Events
Friends of Chinqua-Penn Walking Trail Meeting Schedule
The Friends meet at the Upper Piedmont Research Station office at the intersection of Wentworth Street and Salem Church Road, 1944 Wentworth Street, Reidsville, (GPS coordinates 36.37958, -79.694541). Meetings are generally held the last Tuesday of the month at NOON from October through April; 7:00 p.m. from May through September. Notice of the next meeting time and place will be posted at the trailhead in the bulletin board and by email. The meeting schedule for 2019 is as follows:
Tuesday January 29 NOON Tuesday May 28 NOON Tuesday September 24 7:00
Tuesday February 26 NOON Tuesday June 25 NOON Tuesday October 29 NOON
Tuesday March 26 NOON Tuesday July 30 NOON Tuesday November 26 NOON
Tuesday April 30 NOON Tuesday August 27 7:00 December NO MEETING
NEWS
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BUTTERFLY GARDEN
Butterflies conjure up images of sunshine, the warmth and colour of flowery meadows, and summer gardens teaming with life. Thanks to the Rockingham Naturalist Club, Mike Vaughan and Milton Hundley, have planted a beautiful butterfly garden on the Chinqua-Penn Trail! You can see it just across from the Spring House, in a 14’ x 4’ fenced area that will be teaming with bright flowers pretty soon. Butterflies are attracted to brightly colored, fragrant flowers and feed on nectar produced by the flowers. As the butterflies travel from one flower to another, they pollinate the plants, resulting in further development of plant species. Numerous plants rely on pollinators, such as butterflies, for reproduction.The flowers planted in our garden include three varieties of Ageratum (lavender blue flowers), Butterfly Weeds (brilliant orange), single petal Zinnias (mixed colors) and non-invasive Butterfly Bushes (peach and light blue). Landscape cloth has been laid down around the plantings to let water through and then retain the water. A thin layer of pine needles was arranged on top. We can expect 30 to 40 species to visit our garden. Species will include : Tiger Swallowtail, Black Swallowtail, Zebra Swallowtail, Great Spangled Fritillary, Fritillary, Little Common Blues, American Ladies, Painted Ladies and Monarchs. Butterfly habitats provide intriguing natural settings through the colorful appeal of the flowers and insects. This aesthetic draws human interest, which can result in a greater awareness of the environment and a better understanding of our role in preserving natural habitats. 
Bird Club had an outing June 7 ,2015 at the trail.
Martin Wall, one of our own, led a group of birders around for an enjoyable morning of birdwatching. They recorded 44 species in 3 1/2 hours. Two highlights are pictured here, the brilliant Blue Grosbeak was singing away on the wire, and the tiny Grasshopper Sparrow came out of the tall grass to sing his distinctive buzzy song. Thanks, Lou Scrabec (PBC), for these great pictures of birds enjoying Chinqua-Penn Trail! |
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Painted Slates - Check them out at Round About Way on 3847 NC 87 just outside Reidsville near where Barnes Street, Holiday Loop, and NC 87 intersect!
Spring House Repairs
Si Rothrock of Reidsville Building and Restoration and his helpers have completed repairs to the the Spring House roof to prevent it falling in. This entailed removing the slate shingles, cutting out all rotten boards, and filling in with a new layer of freshly cured oak boards. They covered the boards with a thick synthetic felt to protect the wood from the elements. Even though the project is completed, we are still raising money to pay off all costs incurred. We are selling Painted Slates, Bamboo and Bluebird houses. And, our 2nd annual Run with the Cows 5K in September 2015 will also help with these costs.
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Research Station Office
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