 pounds. They have a wild lifespan of about 20 years. Maine boasts an estimated 35,000 Black Bears, one of the largest populations in the eastern United States, thanks to successful conservation efforts. These bears thrive in the dense forests, swamps, and rugged terrain of northwestern and north-central Maine. Black Bears are omnivores, enjoying a diet of berries, nuts, fruits, insects, and occasionally small mammals. Generally shy and reclusive, they can become curious if they smell food. In spring and summer, they forage extensively to build fat reserves, entering a state of hyperphagia in the fall to prepare for winter hibernation. During winter, they hibernate in dens for about 5-7 months. To avoid bear encounters, it's important to secure food and garbage in bear-proof containers, make noise while hiking to alert bears of your presence, and avoid hiking alone in bear-prone areas. If you encounter a bear, stay calm and do not run. Back away slowly while facing the bear and speak in a calm, assertive voice to let the bear know you are human. Make yourself look larger by raising your arms or a jacket. For campers and hikers, store food and scented items in bear-resistant containers or hang them from a tree, cook and eat away from sleeping areas, and keep a clean campsite and dispose of waste properly. Bear sightings are infrequent for most residents and typically occur in rural areas. Some residents take precautions like installing electric fences around gardens or beehives. Urban areas experience fewer bear interactions, but occasional sightings do happen. Education programs on living with bears and community efforts to reduce attractants and keep areas clean are crucial for coexistence. Recent trends show an increase in bear sightings due to urban expansion into bear habitats, with more reports of bears raiding bird feeders and garbage cans. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife actively monitors bear populations, implements hunting regulations, and conducts public education campaigns about bear safety and coexistence. Conservation initiatives include research on bear behavior, programs to reduce human-bear conflicts, and efforts to protect critical bear habitats. To recap, Maine is home to a thriving population of Black Bears. We've covered their characteristics, habits, safety tips, and the impact on residents. It's essential to respect and coexist with Maine's wildlife. Share your bear stories or questions in the comments below! Don't forget to subscribe to the channel, visit our website for more information, and stay tuned for future episodes! #BlackBears #MaineWildlife #NatureLovers #ExploreMaine #WildlifeConservation #MaineLife #AnimalBehavior #NaturePhotography #WildlifePhotography #BearSafety #HikingAdventures #CampingLife #OutdoorLiving #VisitMaine #DiscoverMaine #WildlifeFacts #MaineNature #BearEncounters #BearAwareness #MaineOutdoors #WildlifeLovers #NatureLover #ExploreNature #LivingWithWildlife #AdventureTime #NatureVideos #Conservation #EcoFriendly #RespectNature #WildlifeEducation

Hans-Peter Grossart vom Leibniz-Institute for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries hat mit einem Forschungsteam festgestellt, dass mehrere Süßwasserpilze Kunststoff abbauen können. "Der Pilz kann bestimmte Plastiksorten direkt angreifen", sagt er. Von WDR 5.

How do Inland Fisheries Ireland inspectors interact with farmers and what service can they provide at this time of year in relation to river and in drain works farmers plan to carry out? Cormac Goulding, Inspector with Inland Fisheries Ireland, discusses his job and working with farmers. For more episodes and information from the Environment Edge, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/environmentedge/

This episode is simple. Host Chris Richards and OMM Team Member Kenny Mayo sit down to discuss the ins and outs of how a person can acquire a Maine Moose permit. Tips for how to access a bunch of data and information from Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife website, things to consider when applying in the lottery, the availability of disabled veteran hunts up north, auction tags, lodge permits, options for swapping tags if you are drawn and more are all discussed as potential options a hunter can pursue as pathways towards acquiring a permit to hunt the mighty and majestic Maine Moose. Enjoy 

Rand Hooper and Graham McCormick are both from Richmond area. McCormick moved to Atlanta for a job, but took time to return to Irvington to visit his friend, staying with him at his home. The next day, Sallie Graham gets a text from Hooper asking if she's heard from her son, if not, then he is missing.  Graham says her son was known for his responsibility, as signified by his fraternity nickname... Grahampa, a reference to maturity.  Graham asks about a search to find McCormick, searching the water, checking with neighbors,  in town and more. The answers  .. He's not there.    McCormick's mother, father and brother drive from their home as they learn McCormick was missing.  Graham checks by the dock, where her son was last known to be, using an oar to poke and prod at the water.  From there, Graham knocks on neighbors' doors, then returns to the Hoopers. Soon,  a neighbor tells Sallie Graham,  a body had been found.  Graham McCormick's body is found floating in Carter Creek off the Rappahannock River around 11:30 that morning. That's about 2 miles north of the Hooper's home. The state medical examiner ruled that McCormick died from drowning,  blunt-force trauma a contributing factor in the death.  Three days after the initial visit to the home,  Lancaster sheriff's detectives spot damage to the Hooper family  boat. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries reconstruct a crash and determined the boat had been involved in an accident near where McCormick's body was found. The investigation reveals that McCormick and Hooper spent the evening drinking, then had taken Hooper's 1999 Boston Whale boat out.  The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries concluded that the vessel struck a bulkhead jutting out of the water near where McCormick was found. Investigators believe McCormick was ejected from the boat. Police say it appeared that it had been slammed against the rocks, over and over again. McCormick had lacerations on his left side of his head and the back of his body, and blunt-force trauma. The medical examiner concluded that the injuries alone would not have killed the 31-year-old McCormick. Those injuries should have been survivable, she said.  However, McCormick's blood alcohol level was 186.  It would be three years before Rand Hooper would face additional charges in Graham McCormick's death. Initially, Hooper was charged with a misdemeanor count of failing to make a timely report of the boat accident.  Those charges were upgraded to involuntary manslaughter with a proposed deal of just one year in prison, but a special prosecutor determined that more charges were appropriate as Hooper was accused of operating his boat while intoxicated, leading to a crash that killed McCormick. Hooper was arrested and charged with felony murder, involuntary manslaughter while under the influence operating a watercraft and failure to stop and assist with serious injury or death.  Joining Nancy Grace Today: Burke McCormick- Graham's father, Attorney  Gordon McCormick – Graham's brother-Twitter: @GhostofBPH  Catherine McCormick- Graham's sister  Dale Carson -  Criminal Defense Attorney, Former FBI Agent, Former Police Officer, Author: "Arrest-Proof Yourself”, DaleCarsonLaw.com, Twitter: @DaleCarsonLaw  Dr. Jorey L. Krawczyn -  Psychologist, fmr law enforcement, Faculty Saint Leo University; Consultant Blue Wall Institute, www.bw-institute.com, Author: Operation S.O.S., www.drjorey.com   Capt. Tim Self- Lancaster Sheriff's office in Virginia  Dr. Jan Gorniak - Board Certified Forensic Pathologist, fmr. medical examiner for Clark County  Melissa Hipolit- Investigative Reporter for WTVR CBS 6. wtvr.com, Twitter: @MelissaCBS6  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Click to listen to episode (5:44). Sections below are the following:Transcript of AudioAudio Notes and AcknowledgmentsImagesSourcesRelated Water Radio EpisodesFor Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.)Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 12-26-23. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of December 25, 2023, and January 1, 2024. MUSIC – ~13 sec – instrumental. That's part of “The Foggy Dew” by Timothy Seaman.  It's one of the songs heard on Virginia Water Radio in 2023, and it opens our annual episode where we listen back to some of the previous year's sounds and music.  We start with a medley of mystery sounds.  Have a listen for about 40 seconds, and see how many you recognize. SOUNDS - ~39 sec. 1.  Eastern Narrrow-mouthed Toad.2.  Humpback Whale.3.  Hooded Merganser.4.  Cascades waterfall.5.  Gray Tree Frogs, an Eastern Screech Owl, Eastern Wood-Pewee, and Wood Thrush. If you knew all of most of those, you're a 2023 authentic aquatic ace! You heard, first, an Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad; second; a Humpback Whale; third, a Hooded Merganser; fourth, the Cascades Falls in Giles County, Virginia; and, last, the sounds of Gray Tree Frogs, an Eastern Screech Owl, an Eastern Wood-Pewee, and a Wood Thrush, all recorded at a pond in Blacksburg, Va., at sundown on July 27, 2023. Thanks to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources and to Lang Elliott for permission to use this week's sounds, from the 2008 CD, “The Calls of Virginia Frogs and Toads”; to the National Park Service for the Humpback Whale Sound; and to Lang Elliott for permission to use the Hooded Merganser sound, from the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs. We close out 2023 with a 1 minute/45 second sample of music heard this year, with parts of “I Walk in Beauty,” by the late Madeline MacNeil; “Driftage,” by Andrew and Noah VanNorstrand; “Frog Level Yacht Club,” by Trevor McKenzie; “Backburner,” by the group The Faux Paws; and, last, “World's Too Big,” by Kat Mills, whose lyrics help us look toward the coming year.  Thanks to all the musicians who gave permission to use their music, and thanks to Janita Baker for permission to use Madeline MacNeil's music. So long to 2023, and here's hoping for a 2024 the brings to your ears, good sounds; to your heart, good music; and to your health, good water. MUSIC – ~1 min./43 sec. 1.  From “I Walk in Beauty” – lyrics: “Beauty is behind me, above and below me.” 2. From “Driftage” – instrumental. 3.  From “Frog Level Yacht Club” – lyrics: “I know it's fantasy and my plays tricks on my memory, but that's how I recall the Frog Level Yacht Club.” 4.  From “Backburner” – lyrics: “I put my heart in the freezer, I put my love on ice, I tell myself I don't need her, wouldn't that be nice?  I put  my heart in the freezer, I put my love on hold, I tell myself I don't need her, and then I wonder why I feel so cold.  I wonder why I feel, I wonder why I feel, I wonder why I feel so cold.” 5.  From “World's Too Big” – lyrics: “World's too big to see in one lifetime; what do you think you'll do this year in the world, world, world, in the world?” SHIP'S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I'm Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com. Sounds Used and Their Previous 2023 Virginia Water Radio Episodes  (listed in the order heard in this episode's audio). The sounds of the Eastern Narrrow-mouthed Toad was from “The Calls of Virginia Frogs and Toads” CD, copyright 2008 by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (now the Department of Wildlife Resources) and Lang Elliott/NatureSoundStudio, used with permission.   The CD accompanies A Guide to the Frogs and Toads of Virginia, Special Publication Number 3, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries; that publication is no longer available at Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources online store, https://www.shopdwr.com/.  For more information, contact the Department at P.O. Box 90778, Henrico, VA 23228-0778; phone: (804) 367-1000 (VTDD); main Web page is https://dwr.virginia.gov/; to send e-mail, visit https://dwr.virginia.gov/contact/.  Lang Elliott's work is available online at the “Music of Nature” Web site, http://www.musicofnature.org/.  This sound was used in Episode 649, 2-20-23, a medley of frog and toad calls. The Humpback Whale sound was from the National Park Service ‘Sound Gallery,” online at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/sounds-humpback-whale.htm, as of 12-22-23.  This sound was used in Episode 651, 3-20-23, on ocean and  marine biodiversity. The Hooded Merganser sound was from the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs-Eastern Region CD set, by Lang Elliott with Donald and Lillian Stokes (Time Warner Audio Books, copyright 1997), used with permission of Lang Elliott.  Lang Elliot's work is available online at the “Music of Nature” Web site, http://www.musicofnature.org/.  This sound was used in Episode 670, 12-11-23, a duck names quiz. 4.  The waterfall sound was recorded by Virginia Water Radio at the Cascades waterfall in Giles County, Va., on September 28, 2023.  This sound was used in Episode 666, 10-16-23, on waterfalls in Virginia. 5.  The sounds of Gray Tree Frogs, an Eastern Screech Owl, and an Eastern Wood-Pewee, with the less prominent sounds of a Wood Thrush, were recorded by Virginia Water Radio at a pond in Blacksburg, Va., at about 8:30 p.m. on July 27, 2023.  These sounds were used in Episode 661, 8-7-23, on the sounds between dawn and dusk on a summer day at a Virginia pond. Musical Selections Used and Their Previous 2023 Virginia Water Radio Episodes (listed in the order heard in this episode's audio)

Click to listen to episode (4:36).Sections below are the following:Transcript of AudioAudio Notes and AcknowledgmentsImagesExtra InformationSourcesRelated Water Radio EpisodesFor Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.)Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 11-9-23. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of December 11 and December 18, 2023.  [Please note: the audio mistakenly says December 20 instead of December 18.] SOUND – ~6 sec. Those sounds of Mallard ducks, recorded in December 2015 at the Virginia Tech Duck Pond in Blacksburg, set the stage for a duck designation derby—that is, a duck names quiz game! I'll give you clues to the common names of six duck species inhabiting areas of Virginia, either year-round or seasonally.  After each set of clues, you'll have a few seconds to hear sounds from the duck and try to guess its name.  In the clues, “diving duck” refers to those birds that dive deep under the surface and feed underwater; and “dabbling duck” refers to those birds that feed on or just below the water surface. Number 1:  This large diving duck, noted for its reddish head and bright whitish body, has a name that a painter would recognize.  SOUND - ~6 sec.  That's the Canvasback. Number 2:  This diving duck is known and named for its golden-yellow eyes.  SOUND - ~5 sec.  That's the Common Goldeneye. Number 3:  For people who appreciate colorful birds, this small dabbling duck's iridescent green feathers on its head and wings are a big deal.  SOUND - ~5 sec.  That's the Green-winged Teal. Number 4:  If people who wear “hoodies” wanted to know how to look like a bird, the male of this diving duck would be the answer.  SOUND - ~5 sec.  That's the Hooded Merganser. Number 5:  This dabbling duck has a name—based on its spoon-like bill—that could be applied to what people in, say Minnesota, have to become after a big snowfall, if they want to clear a path.  SOUND - ~5 sec.  That's the Northern Shoveler. And number 6:  This elaborately colored dabbling duck, notable for its nests in tree holes and for its ability to perch on tree branches, has a name that comes from trees.  SOUND - ~5 sec.  That's the Wood Duck. The birds in this game are among 25 duck species known to occur in Virginia, at least occasionally.  Many are around in wintertime, so if you're venturing out near water during the cold-weather months, perhaps—with luck and pluck—you'll glimpse or hear some ducks. Thanks to Lang Elliott for permission to use the sounds in the duck names quiz, which were all from the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs. We close with some music for ducks, with a tune attributed to the late Henry Reed, a traditional musician who lived in Giles County, Virginia.  Here's about 25 seconds of “Ducks on the Pond,” performed by Timothy Seaman of Williamsburg, Virginia. MUSIC - ~27 sec – Instrumental. SHIP'S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of “Cripple Creek” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I'm Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Canvasback, Common Goldeneye, Green-winged Teal, Hooded Merganser, Northern Shoveler, and Wood Duck sounds heard in this episode were from the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs-Eastern Region CD set, by Lang Elliott with Donald and Lillian Stokes (Time Warner Audio Books, copyright 1997), used with permission of Lang Elliott.  Lang Elliot's work is available online at the “Music of Nature” Web site, http://www.musicofnature.org/. The Mallard sounds were recorded by Virginia Water Radio at the Virginia Tech Duck Pond in Blacksburg on December 10, 2015. The version of “Ducks on the Pond” heard in this episode is by Timothy Seaman, part of the medley “Virginia Rail Reel/Ducks on the Pond/Old Blue,” from the 2004 album “Virginia Wildlife,” on Pine Wind Records, used with permission; that album was done in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (now the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources).  More information about Timothy Seaman is available online at http://timothyseaman.com/en/.  This music was used previously by Virginia Water Radio in Episode 398, 12-11-17. The tune “Ducks on the Pond” is attributed to Henry Reed (1884-1968), a native of West Virginia but a long-time resident of Glen Lyn in Giles County, Virginia; more information about Henry Reed is available online at http://www.henryreed.org/.   Information on the tune is available from The Traditional Tune Archive, online at “Ducks on the Pond” entry is online at http://www.tunearch.org/wiki/Ducks_on_the_Pond.  A June 1966 recording by Alan Jabbour of the tune being played by Mr. Reed is available from the Library of Congress, online at https://www.loc.gov/item/afcreed000072/; at this site, the tune is referred to as “Ducks in the Pond.” Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGES The following photos of the ducks featured in this Virginia Water Radio episode were taken from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library, online at http://digitalmedia.fws.gov.  More details and specific URLs for each photo are given below the photos; all specific URLs were as of 11-8-23.Canvasback male; location and date not identified.  Photo by Lee Karney.  Specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/6798/rec/3.Canvasback male; location and date not identified.  Photo by Lee Karney.  Specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/6798/rec/3. Common Goldeneye in 2003, location not identified.  Photo by Gary Kramer.  Specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/34171/rec/3.Green-winged Teal male (left) and female; location and date not identified.  Photo by Dave Menke.  Specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/3728/rec/2.Hooded Merganser male; location and date not identified.  Photo by Tim McCabe.  Specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/1085/rec/4.Mallard female and brood at Cheney Lake, Anchorage, Alaska, June 2005.  Photo by Donna Dewhurst.  Specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/50/rec/32.Northern Shoveler male (right) and female at Westchester Lagoon in Anchorage Alaska; date not identified.  Photo by Donna Dewhurst.  Specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/699/rec/2.Wood Duck male in California, date not identified.  Photo by Lee Kearney.  Specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/17774/rec/4. EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT THE DUCK SPECIES HEARD IN THIS EPISODE Following are the scientific names, and information on occurrence in Virginia, for the seven duck species heard in this episode.  Occurrence information (including quotes) is from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/, using the “Occurrence” tab at the individual entry for each species; each bird's common name is linked to its individual entry. Canvasback – Scientific name is Aythya valisineria.  Occurrence in Virginia: “[N]onbreeder and a locally common to abundant transient and winter resident (10 November to 10 April) on the coast, ...chiefly near the Chesapeake Bay and in Back Bay.  They are uncommon inland and a rare winter visitor in the mountains and valleys.” Common Goldeneye – Scientific name is Bucephala clangula.  Occurrence in Virginia: winter resident in much of Tidewater Virginia and a few counties farther west. Green-winged Teal – Scientific name is Anas crecca.  Occurrence in Virginia: “This is a common transient and winter resident on the Coastal Plain, and uncommon inland.  Peak counts occur along the coast during the winter.” Hooded Merganser – Scientific name is Lophodytes cucullatus.  Occurrence in Virginia: “This is a casual breeder.  It is a transient, winter resident, and summer visitor throughout the state.  It is common on the Coastal Plain, and uncommon to common in the rest of the state.  Peak counts occur along the coast during December.” Mallard – Scientific name is Anas platyrhynchos.  Occurrence in Virginia: “This is an abundant transient and winter resident, and a common summer resident in the Coastal Plain.  It is a common transient and winter resident, uncommon summer resident elsewhere.  Peak counts occur along the coast in the fall.” Northern Shoveler – Scientific name is Anas clypeata.  Occurr

Click to listen to episode (3:54).Sections below are the following:Transcript of AudioAudio Notes and AcknowledgmentsImagesExtra InformationSourcesRelated Water Radio EpisodesFor Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.)Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 9-15-23. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of September 18 and September 25, 2023.  This is a revised version of an episode from September 2014. SOUNDS - ~6 sec – Pied-billed Grebe call. This week, we feature some raucous mystery sounds from a family of diving birds.  Have a listen for about 20 seconds, and see if you can guess what's making these calls.  And here's a hint: you'll get grief if you miss this name by only one letter's sound. SOUNDS - ~ 22 sec. If you guessed grebe, you're right!  Those were some of the sounds made by the Pied-billed Grebe, Horned Grebe, and Red-necked Grebe.  Out of 22 grebe species worldwide and seven in North America, these three species are found commonly in many aquatic habitats in Virginia, with two others—the Eared Grebe and the Western Grebe—seen occasionally within the Commonwealth.  Horned Grebes and Red-necked Grebes are regular winter residents on Virginia's coasts, while the Pied-billed Grebe is typically a year-round resident on the coast and a winter resident in other regions. Grebes are known for their swimming and diving abilities; for example, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's “Birds of the World” Web site says quote, “[g]rebes rocket through the water by compressing water behind them with coordinated thrusts of their muscular legs,” unquote; and Cornell's “All About Birds” site calls the Pied-billed Grebe “part bird, part submarine.”  Lobed toes set far back on their bodies adapt grebes for swimming, and their ability to add or remove water and air from their feathers and internal air sacs helps them to float or, as needed, to submerge to escape danger or to feed.  Grebes feed on a variety of aquatic animals like fish, crustaceans, and insects; on aquatic plants sometimes; and—notably—on their own feathers.  In turn, they may be eaten by such predators as raccoons, snakes, and birds of prey. Grebes call and act aggressively during breeding season, but they may be quieter and much less noticeable during non-breeding season.   In fact, a calm pond surface might conceal a hiding grebe with only its nostrils exposed to the air, or that surface might be broken—almost silently—by a grebe emerging with a fish in its bill. Thanks to Lang Elliott for permission to use the grebe sounds, from the Stokes' Field Guide to Bird Songs, and we let the Pied-billed Grebe have the last call. SOUNDS - ~6 sec. SHIP'S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of “Cripple Creek” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I'm Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Virginia Water Radio episode revises and replaces Episode 233, 9-29-14. The sounds of the Horned Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, and Red-necked Grebe were from the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs-Eastern Region CD set, by Lang Elliott with Donald and Lillian Stokes (Time Warner Audio Books, copyright 1997), used with permission of Lang Elliott.  Lang Elliot's work is available online at “The Music of Nature” Web site, http://www.musicofnature.org/. Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGES Two Pied-billed Grebes on a pond in Blacksburg, Virginia, September 28, 2014.  Photo by Virginia Water Radio.Pied-billed Grebe at Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge in Wyoming, April 2016.  Photo by Tom Koerner, made available for public use by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library, online at http://digitalmedia.fws.gov; specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/23453/rec/4, as of 9-18-23.Horned Grebe with chick, at Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, June 2005.  Photo by Donna Dewhurst, made available for public use by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library, online at http://digitalmedia.fws.gov; specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/411/rec/41, as of 9-18-23.Red-necked Grebe pair, at Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, May 2005.  Photo by Donna Dewhurst, made available for public use by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library, online at http://digitalmedia.fws.gov; specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/20/rec/37, as of 9-18-23. EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT THE PIED-BILLED GREBE The following information is quoted from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/, primarily the “Life History” section of the the Pied-billed Grebe entry, online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040008&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19612. The scientific name of the Pied-billed Grebe is Podilymbus podiceps. Physical Description “This species is 12-15 inches (31-38 cm) long with a 23 inch wingspread.  It is a small, stocky bird distinguished by its short, blunt bill encircled by a broad black band with the upper portion of the bill curved downward; it is often described as chicken-like.  ...Grebes have lobed toes, feet that are placed far back on the body, and a short rudder-like tail to aid in pursuing prey underwater.” Reproduction “The nest is built by both members of the pair and is made up of flags, rushes, sedge, algae and mud and is attached to grasses, reeds or bushes in the water. ...The eggs are laid from March to September, are blue-white initially, and then turn brown.  The brown color results from the adults covering the eggs with wet organic matter when they are foraging or defending the territory.  ...There may be up to 2 broods per year.  Incubation takes about 23 days and begins with the first egg laid.” Behavior “Nest attendance is shared equally by the male and female during egg-laying and post-laying periods.  Incubation however, is carried out mostly by the female.  The streaked or spotted chicks can swim almost immediately after hatching.  The young will usually travel on the parents back or will cling to their tail.  The parents may feed the chicks and even dive while chicks are on their back.  The parents will return to the nest frequently with the young.  Young grebes fledge at about 35 days.  ...[This species] rarely flies, and it escapes by diving with a short leap or by slowly submerging.  It is the most solitary of the grebes.  It is the first grebe to arrive north in the spring and the last to leave in the fall.  It migrates in closely-massed flocks. ...” Feeding “Diet consists primarily of fish including eels, carp, and catfish as well as sticklebacks, sculpins, silversides, and minnows.  [It will also] forage on crayfishes, aquatic insects, snails, spiders, frogs, tadpoles, some seeds and soft parts of aquatic plants, ...[and] on shrimp in saltwater bays and estuaries.  [It ingests] large numbers of their own feathers.  This may serve to protect the stomach from puncture by indigestible parts and prevent hard items from entering the intestines.  Feathers also provide the base material of regurgitated pellets that contain undigested material such as fish bones.” Aquatic/Terrestrial Associations: “In Virginia, pied-billed grebes have been observed foraging with snowy egrets.  Mutualistic foraging enhances opportunities for obtaining prey.  Limiting factors: The greatest losses of nests and eggs resulted from wind, rain, waves, and storm tides.  Predators of eggs and young include raccoons, laughing gulls, water snakes, snapping turtles, and peregrine falcons.” SOURCES Used for Audio Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “All About Birds,” online at http://www.allaboutbirds.org.The Horned Grebe entry is online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Horned_Grebe/;the Pied-billed Grebe entry is online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pied-billed_Grebe/;the Red-necked Grebe entry is online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-necked_Grebe/. National Audubon Society, “Taxonomic Family: Grebes,” online at https://www.audubon.org/bird-guide?title=Grebe&family=6460. Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “Birds of the World,” online at https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/home.  (subscription required).The entry for the taxonomic family of grebes, Podicipedidae, is online at https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/podici1/cur/introduction; this is the source of the quote in the audio.The Horned Grebe entry is online at https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/horgre/cur/introduction;the Pied-billed Grebe entry is online at https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/pibgre/cur/introduction;the Red-necked Grebe entry is online at https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/rengre/cur/introduction. Indiana Audubon, “Pied-billed Grebe,” by Annie Aguirre, July 1, 2018, online at https://indianaaudubon.org/2018/07/01/pied-billed-grebe-2/. Angela Minor, “Birds of the Blue Ridge: Pied-billed Grebe,” Blue Ridge Country, December 27, 2022. Chandler S. Robbins et al., A Guide to Field Identification of Birds of North America, St. Martin's Press, New York, N.Y., 2001. Stan Tekiela, Birds of Virginia Field Guide, Adventure Publications, Cambridge, Minn., 2002. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/.The Horned Grebe entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040005&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19612;the Pied-billed Grebe entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040008&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19612;the Red-necked Grebe entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040004&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19612. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), “List of Native and Naturalized Fauna in Virginia, August 2022,” online (as a PDF) at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/virginia-native-naturalized-species.pdf. Joel C. Welty, The Life of Birds, 2nd Edition, W.B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, Penn., 1975. For More Information about Birds in Virginia or Elsewhere Chesapeake Bay Program, “Birds,” online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/critters?s=&fieldGuideType=Birds&fieldGuideHabitat. Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “Merlin Photo ID.”  The application for mobile devices allows users to submit a bird photograph to get identification of the bird. Information is available online at http://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/. Cornell University Lab of Ornithology and the Audubon Society, “eBird,” online at https://ebird.org/home.  Here you can find locations of species observations made by contributors, and you can sign up to contribute your own observations. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, “Animal Diversity Web,” online at https://animaldiversity.org.Virginia Society of Ornithology, online at http://www.virginiabirds.org/.  The Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study, conservation, and enjoyment of birds in the Commonwealth. Xeno-canto Foundation, online at https://xeno-canto.org/.  This site provides sounds of birds and other wildlife from around the world. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Birds” subject category. Following are links to some other episodes on diving birds. American Coot – Episode 391, 10-23-17.Cormorants – Episode 467, 4-8-19.Loons – Episode 445, 11-5-18

CLICK HERE to listen to episode audio (5:58).Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments ImagesExtra InformationSources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.). Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 7-21-23. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of July 24 and July 31, 2023.  This is a revised version of an episode from July 2013. SOUND – ~7 sec That underwater sound, recorded by a kayaker on Virginia's Appomattox River, opens an episode about how scientists and resource managers learn about the finned creatures that live underwater.  We start with some mystery sounds.  Have a listen for about 30 seconds, and see if you can guess what's going on with this beeping and splashing.  And here's a hint:  If a finned creature detects this signal, it might soon have a stunning experience. SOUNDS AND VOICES – ~27 sec – “Everybody's hands out of the water?”  Beeping and splashing.  “Ok, whenever you all are ready, you can pull it.... One, two, three...” If you guessed fish sampling, you're right!  Those were sounds from an electrofishing demonstration, during a May 2013 Virginia Master Naturalist field trip about fish in streams and rivers.  The demonstration was led by Jamie Roberts, who at the time was a Virginia Tech research scientist and as of 2023 is an associate professor of fisheries at Georgia Southern University.  Participants learned about fish-assessment techniques commonly used by fishery managers and by fish scientists, known as ichthyologists.  For some more details on fish sampling in streams, let's listen to a two-minute excerpt from Dr. Roberts' session. GUEST VOICE - ~2 min./2 sec.“So one of the things I want us to notice as we're sampling is what we catch with different types of gears, with different types of methods, and then what we catch in different types of habitats. “So there's really, essentially three different types of habitats that we have here [in a stream].  You have that shallow, turbulent stuff [that] we in the stream ecology world tend to call riffles; you have these, sort of, deep, deeper still somewhat high velocity areas called runs; and you have still waters, which we call pools.  And the three gear types that I wanna play with are...electrofishing with a dip net, which we'll do in pools; electrofishing into a stationary seine—so this is a seine net; and then sweeping a seine around like crazy and just seeing what we can get, like an old-time ichthyologist.  We'll do some sampling that is more like the golden days of ichthyology, before we had $10,000 electrofishers. “Icthyologists often rely on electrofishers of one type or another to catch fish, because it sort of brings fish out of the woodwork.  Fish are in this environment that's very difficult for us to access and see through and everything, and electricity is sort of the equalizer; it makes fish a lot easier to catch.  There are electrofishers that are mounted on boats; there are electrofishers that are barges that you tow around; and this is called a backpack electrofisher.  It's powered by a DC battery that looks a lot like a motorcycle battery.  And it produces electricity that this fancy box turns into the correct frequency and wavelength and pulse type to momentarily stun fish, and while they're stunned, we net ‘em; and as soon as they get out of the electrical field, if we've done everything like we're supposed to, they just immediately come back.  So if we throw them in a bucket, they should immediately regain normal composure.” As Jamie Roberts noted, fish live in an environment largely hidden from unaided human vision or hearing.  So scientists and resource managers combine ancient technologies—like nets—with modern electronics to get the information needed to understand and properly manage fish and the aquatic areas that sustain them. Thanks to Dr. Roberts and the New River Valley Master Naturalist chapter for permission to record the fish-sampling session.  Thanks also to Raven Harris for the Appomattox River sounds.  We close with a musical selection whose title describes the water world of many fish.  Here's about 25 seconds of “The Deep Blue Green,” by Andrew VanNostrand. MUSIC - ~27 sec – instrumental. SHIP'S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of “Cripple Creek” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I'm Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Virginia Water Radio episode revises and replaces Episode 172, 7-29-13. The Appomattox River sounds were recorded by Raven Harris on the Appomattox River in Petersburg, Va., on April 18, 2014; used with permission. The fish sampling sounds and talk by Dr. Jamie Roberts were May 13, 2013, along Toms Creek in Montgomery County, Virginia, at a class of the New River Valley Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists Program.  Thanks to Jamie Roberts and to participants in that Master Naturalist class for permission to record the session. “The Deep Blue Green,” from the 2019 album “That We Could Find a Way to Be,” is copyright by Andrew VanNorstrand, used with permission.  More information about Andrew VanNorstrand is available online at https://greatbearrecords.bandcamp.com/.  This music was used previously by Virginia Water Radio most recently in Episode 632, 7-18-22. Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGES Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (now Department of Wildlife Resources) personnel giving a backpack electrofishing demonstration to the Virginia Master Naturalists/New River Valley Chapter at Toms Creek in Montgomery County on May 6, 2013.  Photo by Bill Sydor, courtesy of New River Valley Master Naturalists Chapter.Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (now Department of Wildlife Resources) personnel leading a seining demonstration to the Virginia Master Naturalists/New River Valley Chapter at Toms Creek in Montgomery County on May 6, 2013.  Photo by Shannon Ritter, courtesy of New River Valley Master Naturalists Chapter.Jess Jones (left), co-director of the Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Center at Virginia Tech, examining the settings on a backpack electrofishing device, in the North Fork Holston River in Saltville, Va. (Smyth County), June 19, 2018.  Photo by Virginia Water Radio.EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT ELECTROFISHING The following information on electrofishing is quoted from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources blog, Alex McCrickard, “Not Too Shocking: Your Electrofishing Questions Answered,” by Alex McCrickard, November 9, 2020, online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/blog/not-too-shocking-your-electrofishing-questions-answered/, accessed July 17, 2023. “Have you watched some of the videos from aquatic biologists at the Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) and seen a boat outfitted with long, wand-like poles with dangling cables?  Have you ever showed up to a river or stream and witnessed a crew of biologists with large backpacks and long rods extending into the water?  This unusual-looking activity is called electrofishing, and it's modern science in action. “As Virginia's state fish and wildlife agency, DWR is responsible for the management of our fish and wildlife resources for the benefit of the public.  Our agency staff work hard to conserve and protect our freshwater fisheries across the Commonwealth.  The best way to monitor the health of fish populations is to catch a number of fish from one area at one time.  While our aquatics biologists are all excellent anglers, there is a more efficient, safe, and effective way to catch the fish!  Electrofishing is a common method used in fisheries science; this type of biomonitoring is truly one of the most effective ways to monitor our fisheries. “Fish can really help tell the story of the health of a certain waterbody.  They are in the water 24/7 and are constantly exposed to the elements.  Some species are more tolerant to pollution than others.  The make-up and diversity of a water body's fish population can help tell the story of water quality and inform our agency's biologists.  In turn, all of this influences sound management decisions that can improve habitat, water quality, and fish health, which benefits the general public and anglers who cherish Virginia's freshwater resources. “So, you now might be wondering what exactly happens during electrofishing?  What's going on behind the scenes during these surveys?  Our electrofishing FAQs below cover these basics. “What is electrofishing? “Electrofishing is a technique used in fisheries science to sample fish populations.  Sampling is when biologists study a number of fish from a certain area, measuring and examining them and recording the statistics.  When biologists electrofish, a generator or battery gives off an electrical current that runs through the water.  Volts, amps, and frequency can be adjusted based on water temperature, conductivity, and other variables.  Electrofishing can take place on foot with a backpack unit on a small stream or river.  For larger rivers and lakes, electrofishing typically takes place from a boat or barge. “From a boat, the anodes enter the water from a long boom off the bow.  Electrical current travels from anode cables back to the cathode(s)–in many cases, the metal hull of the boat acts as the cathode.  The electrical field typically expands 5 to 7 feet in circumference from each anode and down about 6 to 7 feet.  The size of the electrical field can vary depending on conductivity, voltage, and frequency of electrical current. “Fish are temporarily stunned as the electrical current causes their muscles to contract.  The fish then float towards the surface where they can be easily netted. “Is electrofishing harmful to fish? “Electrofishing has the potential to be harmful if not used properly; however, biologists have the training and experience to operate the equipment safely and effectively while minimizing impacts to fish.  Prior to any sampling, biologists adjust and monitor electrofishing settings to the target species in a particular habit. In some cases, electroshocking is avoided during spawning periods and habitats of certain rare and endangered species to eliminate even the perception of harm. “Does electrofishing affect different species of fish differently? “Yes, the frequency of the electromagnetic current can affect species differently.  For example, low frequency electrofishing tends to only affect catfish species.  When we sample tidal rivers to assess the catfish populations, we solely use low frequency.  High frequency sampling is often used for standard community assessment of multiple species.  Because of their larger surface area, big fish such as bass and muskie are more susceptible to electroshocking than small fish such as minnows and darters. “Electrofishing is only efficient in shallow water, so sampling is usually conducted when all species and sizes of interest are likely to be vulnerable to this technique. “Why do DWR biologists electrofish?  What's the goal for sampling and what do DWR biologists do with the fish during electrofishing? “Electrofishing is an effective method to assess the health of a fishery in a non-lethal manner.  It allows biologists to evaluate the health, variety, size distribution, and abundance of fish species on a given body of water and how that population can change over time.  Length and weight measurements further allow biologists to assess overall fishery health.  This type of sampling allows DWR to look at interactions within a fish population.  Furthermore, we can track status of endangered and threatened species or the status of spread of any invasive species.  All of this information influences sound management decisions that benefit the public who recreate on these resources. “Is electrofishing safe for the DWR biologists? “Yes, because of their training and experience, DWR biologists are safe when electrofishing.  Our biologists wear non-breathable waders that keep them from being shocked while using backpack electrofishing units.  For electrofishing boats, numerous electric cut-offs are in place to prevent accidents, and the boat is grounded.  All DWR biologists wear personal flotation devices while sampling on boats.  DWR biologists have also had formal training in electrofishing principles and techniques (for example the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service electrofishing course), which contributes to the safe operation of electrofishing gear. “In what kinds of waters do you electrofish? “Electrofishing takes place in freshwater and tidal freshwater rivers and streams.  Because of the high conductivity of saltwater, it is not conducive to electrofishing. “Can anglers use electrofishing equipment to catch fish? “No, it is unlawful for the general public to use electrofishing equipment to catch fish.” SOURCES Used for Audio Alex McCrickard, “Not Too Shocking: Your Electrofishing Questions Answered,” Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, November 9, 2020, online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/blog/not-too-shocking-your-electrofishing-questions-answered/. Stephen R. Moulton II, Jonathan G. Kennen, Robert M. Goldstein, and Julie A. Hambrook, “Revised Protocols for Sampling Algal, Invertebrate, and Fish Communities as Part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program,” U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 02-150, online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2002/ofr-02-150/. National Park Service, “What Lies Beneath: How Electrofishing and Environmental DNA Is Being Used to Monitor and Conserve Fish Species in Great Smoky Mountain National Park,” April 8, 2021, online at https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/what-lies-beneath-how-electrofishing-and-environmental-dna-is-being-used-to-monitor-and-conserve-fish-species-in-great-smoky-mountain-national-park.htm. Jordanna Sheermohamed, “Sea Science: Why is the ocean blue, green and everything in between?”  The Triton, April 24, 2019. Virginia Master Naturalists Program, online at http://www.virginiamasternatu

Lee Kantar is the State Moose Biologist for Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. We spent the day in his office talking all things moose and hunting, then ventured into the "Moose Woods" of Maine. If you ever get a chance to listen or talk to Lee, you'll quickly realize his love for Maine and its wildlife, then definitely end up laughing at some point.

Ben and Corey are joined by David Deaton, Fish Production Supervisor for the Inland Fisheries Division, to discuss the importance of fish production for not only fish we like to catch and eat, but for animals that are important to the biodiversity of our great state.

CLICK HERE to listen to episode audio (4:05).Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments ImagesExtra InformationSources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.). Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 5-24-23. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of June 12 and June 19, 2023.  This is a revised version of an episode from August 2011. MUSIC – ~12 sec – instrumental. That's part of “Frog Legs Rag,” composed in 1906 by James Scott of Missouri.  It opens an episode on a frog known for its large size, deep voice, and big appetite.  Have a listen for about 15 seconds to the following mystery sounds, and see if you know what's making the croaks.  And here's a hint: what would you get if you combined a male hoofed mammal with a jumping amphibian? SOUNDS - ~16 sec If you guessed a bullfrog, you're right!  You heard calls of the American Bullfrog, the largest native frog in North America, with a length typically of 4 to 6 inches and sometimes as much as 8 inches.  This large size helps account for the males' deep mating call, often described as “jug-o-rum” and audible over considerable distances.  Bullfrogs are found all over Virginia in ponds, lakes, and still-water sections of streams.  These kinds of permanent water bodies with shallow water and vegetation are needed for mating, for the laying of thousands of eggs in sheets on the water surface, and for the tadpoles' development period of one to two years.  Bullfrog tadpoles feed mostly on algae, aquatic plants, and insects or other invertebrates, while adults feed on insects, crayfish, other frogs, snakes, small mammals, and—according to one source—“anything that is moving and that they can at least partially swallow”.  In turn, bullfrogs are prey for various wildlife species and in some states are a game species for humans.  The American Bullfrog's native range is from the East Coast to the Great Plains.  Some of these native populations have declined due to habitat loss, water pollution, and pesticides, while the species' range has expanded through introductions into several western states. Thanks to the U.S. Geological Survey for providing the American Bullfrog recording.  Thanks also to Free Music Archive for providing access to a public domain version of “Frog Legs Rag,” and we close with another 20 seconds of that music. MUSIC – ~22 sec – instrumental. SHIP'S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I'm Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Virginia Water Radio episode revises and replaces Episode 74, 8-8-11. The sounds of the American Bullfrog heard in this episode were from the U.S. Geological Survey Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, online at https://www.umesc.usgs.gov/terrestrial/amphibians/armi/frog_calls.html. “Frog Legs Rag” was composed by James Scott (1885-1938) in 1906.  The version heard in this episode was from 1906 piano roll, accessed from Free Music Archive, online at https://freemusicarchive.org/music/James_Scott/Frog_Legs_Ragtime_Era_Favorites/01_-_james_scott_-_frog_legs_rag/.  The version was published as part of the 2010 album “Frog Legs: Ragtime Era Favorites,” online at https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Various_Artists_Kazoomzoom/Frog_Legs_Ragtime_Era_Favorites.  The site indicates that the “Frog Legs Rag” piano roll version is provided for use under Creative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0.  More information about “Frog Legs Rag” and about James Scott is available from Gonzaga University, online at https://digital.gonzaga.edu/digital/collection/p15486coll3/id/12932/, and from the Library of Congress online at https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200035819/. Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com. IMAGES American Bullfrog photographed in Alexandria, Va., May 21, 2023.  Photo by Caroline Quinn, made available on iNaturalist at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/163103785 (as of 5-25-23) for use under Creative Commons license “Attribution—Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).”  Information about this Creative Commons license is available online at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.American Bullfrog at Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery at Yukton, South Dakota, July 31, 2018.  Photo by Sam Stukel, made available for public use by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library, online at http://digitalmedia.fws.gov; specific URL for the photo was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/31921/rec/1, as of 5-25-23. EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT THE AMERICAN BULLFROG The scientific name of the American Bullfrog is Lithobates catesbianus; formerly, the scientific name was Rana catesbiana. The following information is quoted from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), “Fish and Wildlife Information Service/American Bullfrog Life History,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?Menu=_.Life+History&bova=020004&version=19500, and “Food Habits,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?Menu=_.Food+Habits&bova=020004&version=19500. Physical Description This is the largest native North American frog species in Virginia.  Lengths range from 85-200mm (3.5-6 in).  ...Males are generally smaller than females, have a yellowish wash on their throat, and a larger tympanum [eardrum], thumb, and forearm.  The male breeding call is a deep, full series of notes best described as “jug-a-rum.”... Reproduction This species breeds from the late spring to early fall.  Males are territorial.  Mating success is influenced by the quality of the territory. ... Females lay one or two clutches per season.  Average clutch size is 12,000 eggs.  Clutches are laid in a film on the water surface.  Eggs hatch in approximately 5 days.  Tadpoles can be very large, 125-150 mm.  Metamorphosis usually takes 1 year [and] larvae will overwinter in ponds.  Larval survivorship is

CLICK HERE to listen to episode audio (4:03).Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments ImagesSources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.). Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 4-28-23. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of May 1 and May 8, 2023. SOUND – ~ 7 sec That's the sound of Toms Creek in Heritage Park in Blacksburg, Va., on the morning of April 25, 2023.  Winding through the lowland portion of this 169-acre park, Toms Creek's floodplain features a number of vernal pools—seasonal bodies of water that typically dry up during the summer and provide spring habitat for amphibians, birds, and other creatures. Have a listen for about 20 seconds to some mystery bird sounds recorded near the creek and one of those pools on April 25, and see if you know, first, the four bird species you're hearing, and, second, the mobile device app used to record and identify those species.  And here's a hint to the app name: a mythical, Medieval character with this name would be impressed with the app's technological wizardry. SOUNDS  - ~21 sec – In order heard: Red-winged Blackbird, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Northern Cardinal, Eastern Meadowlark, Cardinal again, Blackbird again. If you guessed the birds Red-winged Blackbird, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Northern Cardinal, and Eastern Meadowlark, you're right!  And if you guessed the app Merlin, you've got the right name for a highly useful bird-identification tool from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, located in Ithaca, New York.  Merlin allows users to get help identifying birds by sound, photo, or answering three questions about what one is seeing.  The Sound ID feature monitors birds sounds coming into one's mobile device and gives suggestions for species being heard; it currently has information on over 1000 species worldwide and over 500 in the United States and Canada.  The Photo ID offers species suggestions based on photos taken by the user.  And the Bird ID Wizard asks users questions about bird size, color, and activity and then gives possible matches.  These features are supported by another Cornell program, eBird, through which thousands of birders around the world contribute bird sightings, photos, and recordings. More information about Merlin, eBird, and other Cornell Lab of Ornithology programs is available online at allaboutbirds.org.  Thanks to Cornell for providing tools to help people learn about the feathered creatures inhabiting our streamsides, forests, city streets, backyards, and other habitats.  And we let one more of those creatures—a Brown Thrasher, also recorded with Merlin on April 25—have the last calls. SOUNDS  - ~8 sec SHIP'S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of “Cripple Creek” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I'm Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGES (Photographs are by Virginia Water Radio.) Toms Creek at Heritage Park in Blacksburg, Va., April 25, 2023.Vernal (seasonal) pool in Toms Creek floodplain in Heritage Park in Blacksburg, Va., April 25, 2023. SOURCES Used for Audio Sneed B. Collard, “The Best Birdsong Apps,” October 30, 2021, online at https://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/birds/field-guides-and-apps/best-birdsong-apps/. Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “All About Birds,” online at http://www.allaboutbirds.org. Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “Merlin®,” online at https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/.  This is a mobile app to help users identify birds they see or hear; it includes a global bird guide with photos, sounds, and maps. Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “eBird,” online at https://ebird.org/home.Chandler S. Robbins et al., A Guide to Field Identification of Birds of North America, St. Martin's Press, New York, 2001. Town of Blacksburg, Va., “Heritage Community Park and Natural Area,” online at https://www.blacksburg.gov/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/54/78.

Dianne Kopec is a Research Fellow at the Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability at the University of Maine. Her biological research documents toxic contaminants in wildlife, such as mercury in fish (and the animals that eat them, like birds and harbor seals). Because of mercury contamination in Maine's waters, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has a posted fish consumption health advisory. Since all 50 states have such advisories, the EPA also offers safe eating guidelines for fish consumption, especially for pregnant women, as exposure can cause behavioral problems and decreased cognitive performance. For decades, mercury contamination in Maine freshwater fish has denied members of the Penobscot Nation their legally protected sustenance fishing rights. Currently, Dr. Kopec's research is helping to minimize mercury exposure to tribal members. With an eye on the future, Dianne Kopec says, "We don't have to accept mercury pollution as a given." She discusses how legislation today can protect all of us from toxic exposures tomorrow, so that we might be able to fish with our grandchildren...and eat the catch. https://www.whatmamawants.org/archived-episodes/dianne-kopec

CLICK HERE to listen to episode audio (4:45).Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments ImagesExtra InformationSourcesRelated Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.). Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 2-17-23. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of February 20 and February 27, 2023.  This is a follow-up to a similar episode from February 2018. SOUND - ~6 secThat sound of a mid-February rainfall in Blacksburg, Va., opens an episode on creatures who show up, sound off, and pair up every year, starting in mid- to late winter, in temporary pools and other water bodies.  Have a listen for about 50 seconds to a series of mystery sounds, and see if you can guess what animals are making this variety of peeps, clicks, clucks, and honks.  And here's a hint: the first warm rains of each year jump-start these creatures.SOUNDS - ~52 sec If you guessed frogs and toads, you're right!  Those were the calls of the following nine frog or toad species: Little Grass Frog; Upland Chorus Frog; Southern Chorus Frog; Coastal Plains Leopard Frog; Green Treefrog; Squirrel Treefrog; Oak Toad; Pine Woods Treefrog; and Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad.  These nine are part of Virginia's 28 native species of frogs and toads.  Starting as early as January for some species—like the Little Grass Frog—frogs and toads move from overwintering habitats to temporary pools, ponds, streams, marshes, or other wet areas, where males use distinctive calls to attract females for breeding.  As spring arrives and progresses into summer, Virginia's aquatic areas attract a procession of species with different breeding and calling periods. Whether or not the weather at the moment looks or feels like spring, early frog and toad calls are sure signs of seasonal changes in the air, on the land, and in the water.Thanks to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, formerly the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, and to Lang Elliott for permission to use this week's sounds, from the 2008 CD, “The Calls of Virginia Frogs and Toads.” We close with some music for frogs and toads.  Here's about 20 seconds of the tune of “Five Green and Speckled Frogs,” a folk song used traditionally for teaching children to count, in an instrumental version recorded for Virginia Water Radio by Virginia musician Stewart Scales. MUSIC - ~22 sec – instrumental.SHIP'S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I'm Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Virginia Water Radio episode follows up a previous “Frog and Toad Medley” in Episode 408, 2-19-18; species included in that episode (in the order heard in the episode's audio) were Wood Frog, Spring Peeper, American Toad, Mountain Chorus Frog, Pickerel Frog, American Bullfrog, Carpenter Frog, Fowler's Toad, Northern Cricket Frog, Green Frog, and Gray Treefrog. The rainfall sound was recorded by Virginia Water Radio in Blacksburg on February 17, 2023. The sounds of the frogs and toads heard in this episode were excerpted from “The Calls of Virginia Frogs and Toads” CD, copyright 2008 by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (now the Department of Wildlife Resources) and Lang Elliott/NatureSoundStudio, used with permission.   The CD accompanies A Guide to the Frogs and Toads of Virginia, Special Publication Number 3, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries; as of February 16, 2023, that publication is no longer available at Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources online store, https://www.shopdwr.com/.  For more information, contact the Department at P.O. Box 90778, Henrico, VA 23228-0778; phone: (804) 367-1000 (VTDD); main Web page is https://dwr.virginia.gov/; to send e-mail, visit https://dwr.virginia.gov/contact/.  Lang Elliott's work is available online at the “Music of Nature” Web site, http://www.musicofnature.org/. “Five Green and Speckled Frogs” is a traditional folk song long used for children learning to count, according to the All Nursery Rhymes Web site, online at http://allnurseryrhymes.com/five-little-speckled-frogs/; and the Songs for Teaching Web site, online at http://www.songsforteaching.com/folk/fivegreenandspeckledfrogs-lyrics.php(a vocal recording of the song is available there). The banjo-and-guitar version in this episode was recorded for Virginia Water Radio by Stewart Scales on March 31, 2016, used previously in Episode 310, 4-4-16.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. The sequence of calls heard in this week's audio follows generally the order in which the different species begin their annual breeding call period, according to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, “Virginia Frog Phenology (Calling/Breeding Periods),” online (as a PDF) at https://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/education/edu-graphics/frog_and_toads/va-frog-and-toad-phenology-updated-02-21-2022.pdf. Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com. IMAGES Green Treefrog at Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge, located along the Mississippi River at the Illinois-Iowa border, August 2016.  Photo by Jessica Bolser, made available for public use by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library, online at http://digitalmedia.fws.gov; specific URL for the image was https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/31556/rec/1 (as of 2-20-23).Coastal Plains Leopard Frog, photographed at Assateague Island National Seashore in Virginia (Accomack County), April 7, 2019.  Photo by Joe Schell, made available on iNaturalist at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/22151626(as of 2-20-23) for use under Creative Commons license “Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)”  Information about this Creative Commons license is available online at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.Oak Toad (location and date not identified).  Photo by Matthew Niemiller, made available on iNaturalist, online at https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/8512(as of 2-20-23), for use under Creative Commons License “Attibution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0)”; for more on that attribution category, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/.Upland Chorus Frog, photographed in Farmville, Virginia (Prince Edward County), February 16, 2023.  Photo by Ty Smith, made available on iNaturalist at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/148942454(as of 2-20-23) for use under Creative Commons license “Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)”  Information about this Creative Commons license is available online at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/legalcode.Images (as well as sounds, range maps, and other information) of other frogs and toads found in Virginia are available from the Virginia Herpetological Society, “Frogs & Toads of Virginia,” online at https://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/frogsandtoads/frogs_and_toads_of_virginia.htm. EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT THE FROGS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Below are the scientific names (in italics) of the frog and toad species mentioned in this Virginia Water Radio episode.  The names are according to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/. Coastal Plains Leopard Frog – Lithobates sphenocephalus.  (This species was formerly known as the Southern Leopard Frog).Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad – Gastrophryne carolinensis.Green Treefrog – Hyla cinerea.Little Grass Frog – Pseudacris ocularis.Oak Toad – Anaxyrus quercicus.Pine Woods Treefrog – Hyla femoralis.Southern Chorus Frog – Pseudacris nigrita.Squirrel Treefrog – Hyla squirella.Upland Chorus Frog – Pseudacris feriarum. SOURCES Used for Audio John D. Kleopfer and Chris S. Hobson, A Guide to the Frogs and Toad of Virginia, Special Publication Number 3, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (now Department of Wildlife Resources), Richmond, Va., 2011. Virginia Herpetological Society, “Frogs & Toads of Virginia,” online at https://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/frogsandtoads/frogs_and_toads_of_virginia.htm.  Herpetology is the study of amphibians and reptiles. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/.  This site has detailed information on life history, distribution, habitat, and other aspects of species.  Information specifically for the frogs and toads mentioned in this episode is at the following links:Coastal Plains Leopard Frog;Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad;Green Treefrog;Little Grass Frog;Oak Toad;Pine Woods Treefrog;Southern Chorus Frog;Squirrel Treefrog;Upland Chorus Frog. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, “List of Native and Naturalized Fauna in Virginia, August 2022,” online (as a PDF) at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/virginia-native-naturalized-species.pdf. For More Information about Frogs, Toads, and Other Amphibians in Virginia and Elsewhere Bernard S. Martof, et al., Amphibians and Reptiles of the Carolinas and Virginia, University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, 1980. J.C. Mitchell and K.K. Reay, Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles in Virginia, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries/Richmond (now Department of Wildlife Resources), 1999; available online (as a PDF) at https://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/atlases/mitchell-atlas.pdf, courtesy of the Virginia Herpetological Society. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, “Animal Diversity Web,” online at https://animaldiversity.org/. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), “ARMI (Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative),” online at https://armi.usgs.gov/. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, “A Guide to the Salamanders of Virginia,” online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/salamanders/. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, “A Guide to Virginia's Frogs & Toads,” online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/frogs-and-toads/. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, “Virginia is for Frogs,” online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/virginia-is-for-frogs/. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Amphibians” subject category. Following are links to other episodes that feature or mention the species noted in this episode. Episode 482, 7-22-19 – on the Oak Toad (along with Southern Toad).Episode 509, 1-27-20 – on the Little Grass Frog (along with the Wood Frog).Episode 515, 3-9-20 – on the Coastal Plains Leopard Frog.Episode 516, 3-16-20 – a spring sounds, including that of the Upland Chorus Frog.Episode 620, 3-14-22 – on the chorus frog group, including the Little Grass Frog, Southern Chorus Frog, and Upland Chorus Frog (along with several others). FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode's audio/transcript, sources, or other information included in this post. 2020 Music SOLs SOLs at

We speak to Irish Times political correspondent Harry McGee.

CLICK HERE to listen to episode audio (5:04).Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments ImagesExtra InformationSourcesRelated Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.). Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 1-6-23. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of January 9 and January 16, 2023. MUSIC – ~12 sec – instrumental. That's part of “Falls of Richmond,” by Timothy Seaman of Williamsburg, Va.  The falls on the James River at Richmond are a notable geographicfeature of Virginia's capital city.  A relatively short distance from those turbulent sections of the James is one of the city's most notable humanfeatures, the State Capitol building, home of the Virginia General Assembly.  This episode is our annual overview of the General Assembly, which this year convenes on January 11 and is scheduled to adjourn on February 25.  To start, have a listen to the music for about 30 more seconds, and see if you know the General Assembly connection to the following numbers: 405, 2 and 4, 51 and 47, 21 and 19, and, last, about 163 billion. MUSIC – ~31 sec – instrumental. Here are the answers: This year will be the 405th consecutive sessions of the General Assembly started it as the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1619. House of Delegates members are elected for 2 year terms, and Senate members are elected for 4 year terms. The current House of Delegates has 51 Republicans and 47 Democrats, with two seats to be filled by upcoming special elections.  [1-10-23 addition, not in audio: Special elections to fill those House seats were held on January 10, 2023.] The current Senate has 21 Democrats and 19 Republicans.  [1-10-23 correction, not in audio: As of December 31, 2022, the Senate had only 18 Republicans, after Sen. Jennifer Kiggans, representing Virginia's 7th Senatorial District, resigned to take a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.  A special election to fill that Senate seat was held on January 10, 2023.] And finally, the Commonwealth's current two-year budget is about $163 billion dollars; proposed changes to that budget will be a big part of the work of the 2023 session. Besides the budget, the Assembly typically considers two-to-three thousand other bills and resolutions.  In recent years about 150 to 200 of those measures have related to water resources, either directly through impacts on aquatic environments, water supplies, or other water uses, or indirectly through impacts on energy or land uses that, in turn, affect water.  The budget also affects water, particularly through funding of natural resource-related departments, such as Conservation and Recreation, Environmental Quality, Wildlife Resources, and the Marine Resources Commission. Action on measures involves sub-committees, full committees, and floor debate.  Passed bills go to the governor for approval, veto, or proposed changes, and bills with a governor's veto or proposed changes return to the Assembly for further consideration during a reconvened session in April.   All along the way, citizens, interest groups, and other stakeholders vie to have a say through information and opinions.  You can join in by following the Assembly's work and by communicating with your local delegate or senator about issues of concern.  Tools to help you do so are available online at virginiageneralassembly.gov. Thanks to Timothy Seaman for permission to use this week's music, and we close with about 20 more seconds of “Falls of Richmond.” MUSIC – ~20 sec – instrumental. SHIP'S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of “Cripple Creek” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I'm Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS “Falls of Richmond,” part of the medley …., is from the 2004 album “Virginia Wildlife,” copyright 2004 by Timothy Seaman and Pine Wind Music, used with permission.  The “Virginia Wildlife” album was a collaboration between Mr. Seaman and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (now the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources).  More information about Timothy Seaman is available online at http://www.timothyseaman.com/, and complete list of his music is available online at online at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4ktkWi5LkEc2gqoPe9Brzv?si=cca5f241a3294604&nd=1.  “Falls of Richmond” was used previously by Virginia Water Radio most recently in Episode 87, 11-7-11. Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGES   Screen shot of the Virginia Legislative Information System's online site for following legislation in the 2023 Virginia General Assembly, accessed at https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+men+BIL, 1/9/23.Screen shot of the Virginia Legislative Information System's online site for information about the Virginia state budget during the 2023 Virginia General Assembly, accessed at https://budget.lis.virginia.gov/, 1/9/23. EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY The General Assembly's main Web page, http://virginiageneralassembly.gov/index.php, offers several useful features, including member lists, session calendars, live video of floor sessions, and information on legislative processes.  The Legislative Information System (LIS) Web site, http://lis.virginia.gov/lis.htm, provides lists and summaries of all bills, searchable by topic, member, committee, etc. Video streams of sessions and meetings for both the House of Delegates and the Senate, including committees, are available online at https://virginiageneralassembly.gov/membersAndSession.php?secid=1&activesec=0#!hb=1&mainContentTabs=0.Committees are key parts of the General Assembly process.  Legislation about water or about activities that can affect water may be assigned to any of several standing committees, most of which meet weekly during the General Assembly session.  Two committees that receive many (but not all) of the water-related bills are the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee, which meets weekly on Wednesdays at 1 p.m., and the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee, which meets weekly on Tuesdays, one-half hour after adjournment of the day's floor session.  Information about all standing committees as of the 2022 session—including membership, meeting times, and legislation being considered—is available online at https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=221&typ=lnk&val=71.To express an opinion on legislation, citizens are advised to contact their respective delegate of senator.  If you do not know your representatives or their contact information, you can use the online “Who's My Legislator” service, available at http://whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov/.  You can also find members' contact information at these links:House of Delegates, at http://virginiageneralassembly.gov/house/members/members.php;State Senate, at https://apps.senate.virginia.gov/Senator/. The Lobbyist-In-A-Box subscriber service also offers free tracking for up to five bills, and it offers tracking of more than five bills for a fee; visit http://lis.virginia.gov/h015.htm.  For more information or assistance, phone Legislative Automated Systems at (804) 786-9631 or Virginia Interactive at (804) 318-4133. The organization Open Virginia's Richmond Sunlight Web site, at https://www.richmondsunlight.com/, also offers tools for following the General Assembly and for learning about Virginia law. SOURCES USED FOR AUDIO AND OFFERING MORE INFORMATION Ballotpedia, “Virginia General Assembly,” online at https://ballotpedia.org/Virginia_General_Assembly. Friends of the James River Park, “James River Park,” online at at www.jamesriverpark.org/index.php. James River Association: “About the James River,” online at https://thejamesriver.org/about-the-james-river/; and “James River Maps,” online at https://thejamesriver.org/explore-the-james/james-river-maps/(see Middle Section, Map 6).Venture Richmond, “James River Activities in Downtown Richmond,” online at https://venturerichmond.com/explore-downtown/outdoors/james-river-activities/.Virginia Department of Elections, online at https://www.elections.virginia.gov/.  This site has information on the special election held January 10, 2023, to fill two open House of Delegates seats and one open Senate seat (as noted in the addition/correction to the audio transcript above).Virginia General Assembly main Web site, online at https://virginiageneralassembly.gov/index.php.  See particularly the following specific pages: About the General Assembly;Citizen Involvement;Legislative Terms;Senate of Virginia;Virginia House of Delegates Member Listings. Virginia Legislative Information System, online at https://lis.virginia.gov/.  For information on General Assembly committees, see https://lis.virginia.gov/221/com/COM.HTM.  For budget information, see https://budget.lis.virginia.gov/. Virginia Water Resources Research Center, “Virginia Water Legislation,” online at https://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/virginia-water-legislation/.  This site provides access to inventories of water-related bills in the Virginia General Assembly from 1998 through 2022. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Community/Organizations” subject category. Following are links to other episodes on the Virginia General Assembly. Episode 143, 1-7-13 – “Music for the Past and Present of the Virginia General Assembly” (annual General Assembly introduction).Episode 147, 2-4-13 – “Committees Guide the Flow of Bills in the Virginia General Assembly.”Episode 196, 1-13-14 – “The Virginia General Assembly on its 396 Opening Day, January 8, 2014” (annual General Assembly introduction).Episode 247, 1-5-15 – “January Means State Budget Time in the Virginia General Assembly” (annual General Assembly introduction, with special focus on the state budget).Episode 252, 2-9-15 – “Voting on Water in the 2015 Virginia General Assembly.”Episode 297, 1-4-16 – “Water's on the Agenda—along with a Whole Lot Else—When the Virginia General Assembly Convenes” (annual General Assembly introduction).Episode 302, 2-8-16 – “Voting on Water in the 2016 Virginia General Assembly.”Episode 350, 1-9-17 – “Old English Music Helps Preview the Old Dominion's 2017 General Assembly” (annual General Assembly introduction).Episode 353, 1-30-17 – “Voting on Water in the 2017 Virginia General Assembly.”Episode 359, 3-13-17 – “Subcommittees are Where Many Proposed Virginia Laws Start to Float or Sink.”Episode 402, 1-8-18 – “The Virginia Legislature Begins Its 400th Year in 2018” (annual General Assembly introduction).Episode 405, 1-29-18 – “Voting on Water in the 2018 Virginia General Assembly.”Episode 410, 3-5-18 – “Virginia Electricity Regulation and Water” (on legislation in the 2018 session on electricity regulation).Episode 454, 1-7-19 – “The Virginia General Assembly, from Jamestown in 1619 to Richmond in 2019” (annual General Assembly introduction).Episode 460, 2-18-19 – “Voting on Water in the 2018 Virginia General Assembly.”Episode 506, 1-6-20 – “Action on Budget, Bills, and Other Business Commences January 8 for the 2020 Virginia General Assembly” (annual General Assembly introduction).Episode 510, 2-3-20 – “Voting on Water in the 2020 Virginia General Assembly.”Episode 522, 4-27-20 – “Virginia Enacts a New Energy Era” (on legislation in the 2020 session on electricity generation, carbon emissions, and recurrent flooding).Episode 558, 1-4-21 – “January 13 is Opening Day for the 2021 Virginia General Assembly” (annual General Assembly introduction). Episode 562, 2-1-21 – “Voting on Water in the 2021 Virginia General Assembly.”Episode 611, 1-10-22 – “The Second Wednesday in January Means the Virginia General Assembly Convenes” (annual General Assembly introduction). Episode 614, 1-31-22 – “Voting on Water in the 2022 Virginia General Assembly.” FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode's audio/transcript, sources, or other information included in this post.2020 Music SOLs SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.” 2018 Science SOLs Grades K-5 – Earth Resources3.8 – Natural events and humans influence ecosystems.4.8. – Virginia has important natural resources. Grade 66.9 – Humans impact the environment and individuals can influence public policy decisions related to energy and the environment. Life Science Course LS.9 – Relationships exist bet

Paul O'Reilly from Inland Fisheries Ireland gets us Fishing for Brown Trout at a small lake called Derry Lee in Connemara Ireland with Adam Conroy from Clifden Anglers. Connect with Paul: paul.oreilly@fisheriesireland.ie Website: http://www.fishinginireland.info/    Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!

In today's episode, we speak with avian biologist Danielle D'Auria, who works at the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for the State of Maine. Danielle will tell us all about the Heron Observatory Network of Maine and what information she is discovering that will help protect Great Blue herons and their rookeries. To help the state of Maine protect birds, please go to www.maine.gov/ifw/fish-wildlife/wildlife/support-wildlife/birder-band.html. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for twice-monthly discussions about restoring native habitat and helping the birds in your backyard. Access the BIRD HUGGER Newsletter here: www.birdhuggerpodcast.com. Send your questions about birds and native gardening to birdhuggerpodcast@gmail.com. (PG-13) St. Dymphna Press, LLC.

CLICK HERE to listen to episode audio (3:27).Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments ImagesExtra Information Sources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.). Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 9-9-22. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of September 12 and September 19, 2022. SOUNDS – ~2 sec – short examples of calls by Greater Yellowlegs (first) and Lesser Yellowlegs (second). In this episode, we feature two shorebirds whose long, colorful legs are a distinctive mark.  Have a listen for about 20 seconds and see if you can guess the name shared by these two species that's based on that characteristic.  And here's a hint: the name rhymes with what a person eats when they get two scrambled for breakfast. SOUNDS  - ~21 sec If you guessed yellowlegs, you're right!  You heard, first, the Greater Yellowlegs, and second, the Lesser Yellowlegs.  Both are known as “marsh sandpipers” or simply “marshpipers” because they're in the family of shorebirds called sandpipers and they prefer marshes or other wetland habitats.  Greater Yellowlegs are also sometimes called “tattlers” because of their noisy alarm calls.  The two species are the only tall sandpipers in North America with legs colored bright yellow or sometimes orange.  They're distinguished from one another by the somewhat larger size of the Greater Yellowlegs, by that species' bigger and slightly upturned bill, and by differences between their calls.  Both species breed in the tundra or forests of Canada and Alaska, and both then migrate to spend winter in the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, or South America.  The Lesser Yellowlegs is typically found in Virginia only during migration, but the Greater Yellowlegs can be found wintering along Virginia's coast.  These birds hunt in shallow water and on mud flats for their prey of fish, frogs, and a variety of invertebrate animals, such as insects, worms, snails, and shrimp. If you're visiting coastal Virginia between fall and spring and you're watching the birds, here's hoping you encounter some yellow-legged ones wading in shallow waters to find their food. Thanks to Lang Elliott for permission to use the yellowlegs' sounds, from the Stokes' Field Guide to Bird Songs, and we let the Greater Yellowlegs have the last call. SOUNDS – ~5 sec SHIP'S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of “Cripple Creek” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I'm Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The sounds of the Greater Yellowlegs and Lesser Yellowlegs were from the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs-Eastern Region CD set, by Lang Elliott with Donald and Lillian Stokes (Time Warner Audio Books, copyright 1997), used with permission of Lang Elliott.  Lang Elliot's work is available online at the “Music of Nature” Web site, http://www.musicofnature.org/. Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGES Greater Yellowlegs, photographed at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia, August 11, 2022.  Photo by iNaturalist user kenttrulsson, made available online at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/132685927(as of 9-12-22) for use under Creative Commons license “Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0.”  Information about this Creative Commons license is available online at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.Lesser Yellowlegs, at Virginia Beach, Va., May 3, 2022.  Photo by iNaturalist user hikerguy150, made available online at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/116695303(as of 9-12-22) for use under Creative Commons license “Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0.”  Information about this Creative Commons license is available online at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT GREATER YELLOWLEGS AND LESSER YELLOWLEGS The following information is excerpted from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, “Yellowlegs,” text by Richard Carstensen (undated), updated by David Tessler in 2007, online (as a PDF) at https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/education/wns/yellowlegs.pdf. “Mixed assemblages of small shorebirds combing our coastal wetlands in spring are likely to be accompanied by several yellowlegs, immediately recognizable by their greater size. As the “peeps” scurry over the mud and along the waters edge, the yellowlegs, with a more careful, heron-likeelegance, wade out into ponds and sloughs in search of different prey.“General description: Yellowlegs can be distinguished from other shorebirds by the long, straight oralmost imperceptibly upturned bill and the very long, bright yellow legs.  The neck is longer and moreslender than that of most shorebirds. ...Distinguishing betweenthe two...species of yellowlegs is more difficult.  Plumage of the two birds is nearly identical.  None of the following distinctions are completely reliable by themselves, and if possible they should be used in conjunction with each other.  When seen together, as often occurs in migration, the greater yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) stands9-10 inches high (0.25 m), taller than the lesser yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes).  The greater yellowlegs has a somewhat thicker bill than the lesser, and it may turn upward very slightly, while that of the lesser yellowlegs is slighter and quite straight.  The calls of the two species are distinctive.  The greater yellowlegs has a louder and clearer call, often uttered in a three- or four-note sequence, ‘kyew kyew kyew,' with a falling inflection to each syllable.  The lesser yellowlegs tends to call once or twice.  Both species of yellowlegs have a ‘yodeling' song in addition to the better known sharp alarm calls.  This song is given either from the ground or during display flights and has been variously interpreted as ‘toowhee, toowhee,' ‘tweda, tweda,' or ‘whee-oodle, whee-oodle.'  It is heard both on the breeding grounds and in migration. ... “Life history: ...Fall migration begins in late July and lasts through September.  Primary routes are midcontinental (mostly west of the Mississippi River) in spring and both midcontinental and along the Atlantic coast in fall.  Wintering yellowlegs are scattered along the coasts from South America through California and Oregon.  In South America, birds concentrate where shallow lagoons and brackish herbaceous marshes lie adjacent to the outer coast.  Flooded agricultural fields, especially rice fields, have also become important.  In mild years greater yellowlegs winter as far north as southern Vancouver Island. “Behavior and feeding: The exaggerated legs of the Tringa genus are best explained by the custom of feeding in the water, often wading out beyond the belly depths of less elevated relatives.  Among shorebirds, long bills usually accompany long legs for the same reason.  The greater yellowlegs is an accomplished fisher, at times preying almost exclusively on small estuarine fishes such as sticklebacks and sculpins.  Sometimes groups of feeding yellowlegs will form lines, wading abreast to corner fish in the shallows.  Both yellowlegs, particularly the lesser, also eat invertebrates.  Adults and larvae of aquatic insects such as water boatmen, diving beetles, dragonfly nymphs, and flies are important in the diet, as are sand fleas and intertidal amphipods.  Terrestrial invertebrates such as ants,grasshoppers, snails, spiders and worms are also taken.  In spite of the length of the yellowlegs bill, it is rarely used for probing in sand or mud.  The greater yellowlegs will swing its bill from side to side in the water; the lesser yellowlegs does not. “Both yellowlegs breed in the boreal forest and the transitions between forest and tundra in wet bogs and open muskegs. During migration, both species frequent brackish tidal sloughs and mudflats, as well as the edges of freshwater lakes and ponds.  Lesser yellowlegs occasionally swim, an unusual practice amongshorebirds.  The lesser yellowlegs seems somewhat more gregarious than the greater, although both are seen in loose flocks.” SOURCES Used for Audio Alaska Department of Fish and Game, “Yellowlegs,” text by Richard Carstensen (undated), updated by David Tessler in 2007, online (as a PDF) at https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/education/wns/yellowlegs.pdf. Chandler S. Robbins et al., A Guide to Field Identification of Birds of North America, St. Martin's Press, New York, 2001. Chesapeake Bay Program, “Birds,” online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/all/birds/all.  The Greater Yellowlegs entry is online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/entry/greater_yellowlegs; there was no entry for Lesser Yellowlegs (as of 9-9-22). Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “All About Birds,” online at http://www.allaboutbirds.org.  The Greater Yellowlegs entry is online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Greater_Yellowlegs/; the Lesser Yellowlegs entry is online at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Lesser_Yellowlegs/. Hugh Jennings, “Bird of the Month: Greater/Lesser Yellowlegs,” Eastside Audubon, August 23, 2018, online at https://www.eastsideaudubon.org/corvid-crier/2019/8/26/greaterlesser-yellowlegs. Alice Jane Lippson and Robert L. Lippson, Life in the Chesapeake Bay, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Md., 2006. Stan Tekiela, Birds of Virginia Field Guide, Adventure Publications, Inc., Cambridge, Minn., 2002. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries):Fish and Wildlife Information Service, online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/.  The Greater Yellowlegs entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040130&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19244; the Lesser Yellowlegs entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040131&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19244. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), “List of Native and Naturalized Fauna in Virginia, August 2020,” online (as a PDF) at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/virginia-native-naturalized-species.pdf. For More Information about Birds in Virginia or Elsewhere University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, “Animal Diversity Web,” online at https://animaldiversity.org. Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “Birds of the World,” online at https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/home (subscription required). Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “Merlin,” online at http://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/.  This site and its accompanying mobile app allow identification of birds by photo or sound.Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “eBird,” online at https://ebird.org/home.  Here

CLICK HERE to listen to episode audio (5:14).Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments Images Sources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.). Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 8-26-22. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of August 29 and September 5, 2022.  This episode is a revised repeat of an episode from September 2012. MUSIC – ~15 sec – Lyrics: “Won't you help me to raise ‘em boys; hey, hey, honey.” In this episode, we honor Labor Day by featuring a musical tradition that helped hard-working African American watermen harvest Menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay.  Have a listen for about 90 seconds. VOICE AND MUSIC - ~92 sec – Introduction: “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.  I want to thank you for that wonderful introduction.  We are the Northern Neck Chantey Singers, and we are extremely happy to be back here once again to perform for you.  We call ourselves the Northern Neck Chantey Singers because all of us come from the Northern Neck counties of the Northern Neck, which is that body that's on the eastern part of Virginia, bordered by the Potomac River in the north, the majestic Chesapeake Bay in the east, and the Rappahannock River in the south.  The first song that we're gonna perform for you is sort of like our theme song.  It's called “Help us to raise ‘em, boys,” and it goes by showing how we pull in the nets that's teeming with fish.” Song Lyrics: “Won't you help me to raise ‘em boys?  Hey, hey, honey. C'mon now, let's go get ‘em; get ‘em now!Won't you help me to raise ‘em boys?  Hey, hey, honey.  C'mon boys let's go get ‘em, all right!Won't you help me to raise ‘em out?  See you when the sun goes down.” You've been listening to the Northern Neck Chantey Singers, performing at the 2011 Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Festival in Charlottesville.  In 1991, several former Virginia watermen formed the Northern Neck Chantey Singers to keep alive and spread awareness of the tradition of menhaden chanteys.  Menhaden chanteys are an example of African American work songs, used in this case to coordinate crews of watermen in the grueling labor of hauling up nets full of fish.  Atlantic menhaden are relatively small, oily fish that feed on microscopic plants and animals and in turn are prey for larger fish, such as Striped Bass and Bluefish.  Menhaden have been harvested from Atlantic Coast waters since the 1800s for a variety of industrial uses of their oils, and in southern states.  African Americans typically made up the crews doing the hard work of pulling up nets containing thousands of fish.  The chanteys, sung in a call-and-response style, helped the watermen coordinate the extra efforts needed for hauling in heavily loaded nets.  Today, hydraulic equipment does the net-hauling work formerly performed by watermen; the Northern Neck town of Reedville, in Northumberland County, is home to the Chesapeake Bay's only remaining industrial Menhaden operation, run by the Omega Protein company; and Bay Menhaden harvest quotas are at times a controversial issue.  Performances by the Northern Neck Chantey Singers remind us that those modern-day menhaden circumstances have a long, challenging, and culturally rich history of Virginians working on the water. Thanks to Virginia Humanities, formerly the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, for permission to use the excerpt of the Northern Neck Chantey Singers' performance, and we let those singers have the last word. MUSIC – ~13 sec – Lyrics: “Won't you help me to raise ‘em out?  See you when the sun goes down.” SHIP'S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I'm Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Virginia Water Radio episode revises and replaced Episode 128, 9-17-12. Audio of the Northern Neck Chantey Singers was from a video of their September 11, 2011, performance at the Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Showcase in Charlottesville, used with permission of Virginia Humanities (formerly the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities), located in Charlottesville and online at https://virginiahumanities.org/.  The full performance video is available online at https://www.virginiafolklife.org/sights-sounds/northern-neck-chantey-singers-and-lewis-r-blackwell-jr/. Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com. IMAGES Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus).  Drawing from he Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, “Atlantic Menhaden,” online at http://www.asmfc.org/species/atlantic-menhaden. Atlantic menhaden landings for bait and in the reduction industry (using the fish oils for various products) from 1940 to 2020.  Graph from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, “Atlantic Menhaden,” online at http://www.asmfc.org/species/atlantic-menhaden. SOURCES Used for Audio Harold Anderson, “Menhaden Chanteys: An African American Legacy,” and “A History of Menhaden Fishing,” both in Maryland Marine Notes, Jan.-Feb. 2000, from the Maryland Sea Grant Program, available online at https://www.mdsg.umd.edu/maryland-marine-notes-archive. Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, “Atlantic Menhaden,” online at http://www.asmfc.org/species/atlantic-menhaden. Steve Bittenbender, “Omega Protein completes move of headquarters to Virginia,” Seafood Source, March 2, 2020. Chesapeake Bay Program, “Menhaden” (undated), online at http://www.chesapeakebay.net/issues/issue/menhaden#inline. The Mariners' Museum and Park (formerly The Mariners' Museum; Newport News, Va.), “Watermen Harvesting the Bounty: Menhaden Fishing” (2002), online at http://www.marinersmuseum.org/sites/micro/cbhf/waterman/wat011.html. Omega Protein Corporation, “Who We Are,” online at https://omegaprotein.com/who-we-are/. Virginia Humanities (formerly the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities), “Virginia Folklife Program: Northern Neck Chantey Singers and Lewis R. Blackwell, Jr.,” 2011, online at https://www.virginiafolklife.org/sights-sounds/northern-neck-chantey-singers-and-lewis-r-blackwell-jr/. For More Information about Menhaden or Menhaden Chanteys North Carolina Arts Council, “Menhaden Chanteymen/Beaufort, N.C.,” online at https://www.ncarts.org/menhaden-chanteymen. State Library of North Carolina et al., “NCPedia/Menhaden Chanteymen,” online at https://www.ncpedia.org/menhaden-chanteymen. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), “Fish and Wildlife Information Service/Species Information,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/?Title=VaFWIS+Species+Information.  The Altantic menhaden entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=010043&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19233. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, “Atlantic Menhaden,” online at https://www.vims.edu/research/departments/fisheries/programs/mrg_oldwebsite/species_data/atlantic_menhaden/index.php. Virginia Marine Resources Commission/Menhaden Management Advisory Committee, online at https://mrc.virginia.gov/MMAC/mmac.shtm. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the following subject categories: “Fish”; “History”; “Rivers, Streams, and Other Surface Water.” Following are links to some other episodes on the Chesapeake Bay. Bay condition reports – Episode 305, 2-29-16; Episode 632, 7-18-22.Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), Phase II Watershed Implementation Plan – Episode 115, 6-18-12.Bay TMDL, Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan – Episode 475, 6-3-19.Chesapeake Bay Commission – Episode 496, 10-28-19.Estuaries introduction – Episode 326, 7-25-16.Oysters and nitrogen (Part 1) – Episode 279, 8-24-15.Oysters and nitrogen (Part 2) – Episode 280, 9-7-15.“Smart” buoys – Episode 538, 8-17-20.Submerged aquatic vegetation (“Bay grasses”) – Episode 325, 7-18-16.Winter birds of the Chesapeake Bay area – EP565 – 2/22/21. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode's audio/transcript, sources, or other information included in this post. 2020 Music SOLs SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.” 2018 Science SOLs Grades K-4: Living Systems and Processes 1.5 – Animals, including humans, have basic life needs that allow them to survive. 2.5 – Living things are part of a system. 3.5 – Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems support a diversity of organisms. 4.3 – Organisms, including humans, interact with one another and with the nonliving components in the ecosystem. Grades K-5: Earth and Space Systems 4.7 – The ocean environment. Grades K-5: Earth Resources 1.8 – Natural resources can be used responsibly, including that most natural resources are limited. 3.8 – Natural events and humans influence ecosystems. 4.8 – Virginia has important natural resources. Grade 6 6.6 – Water has unique physical properties and has a role in the natural and human-made environment. 6.8 – Land and water have roles in watershed systems. 6.9 – Humans impact the environment and individuals can influence public policy decisions related to energy and the environment. Life Science LS.6 – Populations in a biological community interact and are interdependent. LS.8 – Change occurs in ecosystems, communities, populations, and organisms over time. LS.9 – Relationships exist between ecosystem dynamics and human activity. Earth Science ES.6 – Resource use is complex.  ES.10 – Oceans are complex, dynamic systems subject to long- and short-term variations. Biology BIO.7 – Populations change through time. BIO.8 – Dynamic equilibria exist within populations, communities, and ecosystems.2015 Social Studies SOLs Grades K-3 Economics Theme 2.8 – Natural, human, and capital resources. 3.8 – Understanding of cultures and of how natural, human, and capital resources are used for goods and services. Virginia Studies Course VS.1 – Impact of geographic features on people, places, and events in Virginia history. VS.10 – Knowledge of government, geography, and economics in present-day Virginia. United States History: 1865-to-Present Course USII.6 – Social, economic, and technological changes from the 1890s to 1945. Civics and Economics Course CE.7 – Government at the state level. CE.10 – Public policy at local, state, and national levels. World Geography

Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), is announcing that its digital mapping system is being used by Inland Fisheries Ireland and the sea angling community in Ireland to help safeguard fish populations and protect marine ecosystems. Esri's ArcGIS system supports the Irish Marine Recreational Angling Survey (IMREC) which aims to estimate sea anglers' catches in Ireland. Up to 250,000 recreational sea anglers are active along the 3,000km of Irish coastline annually. Inland Fisheries Ireland is Ireland's state agency for protecting, managing and conserving inland fisheries and sea angling resources. To meet its EU data collection requirements around species, locations, and volumes of fish caught annually in European waters, Inland Fisheries Ireland saw a need for a collaborative approach to collate its own data with self-reporting by recreational sea anglers. Turning anglers into citizen scientists, Esri's Survey123 app has transformed reporting and enables anglers around Ireland to gather and upload real-time information from any device about the fish they catch and release. This information is then automatically transferred to a shared repository, called ArcGIS Hub, where it can be easily viewed by the anglers and monitored by Inland Fisheries Ireland to identify patterns in the species distribution, volumes and weight of fish caught, and estimated catch rates. Whether they are shore anglers, small boat anglers or charter boat anglers, each member has access to a personalised dashboard where they can track their own contributions and angling successes. Inland Fisheries Ireland has greater control over and confidence in the accuracy and consistency of the data collected, and the system encourages anglers to play an active role in helping to conserve Ireland's fish stocks. Data is aggregated for reporting and the system minimises manual data entry, is scalable and can grow with the scheme. The EU is particularly interested in data on cod, pollock, sharks, rays, sea bass and highly migratory species such as tuna, but the solution can be configured to capture data on other species too, giving Inland Fisheries Ireland flexibility for the future. The state agency had success recently using Esri's ArcGIS system to enable accurate reporting for a catch, tag and release programme for the critically endangered Atlantic bluefin tuna. William Roche, Senior Research Officer at Inland Fisheries Ireland: “ArcGIS will enable us to recruit anglers as citizen scientists and crowdsource the large volume of data that we require for EU and national reporting. With more anglers collecting data, we will be able to build up a better picture of the state of fish stocks off Ireland's coast, particularly for anglers. “The personalised dashboards will help to make the recording of data a habitual activity for anglers. We hope they will enjoy entering their catch data and take pride in their role as observers and stewards of Ireland's fish stocks.” Schalk Van Lill, Customer Success Manager, Esri Ireland: “We are delighted to work with Inland Fisheries Ireland on this project and enable the ongoing monitoring and safeguarding of fish populations. Our GIS solution has provided Inland Fisheries Ireland with a feasible and affordable way to capture additional data to complement the other data collected for the EU. “Citizen science like this provides broad spatial coverage all around the coastline of Ireland, enabling Inland Fisheries Ireland to efficiently comply with requirements. The solution can be easily scaled up to accept data uploads from more and more participants, allowing Inland Fisheries Ireland to expand the scheme over time.” See more stories here.

Brian Becket, Director of Inland Fisheries Ireland, talks about a major fish kill in Co Cavan.

CLICK HERE to listen to episode audio (5:33).Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments ImagesExtra Information Sources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.). Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 8-12-22. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of August 15 and August 22, 2022. MUSIC – ~19 sec – instrumental. That's part of ‘To the Wild,” by the Virginia band The Steel Wheels.  It opens an episode about a chance hearing of two very different kinds of wild animals, and how they might be similar or different, including in relation to water.  Have a listen to their calls for about 20 seconds and see if you know these two types of animals.  And here's a hint: one's in a scientific family with, and the other rhymes with, dogs. SOUNDS  - ~21 sec. If you guessed coyotes and frogs, you're right!  You heard barks and other sounds from coyotes, along with calls of Gray Treefrogs.  This lucky recording on the night of July 5, 2022, in Blacksburg, got your Virginia Water Radio host exploring potential connections and contrasts between this terrestrial mammal in the dog family, and this partially aquatic amphibian.  Here are seven areas of note. 1.  Like other living things, both coyotes and frogs are largely made of water and require it for biological functions.  Unlike coyotes, frogs can absorb water through their naked skin, that is, skin without scales, feathers, or fur. 2.  As amphibians, Gray Treefrogs breed in water, which of course coyotes don't. 3.  Like other mammals, coyotes keep a constant body temperature, and they evaporate water through panting to cool themselves.  Frogs' body temperature fluctuates with the environment; having naked skin that's permeable to water, frogs are at risk of drying out if their habitat isn't moist. 4.  Coyotes and adult frogs both have lungs for exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, but, in frogs, gas exchange also occurs across their skin. 5.  Both are notable for their sounds.  Coyotes use barks, howls, and other sounds to communicate to family members and to potential competitors, and frog males use calls to attract females, signal their presence to other males, and perhaps to startle away predators. 6.  These animals appear together in at least three Native American legends, including one from the Kalapuya people of Oregon, called “The Coyote and the Frog People.”  In this story, the coyote sneakily digs through a dam the frogs use to hold all of the world's water for themselves; this then creates all the rivers, lakes, and waterfalls and ends the frogs' water hoarding. And 7.  Both coyotes and Gray Treefrogs show remarkable adaptability to human environments.  Coyotes are noted for occupying habitats near humans, such as city and suburban parks.  Gray Treefrogs, meanwhile, can also be found in human spaces, such as in swimming pools or on house walls or decks.  One wildlife biologist consulted for this episode said that in his Virginia county coyotes seem to “saunter by houses like they own the place”; in the frog world, noted another biologist, Gray Treefrogs have a somewhat similar reputation. Thanks to several Virginia Tech faculty members for providing information for this episode.  Thanks also to The Steel Wheels for permission to use their music, and we close with about 30 more seconds of “To the Wild.” MUSIC - ~30 sec – Lyrics: “I'm gonna run to the wild.” SHIP'S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of Cripple Creek to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I'm Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Virginia Water Radio thanks Mark Ford, Kevin Hamed, and James Parkhurst, all in the Virginia Tech Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, for contributing information to this episode. The Coyote and Gray Treefrog sounds heard in this episode were recorded by Virginia Water Radio in Blacksburg, Va., on July 5, 2022, at approximately 10:15 p.m. “To the Wild,” by The Steel Wheels, is from the 2017 album “Wild As We Came Here,” used with permission.  More information about The Steel Wheels is available online at https://www.thesteelwheels.com/.  This music was used previously by Virginia Water Radio most recently in Episode 490, 9-16-19. Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGES (If not otherwise noted, photographs are by Virginia Water Radio.) Coyote, photographed in Virginia Beach, Va., February 27, 2016.  Photo by Shawn Dash, made available on iNaturalist at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/13877118(as of August 15, 2022) for use under Creative Commons license “Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Internbational.”  Information about this Creative Commons license is available online at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/.Gray Treefrog on the deck of a residence in Blacksburg, Va., September 23, 2009.EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT ANIMALS IN THIS EPISODE The following information is excerpted from “Coyote” and “Gray Treefrog” entries of the Virginia Department of Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources' (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries) “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/.  The Coyote entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?Menu=_.Taxonomy&bova=050125&version=19215; the Gray Treefrog entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?Menu=_.Taxonomy&bova=020007&version=19215. Coyote (Scientific name: Canis latrans) Occurrence“Coyotes are thought to have started being seen in the 1950's and the 1960's here in Virginia, particularly in the western part of the state, and they now have an established population throughout the state.  Current occurrence throughout the state is attributed to the steady eastward migration of this species, which is due to the elimination of other large carnivores, such as red wolves, from their former ranges and to coyotes being highly opportunistic feeders and thus are highly adaptable to many habitats.” Physical Description“The males are generally larger than the females...with a body length of 1.0-1.35 meters, and a tail length of 400 millimeters.  The coat color and texture shows geographic variation, but usually the coat color is a grey mixed with a reddish tint.  ...This species is generally smaller than the grey wolf.  ...The track (70mm by 60mm) is more elongated than the domestic dog but shorter than either the gray or red wolf.” Reproduction“Yearling males and females are capable of breeding.  The percentage of yearlings breeding is controlled by food supply.  Gestation lasts 63 days.  The mean litter size is 5.3 and is affected by population density and food supply.” Behavior“The home range size of the males is 20-42 kilometers (km), and for females 8-10 km.   The female home ranges do not overlap whereas male home ranges do.  The average daily travel is reported as 4.0 km, with dispersal movements of 160 km not uncommon.  Favorable den sites include brush-covered slopes, steep banks, thickets, hollow logs, and rock ledges.  The dens of other animals may be used.  ...Dens may be shared and used for more than one year. ...Coyotes use visual, auditory, olfactory and tactile signals for communications.  They eat mostly rodents and rabbits but also take berries fruits and carrion.  They are primarily nocturnal and their howls can be heard for miles.” Gray Treefrog (Scientific name: Hyla versicolor) Occurrence“In Virginia, this species is distributed in the mountains north of the New River drainage, in the Blue Ridge, and in the Piedmont.” Physical Description“This species is identical in appearance to Hyla chrysoscelis [Cope's Gray Treefrog] but they do not interbreed.  These two species can be distinguished by chromosome number and by male mating call. ...Both species are well camouflaged.  They are usually gray but coloration ranges from gray to whitish to brown to green dependent upon environment and activities.  There is a whitish mark beneath the eyes and a bright orange or yellow on the concealed surfaces of the hind legs.  The dorsal skin is warty.  This species ranges in length from 32 to 62 milllimeters (1.25-2.5 inches).” Reproduction“Males call between March and August.  ...Breeding generally occurs from March to June.  The female lays clumps of 10 to 40 eggs per group on the surface of shallow ditches, puddles, and ponds  ...Eggs typically hatch in 4 to 5 days, and metamorphosis occurs in 45 to 64 days.” Behavior“This species is not often seen on the ground or near the water's edge except during the breeding season.  It tends to forage while in small trees or shrubs near to or standing in water.  This species is an opportunistic feeder focusing primarily on larval Lepidoptera [butterflies and moths], Coleoptera [beetles], and other arthropods.” Limiting Factors“This species is fairly arboreal, foraging from trees and shrubs in the vicinity of water. ...In general, this species requires shallow ponds with fallen branches or herbaceous growth on the water's edge.” Aquatic/Terrestrial Associations“This species is typically associated with the following forest types: black willow, sweet gum-willow oak, white oak-red oak-black oak and mixed pine-hardwood.  They are frequently found in recently disturbed areas with shrub and herbaceous cover.” SOURCES Used for Audio Atlanta Coyote Project, “Coyote Activity Patterns, Ranges, and Vocalizations,” online at https://atlantacoyoteproject.org/coyote-activity-patterns-ranges-vocalizations/. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, “Animal Fact Sheet: Coyote,” online at https://www.desertmuseum.org/kids/oz/long-fact-sheets/coyote.php. Burke Museum [Seattle, Wash.], “All About Amphibians,” online at https://www.burkemuseum.org/collections-and-research/biology/herpetology/all-about-amphibians/all-about-amphibians. Epic Ethics, “Coyote Returns Water from the Frog People—A Native Kalapuya Tale,” online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=six1kVQS_tw. First People of North America and Canada, “Native American Legends,” online at https://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/. Kevin Hamed, Virginia Tech Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, personal communication, August 11, 2022. Richard W. Hill, Comparative Physiology of Animals: An Environmental Approach, Harper & Row, New York. 1976. Internet Sacred Text Archive, “The Coyote and the Frog,” identified as a Hopi contained in The Traditions of the Hopi, by H.R. Voth (1905), online at https://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/hopi/toth/toth065.htm. John D. Kleopfer and Chris S. Hobson, A Guide to the Frogs and Toads of Virginia, Bureau of Wildlife Resources Special Publication Number 3, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries [now Department of Wildlife Resources], Richmond, Va., 2011. Lane Community College [Eugene, Ore.], “Kalapuya: Native Americans of the Willamette Valley, Oregon,” online at https://libraryguides.lanecc.edu/kalapuya. Miami [Fla.] Children's Museum, YouTube video (4 min./39 sec.) of “The Coyote and the Frog People,” celebrating Native American Heritage Month, November 3, 2020, online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q4km_HDGeI. Brian R. Mitchell et al., “Information Content of Coyote Barks and Howls,” Bioacoustics: The International Journal of Animal Sound and its Recording, Vol. 15, pages 289–314 (2006); online (as a PDF) at https://www.uvm.edu/~bmitchel/Publications/Mitchell_Information_content.pdf. National Geographic, “Coyote,” undated, online at https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/coyote. National Parks and Recreation Association, “Coyotes Have Moved into Parks Across the United States—Now What,” by Richard J. Dolesh, Parks & Recreation, April 6, 2018, online at https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2018/april/coyotes-have-moved-into-parks-across-the-united-states-now-what/. New Hampshire PBS, “NatureWorks/Gray Treefrog,” online at https://nhpbs.org/natureworks/graytreefrog.htm. Oregon Encyclopedia [Oregon Historical Society], “Kalapuyan Peoples,” by Henry Zenk, undated, online at https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/kalapuyan_peoples/#.YvPg_RzMJPY. James Parkhurst, Virginia Tech Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, personal communication, August 11, 2022. Roger Powell et al., Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston, Mass., 2016. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources [formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries],“Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/; the Coyote entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=050125&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19215; the Gray Treefrog entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=020007&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19215. Ya-Native, “Coyote Takes Water From the Frog People—A Plains Legend,” online at

CLICK HERE to listen to episode audio (3:58).Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments ImagesExtra Information Sources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.). Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 8-1-22. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of August 1 and August 8, 2022.  This is a revised repeat of an episode from August 2015. SOUNDS – ~4 sec – call from Great Egret then from Great Blue Heron. In this episode, we feature two mystery sounds, and a guest voice, to explore two striking birds—striking in looks, and striking in how they hunt.  Have a listen for about 30 seconds, and see if you can guess these two long-necked, long-legged wading birds. SOUNDS AND GUEST VOICE – ~30 sec – Voice: “At once he stirs and steps into the water, wading with imperial self-possession on his three-pronged, dragonish feet.  The water could not tremble less at the passage of his stilt legs as he stalks his dinner.  His neck arches like the bending of a lithe bow, one of a piece with the snapping arrow of his beak.” If you guessed, egret or heron, you're right!  The first call was from a Great Egret and the second from a Great Blue Heron.  The guest voice was Alyson Quinn, reading part of her “Lesson from an Egret,” inspired by a September 2007 visit to the Potomac River.  The word “egret” derives from an old German word for “heron,” a fitting origin for the many similarities between these two big birds.  The Great Egret and the Great Blue Heron are the two largest of 12 North American species of herons, egrets, and bitterns.  The Great Egret is strikingly white, while the Great Blue has only a partially white head over a bluish-gray body.  But a white subspecies of the Great Blue, called the Great White Heron, occurs in Florida.  Great Egrets and Great Blues both typically feed in shallow water, taking fish, amphibians, and other prey by waiting and watching quietly, then quickly striking with their long, sharp beaks.  The two species also share a history of having been widely hunted for their long plumes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; the impact on their populations helped lead to nationwide bird-conservation efforts and organizations. Distinctive looks, behavior, and history make these two “Greats” a memorable and meaningful sight along Virginia's rivers, ponds, marshes, and other areas.  Thanks to Lang Elliott for permission to use this week's sounds, from the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs, and thanks to Alyson Quinn for permission to share her “Lesson from an Egret,” which gets this episode closing words. GUEST VOICE – ~18 sec – “I want to be more like the egret, with the patience to be still without exhaustion, to never mind the idle currents or be dazzled by the glamour of light on water; but, knowing the good thing I wait for, to coil my hope in constant readiness, and to act in brave certitude when it comes.” SHIP'S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I'm Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Virginia Water Radio episode revises and replaces Episode 277, 8-10-15. The sounds of the Great Egret and the Great Blue Heron were taken from the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs-Eastern Region CD set, by Lang Elliott with Donald and Lillian Stokes (Time Warner Audio Books, copyright 1997), used with permission of Lang Elliott, whose work is available online at the “Music of Nature” Web site, http://www.musicofnature.org/. Excerpts of “Lesson from an Egret” are courtesy of Alyson Quinn, from her blog “Winterpast” (September 21, 2007, post), available online at http://www.winterispast.blogspot.com/, used with permission.  Ms. Quinn made the recording after a visit to Algonkian Regional Park, located in Sterling, Va. (Loudoun County), part of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority.  More information about the park is available online at https://www.novaparks.com/parks/algonkian-regional-park. Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com. IMAGES (Except as otherwise noted, photographs are by Virginia Water Radio.) Upper two images: Great Egret along the New River near Parrott, Va. (Pulaski County); photos by Robert Abraham, used with permission.  Third image: Great Blue Heron in a marsh at Wachapreague, Va. (Accomack County), October 5, 2007.  Bottom image: Great Blue Heron in a stormwater pond on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, July 28, 2015. EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT GREAT EGRETS AND GREAT BLUE HERONS The following information is excerpted from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), “Fish and Wildlife Information Service”: Great Egret “Life History” entry, online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040032&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19202; and Great Blue Heron “Life History” entry, online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040027&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19202. Great Egret Physical Description“Large, heavy, white heron with yellow-orange bill, black legs, long, slender neck, and long plumes extending beyond tail….” Behavior“Male selects territory that is used for hostile and sexual displays, copulation and nesting.  Adjacent feeding areas vigorously defended, both sexes defend.  …Migration occurs in fall and early spring along coast; winters further south than Virginia. …Foraging: alone in open situations; prefers fresh or brackish waters, openings in swamps, along streams or ponds; wader: stalks prey; known to participate in the 'leap-frog' feeding when initiated by cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis).  Prey are taken in shallow waters; prey usually includes insects, fish, frogs (adults and tadpoles), small birds, snakes, crayfish, and many others.  Nesting: in trees or thickets, 3-90 ft. above water in willows, holly, red cedar, cypress, and bayberry on dry ground in marshes.” Population Comments“Dangerously near extermination in early part of [20th] century due to plume hunting; population comeback hampered by loss of habitat, exposure to DDT and other toxic chemicals and metals. …[Predators include] crows and vultures….” Great Blue Heron Physical Description“Large grayish heron with yellowish bill, white on head, cinnamon on neck, and black legs,” Behavior“Territoriality: known to have feeding territory in non-breeding seasons, defended against members of same species.  Range: breeds from central Canada to northern Central America and winters from middle United States throughout Central America; in Virginia, is a permanent resident of the Coastal Plain. …Foraging: stands motionless in shallow water waiting on prey; occasionally fishes on the wing along watercourses, meadows and fields far from water.  They also take frogs, snakes, insects, and other aquatic animals.  Nesting: predominately in tall cedar and pine swamps, but may also be found on the ground, rock ledges, and sea cliffs; nests on platform of sticks, generally in colonies….” Aquatic/Terrestrial Associations“Salt or fresh shallow waters of lakes, ponds, marshes, streams, bays, oceans, tidal flats, and sandbars; feeds in surf, wet meadows, pastures, and dry fields.” SOURCES Used for Audio Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “All About Birds,” online at http://www.allaboutbirds.org. Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “Birds of the World,” online at https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/home  (subscription required). Alice Jane Lippson and Robert L. Lippson, Life in the Chesapeake Bay, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 2006. Merriam-Webster  Dictionary:“Egret,” online at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/egret;“Heron,” online at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heron. National Audubon Society, “History of Audubon and Science-based Bird Conservation,” online at http://www.audubon.org/content/history-audubon-and-waterbird-conservation. Oxford Dictionaries/Oxford University Press:“Egret,” online at http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/egret;“Heron,” online at http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/heron. Chandler S. Robbins et al., A Guide to Field Identification of Birds of North America, St. Martin's Press, New York, 2001. Stan Tekiela, Birds of Virginia Field Guide, Adventure Publications, Inc., Cambridge, Minn., 2002. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/:Great Blue Heron entry, online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040027&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19202;Great Egret entry, online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=040032&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19202;“List of Native and Naturalized Fauna in Virginia, August 2020,” online (as a PDF) at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/virginia-native-naturalized-species.pdf.The Waterbird Society, online at https://waterbirds.org/. Joel C. Welty, The Life of Birds, W. B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, Penn., 1975. For More Information about Birds in Virginia and Elsewhere Chesapeake Bay Program, “Birds,” online at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/all/birds/all. Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, “Merlin Photo ID.”  The application for mobile devices allows users to submit a bird photograph to get identification of the bird. Information is available online at http://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/. Cornell University Lab of Ornithology and the Audubon Society, “eBird,” online at https://ebird.org/home.  Here you can find locations of species observations made by contributors, and you can sign up to contribute your own observations. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, “Animal Diversity Web,” online at https://animaldiversity.org. Virginia Society of Ornithology, online at http://www.virginiabirds.org/.  The Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study, conservation, and enjoyment of birds in the Commonwealth. Xeno-canto Foundation, online at http://www.xeno-canto.org/.  This site provides bird songs from around the world.  RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Birds” subject category. Following are links to some other episodes on birds in the family of herons, egrets, night-herons, and bitterns.Episode 118, 7-9-12 – Summertime sampler of birds, including Great Blue Heron. Episode 127, 9-10-12 – Green Heron. Episode 235, 10-13-14 – Black-crowned Night Heron.Episode 381, 8-14-17 – Midnight sounds near water, including Great Blue Heron.Episode 430, 7-23-18 – Marsh birds in Virginia, including Great Blue Heron and Least Bittern.Episode 478, 6-24-19 – Little Blue Heron.Episode 603, 11-15-21 – Fall bird migration, including Green Heron and Snowy Egret. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode's audio/transcript, sources, or other information included in this post.2020 Music SOLs SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.” 2018 Science SOLs Grades K-4: Living Systems and Processes1.5 – Animals, including humans, have basic life needs that allow them to survive. 2.5 – Living things are part of a system. 3.4 – Adaptations allow organisms to satisfy life needs and respond to the environment. 3.5 – Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems support a diversity of organisms. 4.2 – Plants and animals have structures that distinguish them from one another and play vital roles in their ability to survive. 4.3 – Organisms, including humans, interact with one another and with the nonliving components in the ecosystem. Grades K-5: Earth ResourcesK.11 – Humans use resources.1.8 – Natural resources can be used responsibly.3.8 – Natural events and humans influence ecosystems.4.8 – Virginia has important natural resources.