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Behind Blue Ridge Country

CURRENT Behind Blue Ridge Country

March’s Wild Edible: Lamb’s Quarter

Rising up through the soil this month is one of the most fascinating plants in the Blue Ridge Mountains…the lamb’s quarter.

Birds of the Blue Ridge: Black-and-white Warbler

This striped little bird is about the size of our chickadees and “creeps” up and down trees like our nuthatches.

Birds of the Blue Ridge: Common Merganser

Elegant, streamlined Common Mergansers gather on the freshwaters of the Blue Ridge during winter.

March’s Mountain Wildflower: Bloodroot

One of the pleasures of a late winter/early spring walk in the woods is spying the tightly-wound green leaf of a bloodroot (Sanguinaria Canadensis) plant pushing its way through the frost-encrusted soil.

Birds of the Blue Ridge: Mallard

This dabbling duck, like other bird species, loses its feathers (molts) once per year and becomes flightless during that time.

Current Issue

Lamb’s quarter growing along the author’s chicken run.

March’s Wild Edible: Lamb’s Quarter

Rising up through the soil this month is one of the most fascinating plants in the Blue Ridge Mountains…the lamb’s quarter.
60fdc2cc-2046-11f0-aa8d-12163087a831-Black-and-white-Warbler---photo-by-Robin-Edwards

Birds of the Blue Ridge: Black-and-white Warbler

This striped little bird is about the size of our chickadees and “creeps” up and down trees like our nuthatches.
Female Common Merganser and ducklings.

Birds of the Blue Ridge: Common Merganser

Elegant, streamlined Common Mergansers gather on the freshwaters of the Blue Ridge during winter.
901e31ac-f50f-11ef-8d7e-12163087a831-3-2025bloodroot--credit-Joe-Cook-and-Monica-Sheppard

March’s Mountain Wildflower: Bloodroot

One of the pleasures of a late winter/early spring walk in the woods is spying the tightly-wound green leaf of a bloodroot (Sanguinaria Canadensis) plant pushing its way through the frost-encrusted soil.
Male and female Mallards.

Birds of the Blue Ridge: Mallard

This dabbling duck, like other bird species, loses its feathers (molts) once per year and becomes flightless during that time.
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Departments

At Coopers Rock State Forest, new Stargazer cabins invite guests to look up through skylights and telescopes.
Country Roads

Even Closer to Almost Heaven

New Stargazer cabins at Coopers Rock State Forest offer a skyward escape in the mountains of West Virginia.

June 29, 2026
©Duncan Seaman
Country Roads

A Mountain Tradition Turns 90 

Visitors flock to Galax, Virginia, each summer for the Old Fiddlers’ Convention, a days-long celebration of Appalachian music.

June 29, 2026
Synchronous Fireflies
Creature Feature

The Light Fantastic

Fireflies are struggling with the effects of artificial light.

June 29, 2026

CALENDAR OF EVENTS