Secrets of the Scarlet Tanager: Birding in the Blue Ridge Highlands
Program Number:
2043RJ
Start and End Dates:
5/12/2013 - 5/17/2013
;
Duration:
5 nights
Location:
Pembroke, Virginia
Price starting at:
$599.00 -
Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type:
Birding; Natural History
Meals:
15; 5 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 5 Dinners
Meal Options:
Gluten Free; Low Fat; Vegetarian; Low Salt
Enjoy and embrace an active week exploring sight and sound identification, learning how to read songbird habitat, and predicting species presence. Develop new skills and sharpen old ones through background sessions and active field experiences. Fundamentals for the beginning birder and intermediate challenges for avid avian enthusiasts make this an exciting birding experience. All levels are welcome at Mountain Lake — one of the best birding areas in all of Virginia.
Highlights
• Learn about recent field research during a field trip to the Mountain Lake Biological Station.
• Add to your birding life list during early morning and afternoon bird walks.
• Take in informative presentations on migrations, bird songs and colors, and species such as hummingbirds and warblers.
Activity Particulars
Elevations of 4000 feet. Daily birding walks on well-groomed trails.
Date Specific Information
5-12-2013
The 6th Annual BrewRidge Festival will be held at Mountain Lake on Saturday, May 4th. Featuring performances by local, bluegrass musicians and tastings from an array of Virginia craft breweries.
Enjoy the latest in hearing technology — listening devices — on this date.
Coordinated by The Mountain Lake Conservancy.
Pembroke
Situated at an elevation of 4,000 feet in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, Pembroke encompasses 2,600 peaceful wooded acres that surround the only natural lake in the region, which is also home to rural Appalachian culture and traditions.
Accommodations
Resort accommodations in cottages or historic hotel overlooking the highest natural lake east of the Mississippi River and sitting on 2,600 acres of unspoiled wilderness; famous as the site in the movie "Dirty Dancing."
Meals and Lodgings
Mountain Lake Lodge
Pembroke, VA
5 nights
Mountain Lake Lodge
Type:
Lodge
Description:
Unique Features of the Mountain Lake Hotel: A grand old stone hotel (site of the filming of "Dirty Dancing") overlooking the highest natural lake East of the Mississippi River and sitting on 2600 acres of unspoiled wilderness at more than 4,000 feet above sea level. Please visit our website at www.mountainlakehotel.com
Contact info:
115 Hotel Circle
Pembroke, VA 24136 USA
phone: 540-626-7121
web:
www.MountainLakeHotel.com
Room amenities:
Private bathroom, coffee, coffee machine. The rooms are not equipped with hairdryers but you can obtain one from the Front Desk. Our buildings are not air conditioned as this is not necessary with the elevation and cooler temperatures. Rooms are equipped with ceiling fans and additional window fan units.
Facility amenities:
New Harvest Restaurant; Lounge area & public computers with access to internet; Mary's Barn (billiards, ping pong, foosball, arcade games); Outdoor swimming pool (seasonal) & snack bar; Tennis court; lawn games (volleyball, badminton, tether ball, croquet, oversize lawn chess/checkers); 22 miles of multi-use trails; canoing & kayaking, fishing, water-dependent; artisan and gift shop, retail and outfitter shop, and Mountain Lake Conservancy Visitor Center.
Smoking allowed:
No
Additional nights prior:
Begin at $99 Price may vary with season and holidays.
Check in time:
4:00 PM
Additional nights after:
Begin at $99 Price may vary with season and holidays.
Check out time:
11:00 AM
Travel Details
Start of Program:
Check in at Conservancy between 4 and 5 p.m. You will be staying at
Mountain Lake Lodge
that night.
End of Program:
Program ends on Friday after a 12pm lunch. You will be staying at
Mountain Lake Lodge
the night before.
Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required.
Parking availability:
Mt. Lake Hotel is on private property and adequate, free parking is available to all guests.
Transportation
To Start of Program
Location:
Pembroke, VA
Nearest city or town:
Pembroke, VA
Nearest highway:
Rt. 460
Nearest airport:
Roanoke Regional
From End of Program
Location:
Pembroke, VA
(
Additional transportation information same as above
)
Travel Details
Mountain Lake, Pembroke, VA
From Airport
Service:
Hotel Shuttle
Mountain Lake Lodge Shuttle
phone: 540-626-7121
Advanced Reservations Required
Per Person/One Way:
$75.00
Prices are subject to change.
Travel Time:
1 hour
Distance:
56 miles
MUST RESERVE THROUGH MTN LAKE AT LEAST ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE. Only one departure from the airport to the hotel. Shuttle will pick-up at Roanoke Regional Airport at 1:30pm to depart no later than 2:00pm. Shuttle will arrive at the Mountain Lake Conservancy & Hotel by 3:15pm.
Mountain Lake, Pembroke, VA
To Airport
Service:
Hotel Shuttle
Mountain Lake Lodge Shuttle
phone: 540-626-7121
Advanced Reservations Required
Per Person/One Way:
$75.00
Prices are subject to change.
Travel Time:
1 hour
Distance:
56 miles
MUST RESERVE THROUGH MTN LAKE AT LEAST ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE. Only one departure from the hotel to the airport. Shuttle will depart the Mountain Lake Conservancy & Hotel after lunch and check-out at 1:00pm and will arrive at the Roanoke Regional Airport at approximately 2:15pm. Please allow ample time before your departure flight in case of traffic delays.
Mountain Lake, VA
To Airport
Service:
Taxi
Roanoke Airport Transportation Service
phone: 800-288-1958
Advanced Reservations Required
Per Person/One Way:
$109.00
Prices are subject to change.
Travel Time:
1.5 hours
Distance:
56 miles
Roanoke, VA
From Airport
Service:
Taxi
Roanoke Airport Transportation Service
phone: 800-288-1958
Advanced Reservations Required
Per Person/One Way:
$109.00
Prices are subject to change.
Travel Time:
1.5 hours
Distance:
56 miles
Driving Directions
From I-77
Take US 460 East at Princeton to left on Route 700 (Mountain Lake Road). Follow Route 700 for seven miles up the mountain to Mountain Lake
From I-81
Take exit 118B, Christiansburg. Follow US 460 West, including bypass around Blacksburg to right on Route 700 (Mountain Lake Road). Follow Route 700 for seven miles up the mountain to Mountain Lake.
Elevation Note:
The Mountain Lake Conservancy is located at 3800 feet in the Appalachian Mountains.
Equipment Requirements:
Sturdy walking shoes are recommended for walks around the property. The weather can be unpredictable, so a raincoat is also recommended. Nights can be cooler than the surrounding valleys.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.
Daily Schedule
Day 1:
Orientation
(Sunday, May 12)
Afternoon:
Check-in 4:00 to 5:00pm Mixer (wine & cheese) 5:00 to 6:00
Dinner:
Dinner 6:15 to 7:30
Evening:
Orientation session 7:30 to 8:30
Accommodations:
Mountain Lake Lodge
Meals Included:
Dinner
Day 2:
Morning Bird Walk/What is a Bird: Parts, Parts and More Parts/"Those Extraordinary Birds"
(Monday, May 13)
Breakfast:
Breakfast available from 7:30 - 9:00
Morning:
7:00 - 8:00 Early morning bird walk (optional) 9:00 - 11:30 Morning session on Optics and Bird Identification. Coffee break midway.
Lunch:
Lunch session from 12:00 - 1:00
Afternoon:
Colors and Birds The Wonderful World of Warblers Coffee break midway.
Dinner:
Dinner session from 6:15 - 7:30
Evening:
7:30 pm Movie: "Those Extraordinary Birds"
Accommodations:
Mountain Lake Lodge
Meals Included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3:
Bird Walk/Gone With the Wind: Bird Migration/Winged Migration: How they did it!
(Tuesday, May 14)
Breakfast:
Breakfast available from 7:30 - 9:00
Morning:
7:00 - 8:00 Early morning bird walk. 9:00 - 11:30 Learning Bird Songs and Bird Watchers Wisdom Buffet
Lunch:
Lunch session from 12:00 - 1:00
Afternoon:
1:30 - 4:30 Bird Migration Coffee break midway. Afternoon Bird walk.
Dinner:
Dinner session from 6:15- 7:30
Evening:
7:30 pm Presentation: "Winged Migration - How they did it!"
Accommodations:
Mountain Lake Lodge
Meals Included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4:
Bird Walk/Eastern Shore Experience
(Wednesday, May 15)
Breakfast:
Breakfast available from 7:30 - 9:00
Morning:
7:00 - 8:00 Early morning bird walk. 9:00 - 11:30 Field trip to the Mountain Lake Biological Station.
Lunch:
Lunch session from 12:00 - 1:00
Afternoon:
Afternoon "off" from classes. Participants may choose from a variety of activites available locally.
Dinner:
Dinner session from 6:00 - 7:00
Evening:
7:30 pm Presentation: "The Eastern Shore Experience"
Accommodations:
Mountain Lake Lodge
Meals Included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5:
Hummingbirds & Birds of Mountain Lake/Secrets of Tropical Birds/"Songs of the Night"
(Thursday, May 16)
Breakfast:
Breakfast available from 7:30 - 9:00
Morning:
7:00 - 8:00 Early morning bird walk. 9:00 - 11:30 Hummingbirds & Birds of Mountain Lake Coffee break midway
Lunch:
Lunch session from 12:00 - 1:00
Afternoon:
1:30 - 4:30 Lessons from the Birds and Secrets of Tropical Birds Coffee break midway Afternoon bird walk.
Dinner:
Dinner session from 6:15 - 7:30 pm
Evening:
7:30 pm Presentation: Experience "Songs of the Night"
Accommodations:
Mountain Lake Lodge
Meals Included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6:
7:00 - 8:00 Early morning bird walk. 9:00 - 10:30 Gifts to our Grandchildren and Graduation
(Friday, May 17)
Breakfast:
Breakfast available from 7:30 - 9:00
Morning:
7:00 - 8:00 Early morning bird walk. 9:00 - 10:30 Gifts to our grandchildren.
Lunch:
Lunch session from 12:00 - 1:00 pm
Afternoon:
Program ends at noon after lunch.
Meals Included:
Breakfast, Lunch
Important information about your itinerary:
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.
You can't find a better value than Road Scholar.
As a not-for-profit organization, we are dedicated to providing all-inclusive educational programs at great value. From lectures to gratuities to field trips to accommodations - the tuition you pay up front is all that you pay.
Specifically, this program includes:
5 nights accommodations
15 meals: 5 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners
Expert-led lectures: 9
Expert-led lectures
Led by one or more of our world-class instructors, typically in a classroom setting, lectures come in the form of presentations, discussions or workshops and offer expert insight into your area of study.
Field trips: 7
Field trips
The world is your classroom, as you're on location with an instructor to pursue your educational theme firsthand.
Hands-on experiences: 1
Hands-on experiences
Learn by doing in these "hands-on" activities directed by an expert.
Plus these special experiences...
Venture to the Mountain Lake Biological Station to learn about recent field research and explore a rare native wildflower garden.
Enhance your life birding list during early morning and afternoon bird walks.
Engage in informative presentations on migrations, bird songs and colors, and species such as hummingbirds and warblers.
Experience birding in this unique spring migration flyway atop Salt Pond Mountain at 4,000 feet in elevation.
View the Daily Schedule to see more
And included with all Road Scholar programs:
Learning led by expert instructors who are authorities in the field of study.
An experienced Group Leader attuned to the needs of Road Scholar participants.
Customary gratuities throughout the program that you would normally pay yourself.
The Road Scholar Travel Assistance Plan, providing 24-hour-a-day emergency assistance coverage.
Taxes
© Road Scholar 2013
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Call toll-free: 1-800-454-5768