Post-breeding Waders &
Henderson County’s Secret Marshes
Henderson County, NC
July 24, 2020
Register by clicking the ‘book now’ button above, or by contacting the Ventures office. We accept credit cards for an additional fee (2.9% for MC, Visa, Discover; 3.9% for AmEx), but you may also pay by bank transfer, cash, check, or money order. This Venture is limited to 8 participants
Meet: At 3 PM at the picnic pavilion near the dog park at Mills River Park off Highway 191
Price: $55
Unfortunately, our picnic lunches are not currently included in our day trips (until further notice)
An easy late afternoon and evening birding along roadsides and lake overlooks looking for a selection of post-breeding waders. Insect repellent and comfortable footwear are recommended.
Every year after the breeding season some birds wander from their hatching sites in search of their own territory. They look for food, suitable habitat, and sometimes just a place to grow up. This is a phenomenon known as post breeding dispersal. Wading birds are some of the most notorious wanderers in the bird world. In July in the North Carolina Mountains several different species regularly appear and spend a little time here. The most common wandering waders are the Great Egret, Little Blue Heron, and Great Blue Heron, but really any type of wader might show up. In past years we have had Roseate Spoonbill, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, White Ibis, Tricolored Heron, and more. You never know what is going to show up at our mysterious mountain marshes!
We will start this venture in the afternoon birding some of the hot spots around the Mills River area. When the evening gets a little closer, we will visit some of the marshes in and around the Mills River/Hendersonville area in search of these wandering waders. We will finish the evening at a local marsh hoping for several species of wader to fly in for an evening roost. This will be a fun afternoon/evening of birding local hotspots. We will see quite a few of the local breeding birds as well as some wading birds on post breeding dispersal. Please join us for this fun day trip.