Friends of the NCTC News

Friends of NCTC Host Winter Staff Appreciation Hot Chocolate Bar

Sat, 17 Jan 2026 19:20:34 GMT

The Friends of NCTC were delighted to host a Winter Staff Appreciation Hot Chocolate Bar for NCTC staff in earlier this week, welcoming everyone back to campus after the winter break, including their Aramark colleagues.

The event featured a variety of hot chocolate options, sugar cookies, and festive candy canes, serving approximately 100 employees. The response was overwhelmingly positive! Staff enjoyed the wide selection and shared how much they appreciated the treat and the gesture.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who helped make this event a success, whether by shopping, serving, organizing, or supporting us in spirit. Your contributions helped create a warm, welcoming moment for the NCTC campus community, and we’re grateful for all you do to support NCTC staff.

Here are some fun pictures from the event:

How to Reserve Your Spot for Upcoming Public Programs at NCTC

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 06:22:10 GMT

Reserve Your Spot for Upcoming Public Programs:

To register for the upcoming program, please email: NCTC-Lecture-Series@fws.gov. Be sure to include the program date in the subject or memo line, and list the names of all attending adults in the body of your message. Children’s names are not required.

After 22 years, the bald eagle’s nest at the USFWS National Conservation Training Center is gone.

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 14:08:23 GMT

On April 19, at 10:00 pm a sudden windstorm blew the big nest from the top of its sycamore tree home.

Sadly, none of the three eaglets survived the 90 ft. fall. They were four weeks old.

Fortunately, both adult eagles appear to be okay and have been seen flying and perching in the big nest tree.

Last fall, the eagle pair built a new nest about 15 ft. below the original nest and in the same tree. This new nest is in a very strong section of the tree and had minimal damage. We are hopeful the eagle pair will use this new nest to raise their young next season.

In the fall of 2003, the original eagle pair began to build their nest, and the first eggs were laid in the spring of 2004. In the fall of 2005, NCTC installed the first nest camera and online viewers were amazed to see intimate views of life in the nest. Supported by the Friends of NCTC, the Outdoor Channel, and dedicated citizen scientists the NCTC nest developed a large online following across North America and around the world, including many K-12 school classrooms.

We extend condolences to everyone who enjoyed daily visits to the NCTC Eaglecam and many thanks for all the kind words of support. We all look forward to continuing new seasons of life at the NCTC nest.

With the tragic loss of the main eagle's nest, two of the eagle cam cameras will need to be repositioned. There are also some limbs on the tree that should be trimmed or removed as they are dead snags and more likely to break in future high winds.

If you would like to donate to these efforts, you may do so! This link takes you directly to the Friends of NCTC donation site: https://friendsofthenctc.wildapricot.org/Donate

100% of funds donated for the Eagle Cam are used for maintenance, repair, and upgrades to the cameras and the "eagle tree" at NCTC.

Photo: Deb Stecyk, Paul Kolnik, and Dave Smaldone | NCTC Eaglecam.

The NCTC Eagles Made the NEWS!!!

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 22:16:05 GMT

Below are some links to press coverage of the NCTC eagles! The articles are fairly accurate and pretty well done:

Sky Won!!

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 21:10:25 GMT

On December 10, 2025, NCTC hosted a holiday singalong and Ugly Sweater exhibition! Sky, our favorite eagle mascot, won by a landslide! See the picture below!

Free Tree Plantings!

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 18:14:37 GMT

Free Tree Plantings!

Alyssa Murray, a former recipient of the NCTC internship program in 2019, is now working with the Safe Water Conservation Collaborative, an organization dedicated to protecting clean drinking water in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.

They are currently offering an exciting new program for landowners in Jefferson and Berkeley Counties, WV. This program provides a great opportunity for landowners to take advantage of streamside buffer plantings on their properties at no cost.

As you know, streamside buffers are essential for maintaining clean waterways, reducing erosion, and providing habitats for wildlife. By planting these buffers, they aim to enhance the quality of drinking water in the community and support the overall health of the local ecosystems. With the collective efforts of landowners and this program, we can make a significant impact on water conservation in the region.

If you know any landowners in Jefferson and Berkeley Counties who might be interested in this program, please encourage them to learn more about this free opportunity by visiting their website, www.SafeWaterCollaborative.org, under the Trees tab. If you have any questions, please email us at info@friendsofnctc.org.

An Eagle Mascot Update!

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 23:02:02 GMT

The Eagle Mascot has a name! Sky the Eagle met Hannah J, one of the winners of the naming contest this afternoon.

The NCTC Open House

Sat, 18 May 2024 23:37:05 GMT

We had a great time helping out NCTC for their Open House. They estimated they had about 2000 visitors and we met a lot of great people!! See some pictures from the Open House below:

Eagle Nest Photo Opportunity

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 21:19:41 GMT

The Friends of NCTC, grand-kids, and NCTC staff created an "eagles nest" this past week.

It will be available at the NCTC Open House on May 11 for anyone who'd like a picture in it!

Thanks to Randy Robinson and Casey Johnson for heading up the project, creating the frame, and cutting tons of sticks. And a big thanks to everyone who helped!

View Mock Eagle Nest Time Lapse video (taken by Casey Johnson) here.

FNCTC Presented the Best Student Film Award at the ACFF!!!

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 16:00:50 GMT

FNCTC presented the award for the best student film at the American Conservation Film Festival on March 9th at Shepherd University.

The winning film, "Faces of the Cloud Forest" was made by Hugh Allen (who was unable to travel from the UK). Accepting the award for him was his colleague, Jaxon Derow.

The Friends of NCTC have sponsored this award since ACFF began in 2003.

A List of Several Upcoming Friends of NCTC Volunteer Opportunities!

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 19:08:07 GMT

We are getting back on track and have many volunteer opportunities coming up!

The Friends' staffed Concierge Desk at NCTC is up and running. The training for Docent Tours of the NCTC Museum was held, and those volunteers are ready to help out. If these are among your interests, please contact us at info@friendsofnctc.org.

For more details about the following opportunities, check our website or follow up through the contacts listed with the activity:

Friday, April 12: Shepherd Elementary School.
- NCTC Staff and Friends members will present a program about Eagles to two 4th grade classes. If you would like to help us grow this program for elementary students in the surrounding area, please contact Joe Spurgas at jspurgas@gmail.com.
Saturday, April 27: Morgan Grove Park, Shepherdstown.
- The Friends will have a booth at the Shepherdstown Community Club’s Earth Day Celebration. Volunteer to help at the booth, or stop by. To get more information on how to volunteer, please contact Janet Olcott at jwo123rms@aol.com.
Friday, May 10: NCTC will host 100 second graders from Rosemont Elementary School.
- Volunteers are needed to help host all of the activities, and to receive in-event training so that the Friends can expend this program for students to visit NCTC. For more information, please contact Randy Robinson at 304-876-7450 or randy_robinson@fws.gov.
Saturday, May 11: NCTC Open House (on Campus).
- The Friends will host 2 booths at the long awaited return of the Open House. Lots of family and kid friendly activities will be available. To volunteer for the booth or to help visitors plant a tree, please contact Ellen Murphy at ellen.l.murphy@comcast.net.

An NCTC Volunteer Opportunity

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 21:58:47 GMT

Are you looking for a volunteer project that doesn't involve heavy lifting, just listening and typing? NCTC has just the thing!

They are looking for someone(s) who would like to help transcribe some oral history recordings. Most are 1 hour (or slightly longer).You listen to the interview and type what you hear, at your own pace. Even doing one interview would be a great help!

The interviews are Fish and Wildlife retirees talking about what they did when working so they are interesting!

If you want to know more, contact Alex at the NCTC Archives alexandra_henry@fws.gov.

The Shepherdstown Christmas Parade and our Eagle

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 17:04:36 GMT

The Shepherdstown Christmas Parade was a huge success! The Friends of NCTC eagle made an appearance, along with Lew Gorman and Peggy Jesse, members of the FWS Retirees Group.

See the pictures below!

The Friends have supplied NCTC with an Eagle Mascot!!!

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 12:01:19 GMT

Last night was the first appearance of our NCTC Eagle. It was at a Halloween Party and Costume Contest Maureen "Mo" Dougherty, the NCTC Activity Liaison, arranged.

Check out the most up to date NCTC Activities:

Photo credits to Mr. Murphy.

NCTC needs some volunteers for the Annual Deer Hunt!

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 18:32:22 GMT

It's that time of year again--the BEST time of year--cool, crisp mornings, pumpkin lattes, sweater weather, football and the NCTC Deer Hunt!

NCTC Land Management would like to thank each of you for your continued support of this important program and, as always, a successfully run deer hunt season relies on assistance from all of its volunteers. We wanted to give you all the opportunity to look at this year's sign-up sheet in hopes of getting help running the deer hunt check station during the upcoming scheduled hunt dates.

The days NCTC needs the most help are:

November 25 (5:30 am -12 noon or 12 noon - 6:30 pm)
December 2 (5:30 am -12 noon or 12 noon - 6:30 pm)
December 9 (5:30 am -12 noon or 12 noon - 6:30 pm)
December 16 (5:30 am -12 noon or 12 noon - 6:30 pm)
December 30 (5:30 am -12 noon or 12 noon - 6:30 pm)

For any questions regarding this year's deer hunt or information on helping run the NCTC deer hunt check station, please contact Casey Johnson (304)876-7347 or email at casey_johnson@fws.gov.

Thank you again all and look forward to working with each of you this upcoming season!

Get Trained!

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 14:05:43 GMT

The Friends of NCTC are having two training sessions so that you can help their student guests at the Concierge Desk and/or helping with tours of the Archives. The Concierge Desk provides information on activities around the NCTC campus for the guests who are there for the week. Hours are 11:30 am-1:30 pm and 5:30 to 7:30 pm, (Monday through Thursday). Volunteers can choose the time and day they are available to help on a regular basis. The training will be Thursday September 7th at 1:00 pm and 6:30 pm. You can choose the time that works best for you.

Training to help with Archives/Museum Tours will be Wednesday November 8 at 1:00 pm or 6:30 pm. This training will give you background on the history of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, some of the items in the Archives, and the exhibits in the museum in Main Entry. Trained volunteers will available to help during the week on an "as needed" basis and before scheduled evening public programs.

Please note that regular NCTC volunteers go through a background screening that includes fingerprinting. To sign up for either of these trainings, contact Susan Holloway (holloway5@earthlink.net). Please specify which training and time you prefer.

NCTC's Open House Needs Volunteers

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 14:04:22 GMT

It's Back!

After several years, NCTC is having a full Open House and we need the help of Friends of NCTC!

The event will take place on Saturday October 28 from 10 am to 3 pm. Volunteer help is needed including at the Friends of NCTC contact booths, at several NCTC exhibits, assisting with parking, people herding, and with some kids' activities. There may be other opportunities as well. If you can volunteer for a few hours or even all day, contact Ellen Murphy (Ellen.L.Murphy@comcast.net).

We're looking forward to seeing you! (No security clearance is needed for this day, but we need to know who to expect.)

An Exciting Eagle Update!

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 16:20:26 GMT

Photo Credit: Deb Stecyk, Bald Eagles 101

The NCTC bald eagle pair have been busy guarding their nest and setting on eggs. They use their beaks to turn the eggs about every hour for even heating (photo).

The eggs were laid on Feb. 15 and 18. We hope to see the first egg hatch after March 22! You can view our two live nest cams at: https://www.outdoorchannel.com/live/eaglecam

We now have a second nest camera online - you can choose a closeup or wide angle nest view: https://www.outdoorchannel.com/live/eaglecam

The NCTC bald eagles "branch manager" video has been getting airplay across the country on CBS, CNN, Fox, NBC, Facebook and Twitter. Here's a sample: https://twitter.com/FOX10Phoenix/status/1629753191003815937

Please join us on March 16 at 1:00 pm ET for “Live from the Eagle’s Nest!” - our bi-weekly program during the bald eagle nesting season at the National Conservation Training Center. On each program we’ll catch up on the latest nest action and answer your eagle questions too. Teachers, students and anyone interested in bald eagles is welcome to join us on NCTC Livestream! https://livestream.com/nctc

You'll find our schedule here: https://fws.gov/story/2023-02/2023-nctc-eagle-update

Busy Week for the Bald Eagle Pair!

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 14:47:41 GMT

The past week has been a busy one for the NCTC bald eagle pair!

Egg #1 was laid at 3:26 pm on Feb. 15, 2023
Egg # 2 was laid at 6:53 pm on Feb. 18, 2023

Less than an hour before the second egg was laid, another eagle tried to land on the nest but was repelled and chased off.

Both eagles remain on alert for nest takeover attempts; these attempts usually occur by breeding age females (4-5 years old) in search of nesting territory.

Male and female eagles take turns incubating eggs for 35-38 days before the hatch.

Watch for them to turn eggs with their beak about every hour!

You'll find the live video link along with photos, videos and commentary here: https://www.outdoorchannel.com/live/eaglecam

Photos by Paul Kolnik/Bald Eagles101

Check out these AWESOME Bella and Smitty pics from Mike

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 14:45:23 GMT

Mike has been watching our nest cam since 2010 when Liberty & Belle were the resident pair. He'd seen on our website about captured photos and shared a couple that he'd gotten!

Bella snow covered.

Bella feeding while Smitty watches.

Fledge day with Smitty and Ozzy.

Find Some Cool Activities on the NCTC Campus!

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 01:15:41 GMT

Welcome to NCTC!

Explore some of the new activities and events happening on campus through this link: https://trainingcenter.fws.gov/maps/content/index.html#/.

Please note, these activities are available to guests attending courses or on-campus events only.

NCTC is looking for volunteers to help teach archery and supervise the climbing wall on their campus this summer!

Wed, 11 May 2022 15:56:26 GMT

Archery Training

The Archery training at NCTC will occur on Thursday, June 9th. This will be a 4-hour afternoon session in the NCTC Physical Training Building.
Participants will need to also complete a 4-hour online session PRIOR to attending the in-person class on June 9th.
Note: Participants do NOT need to have any prior experience with archery in order to take this training.
Interested participants need to RSVP by Thursday, May 12th (send an email to jennifer_gedert@fws.gov).

Climbing Wall

The NCTC Climbing Wall training has been rescheduled for August (they're currently looking at the week of August 15th for this training).
The course will be a 20-hour in-person course over 3 days.
Participants MUST be able to comfortably top-rope at a 5.8 level.
Anyone interested in leading sessions on NCTC's climbing wall needs to successfully complete this training to get certified.
Interested people need to RSVP by June 1st (send an email to jennifer_gedert@fws.gov).

NCTC will provide any equipment needed.

First Aid training will be required of all the volunteers. NCTC will also provide this training for free.

Volunteers will not need a PIV card or parking pass to attend these trainings, but will need to complete a background check prior to facilitating the archery groups.

Anyone who is interested should email jennifer_gedert@fws.gov to RSVP and/or to get more information.

We Planted About 300 Trees to Celebrate Earth Day!

Sat, 30 Apr 2022 23:56:25 GMT

Last weekend, volunteers gathered at NCTC to celebrate Earth Day by planting about 300 trees from NCTC’s plant nursery. They were placed inside white plastic tubes to protect the young seedlings from deer and mice.

The tree species that were planted are: mockernut hickory, shagbark hickory, tulip poplar, black walnut, black cherry, sycamore, and redbud.

We want to send a big thank you to all the volunteers!

Photo credits: Jennifer Gedert.

Check out the USFWS Conservation Library!

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 19:15:13 GMT

Looking for a great new read? This website includes a link to the monthly "Wild Read" book discussions. Soar into the New Year by reading Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service!

And take a look at the FWS Scholar pages, where you get to know more about the USFWS employees!

There will be a virtual lecture on February 2: “The Devils Hole Pupfish: Survival, Extinction, and Environmental History in the US West”

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 18:49:50 GMT

On Thursday February 2, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. (ET) Author and wildland firefighter Kevin Brown will present “The Devils Hole Pupfish: Survival, Extinction, and Environmental History in the US West” online on the National Conservation Training Center Livestream at https://nctc.fws.gov/broadcasts.

The Devils Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis) is an endangered fish species confined to one small habitat east of Death Valley, in southern Nevada. Despite its small range and population size—which has never been more than a few hundred individuals—this species has been a frequent subject of scientific study since the early twentieth century. The Devils Hole pupfish also became one of the first controversial endangered species of the modern environmental era, with “Save the Pupfish” and “Kill the Pupfish” bumper stickers circulating around Nevada in the 1970s. Kevin Brown uses tools from environmental history to examine the pupfish’s past and explore what the species’ recent history can tell us about survival and extinction.

Kevin C. Brown is the author of Devils Hole Pupfish: The Unexpected Survival of an Endangered Species in the Modern American West (University of Nevada Press, 2021). He earned his PhD in history at Carnegie Mellon University and was a postdoctoral fellow in the Environmental Studies Program at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Brown first began writing about the Devils Hole pupfish while working as a researcher for the American Society for Environmental History and Death Valley National Park. He currently works as a wildland firefighter in California.

This talk is as part of NCTC’s Conservation Lecture Series, which is cosponsored by The Friends of the NCTC (http://www.friendsofnctc.org).

For more information, please contact Mark Madison (304-876-7276; mark_madison@fws.gov) or visit nctc.fws.gov/history/publiclectures.html.

Volunteer Opportunity for the Annual Deer Hunt, Fall 2021

Sat, 16 Oct 2021 23:51:25 GMT

NCTC's Land Management would like your help volunteering for the Annual deer hunt.

We need volunteers to assist in coordinating the hunters. For example, volunteers sign hunters in and ensure they know which hunting stand they've been assigned.

Fall 2021 Dates that We Need Help With (all on Saturdays):

October 23 (5:30 a.m. to noon) - one person
October 23 (noon to 7:30 p.m.) - one person
October 30 (noon to 7:30 p.m.) - one person
November 13 (noon to 6:30 p.m.) - one person
November 27 (5:30 a.m. to noon) - two people
November 27 (noon to 6:30 p.m.) - two people
December 4 (noon to 6:30 p.m.) - one person
December 11 (noon to 6:30 p.m.) - two people
December 18 (noon to 6:30 p.m.) - one person

*COVID precautions such as masks and distancing are required of staff and hunters. A limited number of people can be in the check station area at one time.*

Individuals that are interested can email Phil Pannill at phil_pannill@fws.gov.

Thank you in advance; we appreciate your assistance!

Friends of NCTC Annual Meeting Invitation

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 22:53:58 GMT

Friends of NCTC Annual Meeting
Invitation

2020-2021

Wednesday, September 8 from 7:00-8:00 pm

This will be via Zoom

If you wish to attend, please email Ellen Andersen, the outgoing Board President, directly at wormstress@gmail.com

She will send you an invite to your email address with the information to access the Zoom meeting

Members, please attend the Friends of NCTC Annual Meeting to learn about our progress this past year and our plans for the upcoming year.

Annual Deer Hunt

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 20:02:12 GMT

Dear Friends of NCTC,

Preparations are underway for the nineteenth annual managed deer hunt at NCTC. The first of these was held in 2003 after careful consideration and an environmental assessment, to deal with a burgeoning deer population. The hunting program here serves to help keep the population in balance with available habitat, resulting in healthier deer, reduced damage to native plants and the various types of wildlife that depend upon them, reduced risk of deer diseases and diseases that can spread to humans such as Lyme disease. And, of course, there are the vehicle accidents.

You can find out about the hunt on our deer hunt website: https://nctc.fws.gov/campus/deer-hunt
If you, or hunters you know, might be interested, please check this out. Applications must be submitted online by August 31.

We are once again looking for volunteers from Friends of NCTC to help run the hunt. Tasks include checking hunters in and out, weighing deer, providing direction, and answering questions. If you are an outdoors person, so much the better for helping with the field aspects. Look at the hunt dates - all are Saturdays - to see if some of them would work for you. More info on volunteering will be showing up in your inbox.

Phil Pannill, Land Manager

National Conservation Training Center

Shepherdstown, WV 25443

304-876-7432; phil_pannill@fws.gov

THE NATIONAL CONSERVATION TRAINING CENTER IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE OUR 2021 HUNTING SEASON. THIS YEAR’S DATES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

October 16 – Shotgun & Archery - (Buck or Antlerless) – Special Season October 23 – Shotgun & Archery - (Buck or Antlerless) – Special Season October 30 - Shotgun & Archery - (Buck or Antlerless) – Special Season November 13 – Archery only (Buck or Antlerless)

November 27 - Shotgun & Archery (Buck or Antlerless)
December 4 – Shotgun & Archery (Buck or Antlerless)
December 11 – Shotgun (Antlerless) and Archery (Buck or Antlerless) December 18 - Muzzleloader and Archery (Buck or Antlerless)

For applications, regulations and additional information please visit the NCTC website at http://nctc.fws.gov/campus/deer-hunt/ , email nctc_deerhunt@fws.gov, or call 304-876-7474. The hunt is open to all persons, including out-of-state hunters and hunters with disabilities. A West Virginia hunting license and a hunter safety certification are required prior to hunting. Applications must be received by August 31.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to providing access to this activity for all participants. Please direct all requests for sign language interpreting services, close captioning, or other accommodation needs to 304-876-7474, email nctc_deerhunt@fws.gov , or TTY 800-877-8339 with your request by close of business August 31, 2021.

Both eggs have hatched!

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 19:26:48 GMT

We at the Friends of the NCTC are pleased to announce the eagles have two new additions to their family. Click this link to see them at the NCTC Facebook page.

The first egg of the season has been laid!

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 19:42:57 GMT

The first egg of the 2021 nesting season for the NCTC bald eagle pair was laid at 2:42 pm on February 11.
This is about 6 days earlier than the first egg for 2020. We may see another egg coming in the next couple of days.
Both adults will now incubate the egg/s for the next 35-38 days, until hatching in mid-March. Look for the female to use her beak and roll the egg every hour, or so, to ensure even heating of the egg. Thanks to Deb Stecyk and the Bald Eagles 101 group for monitoring the nest and spotting the first egg!

Friends of the NCTC is making headlines!

Tue, 02 Feb 2021 23:54:10 GMT

Take a look at the front page article in the Journal about the use of our eagle cam in local schools!