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The
Raven's
Nest
May
2023
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Birding Events
Join Blue Ridge Audubon for birding three Saturdays each month.
Free and open to all.
for leading our outings.
May 20, 8 a.m.
June 3, 8 a.m.
June 10, 8 a.m.
June 17, 8 a.m.
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Programs/Events
Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary Celebration
Sunday May 21, 1-4 p.m.
1105 Merrimon Ave. Asheville
The Birding Effect!
Blue Ridge Audubon Program
Thursday, May 25*, 7 p.m., UNCA
Plants for Birds Walk
Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary
Saturday, May 27, 1 p.m.
Survival by Degrees
Blue Ridge Audubon Program
Tuesday, June 20, 7 p.m., UNCA
Board of Directors Meeting
No meeting in June
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Dear friend,
It’s Birdathon time! The mountain slopes are greening, and the woods are once again filling with the song of newly arrived spring migrants and summer residents. For anyone who loves the outdoors—and especially birders— it's truly a wonderful time of year.
For Blue Ridge Audubon it is likewise an exciting time of year as this month the Birdathon, our annual fundraiser, is underway. Teams of birders, including my team, are planning their epic days of birding, competing both to identify the most species of birds in a 24-hour period and to raise money for bird conservation projects. Last year we were very successful in our partnership with the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) to restore and maintain breeding habitat for the imperiled Golden-winged Warbler. This year all Birdathon funds will go towards the purchase and installation of several Motus wildlife tracking antennas in western North Carolina. This network tracks the movement of tagged birds, allowing researchers to identify what habitats birds like the Golden-winged Warbler, and other birds including shorebirds like the endangered Piping Plover, use both in migration and during breeding season. The Atlantic coast has a robust network of these towers, but coverage is sparse in the Southern Appalachians. We will partner with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission which will perform the installation and maintenance of the towers.
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I urge everyone to consider a contribution to this worthy cause. You can send in a check by downloading our Birdathon form or make a contribution online here. You can support your favorite Birdathon team by writing the team’s name in the remarks box, or simply give without a team preference.
Also, I am excited about our May program. Alex Troutman is an impressive young research biologist whose love of birds and the outdoors is infectious and who is inspiring a new, diverse generation of wildlife enthusiasts. I really hope you can join us for this meeting. You can make a donation to the Birdathon there and we'll announce the winning team as well.
Thanks as always for your support of birds.
John Koon
President, Blue Ridge Audubon
Golden-winged Warbler by Alan Lenk
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The Birding Effect!
Birding as an Introduction to Nature
Blue Ridge Audubon Program
7 p.m. Thursday, May 25
Reuter Center, UNCA
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Join Blue Ridge Audubon for a talk by nationally known environmental educator Alex Troutman. Alex is a proponent of birding as a gateway to nature. With birds being easy to see almost anywhere, it comes as no surprise that they can lead to a passion for nature. The fact that people do not have to go deep in the woods to see birds opens birding up to communities that have reasons to fear or avoid rural and heavily forested green spaces. Alex believes that "as we come together to watch birds, we realize that we are connected not only to each other but to birds in many ways." Alex will share his passion for birding, how he connects with other Black birders and underserved communities, and how he helps people to find the joys of nature in everyday life.
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Alex Troutman is a wildlife biologist, environmental educator, and birder with a passion for sharing and immersing the younger generation in nature. He holds a master’s degree with a focus in conservation biology from Georgia Southern University. Alex received research funding awards from the Georgia Ornithological Society and an Early Career Fellowship from the Safina Center. Knowing how it feels to not see anyone who looks like you in your dream career, Alex became a co-organizer of Black in Marine Science Week, Black Birders Week, and Black Mammologists Week. He is involved in the movement to celebrate Black scientists, to raise awareness of Black nature enthusiasts and to increase diversity in STEM fields.
The May program is our traditional Birdathon fundraiser program. Donations are welcome at the door. Please join us for this special event.
Photo 1 of Alex U.S. F&WS, Photo 2 by Ashley Jefferson
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Blue Ridge Audubon Chapter Elections |
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The Blue Ridge Audubon Nominating Committee is happy to announce that they will present the following slate for vote by the membership at the June 20 meeting. John Koon is up for re-election as President and Kate Johnson for Secretary. Douglas Rao is returning as At-large board member. We are also excited to have two new At-large board members to present to our membership, Liz Booth and Lucy Taggart.
Liz moved to the Asheville area from San Diego, where she was a member of the San Diego Audubon Society. Prior to that, Liz was on the board of the Amos Butler Audubon Society in Indiana. Her responsibilities included managing the annual campaign and public outreach activities. Liz also volunteered for the Eagle Creek Ornithology Center - leading bird hikes, developing exhibits, and assisting in the care of rescued raptors.
Lucy has over four years’ experience as a professional wildlife rehabilitator specializing in avian rehabilitation and spent 5 years volunteering for avian rehabilitation in New Jersey. She says it was a privilege to be part of the rehabilitation and conservation of thousands of native birds. Lucy was also active in public outreach and education. We are thrilled that both of these talented and dedicated women have agreed to join our board. You can meet them at the June 20th Blue Ridge Audubon program meeting where there will be a vote on the slate. The board thanks all our candidates for their willingness to serve on the board.
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Blue Ridge Audubon Board Farewells |
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It is with that sad hearts that we bid farewell to three stalwart board members. We are grateful for all the work and dedication of departing board members Nancy Casey, Susan Richardson, and Bonnie Snyder. They’ve done so much to keep our chapter going through their valuable time spent on initiatives, leadership, and numerous projects. Nancy is the immediate past president of Blue Ridge Audubon and guided our chapter through some tough times. It would be impossible to sum up all that Nancy has done over the years. Susan Richardson began as secretary and then expanded to work on outreach to underserved communities, create new programs, and to help organize countless events. Bonnie Snyder was our outreach coordinator and represented the chapter at many events. She served as nominating committee chair and made sure that we found some stellar new board members. Our sincerest thanks to all of them. We will deeply miss their extensive and much appreciated contributions to the board.
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MOTUS Towers Tracking in Action
Christine Kelly, NCWRC Bird Biologist
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The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) contributed to a range wide survival study of Golden-winged Warblers, led by the University of Maine. The first part of the study was completed in spring 2022, when NCWRC biologists and other partners fitted Golden-winged Warblers with tiny radio tags (nanotags). The second part of the study will take place in spring 2023, when biologists attempt to relocate these individuals on their breeding grounds to determine annual survival. But in the interim, NCWRC biologists had an opportunity to observe the breeding population in the Cheoah Mountains (Graham County) more closely. The mountain bird crew checked on the tagged and color-banded individuals on a bi-weekly basis throughout the summer. Radio signals led them to tagged females on nests, while males maintained their territory boundaries from favorite song perches.
As the summer progressed, staff observed spatial shifts, likely attributed to the adult birds tending to their newly volant offspring. By Aug. 12, only two males could still be relocated by their radio signals, and by Aug. 23, none were detected. With migration in full swing, biologists were thrilled to discover that one of the birds, a male tagged on his breeding grounds in Graham County on April 30, was alive and on the move. On Sept. 29 at 10:15 p.m., his radio tag “pinged” a Motus Wildlife Tracking receiver station in Panama City, Panama. He was on his way to his wintering grounds in northern South America. Biologists await his return to North Carolina in spring 2023.
A tiny nanotag sits on the back of a male Golden-winged Warbler
(Anthony Squitieri)
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Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary Celebration!
Sunday, May 21, 1 - 4 p.m.
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Beaver Bits
Text and Photos by Jay Wherley
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Keeping good birding records allows for yearly comparisons of trends in bird species. In the past month, several unusual birds have been observed at Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary. While not “firsts”, these birds are examples of species not seen every year on site. On April 23rd, I observed a Greater White-fronted Goose on the water with a few Canada Geese. This group flew off several minutes later. It has been ten years since the last (and first) one was observed here.
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A Prothonotary Warbler was seen by several people on April 25th. This species was not seen in the years 2016, 2017, 2020, and 2021. That same day, a Kentucky Warbler was observed by several people. This species was not seen in the years 2016, 2019, and 2020. A species that has only been seen once, in May 2018, is the Connecticut Warbler. Will 2023 be the next observation?
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Notable recent sightings at Beaver Lake include Greater White-fronted Goose, Prothonotary Warbler, and Kentucky Warbler.
Images:
Greater White-fronted Goose, Owen Park, January 2020
Prothonotary Warbler, Azalea Park, April 2018
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About the Blue Ridge Audubon Chapter |
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Blue Ridge Audubon is a chapter of the National Audubon Society, serving Buncombe, Henderson, and surrounding counties in western North Carolina.
We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are
tax-deductible to the extent
allowed by law.
Raven's Nest Editor:
Marianne Mooney
mooney.marianne@gmail.com
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Blue Ridge Audubon Chapter
PO Box 18711
Asheville, NC 28814
Blue Ridge Audubon's mission is to protect birds and the places they depend on. We believe that a world in which birds thrive is a world that benefits all living things.
Our vision is a vibrant and just community where the protection of birds and our natural world is valued by everyone.
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For the latest information and schedule changes,
check our Website or Facebook/Instagram page.
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