Posted By lowenby on August 31, 2009

Fall is a time of crisp, clear days with sounds of rustling leaves and explosions of color to stimulate your senses.  What a better time to be outdoors?  Delight all of your senses by visiting one or all of our parks this season!  Foliage will be at its peak and thousands of migrating songbirds will be heading south for the winter through our area.  We have put together a few “must see” lists for fall for those of you who are interested in getting out and exploring Catawba County’s natural heritage!  Since there is always a Ranger on duty at each park, stop in and ask what good things have been seen recently and they will be happy to point you in the right direction.

Wildflowers To Look For:  Gerardia (August-October), Ironweed (August-September), Wingstem (August-October), Yellow Crownbeard (August-September), Goldenrod species (July-frost), Aster species (August-frost), Common Sneezeweed (September-October), Jewelweed (August-frost), Evening Primrose (June-October), Seedbox (June-October), and Virgin’s Bower (August-October)

Migrating Birds To Look For:  Snow Goose, Blue-winged Teal, Black Tern, Merlin, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Blue-winged Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, American Redstart, Wood Thrush, Swainson’s Thrush, Gray-cheeked Thrush, and Veery

Butterflies To Look For:  Black Swallowtail, Checkered White, Orange Sulphur, Little Yellow, Sleepy Orange, Gulf Fritillary, Variegated Fritillary, Pearl Crescent, Question Mark, Painted Lady, Common Buckeye, Viceroy, Monarch, Long-tailed Skipper, Common Checkered-Skipper, Clouded Skipper, Fiery Skipper, Crossline Skipper, and Sachem

Other Things To Look For:  River Otters and their pups feeding and playing in the shoals at Riverbend (late fall), the possibility of seeing thousands of kettling Broad-winged Hawks from the observation platform at Bakers Mountain (late September), Autumn Meadowhawk and Common Green Darner Dragonflies (August-October), Wooly Bear Caterpillars (September-October), and the vast array of natural food for wildlife including: Beech nuts, Poison Ivy berries, Wild Grapes, Dogwood berries, and acorns from various Oak species (August-November)

Posted By lowenby on August 31, 2009

 Fall is soon to be upon us… I do look forward to the fall season. What a special time of year when the late wildflowers are finishing and begin to melt into the glorious colors of the changing foliage. This is the first fall in many years that we are not under severe drought. This should present us with a nice display of good fall foliage color. Regardless, it will be different from recent memory and just that difference should spark some enthusiasm to get out there and take a hike. I hope everyone will come out to see these colors, smell the leaves, and enjoy the cooler temperatures.It is just nice to be a part of this beautiful gentle season. With the current economy, it is cheap entertainment and excellent physical and mental health therapy.

The Staff of Catawba County Parks welcomes you, your family, your friends and even your dog. We hope to see you at your parks in this glorious fall season…

This fall let us all try to be good environmental stewards. Compost your leaves and landscape debris and please do not burn leaves - a practice that contributes to air pollution and potential wildfires. The best season to establish a fescue or cool season grass lawn is in the fall. Select seed that is well adapted to your location. Use organic fertilizer and closely monitor irrigation to minimize waste. Do not top trees. Prune trees properly and they will live longer, grow healthier, faster, and will not be as likely to break out in ice storms. These are some basic seasonal tips that will keep Catawba County beautiful and will help preserve our unique and diverse natural heritage. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments about any of our parks.

We Look Forward To Your Visit…

S. Blair Rayfield, Jr.

Catawba County Parks Division Manager

blair@catawbacountync.gov

828-256-9157

Posted By lowenby on August 31, 2009

Catawba County Parks is now on Facebook!  Visit us our new Facebook page to see photo albums from the parks, stay up-to-date on closings due to severe weather and flooding and get reminders of our upcoming events!

Posted By lowenby on August 31, 2009

This summer was another great season at Catawba County Parks with attendance at each of our facilities steadily increasing. You can see the increase for yourself in our 2008-2009 Year End Report. Our Rangers were busier than ever helping well over 1,000 kids from various church camps and summer day camps learn about nature! We found several new species of wildflowers growing in our parks; the most striking of those was Slender Ladies’ Tresses, one of the native orchid species in North Carolina. Riverbend Park had first records of Roseate Spoonbill (a large pinkish wading bird from Florida), Willet and American Avocet (both coastal shorebird species) all seen from the observation platform on the Catawba River in early August, and lastly the Rangers started a Tuesday Night Moth Club in June that will conclude for the year in October. They have identified almost 70 species of moths to date and have found many more interesting nighttime creatures as well! The Adopt-a-Hummingbird program was a huge success with 40 hummingbirds adopted. It is our hope that one of our little friends will be recaptured later this fall by another banding station! Don’t forget to keep out a hummingbird feeder this fall and winter as several species of western hummingbirds are now known to winter in the Carolinas! The “recipe” is one part sugar to four parts water—and no red food coloring is necessary.

Posted By lowenby on August 31, 2009

Catawba County Parks will be open both Monday, September 7, 2009 for Labor Day and Thursday, November 26, 2009 for Thanksgiving.

Posted By lowenby on August 31, 2009

Below is a complete list of the programming that our parks will be having this fall.  Each walk will be limited to 20 participants and will be weather dependent.  Please feel free to contact the Ranger leading the walk if you have any questions!

Posted By lowenby on August 31, 2009

Creepy Crawly Critters—Saturday, September 5, 2009—10 am

Tag along with Park Ranger John Sutton as he looks for insects of all sorts at Bakers Mountain Park. Do you know the difference between Tent Caterpillars and Fall Webworms? Ranger Sutton does—and he will gladly share his vast knowledge of the Insect Kingdom with the participants. You will also have the opportunity to learn about the various wasp and bee species that call the park home and how to differentiate the “bad” ones from the “good” ones. There are bugs everywhere at Bakers Mountain–they come in all shapes and sizes—and all stages of beauty from ugly to breathtaking! Please contact Ranger John Sutton at jsutton@catawbacountync.gov or call 828-324-8461 to register.

Posted By lowenby on August 31, 2009

Wildflowers of Riverbend Park—Saturday, September 12, 2009—10 am

Join Park Ranger Lori Owenby for a casual stroll along the River Trail to learn about the wildflowers that call the park home. We will begin at the office and head to the canoe access before we hit the wooded river trail looking for flowers. We should see several species of Asters, Wingstem, Crownbeard, and Cardinal Flower. The Purple Turtleheads should still be blooming too! The park has a nice population of them along the shoreline and their beauty is unsurpassed. We will also learn about several shrubs along the way like Bladdernut, Spicebush, and the unique shrub named Hearts-a-Bursting. Please contact Ranger Lori Owenby at lowenby@catawbacountync.gov or call 828-256-9157 to register.

Posted By lowenby on August 31, 2009

Carolina Bird Club Meeting–Thursday, September 24th thru Sunday, September 27th, 2009

Catawba County Parks will be hosting the Carolina Bird Club (CBC) meeting this fall!  Most of our staff will be leading trips for several hundred birders from throughout the Carolinas and beyond.  The meeting is open to the public ($20 registration fee for members/$30 for non-members).  This will be the second time the CBC meeting has been in Hickory since 2003. Some 124 species of birds were tallied during the last Hickory meeting, including such sought after species as Black-billed Cuckoo, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Philadelphia Vireo, Nashville Warbler, and Red Crossbill.

There are some new spots for us to visit this time such as the Lenoir Greenway and several new parks in and around Catawba County. There will be many trips to local hotspots for fall migrants like Hickory City Parks, and our own Riverbend and Bakers Mountain Parks. We will also be having two trips up to Ridge Junction Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway, now somewhat famous for the ease of seeing hundreds of migrants from a lawn chair. The speaker for the Friday night meeting will be Curtis Smalling from North Carolina Audubon. His presentation will be about his extensive work and research on Golden-winged Warblers. Our Saturday evening speaker will be Susan Campbell, who will be speaking about her ten-plus years as a hummingbird researcher here in North Carolina. We certainly hope you can join us and either begin learning about all the wonderful birds we have in our area or expand upon your already advanced appreciation of the “sport” of birding!

Posted By lowenby on August 31, 2009

National Take A Child Outside Week–Thursday, September 24th thru Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

Although we will be unable to host events for this national event due to our hosting the Carolina Bird Club meeting, we want to encourage area families to participate in this unique experience. By taking your children outside, it encourages a connection to the natural world and allows them to both do better in school and become more active which reduces their chances of obesity. We have a variety of offerings at Catawba County Parks that would make for a fun outdoor outing for any family! Try your hand at horseshoes and let the kids play on the playground at St. Stephens Park, or hike to the top of Bakers Mountain—the highest point in our county. Bring your bikes for an afternoon ride at Riverbend Park or your fishing poles for a morning of plain old fun fishing on the banks of the Catawba River! The possibilities are endless—but the memories will last forever. Please visit the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences website for more information about National Take A Child Outside Week.

Posted By lowenby on August 31, 2009

Fall Litter Sweep–Saturday, October 3, 2009–9 am

Twice each year Riverbend Park organizes a Litter Sweep to clean up the surrounding area. We will split up into groups to cover the park property along Highway 16, the small fishing area located across from the park operated by Duke Energy, and along the shoreline of the upper portions of Lookout Shoals Lake. We generally get about 50 bags of trash from just this small area! Trash bags, gloves, and safety vests will be provided. We can use all the volunteers possible – come out and help make a positive difference in our natural world. This is a great community-service project idea for Scouts and Youth Groups…Please Contact Riverbend Park for further information at 828-256-9157.

Posted By lowenby on August 31, 2009

St. Stephens Park Grand Opening–Saturday, October 10, 2009–10 am thru 12 pm

Join Catawba County Parks in the first of three great weekends of celebration for the Grand Opening of St. Stephens Park! Catawba County Parks Division is 10 years old this year and is celebrating by hosting special events at all three of our facilities that are free and open to the public! St. Stephens Park is located just behind Clyde Campbell Elementary School off Kool Park Road in the St. Stephens/Hickory area. Amenities include a one-acre Dog Park, a picnic shelter and meeting room that are available for reservations, horseshoe pits, a small kid’s play area, and a one-third mile natural surface walking trail. The festivities will begin at 10 am with Nick Sipes, whose Eagle Scout project was the completion of the Dog Park at St. Stephens and Boy Scout Troop #1 presenting the colors for the Flag Ceremony. Several of the County Commissioners will be on hand for an official ribbon cutting event, and Catawba County Planning and Parks Director, Jacky Eubanks will say a few words commemorating the occasion. The Humane Society will be hosting an animal adoption program along with a rabies clinic offering both one and three-year vaccinations for $8 each. The rabies certificate must accompany the pet for the three- year booster vaccinations—not just the rabies tag on the collar. They will also be offering micro chipping for $20. Cash and checks will be accepted. Vicky Comer, a certified wildlife rehabilitator, will bring several of her animals out for a “touch and learn” session. Animals she will have on display are a Southern Flying Squirrel, a Prairie Dog, and ‘Surfer-dude” the blonde Gray Squirrel. There will also be a booth from NC Agriculture Extension along with free ice cream and bottled water while supplies last.

Posted By lowenby on August 31, 2009

Riverbend Park 10 Year Anniversary Celebration—Saturday, October 17, 2009—All Day
Join us here at Riverbend Park to celebrate our ten-year anniversary! We will be having an all day celebration with plenty of activities for everyone to enjoy. We will be starting the day at 9 am with a Bird Walk led by Ranger Dwayne Martin. October is a great time to see various fall migrants that are passing through our area. We may see birds such as the beautiful Magnolia Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Swainson’s Thrush, or Red-headed Woodpecker. This will be a moderate two and a half hour hike. Please wear comfortable shoes, bring water and of course—do not forget to bring your binoculars!
Starting at 11 am, Ranger Lori Owenby will be taking a Wet and Wild Paddle Trip down the Catawba River. Come a little early with your canoe or kayak and we will begin at the canoe access located in the bottom parking lot, paddle past our mile of shoreline, and take out about five miles down river. We will have the opportunity to paddle around several islands, explore the flora and fauna of the river, and look for many bird species such as Bald Eagle, Osprey, and Great Blue Heron. We may also see River Otters or American Minks playing on the rocks or swimming in the shallows. This trip will take approximately three hours. Please wear appropriate attire and wear plenty of sunscreen. Canoes and kayaks are not provided.
After lunch, the fun continues with a Fall Foliage/Wildflower Identification Walk led by Ranger Dwayne Martin. The program will begin at 1 pm at the park office. The beginning of fall is when the trees begin showing off their beautiful foliage colors. The park has a variety of deciduous trees including Red and White Oaks, Hickories, Sourwoods, Sweet Gums, and Red Maples. We will also keep our eyes peeled for fall asters and goldenrods, which are plentiful throughout the park. Please wear comfortable shoes, as this will be a moderate two-hour hike.
Creek Splash, at 3 pm, with Ranger Alisha Hayes will be the exploration of one of our many streams to look for some of the many amphibians that call the park home. Dusky Salamanders are our most common salamander species here at the park–but we may get lucky and find a beautiful Spring Salamander or a Southern Two-lined Salamander. As we walk to our destination, we will be turning over rotten logs and searching under leaf litter to look for more terrestrial amphibians such as Slimy Salamander and Eastern Newt. We also have Eastern Fence Lizards, Five-lined Skinks, and Ground Skinks that live among the leaves and roots of the forest floor. Ranger Hayes will describe the many differences between amphibians and reptiles and the different habitats in which they live. Please wear appropriate attire, as your feet may get wet. This activity will begin at the park office and will take approximately two hours.
Beginning at 5 pm at the large picnic shelter located near the river, the Rangers will be hosting a Kid’s Fishing Tournament. This event will be open to children ages 0 through 15 years of age. There will be a “Small Fry” division for ages 0 through 6 and a “Junior” division for ages 7 through 15. This activity exposes children to the excitement of fishing and gets them involved in the great outdoors. There will be prizes awarded to the youngster who catches the biggest fish in each age category. Fishing rods and bait not provided. Please wear appropriate attire.
Nighttime in the outdoors is the perfect time to see certain animals because that is the only time they are active! Some of our favorite animals to find at night here at the park are owls. Starting at 7 pm Ranger Dwayne Martin and Ranger Alisha Hayes will be leading an Owl Prowl. We will meet at the Park Office and take about a two-mile hike through the park. Some of the owl species we could see are Barred Owls, Great-Horned Owls, and Eastern Screech Owls. Please bring flashlights and wear comfortable shoes.
Did you know there are over 1700 species of moths in North Carolina? Join volunteers Todd and Melody Gilbert and Ranger Lori Owenby at 7 pm for Moth Mania and a likelihood to see some of the beautiful species of moths we have here at the park. They will set up a sheet and backlight combination that will attract all kinds of night flying creatures. Some of the species we have a chance of seeing include Luna Moth, Tulip-Tree Silk Moth, and Io Moth. This event will be at the Education Building located in the upper parking lot.
Then join us as we polish off a perfect day by roasting marshmallows and making s’mores by a bonfire on the banks of the Catawba River at 8:30 pm. S’mores and marshmallow roasting sticks will be provided. Please bring a chair, bottled water, and be prepared to relax and enjoy the rest of the evening! Please contact Ranger Lori Owenby at lowenby@catawbacountync.gov or call 828-256-9157 to register for these special events.

Posted By lowenby on August 31, 2009

Bakers Mountain 10-Year Anniversary Celebration—Saturday, October 24th—3 pm
Join in on the last of our three-park celebration commemorating the Catawba County Parks Division 10-year anniversary by coming out to Bakers Mountain Park for an evening of family fun and stargazing! We will begin the evening at 3 pm with a History Hike lead by Ranger John Sutton. We will learn about both the geological history of the mountain as well as historical information on folks who called the mountain home and used its resources in the earlier part of the last century. This will be a moderate hike lasting about one and one half hours. Please wear comfortable shoes.

Ranger John Sutton will then head for the top of the mountain around 6 pm for a Night Hike in the forest. We will just make it to the observation platform in time to see the sunset and prepare ourselves for a breathtaking view of the surrounding valley! The best part is that the Catawba Valley Astronomy Club will be there with a telescope set up at the top for an even better view of the crisp October sky! We will then make our way back down the road in the darkness to listen for owls and look for any critters that may be moving about. Please wear comfortable shoes and bring a flashlight!

At 7 pm as darkness envelopes the surrounding forest, Rangers Frank Porch and Tabitha Hope will entertain us with ghost stories around the campfire! They will spin tales of spooky happenings that are sure to keep us on the edge of our seats and make chills run down our spines while we make s’mores by the fire. If the tales are too spooky you can head over to the telescopes that will be set up near the office to gaze at the heavens and learn more about the night sky from volunteers from the Catawba Valley Astronomy Club! Bring a chair and a flashlight. Contact Ranger John Sutton at jsutton@catawbcountync.gov or call 828-324-8461 to register for any of these special events.

Posted By lowenby on August 31, 2009

Fall Foliage Hike—Riverbend Park—Saturday, October 31st and Saturday, November 7th—10 am

Join us for a guided hike through the forest interior here at Riverbend Park during the peak of fall color! We will learn about different tree species as we make our way on a two and a half mile leisurely stroll through some of the least visited and most beautiful areas of the park. Red, burgundy, orange, yellow, gold, whichever color is your favorite fall color—we are sure to find it along the way! We will also take time to look at the many aster and goldenrod species that call the park home. Bring water for drinking, wear comfortable walking shoes, and do not forget your camera! Please contact Ranger Alisha Hayes at ahayes@catawbacountync.gov or call 828-256-9157 to register.

Posted By lowenby on August 31, 2009

Fall Foliage Hike–Bakers Mountain Park–Saturday, October 31, 2009 and Saturday, November 7, 2009–10 am
Sitting high above the Catawba Valley at 1780 feet, Bakers Mountain is simply THE best place to experience fall in our area! Filled with old growth Chestnut Oaks, Black Gums, and several species of Hickories that fill the air with shades of burgundy and gold, the trails remind you that you are in a very special place. The best part of which is reaching the observation platform at the top and seeing the breathtaking colors of the valley below. The view is simply out of this world! On clear days, you can see Grandfather Mountain in Watauga County and the Brushy Mountains in Alexander County from the observation platform. Bring water for drinking, wear comfortable walking shoes, and do not forget your camera! Please contact Ranger John Sutton at jsutton@catawbacountync.gov or call 828-324-8461 to register.

Posted By lowenby on August 31, 2009

Animal Tracks–Riverbend Park–Saturday, November 21–2 pm
Join Rangers Alisha Hayes and Lori Owenby as they discuss the many animals that call the park home. We will look at some cool animal related things that we have in our collection, see a few photos of some of the animals that have been spotted here, and then walk down the River Trail to see if we can observe any signs of the animals that we discussed earlier. We will look for tracks of one or more species so we can demonstrate how to make a mold of the impression for you to take home! Please wear comfortable shoes and bring water for drinking. Please contact Ranger Alisha Hayes at ahayes@catawbacountync.gov or call 828-256-9157 to register.

Posted By lowenby on August 31, 2009

Geology Hike–Bakers Mountain Park–Saturday, November 28–2 pm
Ever wondered how old Bakers Mountain is? Or why it sits alone as the highest point in Catawba County? Then come along as Ranger John Sutton explains the unique processes that occurred for this monadnock mountain to exist and discuss its similarities to other nearby mountain chains and why it is still unique in its own right. You will explore one of the largest veins of Mica in the area, learn how useful this sheet mineral was back in the early part of the last century, and look for many of the rocks and minerals that occur on the mountain. Wear comfortable shoes and bring bottled water. Please contact Ranger John Sutton at jsutton@catawbacountync.gov or call 828-324-8461 to register.