The

Raven's

Nest

June 2025

Friends,

It’s been quite a spring migration for my neighborhood. One morning I woke to find a cerulean warbler singing in my back yard—the first time I have ever had that delightful migrant so close to home. Some mornings I have had Swainson’s Thrushes singing, and on others the trees are filled with American Redstarts and Eastern Wood-pewees passing through. I even have a new appreciation for Brood XIV of our periodic 17-year cicadas, as the yellow-billed cuckoos that change their migratory patterns to join the feast have filled my neighborhood walks with their calls!

But the most delightful spectacle this spring just may be the nest of Red-shouldered Hawks in an oak tree just up the street from me. I first spied these hawks building their nest back in March and passed by regularly to check on its progress. During incubation I was even unsure if the nest had been abandoned since I could see no activity 30’ up the tree. But soon little heads poked out over the side as the three nestlings grew steadily.  

As the hawks grew, so did the number of people stopping by to take a gander. Many asked me what I was looking at and were excited when I pointed out the nest, but a surprising amount of neighbors and passersby already knew about the nest and were following the progress themselves. During my viewing sessions, I met many neighbors I had never met before despite having lived on this street for ten years. And I got to socialize with others who I did know but had not had occasion to share a common interest before this. It turns out that giving the birds a place to thrive in this nesting location also really reinforced the community of human bonds of those sharing space with these hawks.

At Blue Ridge Audubon Chapter our vision echoes this sentiment—we seek to protect places where birds can thrive, and we believe that a vibrant community that protects birds is also beneficial to us. This is why we are so excited about our Birdathon fundraiser this year, as we hope not only to protect vital habitat for our beloved summer migrants where they winter in Santa Maria, Colombia, but also to invest in the community that helps protect that forest in the Andes. Providing training for the village to grow bird-friendly coffee and cocoa and build an economy that benefits from forest preservation rather than destruction ultimately helps both people and birds and creates more favorable conditions for permanent preservation. If you have not contributed to the Birdathon yet this year, there is still time to do so! Read more about it and contribute on our website.

Last week, it appeared that the hawks were about to fledge. All three nestlings were standing on the rim of the nest flapping their wings, and both adults were flying to the nest and then to nearby trees as if to entice them to follow. My daughter and I watched with a group of others for close to an hour. Finally we had to go back to the house to run an errand, and when we came back ten minutes later, the nest was empty—we had missed the fledge! But the hawks are still in the neighborhood, and everyone is still talking about them.

John Koon

Join Turgua Brewing for their first-ever Birds & Brews Festival hosted by Blue Ridge Artisan Market! The festival will feature 35+ Local Makers, Shakers, and Artisans, local music by Mission Accomplished and Frances Eliza, food trucks and sweet treats, kids’ activities, including face painting and an egg hunt as well as an adult egg hunt with prizes! Blue Ridge Audubon will be at this fun event. Come see us!

Climate Summit at Warren Wilson College

June 20 - 22

Blue Ridge Audubon members are invited to attend the Climate Summit at Warren Wilson College (free and open to the public), happening June 20-22, with the theme of Collaboration for Climate Action.

Friday night highlights our connections and helps us explore better strategies in collaboration and working together. There is also a keynote from an indigenous environmental collective, 7 Directions of Service, featuring Crystal Cavalier-Keck and her daughter Coda on intergenerational leadership, rights of nature, and traditional ecological knowledge. 

Saturday starts at 8:30 with a bird walk, which will also be BRAC's Third Saturday Bird Outing. It is free and open to all, but participants will need to register for this outing. Please note that we will meet at Boon Hall on the WWC campus. There will also be a land recovery walk at 9AM, and there will be opportunities to "apply ourselves" and connect with groups and individuals working to address climate change and make our communities more resilient. 

Sunday is all about art and climate with walks, talks, presentations, a play, a puppet show, installations, and opportunities to "Express yourself." The keynote is Dr. Mallory McDuff on "Our Last Best Act" followed by a grand climate-themed concert by DeCoda. This is all free, and we look forward to seeing you there. For a full slate of events and to register, you can do so at: https://events.warren-wilson.edu/event/climate-summit#

Plants for Birds Outing

Saturday, June 28

1 - 2 pm

Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary

with Florrie Funk

We are pleased to bring back our Plants for Birds Outings! These outings focus on the native plants, trees, and shrubs that sustain the birds that visit our sanctuary. Florrie Funk will be your naturalist guide, highlighting blooming wildflowers and notable trees and shrubs, their role in supporting our avian visitors. No special equipment is needed, just bring your curiosity!

Male Prothonotary Warbler with a caterpillar -- the most important food for most baby songbirds.

Photo: Will Stuart; nc.audubon.org

"It's simple: By gardening with native plants, no matter where you live or how small or large your space is, you can help sustain wildlife." - Doug Tallamy, Bringing Nature Home

Your yard -- and the kinds of plants in it -- matters more than you may know. Native plants play a very important role in providing the food birds need to survive and thrive in a way that non-native plants cannot do. 

Going Native

Native plants are those that occur naturally in an area. North Carolina, with its diverse geography, is home to thousands of native plant species! Our natural wildlife - including birds - have adapted to the resources provided by North Carolina's native plant population. These plants and trees are, in a real sense, home for our birds.

Why are native plants important?

In a word: insects... Almost all land birds require insects to feed their young. Even seed-eating birds often must feed their babies insects to ensure their survival. Insects cannot adapt to eating non-native plants. Less native plants means less insects, which in turn means fewer bird babies growing to adulthood. 

https://nc.audubon.org/conservation/bird-friendly-communities/bird-friendly-native-plants

Save UNCA's Urban Forest

The University of North Carolina Asheville’s (UNCA) 45-acre urban forest has been a cherished community resource and wildlife habitat for decades. It’s now under threat of development, despite its status as one of the last remaining urban forests in Asheville.

The Blue Ridge Audubon Chapter urges UNCA to protect their urban woods, which provide important wildlife and bird habitat. This urban woodland has been shown to host over 100 bird species and includes the nesting sites for Great Horned Owls and Red-shouldered Hawks. Additionally, as an increasingly rare urban woodland, this forest plays a crucial role in providing relief from urban heat-sinks that exacerbate the effects of a warming climate on urban areas and their inhabitants--including both birds and humans . 

The University of North Carolina-Asheville has been a key partner with the Asheville community and Blue Ridge Audubon for many years now, and our community has benefitted from both partnerships with local businesses and organizations and from UNCA graduates bringing new entrepreneurship and industry to the local area. By and large, this added commerce has been able to find a synthesis of creating local job opportunities while affording protection of our natural resources. It would be a shame if UNCA now squandered this community's goodwill by yielding to pressure to push short-term development at the expense of its long-term reputation for community stewardship. We urge the Chancellor to reconsider development and commit to protecting these woods.

Learn More: https://www.saveuncawoods.org/home

Eagle Scout Project at Beaver Lake

by Tom Tribble

Cru Petersen with Boy Scout Troop 91 earned his Eagle Scout badge through a project at the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary in north Asheville, NC. The Sanctuary is owned and managed by our chapter and receives more than 50,000 visitors annually. More than 200 species of birds have been seen in this small 8-acre nature preserve. In addition to birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts, many people visit to walk the boardwalk, to read, to paint or to simply enjoy the quiet in this tranquil preserve in an urban area. Cru’s project focused on two important and valuable improvements. One was the replacement of rotten planks on the disability-accessible boardwalk, which were causing a safety hazard, especially for those visitors who use canes or walkers. The second part involved the installation of railroad ties at the end of the paved portion of the parking lot. Cars were parking past the pavement, creating a muddy mess and a safety hazard for visitors.

Cru demonstrated impressive initiative and organization in calculating the required materials, arranging for their purchase and delivery and ensuring that enough tools – power and hand – were available. He recruited about ten fellow boy scouts to help with the hard work on a Saturday afternoon. The crew did an outstanding job!



Thanks Cru! Blue Ridge Audubon is grateful to you and your fellow boy scouts with Troop 91.

Calling all Birders:

Help WNC Spring Back this Migration Season

by Ben Graham, Audubon NC

As migratory birds return to the slopes and valleys of western North Carolina this spring, conservation leaders are encouraging birders to return with them.  

Across the region, communities are eager to spring back in the wake of Hurricane Helene. By returning to enjoy migration hotspots, birders can help bolster local economies while also contributing valuable data on the storm’s impact for birds. 

“Birders can do their part by doing what we do best, getting outside and enjoying birds,” said Curtis Smalling, executive director of Audubon North Carolina. “Many of the most popular birding destinations remain open and accessible.” 

By visiting WNC, birders can support local economies and help survey storm impacts on birds.

Cerulean Warbler. Photo: Jesse Gordon/Audubon Photography Awards

Communities have seen sharp drops in visitors since last fall. For example, attendance at Grandfather Mountain was down by nearly half in the first quarter of 2025, according to Jesse Pope, president and CEO of the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. Visitation is starting to tick up this spring, and Pope and others are encouraging more people to return. 

“Quite honestly, our community needs people to come back,” Pope said. “Eat in the restaurants, stay in the hotels and the bed and breakfasts. That’s how we bounce back, having that economic support.” 

New Habitat, New Opportunities 

Many of the places most beloved by birdwatchers are open, from Valle Crucis Community Park outside of Boone to Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary in Asheville. In places that remain accessible, birders should expect to encounter new habitat, but birds are returning just the same. 

Blue Ridge Audubon President John Koon trekked out to the Tanbark Ridge area this month to look for the sky-blue Cerulean Warblers that typically nest there. “It was an out of body experience,” Koon said. “The landscape was completely changed, but the warblers were still there.” 

He spotted six on that trip alone and even had one show up in his backyard, which has never happened before.  

Blue Ridge Audubon has been hosting bird outings since the week after the storm. While many of the chapter’s most popular birding sites remain open, most of them are altered. “But completely different doesn’t always mean completely bad,” Koon said. 



Pope equated the experience for birders to an Easter egg hunt. “The birds might be dispersed differently than you’re used to,” he said. “But that’s part of the excitement—it’s like experiencing new habitats for the first time.” 

Keep reading: https://nc.audubon.org/news/calling-all-birders-help-wnc-spring-back-migration-season

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.