Birding for Wellbeing at Crowder County Park 2026.11.21

About this event

Mindful birding at Crowder County Park | a Birding for Wellbeing event Saturday, November 21, 2026, 8:15 – 10:30 a.m.

• Enjoy food and fellowship 8:15 - 8:40 a.m.

• Birding – 8:40 - 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.

Crowder County Park is a 33-acre park located in the Cary-Apex area in the southwest part of Wake County with a 0.8‑mile paved, accessible walking trail, wooded areas, interpretive exhibits, and a 2.7‑acre pond with boardwalk and observation decks.

Driving directions and logistics

• Park address is 4709 Ten Ten Rd, Apex, NC 27539 .

• The Park's gates open at 8:00 a.m.

• Enter the Park from Ten Ten Rd. Pass the Park Center at left. Turn Right into the large parking lot.

• Look for Birding for Wellbeing signs to guide your path to our picnic table gathering area at the Cardinal Shelter , down a short path at the right of the parking lot.

• Join Matt and Alexis at the tables.

What to expect / bring

• We’ll start by snacking on pastries (some gluten free) as we all greet and enjoy community with each other. 8:15 a.m. – 8:40 a.m. Bring your morning beverage of choice.

• During this time, we’ll assist anyone to borrow binoculars. Please arrive at 8:15 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 restrooms adjacent to the shelter and parking lot.

• Expect mostly flat, paved trails, with the possibility to step onto mulched surfaces or cross a wooden slate bridge.

• Anticipate dappled shade and areas of sun, so be prepared for both.

Your hosts

• Guiding this outing will be Matt Florez , a certified NC Environmental Educator and Outdoor Nature Instructor for the Town of Holly Springs. Matt's also a Wake Audubon board director.

• 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: Gratitude Gratitude invites us to recognize and appreciate the value in our experiences. Birding offers opportunities to connect with the natural world, from observing familiar species to discovering something unexpected.

• Practicing gratitude can support wellbeing by strengthening our sense of connection and encouraging appreciation of everyday experiences.

During this outing, we'll explore gratitude through mindful birding, considering questions such as:

• What do you appreciate about what you're observing today?

• What contributes toward what you're experiencing?

• What aspects of birding are you grateful to experience?

What bird species frequent the Park and trail? Check out Crowder County Park sightings on eBird ahead of us adding a checklist of our own. Crowder District Park, Wake, North Carolina, United States - eBird Hotspot

Questions ahead?

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

Birding for Wellbeing was co-founded by Wake Audubon board director and Inclusion and Belonging event lead Rick LaRose (he/him), And NAMI Wake County Executive Director Mark Simon .

• Rick serves to bring accessible and welcoming ways for everyone to enjoy birds and take part in nature, wherever they are in their life journeys.

• 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.

See Wake Audubon's Rick LaRose and NAMI Wake County's Mark Simon talk with ABC11 news anchor Amber Rupinta about Birding for Wellbeing in celebration of May Mental Health Awareness Month!

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.

From Wake Audubon Birding and Environmental Meetup