ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) —
Bird lovers will gather at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 4, at Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary in North Asheville, hoping to spot migrating warblers or vireos, resident herons, hawks and more. Maybe turtles, too.
Beginning or experienced bird watchers all are welcome at Blue Ridge Audubon’s regular Saturday morning bird outings there and across the region.
The events are free and open to the public, starting at 8 a.m. from April through September, or 9 a.m. from October to March:
* At Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary in North Asheville on the first Saturday of each month.
* At Jackson Park in Hendersonville on the second Saturday of each month.
* At Owen Park in Swannanoa on the third Saturday of each month.
The mild hikes are led by guides from Ventures Birding.
The Blue Ridge Audubon Chapter owns and manages the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary, an eight-acre preserve that includes a quarter-mile, wheelchair-accessible boardwalk and places to sit overlooking the lake.
The spring months of April and May are the best times to find birds, said Tom Tribble, past president and at-large director of the chapter. Beaver Lake is an important stop-over spot for bird species migrating from Central and South America this time of year, or on their ways south in September and October.
More than 200 species of birds have been documented at the preserve or on the lake, Tribble said.
The bird sanctuary is on the eastern edge of Beaver Lake, with a small parking lot at 1056 Merrimon Ave. Because the small parking lot fills quickly, Tribble urges people to arrive early.
And remember, when people go bird-watching, the birds are watching the people, too.