Tucker County Cormorants

Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) are not a common sight in the mountains of West Virginia.  These were at the Thomas Dam, in Tucker County, WV on October 3, 2011 in the late afternoon. It was a rainy, foggy day and this photo was taken at 400 ISO. The birds only stayed for about 3 minutes. They were gone by the time my cameras lens was covered with mist. there were twenty-nine Cormorants present, when I first stopped the truck.

(c) High Virginia Outdoors 2011

Where is High Virginia

Many of you are wondering; where is High Virginia?  High Virginia is wherever you want it to be, as long as it is in the mountains of Appalachia.  I know that many individuals are not comfortable without borders and definitions. So, here is my image of High Virginia.

We will begin at Marlinton, WV and make it the SW corner. From there we will follow Rt 219 north to Thomas, WV. When we reach the bridge over the North Fork of the Blackwater River, we will turn right onto Rt 32 and travel through Thomas to the Rt 93 intersection. We will then travel on Rt 93 to Scheer,WV and follow Rt 42 south to Petersburg,WV. In Petersburg we will pick up US Rt 220 at follow it south until we reach Warm Springs,VA. When reaching Warm Springs we will turn onto Rt 39 and head west right back to Marlinton. We now have boundaries and everyone is happy.

As I have gotten older, I now realize that everything that I need to see or experience can be found within these borders. Get out and explore and this region will charm and impress you. Enjoy.

west virginia greeting cards
west virginia photos

Frommer's Virginia (Frommer's Complete)


West Virginia: An Explorer's Guide (Explorer's Guides)