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| Mecklenburg Audubon field trips are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Please remember to contact the Field Trip Leader to let him/her know you are coming. This will insure that you are notified of any changes in meeting locations/times and/or cancellations. Plus it is less likely they will leave without you. Please read this Bird Walk guidelines. |
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| April Field Trips |
Thursday, April 10: Kalmia Gardens/Segars–McKinnon Heritage Preserve |
Full Day/Moderate to hard |
Leader: Dave Lovett |
Prothonotary Warbler |
| Located on the grounds of Coker College in Hartsville, SC, Kalmia Gardens should provide some great spring birding. Stairs descend 60 ft down to the floodplain of the Black Creek and a black water cypress swamp. An extensive system of boardwalks and trails allows us to explore this unique habitat. Beech, oak, loblolly pine, hickory and tulip poplars dominate the forest, with mountain laurels common on the north facing slopes. So we should expect hooded and prothonotary warblers |
| to be plentiful along with a variety of other neo-tropic migrants. |
| Pack a lunch along with snacks, water, and insect repellant. Restrooms are available along with picnic facilities. |
| We will meet at EARTH FARE on Johnston Road at 7:30 AM. Contact Dave Lovett at if you plan on going. |
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Eastern Meadowlark |
Saturday, April 12th:
Rural Hill Preserve |
1/2 Day - Moderate |
Leader: John Bonestell |
Directions |
Join John Bonestell for a Saturday morning of birding at Rural Hill Preserve, home of the Scottish Games, in Northern Mecklenburg County. This farmland setting offers great potential for both grassland/field species and woodland residents. |
| Meet John at 8 AM in the preserve parking lot near the house off Neck Road. Neck Road is off Beatties Ford Rd. north of Latta Plantation Nature Preserve. Let John know you are coming. |
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Rose-breasted Grosbeak |
Thursday, April 17th:
Landsford Canal State Park (South Carolina) |
| 1/2 Day - Easy |
Leader: Harriet Whitsett |
Directions |
| Join longtime MAS Member Harriett Whitsett for a day of spring birding along the Catawba River. Lansford Canal, a South Carolina state park not too far south of the border, is another great place to be during spring migration . Migrants should be moving up river to the high country. We should encounter a variety of warblers so make sure you exercise your neck the night before. After a lovely walk along the river we will have lunch in the picnic area and then head for home in the early afternoon. |
Meet in the Landsford Canal State Park parking lot at 9:15 AM. There is a $2 entrance fee to the park.
If you plan on going notify Harriett. |
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Northern Parula |
Saturday, April 19th: Crowder's Mt State Park |
1/2 day - Moderate to hard |
Leader: Ron Clark |
Directions |
| Spring is a lovely time of year at Crowder's Mt. State Park. Just ask Ron Clark who lives adjacent to it! A NC National Heritage Area, the park with its 800' high slope includes a 9 acre lake, many trails and good access to the migrant and resident birds it hosts. |
| Meet Ron, a fellow MAS member, at the Park office at 8 AM. To sign-up for the trip contact Ron. |
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Indigo Bunting |
Saturday, April 19th: Beginning Bird Walk - McAlpine Creek Greenway |
1/2 day - Easy |
Leader: Lucy Quintilliano |
Directions |
| Since some of our more colorful feathered friends are returning to our backyards and greenways, it must be time to return to our Beginning Bird Walks as well. These walks are designed for those who are just getting started. We’ll take our time and really study the birds we see to learn the unique characteristics identify them. Since it’s spring and the birds are singing lustfully, we’ll also take time to learn some of the most common calls. |
| So join Lucy Quintilliano for a leisurely walk along the McAlpine Creek Greenway. These walks are limited to 10 participants so please make sure you contact Lucy to let her know you want to participate. We will meet at 8:30 AM in the Monroe Rd. parking lot . |
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Yellow Warbler |
Tuesday, April 22nd:
Lower McAlpine Creek Greenway |
1/2 Day - Easy |
Leader: John Buckman |
Directions |
Join fellow MAS member John Buckman for a morning of biding along Lower Mc Alpine Creek Greenway. This is easy birding on a paved path that can prove quite fruitful. Spring migrants should be moving through in good numbers so anything is possible!
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| Meet at the Shandon Circle entrance to the greenway at 8:30 AM. For more info contact John. |
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Blue Grosbeak |
Thursday, April 24th: Huntingtowne Farms Greenway |
| 1/2 day - Easy |
Leader: Vivian & Dean Sprehe |
Directions |
Part of Little Sugar Creek Greenway,
Huntingtowne Farms Park is a favorite birding local for fellow MAS members Dean and Vivian Sprehe. They are again inviting folks to join them on their morning walk along lower Sugar Creek in search of spring migrants. This paved greenway stretch with excellent varied habitat always yields some great spring birds. |
| Meet in the parking lot at the end of Huntingtowne Farms Rd at 8:30 AM. For more info contact the Sprehes. |
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Ovenbird |
Saturday, April 26th:
Rankin/Redlair Farm (Gaston County) |
| 1/2 Day - Moderate |
Leader: Rob Bierregaard |
Direction |
Rankin-Redlair is one of the crown jewels in the Catawba Lands
Conservancy conservation easements. Located on the bank of
the South Fork of the Catawba River, the old family farm of the
Rankin family is a mix of pasture and rolling woods. We should
see a good mix of migrants in this diverse habitat. The terrain is
hilly, but we’ll be on some of the many well-maintained trails. |
| We’ll meet at the entrance to Belmont Abbey College at 7:30
and drive the remaining few miles over to the property in caravan. |
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Swainson's Thrush |
Sunday, April 27th:
Latta Park in Dilworth |
| 1/2 Day - Easy |
Leader: Ron Clark |
Directions |
THE place to be during spring migration. Neotropic migrants such as Baltimore Oriole, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Gray-cheeked Thrush and a wide variety of warblers are attracted to the variety of mature flowering tree and small sheltered stream. It's possible, if the birding gods are on your side to see as many as 20 warbler species in this diminuative park. |
| Join Ron Clark for a morning guaranteed to give you ‘warbler neck’ as we try and pick out those little feathered guys, darting about the treetops. |
| Meet in the parking lot at 8:30 AM. For further info contact Ron. |
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Summer Tanager |
| Tuesday, April 29th: Four Mile Creek Greenway |
| 1/2 Day - Easy |
Leader: John Buckman |
Directions |
| Help us 'Break In' this new section of recently completed greenway, connecting Johnston Rd and Elm Lane. There's a beautiful freshwater marsh which could provide some great birds. Following Four Mile Creek, it will be an adventure! |
| Meet in the parking lot of Lower McAlpine Creek Greenway off of Hwy. 51 at 8:30 AM. If the greenway opening is delayed, we will bird McMullen Creek Greenway. |
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