PBC Awards 7 Minigrants for 2022

The PBC received a great selection of minigrant applications for 2022! We received seven applications, and a small team of reviewers determined that they were all worthy of receiving the $250 funding. These projects show a lot of interest in birding and conservation in our community. Following are summaries of the applications:

River Landing Bird Club - replace 12 old nest boxes and install 2 racoon baffles; purpose: to increase the survival of nestlings.

Piedmont Young Birders - help to purchase a spotting scope; purpose: to enhance teen skills in bird identification.

Congregational United Church of Christ - purchase shrubs, flowering plants, and mulch to expand a two-year-old native plant bird- and pollinator-friendly garden at the ; purpose: use native plants to attract insects that birds eat and/or feed their young as well as produce seeds and fruits for non-insectivores.

UNCG doctoral student research - install 8 new nest boxes in the wetland area of Price Park and evaluate the reproductive success of Eastern Bluebirds; purpose: address the importance of maintaining green space and clean water sources near areas where bluebirds nest.

New Garden Friends School - plant berry bushes for migrating birds and some camera traps for class projects; purpose: enable students to record camera trap data for migratory bird ecology studies/surveys.

Alderman Elementary School - bird feeders and binoculars for 4 kindergarten classes; purpose: learn how birds feed and interact in their environment.

Lindley Park Neighborhood Association - purchase bluebird houses, poles, baffles; purpose: to provide nesting opportunities for bluebirds and opportunities for resident humans to observe the live cycle of bluebirds and provide educational opportunities for children.

Many thanks to the PBC members who submitted applications and who encouraged others in our community to submit applications. Thanks also to Barbara Haralson and Wild Birds Unlimited for donating materials to support one of the projects.

PBC will solicit another round of minigrant applications this fall for projects to be carried out in 2023. The announcement will be posted on this website.

Looking for Places to Bird in Guilford County, NC?

Check out the Finding Birds in Guilford County section of our website. PBC member Dennis Burnette put together descriptions of 28 sites across the county that are publicly-accessible and present a variety of habitats for birding.
Picture
The site pages have driving instructions, a general description of the site, photos, and birds you might see. Many pages have a trail map for the site. There are also stop-by-stop instructions for a birding tour of Greensboro’s lakes.

Whether you’re a visitor, new to the area, or just looking for someplace different to go birding, the Finding Birds guide is a great resource. Click here to start checking out the locations.

Piedmont Young Birders

Picture
The Piedmont Young Birders is an organization for high school and middle  school students, sponsored jointly by the Piedmont Bird Club and the T. Gilbert Pearson Audubon Society.  It is an excellent opportunity for our members to share their love of birds and the natural world with the next generation. Meetings consist of a combination of guided activities to learn about birds and spending time discovering and identifying birds first-hand. Membership is open to students in the Triad area in grades 6-12.

For more information, click here and send us an inquiry using the Contact Form. 

Join Us

Recorded PBC Program – "The Purple Martin, America's Favorite Bird"

The PBC's January meeting of the season was held on January 20 through the Zoom online platform. Michael Bishop, founder and director of the Northern Virginia Purple Martin Initiative discussed the characteristics of Purple Martins and how to attract and provide nest houses for Purple Martin colonies. He also highlighted the work of the Northern Virginia Purple Martin Initiative, a grass roots effort to provide housing for Purple Martins and other native cavity-nesting birds at no cost on public lands. Founded in 2015, the Initiative has been successful in bolstering the numbers of selected cavity-nesting birds by installing housing in the proper habitat and monitoring by trained volunteers.

You can watch the recording by clicking here.

Recorded PBC Program – "2021 PBC Members Photo Show"

In this annual Holiday tradition, held via Zoom on December 16, Piedmont Bird Club members shared some of their favorite bird photos they have taken this year. It's always a treat to see what a talented group of photographers we have in the club.

You can watch the recording by clicking here.

Upcoming Program via Zoom:
Thursday, February 10, 2022

 Know Your Nests

Curtis Smalling, Audubon North Carolina’s Director of Bird Conservation for North Carolina, will provide an overview of bird nest identification, focusing on local species and those migrating through NC. Knowing some basics about nests can add to your enjoyment of birding and the birds in your neighborhood. This program will introduce you to some of the various ways that birds have adapted to raising young and provide some tips on identifying which bird might have built that nest you find. Note: this is a joint program with the T. Gilbert Pearson Audubon Society.
A link to access the Zoom meeting will be sent to PBC members on the club's email listserv a few days in advance. The presentation will be recorded and the link posted on this website. Members of the public are welcome to view the program recording once it is posted.

You can view a list of PBC's programs for the 2021-22 program year by clicking here.


​Upcoming PBC Activities
PLEASE NOTE: Because of the uncertainties for gatherings stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, the schedule of PBC activities will continue to evolve throughout the year. Activities in the coming weeks are listed below. More will be added as they are confirmed.

Full details about each activity will be sent to PBC members via the email listserv. If you are not a PBC member and would like information about any of these activities, please check the calendar or click here to send us an inquiry using the Contact Form.
​
Saturday, January 8 – Field Trip: White Street Landfill

Saturday, January 15 – Field Trip: Greensboro Lakes for Waterfowl

Thursday, January 21 – Program: The Purple Martin, America's Favorite Bird (via Zoom)

Thursday, February 10 – Program: Know Your Nests (via Zoom)

Saturday, February 12 – Field Trip: Audubon Natural Area

Friday, February 18 - Monday, February 21 – Conservation: Great Backyard Bird Count
​
Saturday, March 5 – Field Trip: NC A&T University Farm

Thursday, March 17 – Program: Land of Fire and Ice - Birds of Iceland (via Zoom)

Saturday, March (TBA) – Conservation: Habitat Restoration and Planting

PBC and COVID-19:
​A Message from the President

Picture
COVID-19 has changed our world and everything we do. We face many uncertainties in the coming year, so the PBC will adjust its activities accordingly. Even with the challenges of social distancing, we will still have a good year with many engaging and safe ways to enjoy birds and our fellow birders.

As you might imagine, planning PBC activities will be a challenge. While some activities can be scheduled as in the past, others will need to be more responsive to where we are in controlling the pandemic. Keep the following in mind:
  • The PBC will remain active but safe and flexible. Many activities will need to limit group size, so participants must sign up with the leader ahead of time.
  • Members must be vigilant about following protocols for outdoor activities – follow mask protocols, keep to small groups, and maintain social distancing.
  • Because conditions will undoubtedly change over time, activities will be announced on this website and on the PBC members email listserv. Be sure to check these regularly to stay up-to-date on upcoming trips, programs, and other club activities.
Stay safe and enjoy the beauty and wonder of nature during these challenging times.

Barbara Haralson PBC President

“North Carolina is a great place for birding. And the Piedmont Bird Club is a wonderful group of folks to bird with!”
Follow us on Facebook
Updated 1/21/2022