What we’re about
This group enjoys local (and regional) trips to see wildlife in the Raleigh, Wake County area of North Carolina. We focus on birdwatching, and we enjoy teaching anyone who is new to birding. We welcome visitors to the area who want to attend our trips.
We also volunteer for various events, including river cleanups, prairie management at local parks, nestbox maintenance, helping with events at various parks and museums, and "citizen science" projects (such as Christmas Bird Count and Great Backyard Bird Count).
Wake Audubon has a group for youth (teens 12 - 18); you can read more about the Young Naturalists Group at http://www.wakeaudubon.org/ync.htm as the trips for YN are not posted on this Meetup site.
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: http://www.wakeaudubon.org/join.htm Wake Audubon meets on the second Tuesday of each month, 7:30 p.m. in Meeting Room A of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 West Jones Street, Raleigh. The meeting is open to the public.
Wake Audubon Society is a member of Audubon NC and of the National Audubon Society. We have a membership of about 1,200 and hold monthly meetings, field trips, bird walks and other activities. Wake Audubon is made up of a diverse group of people with a variety of interests and specialties; we're not just birders. Wake Audubon members share a common interest in wildlife, nature and environmental conservation: http://www.wakeaudubon.org/what_we_do.htm
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 Birders at Prairie Ridge (NO LEADER, 2024-05-10, 06:00 AM or later)Prairie Ridge Ecostation, Raleigh, NC
Early Birders at Prairie Ridge (NO LEADER, 2024-05-10, 06:00 AM or later)
Early Birders welcome at Prairie Ridge Ecostation on:
Friday, MAY 10, 2024, 6:00 AM EDT 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 CONFIRM that there are no delays to the opening date and time by visiting their website!Please note that there is no official birding program happening.
Their website says: "Everyone knows the best birding happens early in the morning, so we are pleased to welcome Early Birds at Prairie Ridge! Bring your own binoculars or camera and stop by before we open to enjoy our early morning birds. No pre-registration is required and you’re welcome to arrive as early as the stated time! 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
You can RSVP here but remember, there is NO LEADER for this outing.
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! : )
- Birding at Williamson Preserve (Register Off Meetup)Bailey and Sarah Williamson Preserve, Raleigh, NC
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. 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. You may even see a Loggerhead Shrike! View recent bird sightings here: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L4669077
Please wear good walking shoes and layers and bring a water bottle, and binoculars if you have them. We will have a couple of loaner binoculars on hand.
REGISTRATION ON TLC'S WEBSITE IS REQUIRED
VERY IMPORTANT: After a heavy rain, the preserve may be closed to prevent erosion, so we may have to cancel the outing. You should receive an email from TLC if the event is cancelled.
- Voice of America grasslands and Henslow’s SparrowPrairie Ridge Ecostation, Raleigh, NC
Visit Voice of America grasslands, with extra effort to see Henslow’s Sparrow You can sign up but registration is offsite so RSVP on Meetup is closed.
Date: May 11, 6 am to approximately 2 pm return
Time: Depart Raleigh at 6:00 a.m. via optional carpool. We will return to Raleigh at approximately 2pm.
Leader: Brian O’Shea, assistant curator or ornithology, NC Museum of Natural Sciences
Field trip location: Voice of America Gamelands - we will carpool!
The hotspot is https://ebird.org/hotspot/L557151
Departure meeting location: Meet at Prairie Ridge Ecostation, 1671 Gold Star Dr, Raleigh. Brian will open the gate for you.
Brian will drive a Museum minivan and he has room for 3-5 people. Let him know if you prefer to ride with him (if we get the back seat up he’ll have room for 5).
RSVP: we ask that you RSVP to Brian, in case of changes to the plans (weather, etc). And if you are going to drive separately, from a slightly different location, he’ll want to know. He needs your text number and email and name, please.
boshea2@gmail.com
The Voice of America grasslands are located near Greenville, NC. The site is home to hundreds of Henslow’s Sparrows and is the only site in NC where this species breeds regularly. Our speaker in May recently conducted a 3-year study of the Henslow’s Sparrow at this site. The site is now managed by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission to maintain the grasslands and other early succession habitat. As such, there is a variety of other “early succession” bird species to see, beyond the sparrow, in addition to some neat plants, butterflies, bees, etc. It is not a “developed” site, so there are no facilities.
The site is about 2 hours from Raleigh. And the sparrows can become quiet and furtive by about 10:00. With this in mind, we will depart at 6:00am, make one brief “pit stop” along the way, and then make our way to our first stop. We may be joined by some members from a local bird club out of Greenville.
It may require some significant walking to find the sparrows (up to one mile out in the grasslands). One cannot always predict these sparrow locations - we may see one right away or we may need to make the longer walk. Thus, we will want to be ready to begin walking once we arrive at the site.
Because it is grass and shrubs, it is very open – no shade. Plan accordingly with hats, sunscreen, sunglasses if you like, and your favorite snacks and beverage. The walking itself is not difficult – it’s fairly flat. But it may be full sun.
If you wish to “look ahead” at the "Voice of America Game Lands". the approximate address is 10000 Cherry Run road, Washington. And it is an eBird hotspot, which you can access in eBird at this link: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L557151Not open - Birding with Frank at Wendell Community Park 2024-05-11Wendell Community Park, Wendell, NC
BIRD OUTING: Wendell Park Birding With Frank
Bird Outing on SATURDAY MAY 11, 2024, 8:30 am TO 10:30 am
Location: Wendell Community Park, 601 West 3rd Street, Wendell, NC
Leader is Frank Doherty ( fdoherty@nc.rr.com )
This birdwalk repeats on the second Saturday of most months. Check Meetup and wakeaudubon.org calendars for updates.Wendell Park is one of our easternmost Wake County hotspots.
RSVP on Meetup opens about the start of the month.
Technically, an RSVP is not required for this birdwalk, but it is helpful.
Note: at times there is an event at the park and thus an entrance fee -- tell them you are there for the free birdwalk to avoid the fee.
Park in the grassy field on the left. Look for people with binoculars.
Wendell Park ebird hotspot: http://ebird.org/ebird/hotspot/L5460345
Thanks, Frank, for volunteering to be the trip leader!
Thank you for your interest in birding with others. Our Meetup is FREE to you and supported by Wake Audubon. We hope you will support us by joining Wake Audubon Society ($20 per year) and by donations and by volunteering. See http://wakeaudubon.org/support/ for more information.