Explore underbirded Stanly County with us as we focus on Morrow Mountain State Park and other local hotspots. The state park is home to the tallest mountain in the ancient Uwharrie mountain chain, Morrow Mountain. We'll focus mostly on birding the state park, exploring a few trails and looking for woodland and lowland species such as Prothonotary Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Wood Thrush, and Yellow-throated Warblers. Red-headed Woodpeckers are abundant and we can hopefully expect a good variety of migrants.

We will start the day at City Lake Park, a small park in Albemarle, and briefly check the lake that could hold some lingering waterfowl or shorebirds, such as Spotted or Solitary Sandpipers. We will then head over to Morrow Mountain State Park and start at the river, where we may check out part of the Three Rivers Trail or the Fall Mountain Trail. Depending on weather, we may opt to check out some other trails, as these can get quite muddy. We can then break for lunch at one of the many picnic sites the state park has to offer. Depending on the time and birds we've seen, we may explore other trails, or leave the park and check a few viewing locations for Badin Lake or Lake Tillery, (10 minutes and 20 minutes away, respectively). Of course, we will not leave the park before enjoying the scenic vista at the top of Morrow Mountain, but we may not spend much time birding here if it is busy. In addition to birds, there is much to be learned about the geologic history and archaeology of the Uwharries!

We will be doing a fair amount of hiking on uneven and inclined surfaces, so please wear sturdy shoes!

We look forward to you joining us on what should be a wonderful day exploring this part of the Uwharries!