Burke's Garden is a rare valley bowl with a floor that rests at 3,000' while the encircling ridge rises to around 4,000'. It is located in Tazewell County, VA, where the Appalachian Trail skirts its southern rim. The 8.5 mile long and 4-mile wide valley is often referred to as "God's Thumbprint" for its distinctive shape.

The bowl is a beautiful pastoral landscape during the summer but in the winter it is equally impressive. During February it plays host to the rare wintering birds from the far north including the golden eagle and rough-legged hawk. We will coordinate travel to the valley with registered participants. Once in the valley, we will slowly work our way around in a large loop by vehicle, searching for birds along the way. With a little luck, we will have the opportunity to put scopes on multiple raptors on the tree lines or soaring about the farm fields. It also houses the regionally uncommon red-headed woodpecker.

Interested in joining us? Please contact Lisa Benish at lisa@blueridgediscoverycenter.org or (276) 388-3155. Additional information will be sent to registered participants prior to the event.

A potential February bird list for Burke's Garden includes:

Canada goose, American wigeon, American black duck, mallard, green-winged teal, wild turkey, great blue heron, black vulture, turkey vulture, golden eagle, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, Cooper's hawk, bald eagle, red-tailed hawk, rough-legged hawk, killdeer, Wilson's snipe, rock pigeon, mourning dove, barred owl, belted kingfisher, red-headed woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, downy woodpecker, northern flicker, pileated woodpecker, American kestrel, loggerhead shrike, blue jay, American crow, common raven, horned lark, Carolina chickadee, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, Carolina wren, eastern bluebird, American robin, northern mockingbird, European starling, dark-eyed junco, song sparrow, northern cardinal, red-winged blackbird, eastern meadowlark, common grackle, house finch, American goldfinch, & house sparrow

BRDC is hosting a Friendsgiving potluck dinner for community members, BRDC members and guests on Thursday, November 13, beginning at 6pm. As the year begins to close, we want to take an evening to join together and share a meal with friends. If you haven’t had time to visit, this will be a great opportunity to tour the newly restored Schoolhouse. Please bring your favorite dish!

To register, please email us at info@blueridgediscoverycenter.org.

Come join us for our Fall Native Seed Saving Workshop! BRDC Members will walk around the property assisting in the collection of native plant seeds. These seeds will be processed and packaged to allow for the continued propagation of regionally significant plants for further habitat development on campus. Participants will also be able to bring some seeds home for their own garden!

Contact us via email at info@blueridgediscoverycenter.org to register!

Join us Sunday, October 15th for a THANK YOU and Open House with Schoolhouse Tours, Nature Walks, and light snacks from 2:00 - 4:00pm.

Bring a story or small momento to seal away in a time capsule as we commence the next step in our journey: Filling the Schoolhouse!

BRB will host a field trip to Rural Retreat Lake on Friday, July 21st. Allen Boynton will be the guide for morning birding. We will meet at the parking lot by the swimming pool at 7:30 a.m. It is important to get there early before boaters hit the lake. We should be done by 11:00 a.m..

Please let us know if you plan to attend (info@bueridgediscoverycenter.org) and the number in your party. If the group size goes over 12, we need to get a group activity permit from the Department of Wildlife Resources.

We will look for summer season birds like Bald Eagle, Green Heron, Great Blue Heron, American Kestrel, Willow Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Orchard Oriole, Baltimore Oriole, Yellow Warbler, and Common Yellowthroat.

BRB will host a field trip to the high country on Sunday, July 16th. BRDC Staff will be the guides for morning birding. We will meet at the Blue Ridge Discovery Center parking lot at 7:45 a.m.

Please let us know if you plan to attend and the number in your party at info@blueridgediscoverycenter.org

We will look for summer season birds like Vesper Sparrow, Least Flycatcher, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Magnolia Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Canada Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet, and Winter Wren.