Mindful birding at Bond Park 2026.03.21 | a Birding for Wellbeing event

Mindful birding at Bond Park 2026.03.21 | a Birding for Wellbeing event
Saturday, March 21, 2026, 8:30 – 11:00 a.m.

• Enjoy food and fellowship 8:30 – 9:00 a.m.
• Birding 9 – 11:00 a.m.
• All skill levels encouraged to come; borrow binoculars from us or bring your own.

Sponsors: Wake Audubon, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Wake County, and Town of Cary Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources.

Our new partnership with NAMI Wake County continues with our 2026 launch of Birding for Wellbeing – outings centered on mindful practices, with a slow pace to observe birds, relax in nature, and enjoy social connection in service to our physical and mental health.

Today's practice: Notice before naming

• This outing will gently invite participants to notice before naming: slowing down attention, and taking a moment to observe movement, sound, and behavior before rushing to label what we see.
• Identification is still welcome and encouraged - this is simply a chance to expand what we notice along the way.
• The outing will include a few brief pauses and prompts led by a facilitator, alongside our usual birding flow. Participation is always optional - move, observe, listen, or identify in whatever way feels best to you.

Your hosts

• Our guide will be NAMI Wake County Executive Director Mark Simon. An avid birder, Mark is grateful for how birding has served his own mental health and passionate about sharing this source of well-being with others.
• Wake Audubon board director and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging event lead Rick LaRose (he/him) serves to bring accessible and welcoming ways for everyone to enjoy birds and take part in nature, wherever they are in their life journeys.
• Licensed therapist and yoga teacher Alexis Schulman, LCMHC, began birding as a way to deepen her own mindfulness in nature and support her personal wellbeing. Through her work in mental health and mindfulness-based practices, Alexis has become interested in how slowing down our attention outdoors can support both observation and a calm mind. She developed the mindful birding framework for this series in collaboration with Wake Audubon and NAMI Wake County and will help guide these practices during the outings.

Driving directions and logistics

• We’re confirming exactly where we’ll begin this outing and where best to park and will post directions soon.

What to expect / bring

• Over a distance of 1 – 1.5 miles in 2 hours, we’ll amble through varied habitats of forest and fields, and visit the lake for a likely view of their resident Wood Ducks “Woody” and his mate. Our expected path will then take us along the lake, and back into the forest in search a pair of Great Horned Owls known to be nesting there.
• While the vast majority of this flat path is paved (sans a short section of packed dirt trail), we may step off to the side into dirt and leaves at times, or onto grassy fields, to give way to others and any cyclists sharing the path with us.
• We’ll start by breakfasting on delicious bakery pastries (some gluten free) as we all greet and enjoy community with each other 8:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.
• Bring your own breakfast beverage of choice if you’d like.
• During this time, we’ll assist anyone to borrow binoculars. If borrowing binoculars, please arrive at 8:20 to be provided a pair and receive personalized help to focus them for your eyesight, and then enjoy a pastry and greet other birders.
• There’s no requirement to use binoculars, yet, we’ll have plenty to borrow if you choose to do so and provide a safe space to learn.
• Bring your own filled water bottle if you intend to drink water. Water at fountains may still be turned off due to pending fear of late season freezes.
• Gendered restrooms are available. We’ll ask anyone needing to use them to please do so in time for our 9:00 a.m. birding start.

What bird species frequent the Park and trail?
Check out Bond Park sightings on ebird.org ahead of us adding a checklist of our own.
Bird List - Bond Park, Wake, North Carolina, United States - eBird Hotspot

Questions ahead?

• Email event manager Rick LaRose at rlarose.was@gmail.com.
• Text Rick on the day of the event with any questions at 919 609-7570.

We're looking forward to sharing community and birding together with you on Saturday, March 21!

Wake Audubon advocates birds, wildlife, nature, and environmental conservation with a commitment to providing activities where all can safely access and celebrate nature as their authentic selves.

NAMI Wake County is the local affiliate for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. We provide advocacy, education, support, and public awareness so that people affected by mental illness can build better lives.

Why partner together?
As more and more stressors impact our everyday lives, the toll on our mental health can be debilitating.
As remedy, birding, bird song, and time in nature are proven to ease stress, boost mood, promote community, and strengthen well-being. We’re a natural fit.