Join us for the 50th Annual Mount Rogers Spring Naturalist Rally!
Member Event: Join us for our Summer BRDC Butterfly Count through the North American Butterfly Association!
Identify between 80-100 different species of birds during this overnight Ornithology Camp.
A perfect way for children to spend summer vacation exploring their natural curiosity, making new friends, and having fun!
Join the BRDC crew for a true river expedition on this multi-day kayaking adventure!
Can’t decide between our summer camps? Get a taste for all things outdoors with our Discovery camp!
A perfect way for children to spend summer vacation exploring their natural curiosity, making new friends, and having fun!
Our hallmark camp of the year, Wilderness Expedition is a true immersive experience in all things natural history.
A perfect way for children to spend summer vacation exploring their natural curiosity, making new friends, and having fun!
Join us for our Mount Rogers Summer Naturalist Rally!
A fun experience for both beginner and advanced fly fishers!
Join us for our members-only Fall BRDC Butterfly Count through the North American Butterfly Association! A butterfly count is an event that is organized for the purpose of identifying and counting butterflies in a specific geographical area, raising awareness and identifying any changes to butterfly habitats.
View thousands of raptors as they soar over Mahogany Rock in their annual migration south!
Come Join us for the upcoming Mount Rogers Fall Naturalist Rally! Fall is a beautiful time of year in the Blue Ridge. Attend one of the many guided hikes, workshops, and presentations. You won’t want to miss out!
If you’ve ever been interested in learning to fly fish or are looking to connect with other fisherwomen, this is your opportunity.
Join us for a potluck meal celebrating another great year!
It’s crafts, cocoa and cookies galore at our Nature’s Little Elf Workshop! After picking an elf name, children will have the opportunity to get hands-on with a variety of seasonal crafts. Elf costumes welcome!
The Christmas Bird Count, organized by the Audubon Society, is a North American citizen science survey that runs from December 14th through January 5th each year. Information gathered during these counts helps us to better understand the health and status of bird populations.
Each year, Blue Ridge Discovery Center heads up to the New River CBC, centered around Sparta, NC. All ages and skill levels are welcome to participate! This event is free to all and we’ll make a full day of it.
Join BRDC for a guided walk looking at the first blooms of the Spring!
Looking for something to keep your young naturalist engaged during spring break? BRDC is now offering Spring Break Camp from March 25-28, 2024! This is a perfect opportunity for any young naturalist between the ages of 6 and 13 to explore, discover, and share the wonders of the Blue Ridge during the springtime!
Programming topics will include tree study, nature journaling, birding, hiking, pollinators, orienteering, native plants, and more! Activities will take place both indoors and outdoors.
Surround your family with the magic of the mountains as you explore, discover, and share the wonders of the Blue Ridge, together.
Members/Blue Ridge Birders Event: American woodcocks (Scolopax minor), inconspicuous in plumage and behavior, can be difficult to spot throughout the year. During their mating season, however, it is possible to witness the males’ magnificent courtship display at dusk and dawn.
Join us for our one-day Mount Rogers Winter Naturalist Rally! This event will focus on highlighting the ecology of the Blue Ridge during the winter months, the cultural heritage of the region, and wintertime crafts. Youth programming will be available. Come see the beauty these mountains have to offer!
Join us for our annual visit to a rare valley bowl that plays host to the rare wintering birds from the far north including the golden eagle and rough-legged hawk.
The Christmas Bird Count, organized by the Audubon Society, is a North American citizen science survey that runs from December 14th through January 5th each year. Information gathered during these counts helps us to better understand the health and status of bird populations.
Each year, Blue Ridge Discovery Center heads up to the New River CBC, centered around Sparta, NC. All ages and skill levels are welcome to participate! This event is free to all and we’ll make a full day of it.
It’s crafts, cocoa and cookies galore at our Nature’s Little Elf Workshop! After picking an elf name, children will have the opportunity to get hands-on with a variety of seasonal crafts. Elf costumes welcome!
BRDC is hosting a Friendsgiving potluck dinner for community members, BRDC members and guests on Thursday, November 9th at 4pm. We will have a social hour from 4:00pm to 5:00pm, and dinner at 5:00pm. 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!
Come Join us for the upcoming Mount Rogers Fall Naturalist Rally!
Fall is a beautiful time of year at BRDC. Attend one of the many guided hikes, workshops and lectures during the third seasonal Rally of 2023. You won’t want to miss out!
Stay tuned for more Rally and registration information.
View thousands of raptors as they soar over Mahogany Rock in their annual migration south!
Join us for our Mount Rogers Summer Naturalist Rally.
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.
Blue Ridge Birders and Blue Ridge Discovery Center will conduct a Burkes Garden field trip on Tuesday, June 13th.
Join us for our Summer BRDC Butterfly Count through the North American Butterfly Association!
Avid Birder, Allen Boynton will lead a Spring Birding Hike to see neotropical migrants in the area.
The Spring Rally gives us a chance to explore Mt. Rogers.
Spring wildflower hike. Meet at BRDC at 10 am. Email kdoyle@blueridgediscoverycenter.org for more information and to register.
American woodcocks (Scolopax minor), inconspicuous in plumage and behavior, can be difficult to spot throughout the year. During their mating season, however, it is possible to witness the males’ magnificent courtship display at dusk and dawn.
The Winter Rally is a time to celebrate what thrives in the great outdoors during the more chilly months of the year.
Join us for our annual visit to a rare valley bowl that plays host to the rare wintering birds from the far north including the golden eagle and rough-legged hawk.
(Image above was taken by Sandy Worrell during the 2022 Burke’s Garden Trip)
BRDC and interested birders of all skill levels will go to Mount Rogers on Sunday, December 18, 2022 from 9:00am - 5:00pm with local bird expert Allen Boynton!
The Christmas Bird Count, organized by the Audubon Society, is a North American citizen science survey that runs from December 14th through January 5th each year. Information gathered during these counts helps us to better understand the health and status of bird populations.
Each year, Blue Ridge Discovery Center heads up to the New River CBC, centered around Sparta, NC. All ages and skill levels are welcome to participate! This event is free to all and we’ll make a full day of it.
Interested in joining us? Please contact Keely Doyle at kdoyle@blueridgediscoverycenter.org or (276) 388-3155.
Additional information will be sent to registered participants prior to the event.
Thank you for contributing to science!
BRDC is hosting a Friendsgiving potluck dinner for community members, BRDC members and guests on Thursday, November 10th at 4pm. We will have a social hour from 4:00pm to 5:00pm, and dinner at 5:00pm. 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 Keely Doyle at kdoyle@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!
Please contact Ali Reilly at landscape@blueridgediscoverycenter.org to register!
Come Join us for the upcoming Mount Rogers Fall Naturalist Rally!
Fall is a beautiful time of year at BRDC. Attend one of the many guided hikes, workshops and lectures during the second seasonal Rally of 2022. You won’t want to miss out!
Stay tuned for more Rally and registration information.
Last year at the Mahogany Rock Hawk Watch migration site, viewers counted an inspiring 6,121 raptors in just one day! This year we will return to Mahogany Rock for the 2020 annual count to hopefully spot raptors “kettling” in the thermal updrafts and making their way south for the winter.
