New Hope Bird Alliance (formerly New Hope Audubon Society) is a local chapter of National Audubon for Durham, Orange, and northern Chatham counties and we maintain close ties with Audubon NC. To find out more about why we changed our name from New Hope Audubon and the process we used, check out this link: New Hope Bird Alliance.
Items of special interest
CALENDAR OF EVENTS web page to keep informed about upcoming events including bird outings.
FIELD NOTES BLOG to be sure to keep up with the latest posts.
BIRD COUNT CHARTS web page to explore our historical data going back to 1977 for both our Spring and Christmas Bird Counts.
VOLUNTEER web page for ways you can help and fill out our updated Volunteer Form to tell us about your interests.
MEETING RECORDINGS web page for recordings of past membership meetings via Zoom.
Announcements
We are pleased to announce NHBA has just published our 2023-2024 Annual Report. As an organization run entirely by volunteers, your support empowers our efforts to promote the conservation and enjoyment of birds, wildlife, and natural ecosystems in Orange, Chatham, and Durham Counties. We deeply appreciate the trust our members place in us, and we are committed to utilizing their financial contributions to achieve the most effective conservation outcomes possible.
Our next NHBA meeting is May 8, 2025 at 7 pm. Our speaker will be Landscape Fire Ecologist Cecil Frost, PhD, speaking on “Birds, Fire and the Sixth Extinction.” This will be a hybrid meeting; in person at the Joslin Classroom of the North Carolina Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill with a Zoom option. Register to attend via Zoom. If you have already registered to attend a previous meeting, it is not necessary to do so again. This will be the last meeting of the current season.
The NHBA will lead a Field Trip to Warbler Road on Friday/Saturday, May 9/10. We will meet Friday morning, May 9 at Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway, near Bedford, Virginia, and search for migratory warblers along the famous Warbler Road route so well known for them. We will stay the night in Troutville at the Holiday Inn Express or Quality Inn Suites, and there are several other hotels available in the area. We will eat dinner together Friday night, and bird again Saturday until early afternoon. Limit of 12 persons, and we ask each person to make a $50 donation to NHBA. Please note that this trip has been filled. If you wish to be on the waitlist, contact David Anderson at [email protected].
Spring Land Acquisition and Restoration Conservation Grant: NHBA is committed to supporting land acquisition and restoration that helps protect and preserve or restore wildlife habitat in North Carolina, focusing on property in its territory. As such, NHBA is funding a grant for up to $5,000 to be awarded by June 30, 2025. The project should support land conservation or restoration. The current grant application period is open from April 7 through May 9, 2025. For specifics of the grant and to complete a form, please click here. Read more about previous funded projects here.
New Hope Bird Alliance is selling Protect Aerial Insectivores t-shirts to help fundraise for activities conserving and promoting chimney swifts, purple martins and other aerial insectivores. NHBA has started a campaign with Bonfire where you can purchase a t-shirt or hoodie in multiple colors and sizes.
Check out the top 5 tips to help migrating birds and those nesting in your yard:
- Lights Out For Birds! During migration*, birds navigate by the night sky. House and building lights confuse them and may lead them off course, potentially to their deaths. Make their journeys safer by turning off bright outdoor lights and unnecessary indoor lights when it gets dark. Downward pointing dim motion lights are ok.
- Clean Feeders & Bird baths: Feeders, suet cages and bird baths should be cleaned regularly to prevent the spread of disease. This should be done year round, but especially during peak migration season. A solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water can be used. This should be done every 2-3 weeks during peak usage. Helpful tip: If you see a bird with eyes that look crusty or closed shut, take down the feeders and bird baths for 10-14 days and clean them thoroughly. Suet cages can be left up.
- Ready Nest Boxes: Some birds are already checking out nesting spots or have nests built. Make sure your nest boxes are clean for the new brood. Check the condition of the box and make sure the opening is not compromised. You can also check the area around the box to make sure bushes aren’t too close to allow invaders to attack the nestlings. Helpful tip: If a nestling falls out of the nest too early, please do not try to intervene. The parents will continue to care for it.
- Plant Natives: Spring plant sales are starting up, and now is an ideal time to remove invasive plants and bushes and plant native plants in your garden. Look for plants that attract pollinators and provide seasonal wildlife appeal. Berry producing shrubs will also provide food for birds and mammals when the days start to get cooler and insects are harder to find.
- Leave your Leaves: Leaves will continue to be an important element for birds during spring as they root around for newly emerging insects. Leaves will also continue to provide cover for wildlife and free mulch for your garden as the days get warmer. Helpful tip: Many native bees, fireflies and butterflies make their homes in the leaves.
*Spring migration: March 15-May 31
Fall migration: Aug. 15 – Oct. 31
