Carolina Nature Tours

12/06/2024

This cold weather has brought lots of ducks to our area, like these Green-winged Teal, Northern Shovelers and Gadwall. Join Kevin on Sunday for some waterfowl entertainment. It's supposed to be warmer!

11/14/2024

It's a great time for sparrows! Join Kevin Arthur Burke on the Oklawaha Greenway this Sunday, November 17th for a fun and easy 2-hour bird walk. Pictured here is a Field Sparrow, one of several species we should find. My favorite thing about these cute little birds is their song - it sounds like a ping-pong ball!

11/13/2024

There are some fun things going on this weekend, including Bird Trivia at Turgua!

Come join Blue Ridge Audubon for an afternoon of birding trivia at in Fairview on Sunday Nov 17 from 4-6pm. Board member will be asking birding related questions to test your knowledge of everything avian. This event is free and open to everyone. The trivia will range from easy to moderately challenging!

11/07/2024

Hundreds, maybe thousands of Robins and Cedar Waxwings at Mouth of Mud Creek today! We're looking forward to our first day trip at this special site in Mills River this weekend!

11/04/2024

We did an awesome family hike to Rainbow Falls in Gorges State Park yesterday! I forgot just how massive this waterfall is!

10/31/2024

Happy Halloween from Carolina Nature Tours!

We met this friendly Raven up on John Rock in Pisgah National Forest last weekend. Like crows and jays, ravens are so incredibly intelligent! This guy has obviously been fed by lots of hikers. They make a whole host of cool vocalizations and we heard it make a few different sounds while we were up there. (I took a video, but there is lots of kid yelling in the background!)

It's been a while since we've shared anything on social media. Hurricane Helene brought everything to a complete standstill here in Western North Carolina. We have been in a state of shock for the past couple of weeks. We are ok, although our house has some water damage in the basement. However, this feels so minor compared to what many of our friends are going through. Many things are getting back to normal and trails and parks are opening back up again, but for others it will take a lot longer and some will never go back to normal. The destruction and loss is truly devastating. We have loved seeing how the community has come together to help. Not just our local community, but many volunteer groups from away, military and FEMA workers. There is a lot of support out there! We hope you and your families are safe and have a happy Halloween!

09/22/2024

We had a great time at Flock to the Rock yesterday! We enjoyed meeting lots of families and coloring hawks and playing raptor trivia as well as leading bird walks and counting migrating raptors. Lots of broad-winged hawks and some great looks at peregrine falcons!

09/18/2024

Support Conserving Carolina and come birding with us!

Calling all birdwatchers!

Bid now on an unforgettable birding tour for 4 in Western NC, led by an expert guide + delicious lunch!

Find this, and other great experiences up for auction on our website:

https://www.conservationcelebration.org/auction

09/17/2024

Coming up on Sunday we'll be exploring some great spots in Lake Lure and Mill Spring. We'll visit Morse Park, Dittmer-Watts Nature Trail Park and Laughter Pond. We should find plenty of fall migrants in these relatively under-birded spots!

09/13/2024

We are so looking forward to this annual event!

09/10/2024

Insects love goldenrod!

The Locust Borer looks just like a wasp, doesn't it? It's actually a native longhorn beetle. The larvae feed on the wood of black locust trees and the adults feed on goldenrod pollen and nectar.

Blue-winged Wasps are easily identified by two yellow spots on the abdomen. They are rarely aggressive and considered beneficial because they help control June beetle grubs.

09/07/2024

We had a great wetlands walk at Jackson Park the other day! It was a little too cool and cloudy to see many dragonflies, but the warblers were out in full force and we saw plenty of excellent wetland blooms!

09/05/2024

Look whooo has been hanging around our yard!

09/03/2024

A few favorites from Cedar Rock last weekend: Agalinis & Rhexia. Always so many cool plants up there!

08/15/2024

Explored the wetlands around Jackson Park today. Pretty buggy but lots of cool dragonflies and flowers! Blue Dasher and Eastern Pondhawk, Cardinal Flower and Cut-leaf Coneflower. Decent birds too: Worm-eating Warbler, Yellow-throated Vireo, Louisiana Water thrush.

08/02/2024

I can't get enough of these Yellow Fringed Orchids!

08/02/2024

Shorebird migration in our area is continuing to produce some awesome birds. Here is a Wilson's Phalarope found by birding friend Mike Resch today. I (Kevin) jumped in the car and was able to see it early this morning. I believe this is the second county record of Wilson's Phalarope. Cool bird!