What we’re about
Welcome to Wake Audubon Society – where our love for nature meets a commitment to inclusion, and belonging and providing programs, outings and activities where all can safely access and celebrate nature as their authentic selves.
As a chapter of Audubon NC and the National Audubon Society, our 1,900-strong community in Wake, Johnston, Franklin, and Nash counties, North Carolina, is proud to lead education, conservation, and advocacy efforts to grow our region responsibly and with concern for the birds, wildlife and places we all live.
There is no requirement to join Wake Audubon Society in order to be a member of this Meetup. There is no fee for this Meetup. We encourage you to join Wake Audubon, however, as we depend on member fees to support our environmental projects.
This group enjoys local (and regional) outings to experience wildlife in the Raleigh, Wake County area of North Carolina. We focus on birding, and we enjoy teaching anyone who is new to birding. We welcome visitors to the area who want to attend our outings.
Wake Audubon hosts free, public, in-person educational programs that are generally held on the second Tuesday of each month, 7:30 p.m. in the NC Museum of Natural Sciences Nature Research Center, 121 W Jones St. Raleigh, NC, 4th floor meeting room. Most of these programs can also be viewed virtually via Zoom. See the topic, and confirm the location and Zoom link for each program in our Meetup or calendar posts.
We also volunteer for various events, including river cleanups, invasive species removal, nestbox maintenance, helping with events at various parks and museums, and community science projects such the Christmas Bird Count and Great Backyard Bird Count.
Thanks for your interest in Wake Audubon. Come, join us!
Our mission statement: "To foster knowledge, appreciation, and enjoyment of nature; to encourage responsible environmental stewardship; to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats, for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity."
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- LGBTQ+ and allies: Let’s Go Birding Together at Green Hills and Abbotts CreekGreen Hills County Park , Raleigh, NC
LGBTQ+ and allies: Let’s Go Birding Together at Abbotts Creek Greenway Trail via Green Hills County Park
Saturday, June 28, 8:15 - 10:30 a.m. (arrive at 8:05 if borrowing binoculars)
RSVP to this event here on Meetup. Or off-Meetup via this form if you prefer to keep your RSVP private.Sponsors: Wake Audubon, in partnership with The LGBT Center of Raleigh and Field Inclusive Inc.
Let’s welcome summer with another affirming and inclusive bird outing. We welcome the LGBTQ+ community, allies, families, and anyone who wants to enjoy an outdoor experience that is inclusive. Why? Because the outdoors has not always been a welcoming place for persons who identify as LGBTQ+. Wake Audubon, The LGBT Center of Raleigh, and Field Inclusive seek to help change that.
The pace of this outing will be specifically geared towards building our beginner birding skills; birders of all talents are welcome.
Starting from sunny Green Hills County Park we'll traverse a paved trail to get to Abbotts Creek Greenway Trail. Abbotts Creek Greenway is a lovely boardwalk and paved trail through a mostly shady woodland, then a marsh with (hopefully) red-headed woodpeckers and lots of easy to see birds. Total length is a tad over 2 miles depending on our pace.
Green Hills has plenty of parking, and restrooms at the playground parking where we'll meet, and meadow birds like hawks and Indigo Bunting.
After the outing, those with stamina can take the 1/4-mile steep Green Hills County Park trail up the hilltop, where the 360-degree view includes the downtown Raleigh and North Hills skylines!
Driving directions:
Meet at Green Hills County Park playground, 9300 Deponie Dr. Raleigh, NC 27614.
Allow 5 extra minutes to circle the long park drive to reach the parking lot adjacent to the restrooms, playground, and covered seating.
Look for Erla and Rick in this lot, with back hatches to our cars open.Borrow binoculars from us or bring your own.
If borrowing binoculars, please arrive to the parking lot at 8:05 to be provided a pair and receive personalized help to focus them for your eyesight. The gate into Green Hills opens at 8 a.m.There are two gendered restrooms and drinking water. Please bring your own refillable water bottle. We'll bring plenty of snacks to share.
What bird species frequent the Park and Trail? Check out Green Hills County Park and Abbotts Creek Greenway Trail sightings on ebird.org ahead of us adding a checklist of our own.
Green hills to Abbotts: https://ebird.org/checklist/S37111847
Abbotts: https://ebird.org/checklist/S37111996Our leader is Lynn Erla Beegle (she/her), 919-673-6136, with co-leaders along to help with optics and bird sightings. Reach Erla with any day-of-event questions.
Questions ahead? Reach host and Wake Audubon board member and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging co-chair Rick LaRose (he/him) at rlarose.was@gmail.com.
We’re looking forward to birding together with you on June 28!
Wake Audubon advocates wildlife, nature and environmental conservation with a commitment to providing activities where all can safely access and celebrate nature as their authentic selves.
The LGBT Center of Raleigh envisions an inclusive world where LGBTQ+ people are thriving, equal, and valued members of society.
Field Inclusive, Inc. amplifies and supports marginalized and historically excluded field biologists and envisions a world in which the outdoors feels safe and welcoming regardless of personal identity. - Hilltop-Needmore Park (North), 2025-06-28Hilltop Needmore Town Park & Preserve, Fuquay-Varina, NC
Hilltop-Needmore Park (North)
Saturday, JUNE 28, 2025
Time: 8:30 to 10:30 am
4621 Shady Greens Drive, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526
Leaders: Kyra Bartow (leaders also include Larry Zoller and David Southwick)
Free Bird Outing with Wake AudubonJoin us for a Wake Audubon bird outing at Hilltop-Needmore Park on the fourth Saturday of most months (check here for updates). You can RSVP after the Wake Audubon newsletter publishes on JUNE 1.
We will meet at the lower end of the old Club House parking lot. Look for a "Bird Walk Here" sign. We will start promptly at 8:30 am regardless of the weather and should finish by 10:30 am.
Dress for the weather and be prepared to walk paved trails and occasionally on wet grassy fairways. There is some elevation change but we will not be moving quickly as we stop frequently for birds. No birding experience is necessary. Bring your binoculars and a bird guide if you have one. The walk is not recommended for children under 6. Please leave your pets at home.
Ebird hotspot site: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L16295752
The hotspot has over 115 birds observed!Let's Go Birding!
The Leader will make and share an ebird list and share it with your ebird account. Individual lists are discouraged because they duplicate the data, but you can edit your list once it's shared to you. - Early Bird at Durant Nature Preserve, (Register offsite) 2025-07-05Durant Nature Preserve, Raleigh, NC
Early Bird at Durant Nature Preserve (registration required off Meetup)
Saturday, July 5, 2025, 8 am - 9:30 am
Register Off-site only: Requires a login and password:
Register Off-site only: Requires a login and password:
Login FIRST at Raleigh Parks LoginTHEN register for this free event at:
https://ncraleighweb.myvscloud.com/webtrac/web/iteminfo.html?Module=AR&FMID=328002355
(The link won't work unless you are already logged in)
Workshop code is 'DUNPEARLYBIRD"Grab your binoculars and meet us at beautiful Durant Nature Preserve (8305 Camp Durant Rd · Raleigh, NC) for a bird-watching hike led by Wake Audubon guest naturalist, Lynn Erla Beegle. Spend your morning watching and learning about birds that prefer meadows and forest edges on this approximately 1.5 mile hike. For beginning and advanced birders. Bring your binoculars, or borrow a pair of ours. Pre-registration is required. Limited to City of Raleigh residents.
Meet in the NORTH parking lot at Durant Nature Preserve 8305 Camp Durant Road, Raleigh (note there is also a south parking lot off of Gresham Lake Road, but you cannot drive from one lot to the other).
Not open
