The

Raven's

Nest

December 2024

Friends,

Beaver Lake Beaver Sanctuary is back open! Thanks to some great work by a crew of sawyers from the Ecoforesters, the boardwalk has been cleared of over 25 fallen trees and branches. This wonderful group is not just a band of hired chainsaws– they are an organization that is focused on forest stewardship with the goal of conserving and restoring our Appalachian forests. As such, the sawyers were able to assess which trees present a danger to people and which snags can safely be left leaning or standing to give woodpeckers and cavity nesters valuable habitat in the coming years.

If you walk the boardwalk you will notice that the trees they cut are also still there on the ground–and that is on purpose. The trunks, logs and branches will be essential sources of nutrients for our ecosystem as they decay. We will move some of the material to places where it makes sense to have them rather than right next to the boardwalk. But get used to seeing a good bit more fallen timber in Beaver Lake going forward–we work with what nature gives the birds.

That said, there is a good bit more work to be done in the sanctuary aside from moving and clearing wood and branches. The ecofilter pond served its purpose magnificently well–it served as a debris sink for all the effluent coming from the buried stream and storm sewer beneath Merriman Avenue. But that means that several tons of gravel, sand and detritus have filled in a good bit of the pond, so we will have to dredge it. And there is damage to an area of the boardwalk that will have to be repaired and reseated to be safely passable (please respect the marked detour!).

But while these tasks are certainly not small, even larger ones loom in the longer term. The floods washed away a good bit of the ground cover and soil, and we lost a good bit of the native plantings so carefully and patiently cultivated by wonderful volunteers like Florrie Funk and Art and Alicia Hulse. The floodwaters may also have deposited seeds from non-native invasive plants which are adept at aggressively taking over disturbed areas. We therefore must diligently monitor and control these invasive pests in order to give the native species (which are much more beneficial to our birds) a chance to take hold and regenerate. This will be a years-long effort.

And while the boardwalk did survive the storm, the submergence of most of it has likely accelerated its natural decay, and much of our boardwalk is rapidly approaching its end of life (it’s over 15 years old).

All these repairs and projects take time and effort. And money, too. Blue Ridge Audubon Chapter is a small nonprofit organization run entirely by volunteers and entirely dependent on the generosity of its members to maintain Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary. So please consider making a year-end donation to help support the restoration and revitalization of Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary! Your donations are tax-deductible and will help us make Beaver Lake better than ever. Thank you for your continued support for this special place.

John Koon

President, Blue Ridge Audubon

For the 125th year, the National Audubon Society is organizing the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC). Between December 14 and January 5, tens of thousands of bird-loving volunteers will participate in counts across the Western Hemisphere. This is the nation's longest-running community science bird project. Want to participate?

Brevard

Contact: Michael Plauché

Email: captainbluegill@gmail.com

Count Date: Monday, December 16

We can use the eyes and ears you bring and you will meet good folks along the way. We have good routes available that can use more coverage. Hope to see you. A fine group of folks go out in search of brave little birds on this day each year.

Buncombe County

Contact: John Koon

Email: Johnkoonbrac@gmail.com

Count Date: Saturday, December 28

I have a limited number of slots available. Please note that many of the sections are still suffering damage and inaccessibility from the effects of Hurricane Helene. All of our sections require significant driving time through neighborhoods so teams are limited to 4 people.

Balsam

Contact: Howard Browers

Email: hbrowers1@gmail.com

Count Date: Sunday, December 29

This count circle includes Waynesville, Lake Junaluska and the surrounding area.

Lake Lure

Contact: Mike Resch

Email: reschmike1@gmail.com

Count Date: Thursday, January 2

We'd love to have additional volunteers in the field or as feeder watchers to help us complete the Lake Lure CBC this year. About 2/3 of the count circle is in Rutherford County, with a nice portion in McDowell and smaller areas in Buncombe and Polk.

Henderson County

Compiler: Kevin Burke

Email: birdingburke@gmail.com

Count Date: Saturday, January 4

As compiler, I assign areas in advance of the count date. This allows participants to scout their areas in advance. If interested in participating in the count, please call me at 240.422.9483, at least 2 weeks in advance of the count date or contact me via e-mail.

Find a circle near you!

Restoring Natural Floodplains:

Building Resilience for Communities and Ecosystems

With David Lee and Lia Waldrum of Conserving Carolina

Tuesday, January 21, 7 pm

Restoring natural floodplains offers transformative benefits for both communities and ecosystems. This speaker series highlights Conserving Carolina’s innovative floodplain restoration projects along the French Broad River, focusing on their role in mitigating flood risks, improving biodiversity, and enhancing water quality. Using real-world examples, such as the Pleasant Grove and Kings Bridge restorations, we’ll explore strategies to restore natural functions to floodplains and build resilience against extreme weather events like Tropical Storm Helene. Attendees will gain insights into effective restoration techniques, the power of community partnerships, and the importance of integrating traditional ecological knowledge. Join us to learn how these projects serve as a model for creating thriving, sustainable landscapes that support both people and nature.

Reuter Center, Room 206 (upstairs)

University of North Carolina - Asheville

300 Campus View Rd.

Asheville, NC 28804

Photo: Backwater slough at Pleasant Grove, Jennings Environmental

Birds & Brews Trivia



What a great time we had at Birds and Brews Trivia! At least 70 bird lovers gathered at Turgua Brewing in Fairview on Sunday, November 17. There were 16 trivia teams and it was a close game with the Blue Birds team winning by just one point! Kevin Burke hosted and asked both easy and tricky questions. We were so pleased to see such a great turn out and so was the brewery! Hope everyone had fun - we certainly did!

The Next Birds and Brews Trivia will be on Sunday, February 16, 4 - 6, once again at Turgua Brewing. Hope to see you there!

The calendar month of December includes the first sightings at Beaver Lake of Snow Goose (2017) and Ross’s Goose (2013 Christmas Day). The other two species of geese that have been reported over the years at Beaver Lake are the Canada Goose (very common) and Greater White-fronted Goose (rare).

Snow Geese can appear in either a white or blue color morph. In either case a “grin patch” is visible in the middle of the bill as a dark curved area. Ross’s Geese are almost always in a white morph appearance and have little to no grin patch.

Snow Goose (white morph), Beaver Lake,

2017 by Jay Wherley

Ross's Goose, Beaver Lake,

2024 by Jay Wherley

One other type of goose has been seen in Buncombe County, but not yet at Beaver Lake – the Cackling Goose.

Notable recent sightings at Beaver Lake include Northern Shoveler and Bonaparte’s Gull.

Many people want to remember a loved one or honor someone meaningful in their lives. For those who love nature and birds, the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary is the perfect setting for this kind of special remembrance. Situated in a quiet gazebo near the northeast corner of the Sanctuary, it’s a lovely spot to sit and remember someone. We commissioned this work because of the many requests we receive from folks wanting to plant a tree or erect a bench at the Sanctuary in memory of someone. Blue Ridge Audubon's Vice President Danielle DiBella-Lenaway deserves credit for the idea of the tree. We wanted to create a lovely opportunity for people to remember a loved one or honor someone meaningful in their lives. For those who love nature and birds, the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary is the perfect setting for this kind of special remembrance. The name of a loved one or honoree can be engraved on a feather-shaped nameplate and affixed to the tree. Gifts will support the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary and ensure that it always remains a special place for people and birds.

Donation giving levels vary, please check our website for details. 

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: 

Jennie Burke

jennifer_bradbury85@yahoo.com

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.