Blue Ridge Electric

Paying your Blue Ridge Electric

bill online saves you time and

money. It's a great way to

simplify

bill paying. Bank Draft is

another way to simplify the bill

paying process.

www.blueridgeemc.com

Coldwell Banker Blair &

Associates, Your High Country

Real Estate Connection

Almost everything you need to

know about buying or selling a

home can be found on our web

site, along with our listings.

We know our market, let us put

our experience and resources

to work for you!

Fresh Start

Counseling Center

Quality, Affordable Counseling

 

 Offering a personalized

approach tailored to the

individual client's needs.

 

We work with a wide range of

behavioral & emotional issues...

depression, adolescent &

couples counseling, family

relationships, stress management,

physical & sexual abuse &

much more.

 

Call 828.413.2932 or

click here to visit our website

 

 

 THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN! 

 LET ME HELP YOU GET MAX

RESULTS AT MIN EXPENSE.

 BUSINESS AND PERSONALTAX

PREP, E-FILE, DIRECT DEPOSIT

QUICKBOOKS CONSULTATION

 AND BOOKKEEPING.

CALL JANET NORRIS CPA

828-264-1067

 

The Walker Center presents

FIREFALL

known for such hits as

"You Are the Woman",

"Cinderella" and "Just Remember

I Love You", Firefall will perform

Friday, February 17 at 8:00 p.m.

http://www.walkercenteronline.org

 or call 336-838-6260

for tickets.


Life Outdoors
Preserving the High CountryBirdingTake it OutsideFarmers MarketHigh Country WaterfallsBrenda's Bloomin WildflowersDan's Starry SkiesHealth and FitnessIdeas?Life Outdoors Setup
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January Highlights
by Curtis Smalling

Latest Update: January 22, 2012


Wild Turkeys are very visible in fields right now. Photo by Steven Bullock
January is usually a very slow birding month in the High Country. This year is no exception, but all hope is not lost! The nice thing about living in an area of the state with little bird activity is that we tend to be thankful for the little gifts that we sometimes get, even with common species.

The past few days a huge flock of Wild Turkeys have been in the bottom below Meat Camp Baptist Church. They really are beautiful birds and so amazing that they are so big!! Then last night I had a nice little Eastern Screech Owl calling at the house. Then just today, a really big Raven was in the road eating a rabbit carcass and it stayed in the road until the last possible minute then looked so big and amazing blue-black as he wheeled up in front of the car. Just gorgeous.

But a lot of birders do like the rarities and we have a couple just off the mountains. Dwayne Martin found a Ross' Goose and a Greater White-fronted Goose. There are also some Rufous Hummingbirds still around in the foothills. And now that February is coming, early returnees will be showing up like big flocks of blackbirds and grackles, migrant waterfowl, and sparrows moving through in March. So enjoy these days and look for the passing flock of chickadees, or a Pileated Woodpecker.

For more information on birds in the High Country call the Watauga Birding Hotline at 828-265-0198. Also visit www.ncaudubon.org, www.carolinabirdclub.org, Visit the Audubon North Carolina blog at http://ncaudubonblog.org/blog/


You can always count on Song Sparrows to brighten a winter day. Photo by Don Mullaney


Keep your eyes open for Fox Sparrows. Photo by Amy Cook


Eastern Bluebirds are checking out homes now. Photo by Don Mullaney