If you’re ever walked a trail and wish you had a guide there to tell you what you were seeing or hearing, or someone to help you find nature’s marvels, take an outing with the Potomac Valley Audubon.

Sept. 20, Insect Walk. Enjoy a special evening “insect walk” along the C&O Canal across from Shepherdstown, led by local expert Wil Hershberger, coauthor of The Songs of Insects, a book and audio CD. This family-oriented event is especially popular with young children, but all are welcome. Meet at 6:30pm in the large C&O Canal parking lot on Canal Road three-tenths of a mile south of the Rumsey Bridge.Hershberger will lead an exploration of the surrounding fields and roadsides. Insects likely to be encountered include tree crickets, several species of meadow katydids, perhaps one or two species of round-winged katydids, northern true katydids, oblong-wing katydids, and perhaps some bush katydids. Bring a flash light and be prepared to walk through high grass and weeds. Insect repellent is recommended. Hershberger has been photographing and recording the natural world for more than a decade, and his work has been published in magazines, calendars, and books (www.natureimagesandsounds.com.). For more information contact Peter Smith at 304-876-1139 or pvsmith@frontiernet.net

Sept. 21, Hawk Watch. Watch the wonder of migrating hawks from Washington Monument State Park, perched atop South Mountain near Boonsboro, Md. The annual Broad-winged hawk migration should be at or near its peak that weekend, and South Mountain is one of the best sites in the mid-Atlantic for seeing them. The park’s monument offers an excellent vantage point to watch these magnificent birds as they ride the thermals that sweep along the mountain’s ridgeline.

Other species that may be seen include the Sharp-shinned hawk, the Red-shouldered hawk, the Red-tailed hawk, the American kestrel, and the Northern harrier. Local naturalist Dave Weesner will lead the trip and help identify the birds seen. The park is four miles east of Boonsboro and 1 1/2 miles north of Alternate Route 40 on Monument Road. Gather at 9am in the uppermost parking lot, just below the monument. From there, the group will walk  up to the monument at the summit. The trail is not long but it is rather rough and not suitable for anyone who needs assistance. Come for a while and leave whenever you wish—if conditions are good, trip leaders might stay until early afternoon. Bring binoculars if you have them, and be prepared for chilly weather. No registration is needed for this trip, but the trip will be cancelled if it is raining because hawks do not fly in such weather. For more information contact Peter Smith at 304-876-1139 or pvsmith@frontiernet.net

The Potomac Valley Audubon Society is a member of the United Way of the Eastern Panhandle and the Combined Federal Campaign.

Sept. 28, World’s Largest Pawpaw Orchard. A massive patch of pawpaw in Carroll County, Md., is said to be the largest in the world. This trip will be led by Neal Peterson of Harpers Ferry, who is one of the leading experts on this native tree and who has been in the forefront of efforts to develop commercially viable cultivars. The pawpaw (asimina triloba) is a small, decorative tree that bears fruit with a custard-like texture and a sweet flavor reminiscent of mango or banana. It was cultivated by Native Americans and early settlers. The Lewis and Clark expedition relied on Pawpaw fruit on their way west, and chilled Pawpaw was one of George Washington’s favorite deserts. Thomas Jefferson cultivated the tree at Monticello.

But the fruit is full of seeds and highly perishable, which makes commercial-scale production and handling difficult. In addition, although the Pawpaw tree is very hardy once established, it is very difficult to transplant. The Maryland orchard that will be visited is one of a dozen sites in the East, South and Midwest currently testing pawpaw cultivars designed to overcome these problems. This trip will visit a grove comprised of about 1,300 trees of select varieties from Peterson’s 25-year breeding project. Their fruits possess outstanding flavor, can range up to a pound in size, and have far fewer seeds than their wild cousins.

The visit to the orchard will begin at 2:30pm with a presentation by Peterson about the history and uses of the pawpaw. Then Davis will lead a tour of the orchard. Fresh pawpaws will be available, along with pawpaw ice cream.

The orchard is about 1 1/2 hours from Harpers Ferry and carpooling from there will be available. The trip is limited to 15 people and pre-registration is required. Contact Sheri Fedorchak, 304-876-8432 or stelladogg@hotmail.com. To learn about Pawpaws and Peterson’s work see www.petersonpawpaws.com.