The Parkway is open again!!! We can now resume our annual summer road trip to explore the Blueridge Parkway after talking to USFS staff who confirmed the parkway is open again. Early June is peak breeding season for many of the birds that migrated through SC to the beautiful forests and fields of the Appalachian Mountains.  With a higher elevation, the Blue Ridge Mountains of NC are home to many neo-tropical species like the Canada warbler, cerulean warbler, and scarlet tanager during the breeding season. Other birds we only see in the winter, like the brown creeper, winter wren, and the hermit thrush, also breed there and sing their sweet songs, which we don’t get to hear during the non-breeding season.

Along with those spectacular birds, we will also have the chance to see an amazing bird called the red crossbill, a species only found in the Blue Ridge Mountains in our part of the country. Irvin Pitts and Jay Keck will be guiding a group of ten at various lookout spots and parks along the Blue Ridge Mountains. This will be a full day of birding in order to see as many as these special birds as possible while we’re in the mountains. We look forward to seeing you in higher elevations and cooler temperatures this June!

Where:  Meet up location is the Blue Ridge Parkway Folk Art Center. (382 Blue Ridge Pkwy, Asheville, NC 28805)

Who: This training is open to the public. No prior knowledge is required. Minimum age is 16.  This training will count for one day toward Palmetto Pro Birder certification (8 days needed total). For SC Master Naturalists, this event can count as Advanced Training and towards your statewide certification. If you are not a Pro Birder or Master Naturalist, just come have fun with us. After registration, you will receive an email with directions and any other details pertinent to the class.

When:  Monday, June 8th from 7 am until 1 pm. Rain Date is Tuesday, June 9th.

Instructors: This class will be led by Irvin Pitts, SCWF Outdoor Academy Instructor, and Jay Keck, SCWF Industry Habitat Manager.

Irvin retired from a career with the South Carolina State Park Service where he served as Parks Biologist and Chief of Resource Management. Prior to that, he worked at Table Rock and Caesars Head State Parks as park naturalist. Irvin retired from a career with the South Carolina State Park Service where he served as Parks Biologist and Chief of Resource Management. Prior to that, he worked at Table Rock and Caesars Head State Parks as park naturalist.

Jay Keck, SCWF Habitat Education Manager. Jay has been a passionate nature and bird lover since his early teens. He lives in Chapin, SC with his wife and two boys, and has identified 108 bird species in his yard in three years, as well as 187 species in Lexington county since moving back in September of 2013. He has viewed birds in Spain, Chile, Honduras, and Costa Rica, as well as many areas in SC from the mountains to the coast. Being inspired by SCWF’s mission, he earned his Palmetto Pro Birder certification, and has led bird walks for SCWF as well as Saluda Shoals park, Columbia Audubon, and private organizations. Even when he is golfing, hunting, or fishing, he is secretly birding. At SCWF, Jay coordinates the Wildlife And Industry Together (WAIT) program as well as leading birding classes for the Palmetto Pro Birder & Midlands Master Naturalist programs.

Featured Image Credit: Cerulean warbler by Craig Williams.