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- Early Bird at Horseshoe Farm Nature Preserve, (Register offsite) 2025-06-07Horseshoe Farm Nature Preserve, Wake Forest, NC
Early Bird at Horseshoe Farm Nature Preserve (registration required off Meetup)
Saturday, June 7, 2025, 8 am - 9:30 am
Register Off-site only: Requires a login and password:
Login FIRST at Raleigh Parks Login
Then register for this free event at:
https://ncraleighweb.myvscloud.com/webtrac/web/iteminfo.html?Module=AR&FMID=360359079
(the link won't work unless you are already logged in!)(Workshop code is 'HFNPEARLYBIRD")
Grab your binoculars and meet us at beautiful Horseshoe Farm Nature Preserve 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 parking lot at Horseshoe Farm Nature Preserve 2900 Horseshoe Farm Rd, Wake Forest, NC, 27587 . Note: Allow time for road construction at 401 and Ligon Mill Road.Not open - Wake Audubon Meeting: The Nonpareil: the state of Painted Buntings in NCNature Research Center, Raleigh, NC
Wake Audubon Monthly Meeting: (Meeting is In Person and Zoom)
Time: Tuesday, JUNE 10, 2025, 7:30 - 9:00 pm
Nature Research Center, 121 W. Jones St, Raleigh, NC 27601Topic: The Nonpareil: the state of Painted Buntings in NC and beyond
The Painted Bunting, sometimes called the nonpareil, is one of those iconic species that is known, and beloved, by many. At the same time, there are many things about the species that we do not know. There are two main populations, and that in the southeastern U.S. has a much smaller range and population size than the one out west. We consider the SE population to be “threatened” – by trapping, climate change, and coastal development.
Speaker: For this program, John Gerwin and Evan Buckland will cover the state of the Painted Bunting in NC, and the work that they are doing to learn more about how these birds “make a living”. John will introduce the species and its natural history. Evan will then take over, from Wilmington (over Zoom) and showcase our current efforts to trap, tag, and track individual buntings.Location: In-person + Zoom
Place: In-person + Virtual- Location: NC Museum of Natural Sciences: Nature Research Center, 121 W Jones St, Raleigh, NC - 4th floor meeting room
Park (for free after 6:30 pm) and walk to the main museum entrance on Jones Street, just to the right of the giant globe. Since the NCSM is closed at night, someone will be at the door ONLY from 7 to 7:45 to let you in, so be on time. Take the elevator to the fourth floor meeting room. The east-facing entrance to the "old wing" of the museum will not be used. If you feel unwell, please stay home and enjoy our presentation over Zoom.
https://www.zoom.us/joinMeeting code: 831 3786 5298
- Password: 4Birds
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We hope you will help us by joining Wake Audubon and National Audubon!
*Last updated 2025-05-27 by Beegle
WATCH for updates: the date, location, and theme can change. - Birding at Williamson Preserve 2025-06-13 (Register Off Meetup)Bailey and Sarah Williamson Preserve, Raleigh , NC
FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2025: 8:00 TO 10:30 AM
Bailey and Sarah Williamson Preserve, 4409 Mial Plantation Road, Raleigh, NC
Note: The dirt road portion of Mial Plantation Road is permanently closed, so stay on Smithfield Road and turn right on Mials Plantation, then left after the church into the driveway of the white building, just at the closed road signs. Watch out for a deep,hole or two when you park.
Leader this month will be Marc Ribaudo.
The tripis not quite full. Attendees should watch for an email to see if the walk will be held or canceled in case of heavy rain. The preserve is also aopular bicycle route, but it closes when it rains to prevent trail damage. The preserve gates might be closed but the email will let you know the status of the walk.Join Wake Audubon and Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC) for a morning of birding and exploring the Bailey and Sarah Williamson Preserve near the Wake County / Johnston County line. Our experienced birder will guide you through the meadow and Two Ponds Loop covering about 2 miles of mostly dirt trails. Join this wonderful morning stroll and see what birds you can find. Please wear good walking shoes and layers, bring a water bottle, and binoculars if you have them. We suggest that you leave your furry friends at home for this hike as dogs may scare away wildlife viewing opportunities. This is a free event, but REGISTRATION ON TLC's WEBSITE IS REQUIRED .
Whether you're a seasoned birder or just starting out, this is a great chance to connect with nature and learn about the diverse bird species that call the grasslands, woodlands, and ponds home. Check out what we may find here: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L4669077
TLC maintains a waitlist, so be sure to join TLC's waitlist if their event is full. Joining our Meetup waitlist for this event will NOT register you for this event.
VERY IMPORTANT: After a heavy rain, the preserve may be closed to prevent erosion, so we may have to cancel the outing OR meet in the church parking lot just before you get to the gated entrance. You should receive an email from TLC if the event is cancelled and we will update this post.
Not open - Friday Morning Bird Walk at White Deer Park (Register Off Meetup) 2025-06-13White Deer Park Nature Center, Garner, NC
Enjoy an easy walk at White Deer 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.
RSVP ONLY via the Town of Garner website at: Program: Friday Morning Bird Walks
Registration ends at 12pm on Thursday, June 12th.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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