Master Naturalists in Action
Getting ready for new residents at Holly Point Nature Park at the Deltaville Maritime Museum February 12, 2022
Ten bluebird nest boxes were installed at the Deltaville Maritime Museum at Holly Point Nature Park. On February 12, volunteers with Virginia Master Naturalists – Middle Peninsula Chapter placed poles in the ground and mounted baffles and nest boxes to each. The population of bluebirds dropped as much as 90% decades ago due to habitat loss. Citizens everywhere have been putting up boxes to help their numbers bounce back.
Materials for some of the boxes were donated by Roland Anderson and the Deltaville Maritime Museum Boat Shop. Others were donated by Ed Pels along with much of the hardware needed. Participants were Pat Anderson (project captain), Luann Johnson, Mike Grose, Chris Conley, Miles Wong, and Patty Campbell.
The nest boxes on the trail will be monitored by trained members of the Master Naturalists through the spring and summer. We ask that visitors watch from a wide distance and give the new families some peace. The babies may be sleeping.

NABA Summer Butterfly Count June 24, 2021
Essex County, Sector E of the George Washington’s Birthplace count:
Northumberland-Lancaster Butterfly Count May 25, 2021
Bill Blair in a field of Small’s Ragwort where we found many Little Wood Satyr butterflies – Lancaster County.
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Monitoring Training May 10, 2021
On Monday May 10 three new Water Quality Monitoring teams were added to our chapter’s existing six teams. Sophie Stern, RiverTrends coordinator for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, presented the 3-hour training.

Clean Gloucester Weekend September 18-20, 2020
Northumberland-Lancaster Butterfly Count May 26, 2020
Bluebird house maintenance at Brent and Becky’s August 14, 2019
From left, John Ericson, Ed Pels