The Blue Ridge Bird Observer July 2026
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THE BLUE RIDGE BIRD OBSERVER: September 2025
The Big Bald Banding Station, located on the North Carolina-Tennessee border in Cherokee National Forest along the Appalachian Trail Corridor, is Blue Ridge Bird Observatory’s most productive research site. Avian banding began here in 1978 with Dr. George and Cleo Mayfield, leading to the establishment of the current station, operated by BRBO for the past […]
BLUE RIDGE BIRD OBSERVER: June 2025
HOT SPRINGSBANDING STATIONVISITOR DAYS June 22ndJuly 5thJuly 26thRVSP HERE BANDING STATION UPDATES Our MAPS stations at Hot Springs, Highlands, and Big Bald are off to a strong start for the 2025 season. At Hot Springs, we’ve already banded 18 species, including Northern Cardinals, Indigo Buntings, Yellow-Breasted Chat, and a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Notable recaptures include multiple […]
BLUE RIDGE BIRD OBSERVER: May 2025
HOT SPRINGS CELEBRATES NEW BANDING STATION On Friday, April 11th, the Madison County birding community came together for an evening of avian appreciation and trivia to commemorate the official debut of the Blue Ridge Bird Observatory’s Hot Springs Banding Station. The establishment of this new station in Hot Springs marks the first step in BRBO’s […]
Big Bald Vacation Bird School 2016
SARR is offering Big Bald Vacation Bird School for the sixth year, July 11-15, 2016. Please pass along this opportunity to parents of children who would enjoy spending a week in the woods studying birds and nature. Visit our VBS page for details and registration materials. Deadline to register is June 15, 2016. Please contact us for additional […]
SARR OPENS NEW WELCH FARM MAPS STATION IN CHEROKEE COUNTY, NC
Southern Appalachian Raptor Research is excited to initiate the newWelch FarmMAPS station in 2015, to monitor the bird community atthe historic Welch Farm site in Marble, NC. The first Welch Farm (WEFA) MAPS sample is scheduled to openthis week and continue thru summer 2015 on selected dates. The Welch Farm MAPS bird monitoring project is […]
FIND YOUR BIRD FOCUS THIS SUMMER AT BIG BALD MOUNTAIN VACATION BIRD SCHOOL
Southern Appalachian Raptor Research will offer the Big Bald Mountain Vacation Bird School (VBS) July 6 10, 2015. All rising 5th-7th graders who love birds, wildlife and fun outdoors are encouraged to join VBS! This is the fifth season that students will explore the Big Bald Mountain habitat to learn the birds of the southern Appalachians. VBS is […]
2014 Fall Migration at Big Bald Banding Station
Temperatures are cooling, a few leaves are changing color in the higher elevations, and migratory birds are beginning their journey south to warmer lands. Southern Appalachian Raptor Research (SARR) volunteers set up mist nets for the fall season of banding at Big Bald on August 23, 2014. Numbers of birds banded have gradually picked up over […]
Wandering Warbler Waifs Wow SARR MAPS Vols!
As fledgling birds disperse from nests to explore the rich Little Tennessee River bottom land habitat, SARR MAPS station volunteers have feasted on the great views and diversity of young birds. American Redstart and Chestnut-sided Warblers have recently been banded for the first time this season at Cowee Mounds, while roving gangs of young-of-the-year Blue-gray Gnatcatchers […]
Wanted: Young Bird Enthusiasts for VBS 2013!
Southern Appalachian Raptor Research will offer Vacation Bird School (VBS) July 8-12, 2013. VBS is a `bird-brained, science day-camp providing an intensive and fun immersion into the ecology of breeding birds, using their habitat as an outdoor classroom. Our home base this year is Hampton Creek Cottage in the Pisgah National Forest. Daily expeditions to Big Bald Mountain […]