News & Observer Birdhouse Competition at the JC Raulston Arboretum
Sponsored by the News and Observer, Wake Audubon, Pennington Seed, and the JCRA
- Thursday, March 20, 2008 – 7:30 pm–9:00 pm
– FOA Lecture
- Friday, March 21, 2008 – 7:30 am–6:00 pm
– Entries Accepted
- Saturday, March 22, 2008 – 10:00 am–5:00 pm
– Show
- Sunday, March 23, 2008 – 12:00 pm–5:00 pm
– Show
It's that time of year again! The Great News and Observer Birdhouse Competition returns to the JC Raulston Arboretum with events scheduled March 20 through March 23. If making birdhouses is not your thing, then looking at them should be. The creations range from barrels of laughs to studies in craftsmanship and beauty. Pack up the whole brood and join the fun. A schedule of events follows:
Schedule of Events
March 20, 2008 (Thursday)
7:30 PM – Friends of the Arboretum Lecture – "Dead Wood is Good: How to Attract Cavity Nesting Birds to Your Yard" presented by Becky Browning, Wake Audubon
March 21, 2008 (Friday)
7:30 AM-6:00 PM – Registration of entries. No birdhouse entries will be accepted after 6:00 PM.
6:30 PM-9:30 PM – Judging begins promptly and should take one to three hours to complete.
March 22, 2008 (Saturday)
10:00 AM-5:00 PM – Entries on display. Winners will be announced upon completion of judging and in the News and Observer.
11:00 AM – Tour of the JCRA highlighting plants that attract birds.
2:00 PM – Tour of the JCRA highlighting plants that attract birds.
March 23, 2008 (Sunday)
12:00 PM-5:00 PM – Entries on display.
2:00 PM – Tour of the JCRA.
5:00 PM-6:00 PM – Entries may be picked up.
March 24, 2008 (Monday)
Entries may be picked up between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM on Monday. Entries not removed by 6:00 PM will become the property of the JCRA.
Birdhouse Competition Specifics
Categories
Adult (Ages 15 and above)
- Professional Serious
- Flight of Fancy
Children
- Ages 4-7
- Ages 8-11
- Ages 12-14
North Carolina Heritage Best-of-theme Award
Two best-of-theme awards will be given to the entries that best display North Carolina's rich heritage (one per all adults and one per all children). This is not a separate category. All birdhouses entered will be considered for this award.
Prizes
TBA
Judges
John Dole, Department of Horticultural Science, NC State University – adult categories
Liz Driscoll, 4-H, Department of Horticultural Science, NC State University – children categories
Beth Jimenez, Lasting Impressions and JCRA Volunteer – adult categories
Carol Norden, Junior Master Gardener Program, Wake County Extension – children categories
Kathleen Thompson, Flower I and JCRA Volunteer – adult categories
Carolyn E. Wilson – Orange County Schools – children categories
Competition Guidelines
Professional (for those making and selling bird houses as a hobby or for a living)
Entries will be judged on:
- Craftsmanship
- Functionality for humans and birds
- Mountability, ability to be raised or lowered, type of material, ability to be cleaned out, hole, roof, chamber (hole diameter, depth)
- Aesthetics
Adult Serious
Entries will be judged on:
- Craftsmanship
- Functionality for humans and birds
- Mountability, ability to be raised or lowered, type of material, ability to be cleaned out, hole, roof, chamber (hole diameter, depth)
- Aesthetics
Flight of Fancy
Entries will be judged on:
- Aesthetics
- Craftsmanship
- Functionality (for birds)
- Hole, roof, chamber
Imaginative theme or concept and exceptional use of form, texture, and/or color, composition, and execution
Children (Ages 4-14)
Entries will be judged on:
- Aesthetics
- Imaginative theme or concept; use of form, texture and/or color
- Craftsmanship
- Functionality (for birds)
North Carolina Heritage - Best-of-theme Award
Best-of-theme awards will be judged on:
- Aesthetics
- Imaginative theme or concept, form, texture, and/or color, composition, and execution
- Craftsmanship
- Functionality (for birds) hole, roof, chamber
All entries should be portable (by one person).
All entries should be able to stand alone when placed upon a display table. As much as possible, children's entries should be prepared by the entrant.
Entry Forms
If you are planning on entering a birdhouse in the show, please consider filling out an entry forms (removed from site) prior to dropping off your birdhouse. Please fill out the form complete. Both sections in the individual forms are needed.
Friends of the Arboretum Lecture Specifics
"Dead Wood is Good: How to Attract Cavity Nesting Birds to Your Yard"
Becky Desjardins, Wake Audubon
Tour Specifics
Tour will highlight feather friendly plants. Tours will run for approximately 45 minutes and will be led by JCRA volunteers.
Bluebird Film and Informational Booth
March 22, 2008 – 10:00 AM-3:00 PM
March 23, 2008 – 1:00 PM-5:00 PM
Bill Satterwhite, JCRA volunteer and long-time member of the North Carolina Bluebird Society, will present a film on bluebirds and share information about the birds. Bill maintains a trail of approximately 65-70 bluebird houses in Raleigh including the bluebird houses at the JCRA. He was one of the 2003 recipients of the Annual Bluebird Conservation Award. Video showing bluebird houses, nests being built, birds hatching, etc. will be shown.
Wake Audubon Informational Booth
March 22, 2008 – 10:00 AM-5:00 PM
March 23, 2008 – 12:00 PM-5:00 PM
Join Wake Audubon, winners of the 2007 Governor's Award for Conservation Organization of the Year, as they discuss their "Bird of the Year," the prothonotary warbler at their information booth. They'll also have T-shirts available.
- Cost
- Free.
- Registration
- Advance registration is not available.
- Location
- Ruby C. McSwain Education Center at the JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University, 4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, North Carolian. Tours begin at the entrance to the Ruby C. McSwain Education Center at the JC Raulston Arboretum.
- Directions
- Need directions? Click here.
- Parking
- Free parking is available at the JC Raulston Arboretum and along Beryl Road.
- Questions
- Please call (919) 513-7005 for more information about this event.