Last week I photographed this Lithophane pexata, Plush-naped Pinion Moth, at Dorsey's Knob Park in Morgantown, WV. I don't know for sure, but this may be a first record of it being documented in the state. This is actually a species of the Northeast and eastern Canada where it frequents bogs and relies on alder as a host plant. I can't help but suspect that L. pexata also inhabits the high elevation bogs around Canaan Valley, Cranesville Swamp and perhaps Cranberry Glades.
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It took over a decade, but I have now finally seen a Snow Goose in Monongalia County! I first received word of this goose while working at Dorsey's Knob Park on March 1st, While on break, I casually checked the WV-Bird listserv and noted with great interest that Terry Bronson had found a young Snow Goose grazing with a flock of Canada Geese in a pasture on Cobun Creek Road. Even though the goose was only a couple of miles away from me, I was stuck at work and didn't have access to my car.
The following day, Mike Slaven texted to let me know that he had just seen the Snow Goose. I was surprised that it was still around and I jumped at Mike's generous offer to pick me up and show it to me. This Snow Goose is my 207th species of bird in Monongalia County. |