Folks, Have made two trips to the Pinnacle NAP in Russell Co., VA this past week. The first visit was on Monday the 16th during a break in the rain. No butterflies were seen that day; however, Bloodroot, Yellow Trout Lily, and Sharp-Lobed Hepatica were in bloom. Visit on Wednesday the 18th yielded a blooming Wood Anemone in addition to flowers previously mentioned. Also, numerous Spring Azure (sp.) were flitting about, several Cabbage Whites, one West Virginia White, two Eastern Commas, one Mourning Cloak, and surprisingly one very small Zebra Swallowtail. Insect activity in general was quite high with several species of bees, wasps (including one Ichneumon (sp.), a multitude of grasshopper nymphs, a Stone Centipede, several spider species, and a Brown Stink Bug, to name just a few. No migrating birds were seen during either visit; however, it appears that a Black Vulture may be preparing to nest on Chestnut Ridge again as fresh droppings were in the vicinity of the crevice where it nested last year. Richard Kretz Lebanon, Russell Co., VA