By Audubon North Carolina intern Daija Graves

Audubon North Carolina Summit 2020 will be a fun-filled weekend in Charlotte, aka the Queen City. The theme will play on that nickname, as Audubon members descend on Charlotte to “Bird Like Royalty in the Queen City.” Mecklenburg Audubon Society will host Audubon NC Summit 2020, and share awesome urban birding experiences. Among the birds that attendees can expect to see are Black-throated Blue Warblers, Gray-cheeked Thrushes, and many more!

Mecklenburg Audubon Society board members Christine McCluskey and Malia Kline came up with the catchy theme. "Christine and I both wanted to incorporate the Queen City’s royal nickname and also celebrate birds with ‘king’ or ‘crowned’ in their names,” Kline said.

• Date: April 17-19, 2020.
• Location/Lodging: Hilton Charlotte University Place Hotel, more details regarding booking are coming soon.
• Registration: Online registration will open in January 2020.

Field Trips:

As a participant of the Audubon North Carolina 2020 Summit hosted by the Mecklenburg Audubon Society, you’re invited to join us in birding through the Queen City and surrounding areas on exciting field trips. For example, you can ride Charlotte’s new LYNX Light Rail to go birding in Latta Park in the Dilworth area. Dozens of warbler species have been recorded in this community park surrounded by historic homes in Charlotte’s original “Street Car Suburb.” Latta Park has its own resident Barred Owl and Red-shouldered Hawk families.

After an action-packed morning of birding, participants can enjoy lunch in some of the best restaurants in the Queen City, such as Copper, Sunflour Bakery, Big Ben Pub, and Price’s Chicken Coop. Another exciting outing will be a trip to Freedom Park with a stroll around the park’s lake, through woods and along trails beside Sugar Creek. This trip will include a visit to nearby Wing Haven Garden & Bird Sanctuary in the classic Charlotte neighborhood of Myers Park. Attendees can end the weekend of fun at Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge protects special bottomland hardwood forest along Brown Creek. 

A number of fun field trips will be geared to non-birders, including an outing to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Botanical Gardens. UNC-Charlotte Botanical Gardens includes two gardens: The Susie Harwood Garden and Van Landingham Glen. The glen is a woodland garden similar to the Appalachian Mountains with hemlocks and rhododendrons. NoDa Arts District offers another fun excursion for those not married to their binoculars. The NoDa area is the city’s destination for art and entertainment. Attendees can also visit the NASCAR Hall of Fame, an interactive entertainment attraction that honors the history and culture of NASCAR in Uptown Charlotte. The trips are ranked according to ease and length of walking.

Join the fun as Audubon NC Summit 2020 rules the Queen City for a weekend of fun field trips you won't want to miss. Mark your calendar and stay tuned for more information regarding this exciting weekend.