Birding Programs

Cape Fear Audubon Fall Programs

Cape Fear Audubon hosts monthly programs of interest to birders. Links to their autumn 2021 programs, which will be held via Zoom, will be emailed to members and posted on the Cape Fear Audubon Facebook page. All programs begin at 7:00 p.m.

September 15— Meteorologist Tim Armstrong of Wilmington’s office of the National Weather Service has a really cool program on bird migration and radar. We’re calling it “Feathered Forecasting.” Tim will discuss BirdCast, a program of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, that has been coordinating data and images from more than 120 radar stations across the country. It tracks migrating birds and helps create data for phenomena when birds and weather collide—such as when seafaring birds become trapped within a hurricane’s eye, sometimes depositing them miles away.

MOTUS receiver station similar to that planned for Lea-Hutaff Island.

Photo by wildlife biologist David Bell.

October 6— Dr. Christopher Tonra, Associate Professor of Avian Wildlife Ecology at Ohio State will introduce us to MOTUS, an international collaborative research network that uses coordinated automated radio telemetry to facilitate research and education on the ecology and conservation of migratory animals. Motus is a program of Birds Canada in partnership with collaborating researchers and organizations. Cape Fear Audubon is funding the placement of a MOTUS tower at Lea-Hutaff Island.

“I will be discussing the basics of how Motus works, and what types of research and monitoring questions it can be used for, and the limitations in its use. Throughout, I will provide examples of projects I have been involved with applying Motus. This will include work my lab has done on Rusty Blackbird, White-throated Sparrow, and Black-crowned Night-Heron.” (See photo of a MOTUS tower, below.)

November 10— Marae Lindquist West is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Biology and Marine Biology Department at UNCW. A member of Dr. Ray Danner’s lab she studies the winter population biology and impacts of sea level rise on Saltmarsh and Seaside Sparrows in tidal marshes in Southeastern North Carolina. This program is being co-presented with Island Wildlife–Cape Fear Region. Learn more about Cape Fear Audubon at their website: https://capefearaudubon.org/.

Wild Bird & Garden Classes

Owl Prowl & Evening Birding

Fall is a great time to see owls on the move! These whimsical and majestic birds are usually very quiet and discreet, but with a little practice and luck, we will see them set out to hunt for the evening or hear contact calls! And, although there is never a guarantee that owls will reveal themselves to us, there are other fun birds and bird behaviors to see around dusk. We will get to see birds moving toward roosting sites and grabbing some snacks before they turn in for the night! So, meet us around sundown and be ready for something a little different!

This outing will be offered twice; each date requires a separate registration.

Option 1: Thursday Nov. 18 | 4:30 - 6:00 pm—Burnt Mill Creek

Option 2: Friday Nov. 19 | 4:30 - 6:00 pm—Burnt Mill Creek

The Owl Prowl is $45 per date per person. Space is limited, and pre-registration is required. Participants provide their own binoculars and transportation.

Classes are offered through Wild Bird & Garden. Visit either store or call (910) 343-6001 to register.

Wilmington Store: 3501 Oleander Drive, Wilmington.

Southport Store: 105 East Brown Street, Southport.

Learn more at wildbirdgardeninc.com.

Winter Birding Class: What birds need during winter and which species to expect

During the winter, some birds face very different conditions than they do during the summer. In this class we will discuss birds’ overwinter survival, different strategies birds employ for surviving winter, energy requirements, behavior, and which species we can expect to see locally. We will enjoy three great field trips to local birding spots to see great winter birds, observe their behavior and their adaptations.

SCHEDULE

Class 1: Tuesday Nov. 2 | 6:30–8 pm

Lecture: at the Wild Bird & Garden Wilmington store location. Winter Birds: Who is here, how they survive, and what they need.

Class 2: Tuesday Nov. 9 | 8:30–10:30 am

Field Trip: Fort Fisher. Here we will see a variety of bird species utilizing coastal resources such as mud flats and the tidal zone through the winter.

Class 3: Tuesday November 16 | 8:30–10:30 am

Field Trip: Burnt Mill Creek. During this field trip we will see a mix of local songbirds taking advantage of shrubs, berries, and human-influenced environments.

Classes are offered through Wild Bird & Garden, located at 3501 Oleander Drive in the Hanover Center shopping center. Visit wildbirdgardeninc.com or call (910) 343-6001 for details and price.