Please join us on October 27 at 2:00 p.m. for an easy stroll along a flat, gravel-lined path in the Starmount/Hamilton Lakes neighborhood. The path meanders next to a small stream among a diverse deciduous tree canopy, including shagbark hickory, tulip poplar, pines, and pawpaw—the only host plant for zebra swallowtail butterflies. It is a beautiful trail to walk during autumn. Many year-round and migratory birds visit and nest in this area, including crows, woodpeckers (including pileated), owls, warblers, and in summer, purple martins.

In fall, we can expect to see some of our winter bird residents, including white-throated sparrows, yellow-rumped warblers, ruby and golden-crowned kinglets, and juncos. We will also take note of the different trees and plants we see along the way. Total walking distance, if we include a stop at the lake—which can often be a great spot to watch hawks as well as wintering ducks, is between 1-2 miles.

To park, there is a small gravel/dirt parking lot along Starmount Drive. The address for your GPS is 4301 Starmount Dr., GSO, 27407. If driving from Holden Rd., you can take Madison or Starmount to get to the parking lot. We will meet by the large trail/info sign. There are no restroom facilities.

Contact trip co-leader Sharon Daugherty at sharona_974@yahoo.com with any questions. Bring your water and binocs, and perhaps a camera. It will be a fun, slow-paced walk; we hope to see you there. All are welcome!

Photo of Hamilton Lakes Trail by Sharon Daugherty