Birding for Wellbeing at Schenck Forest 2026.05.23
Details
Mindful birding at Schenck Forest
2026.05.23 | a Birding for Wellbeing event
Saturday, May 23, 2026, 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.
- Enjoy food and fellowship 8:30 - 9:00 a.m.
- Birding – 9:00 - 10:30 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.
Our Birding for Wellbeing outings center 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. With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, it’s a perfect time to do so.
Carl Alwin Schenck Memorial Forest is a 245-acre property located just 10 minutes from NC State’s main campus and about eight miles from downtown Raleigh.
- The forest is managed by the College of Natural Resources primarily as a teaching and research site for students to learn about forest management practices and its associated benefits.
- Schenck Forest also serves as a public recreation spot for walkers, joggers, and birders - no bikes.
- It's home to one of North Carolina’s most endangered tree species — the longleaf pine.
- This past weekend birders spotted Acadian Flycatcher, Great Crested Flycatcher, Louisiana Waterthrush, Northern Parula, Indigo Bunting, and Summer Tanager among other species.
Driving directions and logistics
- We have special permission for NC State's College of Natural Resources to use the Park shelter and drive into the park.
- From Reedy Creek Rd. turn on to State Farm Road. (Upon turning onto State Farm Rd, the campus of Bandwidth, Inc. will be on your left.
- See Birding for Wellbeing signs on the right flanking the gravel drive into the Forest.
- Drive through the gate approx. .2 mile. See a shelter on the right. Park in the unpaved lot on the right just past the shelter.
- Join Matt, Mark, Rick and Alexis at the shelter.
What to expect / bring
- We’ll start by snacking on pastries (some gluten free) as we all greet and enjoy community with each other. 8:30 a.m. – 9 a.m. Bring your morning beverage of choice.
- During this time, we’ll assist anyone to borrow binoculars. Please arrive at 8:30 to be provided a pair and receive personalized help to focus them for your eyesight. 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 and/or carry water with you on the outing.
- There are 2 portable restrooms on site.
- To note here, paths at Schenck are unpaved.
- The main drive/path is wide, and gravel. Slight decline into the park. Expect a dip here or there.
- Some interior paths are dirt, some wide, some narrower. Our suggestion would be to wear long pants just in case we take any. If we get rain the day or two before, choose your footwear accordingly too.
- Dappled shade, and areas of sun, so be prepared for both.
Your hosts
- Our guide will be Matt Florez, NC Environmental Educator, Outdoor Nature Instructor at Town of Holly Springs and Senior Program Assistant at Town of Cary; Matt's also a Wake Audubon board director.
- 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.
Today's practice: See Before Staring
- Soften focus.
- Use your peripheral vision.
- Notice movement on the edges of your field of view.
- This outing introduces the idea of soft gaze and peripheral vision - relaxing the eyes instead of locking onto one spot.
- By widening our visual field, we may notice movement, contrast, and patterns that are easy to miss when we’re staring intently. Softening our gaze can help reveal flickers in shrubs, birds in flight, and subtle changes in the environment.
- Prompted by Alexis, this outing will include short pauses to experiment with this way of seeing, alongside usual birding and identification.
- As always, participants are welcome to engage in whatever way feels right - listening, looking, identifying, or simply enjoying time in nature.
What bird species frequent the Park and trail?
Check out Schenck Forest sightings on eBird ahead of us adding a checklist of our own.
Schenck Forest, 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, May 23!
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.