On July 3, 2024 four South Wake Conservationists installed three Brown-headed Nuthatch nesting boxes at Crowder County Park in Apex, NC. The group also included the park’s Sarah Goldsmith. Like many American bird species, the Nuthatch population is decreasing due to loss of habitat and other human activities. Fortunately, there are many conservation-minded groups that … More Let’s Help Out a Threatened Species!
Have you heard the news? For the first time, North Carolina canceled the recreational Southern flounder season due to concerns over the sustainability of the fishery. What can we do that will have the most immediate impact to preserve the Southern flounder population in North Carolina waters? Stop inshore shrimp trawling. Spawning flounder get caught … More Stop Destructive Inshore Shrimp Trawling in North Carolina’s Coastal Waters
Are you looking to get outside this summer while helping to develop new fish and wildlife habitats? The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission will be planting native aquatic vegetation in reservoirs across the Piedmont and needs your help! The goal is to improve habitat for sport fishes and other wildlife by establishing self-sustaining native aquatic plant communities. These wetland communities … More Develop new fish and wildlife habitats with the NCWRC
The South Wake Conservationists embraced the heat as they went on a fascinating tour of Walnut Creek Wetland Park in Raleigh. City of Raleigh’s Celia Lechtman served as the group’s fearless leader on the tour. Celia shared her wealth of knowledge regarding the park’s extensive history while pointing out the abundance of flora and fauna … More Walnut Creek Wetland Park… A Hidden Gem!
If you missed the live presentation by Katie Thompson on June 4th, you can still catch the video recording on demand. Katie tells a powerful story of how a group of third graders at Pine Springs Preparatory Academy in Holly Springs have motivated 17 mayors (so far!) to sign the NWF Mayor’s Monarch Pledge, committing … More Story of Kids Saving Pollinators & Changing the World!
The NC Purple Martin Society and the NC Museum of Natural Sciences are hosting a banding event next week at two of their Raleigh-area locations, where they maintain purple martin houses. Museum ornithologists will weigh, measure, and band the purple martin chicks. Learn how banding works, why we band birds, and get to see purple … More Watch Purple Martin Banding in Action!
SWC volunteers had a gorgeous low-humidity, partly-cloudy morning on June 11th working with residents of the Glenaire retirement community in Cary to install three new houses for brown-headed nuthatches. These small songbirds are typically found in mature pine forests with an open understory in the Southeastern United States. Fun fact: their high-pitched call is often … More Houses for Brown-Headed Nuthatches
Bird enthusiasts and members of the South Wake Conservationists (SWC) were treated to a delightful event on May 19th, 2024, at the Sugg Farm Purple Martin Colony in Holly Springs. The afternoon unfolded under the expert guidance of Courtney Rousseau, founder and president of the North Carolina Purple Martin Society (NCPMS). Courtney’s knowledge and passion … More Hatch Day at the Sugg Farm Purple Martin Colony!
David Mizejewski, naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation, will give a talk followed by a book signing in the Museum of Natural Sciences’ SECU Daily Planet Theater on May 22 at noon. Join David for a fun and informative talk on how to create a beautiful garden space that fits into the local ecosystem and … More Live at the Museum May 22 – David Mizejewski
It was wonderful (thankfully rain-free!) morning in Apex on May 18th, celebrating the grand opening of the sustainability-focused community garden, Simple Gifts Community Garden. SWC has partnered with the garden over the past year with a native plant sale, pollinator plantings, bluebird-house installations, and a purple martin house assembly installation. This garden uses environmentally-friendly methods … More Groovin’ at the Garden!
South Wake Conservationists 