A birds and beers day trip in the foothills of Western North Carolina!  Please be prepared to walk up to 2-3 miles on relatively flat trails.

Join Clifton Avery on a brand new Ventures tour to the foothills of western NC.  We will be birding along the shoreline of Lake James in Lake James State Park as well as at the farm of Fonta Flora Brewery.  We hope to find a wide diversity of birds on this trip in the middle of spring migration.  Waterfowl, warblers, and other passing migrants will be our focus.  If we have time, we may also head to the base of the Linville Gorge to pick up a few specialties including Prairie Warblers and Brown-headed Nuthatches.  

At this time of year there are many species possible that are not typically in play.  We will be birding a wide range of habitats and expect to end with a bird list for the day of over 70 species.  If you are looking to boost your Burke County list or explore around Lake James to get to know the area better this is a great trip for you. Clifton is originally from Burke County and knows the area well. 

To top off the day, we will finish at Fonta Flora Brewery, which is adjacent to Lake James State Park.  We will have a beer there (1 beer is included in the trip price) and perhaps learn a little more about this unique brewery that practices and prioritizes sustainability and biodiversity.