CNPA upcoming events

Charlotte: Chantilly Nature Preserve (May 09, 2026)

Sat, 09 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT

For our Charlotte Region's early May outing we are headed to the Chantilly Ecological Sanctuary, a hidden gem, not known to many, which is alongside Briar Creek in an otherwise urban area of Charlotte .

Because of weekday construction at the Sanctuary, we will NOW meet on SATURDAY morning, May 9, 2026, at 8:00 AM. Sun should still be low at that time.

Best parking is at: 2656 Laburnum Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205

Myrtle Beach: Port Royal Rookery with Myrtle Beach Region (May 12, 2026)

Tue, 12 May 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Overnight outing to Beaufort SC for the nesting birds with chicks in Port Royal Rookery. Must RSVP. A block of hotel rooms has been reserved. Get details by adding Myrtle Beach region to your CNPA subscription list.

Charlotte: Charlotte Region May All Zoom Monthly Meeting with Mark Belue (May 12, 2026)

Tue, 12 May 2026 23:00:00 GMT

This month's meeting will be all Zoom (no in person gathering for May), and feature one of the Charlotte Region's own members, Mark Belue, speaking to us, and answering questions, about turning your creative work into a possible money making opportunity. Mark has had success with taking his images and videos and then posting them up to websites, like Adobe's Stock while using tools like DaVinci Resolve to assist him in actually making some nice pocket money.

To explain some of how he accomplishes getting this done, Mark has created a nice YouTube video that you should watch before the meeting to get the most out of this discussion. Mark shows the workflow for preparing a video clip in DaVinci, exporting it properly and submitting it to Adobe. You can access it now at the link here: https://youtu.be/_2u6VhvxRUY?si=xZQK7QAC8QiKgLZP

The Zoom link for the meeting will be:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86317695847?pwd=M3jKlILGGaIHPMzCpJdHpuNHRJcY9a.1

Meeting ID: 863 1769 5847
Passcode: 769949

High Country: Bird Photography Outing (May 16, 2026)

Sat, 16 May 2026 11:00:00 GMT

The High Country Region is hosting a fun bird photography outing at Brookshire Park in Boone, NC.

While the park is modest in size at 8 acres, it is located alongside the South Fork of the New River and attracts an abundance of birds, especially along its riparian path and forest trail. Here's a helpful report from High Country Audubon listing some of the species often found there.

This outing will provide a timely follow up to pro shooter Ray Hennessy's presentation at our May 8 Zoom meeting titled, "Shooting Birds Small in Frame."

We'll plan to meet up at 7am in the main parking lot near the restrooms. For directions, check this Google Maps link.

Triangle: Flower Hill Nature Preserve (May 16, 2026)

Sat, 16 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

We will meet at noon at Rosa Kitchen (1185 East Finch Ave. D) in Middlesex. The Flower Hill Nature Preserve is a short drive away. The preserve is heavily wooded with steep hills. You should bring hiking boots or shoes and stay within your comfort zone. Enter at your own risk.

Most people drive by with a second thought. However, step inside and suddenly you're in another world. Steep drops, ravines, and mountain life thriving where it shouldn't. We are hoping to have the bloom of the Watauga rhododendrons my mid-May. This 10 acre preserve is a chuck of the Watagua County mountains deposited in Central NC by glacial activity.

Myrtle Beach: Myrtle Beach in person meeting (May 28, 2026)

Thu, 28 May 2026 13:30:00 GMT

CNPA member Kathy Stauss with Vision Art Gallery speaks on turning your photos into exhibited art. We encourage members to stay afterwards to socialize and enjoy a BBQ lunch.