Seeds for a Song is Nov. 10

Now is a good time to be a Botetourt birdwatcher as birds are on the wing migrating. With leaf fall, they are  a bit easier to see perched on a tree branch. Many local residents  birdwatch and particularly along the Cherry Blossom Trail and pond over at Greenfield. One of the best bird watch events  promoting birds in the winter is coming up Nov. 10!

“SEEDS FOR A SONG”

It’s that time of year again—crisp fall air, blowing leaves, bright blue skies! While you are thinking about football games, members of the Roanoke Valley Bird Club are thinking about those birds that overwinter in this area and are making preparations to help them through the long, cold winter.

Each year, the RVBC holds a birdseed sale to raise funds to support the club’s efforts in wild bird conservation and its educational programs. This year, the sale will be held at Northwest True Value Hardware on Rt. 11 in the Hollins area (7650 Williamson Rd.) on Saturday, November 10, between the hours of 10:00 am and 1:00 pm. The club orders high quality seed containing little or no waste and offers it to the public at reasonable prices. The day of the sale, experienced bird watchers will be available at the hardware store to answer questions about bird species, how to attract them to your feeders and how to discourage predators.

In the warmer months, the bird club sponsors a Bluebird Monitoring Project along the Blue Ridge Parkway and at Botetourt Country Club and Hanging Rock Golf Course. Club members volunteer to check nest boxes to determine breeding success, taking turns checking the trails once a week from April to August. They also enjoy getting together to build bluebird boxes.

RVBC has been in existence since 1957 and has a large club membership. Their monthly meetings are held each second Monday at 7:00 pm, September through May, at the Grandin Court Baptist Church at 2660 Brambleton Avenue in Roanoke, Virginia. They organize a full schedule of birding field trips throughout the year. For further information on the bird seed sale and the club, please visit their website: http://roanokevalleybirdclub.com/ or contact RVBC President Elly Wefel at 540 977 0636.

–Submitted by Genevieve Goss