Help spread some Christmas cheer to our feathered friends this holiday season during the "Christmas for the Birds" program Saturday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Town Creek Indian Mound will enable visitors to help feed the bird population by creating pine cone bird feeders using suet and bird seed.
These edible "orniments" can then be used to decorate the site's trees or taken home to be shared with your backyard birds. And for a fun, festive addition to the event, participants can also create clay ornaments to hang wherever they like!
In much of North America, winter is a difficult time for birds. Days are often windy and cold; nights are long and even colder. The lush, berry-laden vegetation of summer and fall has withered or been consumed, and most insects have died or become dormant.
A great substitute for insects during the winter is suet, or raw beef fat. This is one of the most popular bird foods because it's a quick source of heat and energy for birds.
"Suet feeders are great for any backyard birdwatcher because they will attract birds such as woodpeckers, wrens, cardinals, and many others," says Site Manager Rich Thompson.
This holiday event is free and open to the public. And for those feeling a little "peckish," warm refreshments will be available in the gift shop as you browse around for Christmas gift ideas. For more information, please contact the site at 910-439-6802 or by email at towncreek@ncdcr.gov.
For more than 1,000 years, American Indians farmed lands later known as North Carolina. Around A.D. 1000, a new cultural tradition arrived in the Pee Dee River Valley. Throughout Georgia, South Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and western and southern Piedmont North Carolina, inhabitants built earthen mounds for their leaders, engaged in widespread trade, supported craftspeople and celebrated a new religion.
The mission of Town Creek is to interpret the history of the American Indians who once lived here. The visitor center features interpretive exhibits and audiovisual displays. A national historic landmark, Town Creek Indian Mound State Historic Site is North Carolina's only state historic site dedicated to American Indian heritage. Tour groups are welcome and encouraged. The site is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. It is closed Mondays and most major holidays.
The historic site is within the Division of State Historic Sites in the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. It is located at 509 Town Creek Mound Road, Mount Gilead, N.C, 27306. For more information on Town Creek, visit www.towncreekindianmound.com.