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- Hilltop-Needmore Park (North), 2025-08-23Hilltop Needmore Town Park & Preserve, Fuquay-Varina, NC
Hilltop-Needmore Park (North)
Saturday, AUGUST 23, 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 AUGUST 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 120 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 Birders at Prairie Ridge (NO LEADER, 2025-08-29)Prairie Ridge Ecostation, Raleigh, NC
Early Birders at Prairie Ridge (NO LEADER, 2025-08-29, 6:30 AM or later)
Early Birders welcome at Prairie Ridge Ecostation on:
Friday, AUGUST 29, 2025, 6:30 AM or any time thereafter!
Leader: NONE. Bird on your own or with people you meet.
Address: 1671 Gold Star Drive, Raleigh. Do NOT park outside the gates.The Prairie Ridge staff are opening the gates EARLY, ONE FRIDAY A MONTH, so that birders can come enjoy early morning birding.
And yes, you can arrive ANY TIME after the start time!
Visit the event website here: https://naturalsciences.org/calendar/venue/prairie-ridge/
Normal hours of operation for Prairie Ridge Ecostation are Tuesday through Saturday, 9am to 4pm (closed on Sunday and Monday) and closed on most state holidays.
Please note that there is no official birding program happening.Their website says: "Mornings can be an especially magical time in nature, so we are pleased to welcome Early Birds at Prairie Ridge! Bring binoculars or a camera and go for a bird walk, take a hike on our trails, bring a morning picnic, go for a trail run, watch the sunrise – come take advantage of this opportunity to enjoy Prairie Ridge earlier than our usual opening hours one Friday a month!
This is a drop-in, self-guided birding or exploration opportunity designed to give you extra morning time at Prairie Ridge — we hope you enjoy!
No pre-registration is required. Rain cancels event.Assume no facilities will be available.
See their website for maps and other information.
https://naturalsciences.org/prairie-ridge
Follow along on Facebook @prairieridge
NOTE: Prairie Ridge is NOT a wheelchair accessible site; it has all soft trails.
It is best to wear long sleeves and boots for your visit.
NO DOGS are allowed at Prairie Ridge Ecostation.
The restrooms in the building near the Purple Martin houses might be open. The brick building is not open to the general public.
Hope to see some birders out nice and early! : )
- First Friday Bird Walk at Lake Benson Park 2025-09-05 (Register Off-Meetup)Lake Benson Park, Garner, NC
FREE guided bird walk at Lake Benson Park on Friday, September 5, 2025.
RSVP ONLY via the Town of Garner website at: Program: First Friday Bird Walk (9/5/25)
You will need to create an account to register.
Registration deadline is 12 pm on September 4th.Enjoy an easy walk at Lake Benson Park while looking and listening for birds. Learn how to identify the birds in our area and discover their behaviors and preferred habitats. This walk is great for first-time and experienced birdwatchers. Pre-registration is required. Bring your own binoculars or borrow a pair. Walk leader is Colleen Bockhahn
The specific meeting location in the park will be shared with registered participants. Questions or trouble registering? Email Colleen at cbockhahn@garnernc.gov.
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