Many great birding spots exist in western North Carolina. The interactive map below shows some of the most popular birding sites in the Asheville area. Click and drag the map to view different areas on the map. Click on map markers to view site names. A larger map can be viewed here. |
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| Keep local birders informed by sharing your sightings! Visit the Local Wildlife Sightings page to find out how to submit sightings to our listserv. |
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| Site descriptions for several popular local birding areas can be found below. This information, except where noted, is from the NC Birding Trail guide. Links to site descriptions, in the form of pdf files, for other birding areas on the map are provided below. |
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| View the western North Carolina Bird Presence and Distribution list, compiled by Marilyn Westphal. This list is very helpful if you want to know which species are present in WNC during certain times of the year. |
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View Birding sites in the Asheville area in a larger map |
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| Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary |
| (#1 on above map) |
This 10‐acre Sanctuary, managed by the Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society, is situated on the edge of Beaver Lake in north Asheville. The sanctuary attracts waterfowl (especially after storms), migrating species in spring and fall, and a nice array of breeding birds. Yellow Warbler, Gray Catbird and Blue‐gray Gnatcatcher can be found from spring through fall. Great Blue Heron can be also seen regularly, and Green Heron have nested here in recent years. Three species of swallow and Chimney Swift are frequently seen over the lake. From the parking lot, a path leads around the small pond (an eco‐filter pond designed to trap sediments before they flow into the lake) to a boardwalk loop that includes lake overlooks. Leaving the sanctuary, birders will also want to take the sidewalk northwest to a trail that leads along the lake edge. In season, both Baltimore and Orchard Orioles can be found here, along with Eastern Kingbird and, with luck, Warbling Vireo. In recent years, Brown‐headed Nuthatch have nested in cavities in the pine trees. It’s usually worthwhile to walk the full length of the lake.
Species of Interest: Warbling Vireo, Brown‐headed Nuthatch, American Redstart, Yellow Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, wintering waterfowl
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| Sandy Mush Game Lands |
| (points A through D) |
For detailed information about and directions to the different access points in the game lands, as well as photos from the access points and lists of typical bird species found in each area, please read Doug Johnston's writeup.
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*If you have questions regarding wildlife laws or how to report illegal behavior in the Sandy Mush Game Lands, please contact:
Shawn Martin
Wildlife Enforcement Officer with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission
Phone: 828-450-6159
Report violations to 1-800-662-7137
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Sandy Mush Game Land contains 2,600 acres of low elevation mountain habitats. The Game Land is actively managed with prescribed fire to restore native warm season grasses (NWSG) and forbs to benefit Northern Bobwhite and associated early successional species.
Species of Interest: Northern Bobwhite, Yellow‐billed Cuckoo, Eastern Kingbird, Prairie Warbler, Yellow‐breasted Chat, Field Sparrow
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| Jackson Park |
| (#2) |
Jackson Park is a 212‐acre park located conveniently near downtown Hendersonville. A variety of habitats in the park, including open field, woodland floodplain, ponds and streams, make the area attractive to many migrating birds in spring and especially in fall. Migrating warblers, vireos, and thrushes, as well as Rose‐breasted Grosbeak, Scarlet Tanager, flycatchers, and many others occur in April and May, and especially in September and early October. Occasionally in spring or fall, species seen only infrequently in North Carolina, including Connecticut, Wilson’s, and Mourning Warbler, Gray‐cheeked Thrush, Black‐billed Cuckoo, and Yellow‐bellied Flycatcher, are seen at the park. Follow the road through the park to the fence line next to the Glover Street entrance, near baseball fields 1 and 2. There is an extensive drainage area nearby that sometimes attracts Sora and Virginia Rail during migration, and Yellow Warbler and Willow Flycatcher during the breeding season. There are several trails in the park and it is worth exploring all of them, but the Nature Trail and the trails that follow the various waterways are often the most productive.
Species of Interest: Sora, Black‐and‐white Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Rose‐breasted Grosbeak
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| Richmond Hill Park |
| (#14) |
Richmond Hill Park is located in north Asheville on Richmond Hill Drive. The park consists of 183 acres of natural wooded terrain and views of the French Broad River; it is Asheville's largest wooded city park. The park has 5 miles of hiking/biking trails and connects the French Broad River and its adjoining wetland complex with the drier woods of the uplands. As of January 2012, the park's bird list included 83 species. A breeding season highlight at the park is Louisiana Waterthrush (spotted at Smith's Creek); in winter, Brown Creeper, both Kinglets, and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker can be found there. Migrants can be found throughout the park in spring and fall. For more information, visit the park's blog at www.richmondhillpark.wordpress.com.
Site description written by Vin Stanton
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Blue Ridge Parkway (#3) - site descriptions
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Charles D. Owen Park (#4) - site description (see page 8)
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Fletcher Park (#5) - park map
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Mount Mitchell State Park (#6) - site description (see page 4)
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North Carolina Arboretum (#7) - site description (see page 6)
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Craggy Gardens (#8) - site description (see page 6)
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Chimney Rock State Park (#9) - site description (see page 1); official website
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Biltmore Estate (#10) - site description (see page 5)
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French Broad River Greenway (#11) - site description (see page 4)
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North Mills River (#12) - site description (see page 7)
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Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site (#13) - site description (see page 9)
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