Hawk Watch: September 14th-October 8th
Hawk Watch at Pilot Mountain State Park: September 14th through October 8th
At Pilot Mountain State Park, observers can see the migration of Broad-winged Hawks and about a dozen other raptor species on their journey south. Each fall, they ride the thermals and mountain updrafts along the Appalachian ridges on their way to their wintering grounds in Central and Northern South America. Sometimes, the birds pass by in small kettles or groups of 5, 10, 30 or so. Occasionally, the kettles include 100s or even 1000s of birds. Typically, 2000 - 5000 hawks fly by the mountain each fall. However, on one day in 1993 nearly 11,000 broadwings sailed by. In 2006, observers counted a single kettle of nearly 1800 birds. We do all of our observations and counting from Little Pinnacle, just a short walk from the parking area at the top of Pilot Mountain overlooking the knob.
See Also: Hawk Watch
For more information, or to participate contact: Jean Chamberlain
Big Sit: October 13th
Location: Reynolda 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
The Big Sit is a fun way to count and identify as many birds as possible from a designated area for an extended period of time. We will break up the 12 hours into shifts so there will always be someone there to count the birds. We will also have our Forsyth Audubon tent and table set up, in case you want to get out of the weather, but please bring your own chair! If you are interested in participating please email Nathan Gatto. If you do not want to commit to a specific shift, you can always come by any time during the 12 hour shift to see what we've seen!
See Also: Big Sit
For more information, or to participate contact: Nathan Gatto
2019 Winter Trip: Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center & SC Coast!
Something different: We will be making it a 4 day weekend!!
Our home base will be Georgetown, SC
Friday, January 18 – Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center / Island tour – Begins around 9:30
Saturday, January 19 – TBA
Sunday, January 20 – Huntington Beach State Park
Monday, January 21 – Huntington Beach again in the morning, then travel home.
Mark your calendars now. Registration will open in late November.
Gearharts receive 2017 Snavely Award!
Carol and Brent Gearhart are both great examples of dedicated volunteers to Forsyth Audubon. Brent is a master at finding their resident Eastern Screech Owl at C.G. Hill Memorial Park. He is always ready to help out with a bird count rain or shine. Carol was on the board and became the president of Forsyth Audubon from 2014 - 2015. During this time she helped ensure our chapter remained financially sound while creating and following through with new projects. The board still relies on Carol's expertise with successful grant writing, fundraising, and event planning. Even though Carol and Brent haven't been active with Forsyth Audubon for decades like other Snavely recipients, their tireless work is appreciated and we are truly grateful for their dedication to Forsyth Audubon.
-Nathan Gatto
Become an Audubon Ambassador on Climate Change!
Audubon North Carolina is looking for Ambassadors on Climate Change. Can you volunteer five hours a month for the benefit of our birds, other wildlife and people? There are a host of things you can do, and you probably do some of the: take part in Christmas Bird Counts, ass bird-friendly native plants to your garden, talk to your neighbors about birds and climate change, write legislators about it. Look for a future Audubon Ambassador workshop soon to learn more about the issue and how you can help. To read a summary of the National Audubon Society's report on "Birds and Climate Change"
Order "Birding Guide to Forsyth County"!
The fifth edition of "Birding Guide to Forsyth County," by David Disher, is now available. David's book, in a handy 6 x 9 paperback format, compiles documented observations for 280 bird species in Forsyth County. Learn what birds can be seen here and during which weeks of the year you are most likely to see them. Photos of uncommon sightings are included. Information on local birding spots also is included. For $15, this is a great gift for your favorite birder. All profits go to our chapter. Copies are available at Wright's Backyard Birding Center, 3906 Country Club Rd., Winston-Salem, and at Wild Birds Unlimited, 1589 Skeet Club Rd, High Point, or send email to Jean Chamberlain. Copies also are available for sale at our monthly chapter meetings. If you have a smart phone or tablet, download the electronic version available for $4.99 from www.lulu.com.
We now have a photo page. Current albums include our Bethania work days, recent field trips, noteworthy sightings, and more.
Click here to access the Gallery
Photos: Chestnut-Sided Warbler, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Prothonotary Warbler. © David Disher.