Calendar

Wake Audubon Birding and Environmental Meetup
RSVP open on partner site **[here](https://www.cervistech.com/acts/console.php?console_id=0105&console_type=event_list&ht=1&event_id=3159)**

Join the City of Raleigh's volunteer led invasive plant removal group "IVEE League" (Invasive Vegetation Eradication and Engagement) to improve habitat at Carolina Pines Park. No experience needed, training provided on how to identify and remove invasive plants and how they adversely effect local ecosystems.

This is physical work on uneven ground using common yard tools like clippers, loppers, and hand saws. All equipment is provided. Wear your own gloves or borrow theirs. Bring a full water bottle and wear fully closed shoes or boots and long sleeved shirt/long pants that you don't mind getting dirty.

Photo: Invasive Leatherleaf mahonia (Berberis bealei)/Mary Abrams

Wake Audubon Birding and Environmental Meetup
[REGISTER OFF MEETUP](https://triangleland.org/explore/events)

**FRIDAY, May 8, 2026: 8:00 TO 10:30 AM**
**Bailey and Sarah Williamson Preserve, 4429 Old Country Mial Rd, Raleigh, NC (new address due to road changes)**
This is a free event, **but [REGISTRATION ON TLC's WEBSITE IS REQUIRED](https://triangleland.org/explore/events)**[ ](https://triangleland.org/explore/events). **There is limit of 15 birders for the event**, and you will receive an email from Triangle Land Conservancy a day or two before the event.
Note: **The dirt road portion of Mials 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.**

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 Marc Ribaudo 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.

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](https://ebird.org/hotspot/L4669077)

TLC maintains a waitlist, so be sure to join TLC's waitlist if the event is full. (wake Audubon does not have access to the waitlist).

***Joining by Meetup for this event will NOT register you for this event, so, I shut off the RSVP option.***

VERY IMPORTANT: ***After a heavy rain, the preserve may be closed to prevent erosion, so TLC may have to cancel the outing. Otherwise, you will receive an email from TLC of where to park and the status of the walk (Wake Audubon Meetup will not know the walk's status). Note that even if the preserve is closed to others, TLC tries to hold this walk, using the volunteer parking area just after the main gate and the old church.***

Wake Audubon Birding and Environmental Meetup
**Birding at the NC Museum of Art, Ann & Jim Goodnight Museum Park**

**Second Saturday of the month: MAY 9, 2026, 8:00 to 10:00 AM**
RSVP opens May 1 at 7 am.
NC Museum of Art: Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park, 2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh.
Meet near the **Welcome Center** **(near the tall brick smokestack )** at the western end of the parking lot.
Leader is **Lynn Erla Beegle, [email protected]**
Habitat includes field, forest, and pond, native plants, and outdoor art.

Note: Anyone who has **low mobility** is welcome to join us, even if the 25-birder limit has been reached. The birding will be MOSTLY on paved trails **but, due to construction, from March to June we have to walk on the lawn or a gravel trail to get back to the parking lot**. Length is about 1.5 miles, in two hours. Limit is technically 25 birders, but it is a public park.
(**For low-mobility birders:** Turn LEFT as you enter the NCMA via Reedy Creek road, then park all the way down the hill in the employee parking. ***Use your handicap placard to park.*** Then it is a short slope to the pond. **We will met you at the pond between 8:30 and 9:00. Please text/call me at 919-673-6136 if you are meeting us at the pond instead of at the Park Visitor Center.) From March to June, we will NOT be able to stay completely on paved trails, due to construction, so please meet us at the pond.**

More information on the North Carolina Museum of Art website: [https://park.ncartmuseum.org/](https://park.ncartmuseum.org/)

Map of the 164-acre Museum Park:
[https://park.ncartmuseum.org/assets/pdf/Park-Map-Web.pdf](https://park.ncartmuseum.org/assets/pdf/Park-Map-Web.pdf)

**Turn RIGHT when you enter via Reedy Creek Road entrance for the NC Museum of Art.** Meet in upper parking lot close to the big smokestack and Welcome Center (northern end of the main lot). **Look for people with binoculars.** Restrooms at Welcome Center are open and handicap accessible.

Admission to the Art Museum is free; opens at 10. *Backpacks, binoculars, and long-lens cameras are not allowed in the museum, but they have free lockers to stow these items.*

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Ebird Hotspot: [https://ebird.org/hotspot/L21844918](https://ebird.org/hotspot/L21844918)
See you there!

Wake Audubon Birding and Environmental Meetup
BIRD OUTING: **Birding With Frank at Turnipseed Nature Preserve**
Bird Outing on **SATURDAY MAY 9, 2026, 8:30 am TO 10:00 am**
Location: **Turnipseed Nature Preserve** has TWO entrances. We meet at **1525 Pleasants Road, Wendell.**
Leader is Frank Doherty ( [email protected] )
This birdwalk repeats on the second Saturday of most months. Check Meetup and wakeaudubon.org calendars for updates; We temporarily moved from Wendell Park because it is a very busy park for sports.
Turnipseed is a newer acquisition in the Raleigh preserve system, with no sports other than nature study.

Park in the lot on Pleasants Road and look for people with binoculars. If you find yourself at the wrong entrance, then you can try walking the single gravel trail and maybe catch up.

Turnipseed ebird hotspot: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L5052420

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.

Wake Audubon Birding and Environmental Meetup
Beginner Birding Class at Lake Crabtree County Park
Saturday, May 9, 2026; 9am-12pm
FREE
Register here: [Activity detail | Wake Parks Online](https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/wakeparks/activity/search/detail/8532?onlineSiteId=0&locale=en-US&from_original_cui=true)

What is the difference between birdwatching and birding? Birding with Vernon walk leader, Vernon Janke, will talk about the art of birding, and the tools and techniques you need to improve your birding skills. Discover why birding is one of the most popular outdoor activities and use your new knowledge on a bird walk around the park.

The park will have binoculars and field guides for loan if you do not have your own.

Please note: The walk will take place on both paved and natural-surface trails. If you have mobility concerns, please complete the ADA Modification Request Form during the registration process so we can best support your participation.

Photo: Great Blue Heron/Wake County Parks

Wake Audubon Birding and Environmental Meetup
Wake Audubon Monthly Meeting:
**Antarctic Penguins: Past, Present and Future**
(Meeting is In Person and Zoom)

Time: **Tuesday, May 12, 2026**, 7:30 - 9:00 pm
**Nature Research Cente**r, 121 W. Jones St., Raleigh, **4th floor conference room**
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/join
[zoom](https://www.zoom.us/join)

* Meeting code: **831 3786 5298**
* Password: **4Birds**
*

**Topic:** Dr. Steve Emslie will provide an overview of **penguin ecology in Antarctica** with a
synopsis of his research and the impacts of climate change that he has witnessed in over 30 years
of work there. Five species of penguins breed in Antarctica but only two are endemic, the Adélie
and the Emperor Penguin. Dr. Emslie will describe the ecology and breeding biology of
these two species and the threats they are currently undergoing. The Adélie Penguin, the most
abundant species in Antarctica, is also an excellent indicator species for the marine environment,
past and present. This species also has the longest fossil record of any seabird in the Ross Sea
region of Antarctica that allows stable isotope, ancient DNA, and radiocarbon analyses of well-
preserved tissues extending from hundreds to thousands of years old. This record is providing
insights on the responses by the Adélie Penguin to climate change in the past, allowing
predictions of their responses in the future as we continue to see dramatic changes in the
Antarctic environment. Recent findings in the Ross Sea also will be presented. Dr. Emslie’s
research is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation and collaboration with a
tour ship company, Heritage Expeditions in New Zealand
Speaker: Dr. Steve Emslie is a marine ornithologist and professor in the Department of Biology and
Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington. He studies not only living seabirds,
but also the fossil record of birds and their paleoecology. He first went to Antarctica in 1991 to
help with penguin and skua research at King George Island and soon began developing his own
research program, especially on the Adélie Penguin. Using a variety of interdisciplinary
techniques, Dr. Emslie and his students have been investigating the ecology and diet of these
penguins, past and present, and the impact of climate change by sampling well-preserved and
often mummified remains from the cold, dry Antarctic environment that range in age from
hundreds to thousands of years old. He also has designed and teaches an undergraduate course
on Antarctica, ‘Antarctic Ecology, Geology, History, and Policy’ (BIO 367) and with his
students has developed K-12 curricula on polar studies that are available on his website, along
with blogs from his previous research trips, at www.uncw.edu/penguins.

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/join
[zoom](https://www.zoom.us/join)

* Meeting code: **831 3786 5298**
* Password: **4Birds**
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We hope you will help us by joining Wake Audubon and National Audubon!
[http://wakeaudubon.org/get-involved/join/](https://www.google.com/url?q=http://wakeaudubon.org/get-involved/join/&sa=D&source=calendar&usd=2&usg=AOvVaw2K5XE7unl2s2pNjfjs_WtO)

\*Last updated 2026-04-21 by Beegle
WATCH for updates

Wake Audubon Birding and Environmental Meetup
Volunteers Needed for Invasive Plant Removal #3 - (LAST ONE until the fall) -
at Carroll Howard Johnson Environmental Education Park (CHJEEP)
on **Thursday, MAY 14, 2026, 9 - 11 am**
Location is 301 Wagstaff Rd., Fuquay-Varina 27526
Leader: Jim Hunsberger, [email protected]
Please join Wake Audubon volunteers and help with invasive plant removal at CHJEEP. This helps the birds and other wildlife.
We will meet in the parking lot of CHJEEP. We plan on holding six of these sessions in 2026.

**NOTE: Must be 18 years old or older, close-toed shoes required. Bring hand tools and buckets (or borrow from town supplied tools), water, bug spray, sunscreen, gloves, safety glasses, wear a hat, long pants, and long-sleeved shirt.**

Town staff will be on hand with a debris trailer. They will use targeted herbicide treatments as necessary **after** we remove the plants (thus, we don't have to struggle to dig out the roots).

Thanks for helping to improve the flora of this lovely park! *"The focus of this 28-acre park is environmental education. Carroll Howard Johnson Environmental Education Park was originally a 20-acre tract of land donated to the Town of Fuquay-Varina in 1992 by the late Mayor Alfred Johnson and his wife Carroll Howard Johnson. Eight acres were donated by Horace Tart in 1998, enlarging the park to its current 28 acres.*

Wake Audubon Birding and Environmental Meetup
**Community birding at Battle Park, Rocky Mount**
Saturday, May 16, 9 - 11 a.m. (8:45 if borrowing binoculars)
800 Battlepark Lane, Rocky Mount

**Curious about birds? Enjoy time in nature?**
Join us Saturday, May 16th from 9:00\* to 11:00 a.m. for a morning bird outing hosted by Braswell Memorial Library and Wake Audubon as we kick off our new partnership and service to the Rocky Mount community!

***Live in our near Rocky Mount? Know others who do?*** Share this news, and come meet your bird-loving neighbors. Discover how easy and fun it is to start birding in our community.

**Registration appreciated:** Please call **252-442-1951 x851** to register.

**Anyone new to birding, and birders of all levels are encouraged to join in**.

**Battle Park is considered one of the top locations for birding in Nash County.** known for its diverse mix of riverine, wetland, and mature woodland habitats along the **Tar River**.

**Driving instructions:**

* **Park at 800 Battlepark Lane** (large parking lot).
* We'll meet in the lot close to the trailhead.
* Look for guides with car hatches up and Bird Outing signs.

**What to expect / bring:**

* This outing will feature a slow 1 to 1.5 mile out and back path.
* Our path will take us on paved trails by the river. We'll explore some unpaved trails as well.
* A restroom and water fountain are located approximately 0.5 miles from the trailhead.
* A slight incline is immediately followed by a short decline before reaching the rest area. Most of the paved trail is flat.
* We'll provide snacks.
* Bring your reusable water bottle.
* Prepare for both sun and shade.
* Borrow binoculars from us or bring your own.

\***If borrowing binoculars, please arrive at the parking lot meeting point at 8:45 a.m. to be provided a pair and receive help to focus them for your eyesight.** There’s no requirement to use binoculars, yet, we’ll have plenty to borrow if you choose to do so and provide a safe space to learn.

Our Wake Audubon birding guide will be avid birder and nature photographer **Jessica Williams**, with helper guides along to assist with sightings.

It's spring migration time! We hope to see migrating warblers, plus Great Blue Herons, woodpeckers, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, swallows and many other species that frequent the Park.

**What bird species frequent the Park and trail?**

* Check out the Battle Park bird sightings on [ebird.org](http://ebird.org/): [https://ebird.org/hotspot/L518504](https://ebird.org/hotspot/L518504)

**Questions ahead?**

* Email event manager Rick LaRose at [[email protected].](http://[email protected]./)
* Text Rick on the day of the event with any questions at 919 609-7570.

***We're looking forward to birding together with you in beautiful Battle Park on Saturday morning, May 16!***

Then, j**oin us in the afternoon 1 - 4 p.m** for **Braswell Family Birding Day** at the Library, with free family-fun activities, games, raffles, story time, resources on all things birds, and the launch of our new Birding Backpack loaner program.

[Wake Audubon](https://wakeaudubon.org/) is your local chapter of the National Audubon Society. We serve Wake, Nash, Franklin, Johnston, and Harnett counties, helping people connect with nature through conservation, education, and community programs. We welcome people of every background and life experience who care about birds, wildlife, and our natural spaces, and offer programs, outings, and activities where everyone can access and enjoy nature in a safe, supportive community.

Wake Audubon Birding and Environmental Meetup
Join Wake Audubon and Braswell Memorial Library on Saturday, May 16 for a free, drop‑in celebration to commemorate our new partnership and Birding Backpack loaner program, with hands‑on activities, resources, and a special bird‑themed storytime for kids.
**Saturday, May 16, 1 – 4 p.m.**
**Braswell Memorial Public Library**
727 N. Grace St.
Rocky Mount, NC 27804'

***Live in our near Rocky Mount? Know others who do?*** Share this news and come discover how easy and fun it is to start learning about 'all things birds' in our community.

**Now serving Nash County**
Braswell Memorial Library and Wake Audubon are teaming up to launch our brand‑new Birding Backpack Program, and you’re invited to stop by and explore. Drop in 1 – 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 16 to check out the backpacks, talk with Wake Audubon volunteers on lots of bird-themed topics, and pick up tips and resources for spotting and helping birds right in your neighborhood. Families can also enjoy crafting birds, and a bird‑themed storytime —perfect for young nature explorers.

**Discovery zone: 1 – 4 p.m. (Battle Room, downstairs, all ages)**

* Check out our new Birding backpacks – ready to borrow.
* Practice focusing and using binoculars.
* Learn the best birding apps to help you ID birds by sight and sound.
* Chat with Wake Audubon volunteers about favorite birds.
* Try your hand to identify common birds of Nash County.
* Get guidance and resources on native plants for your yard.
* Find out ways we can all help birds be safe and thrive.
* Weigh in on the free, public, birding programs you’d like to see at the library.
* Enter raffles for free giveaways.

**Craft & Quest station**: **1 – 4 p.m. (Battle Room, downstairs, all ages)**

* Using your clue card, search the library to find hidden birds.
* Craft and color a paper bird to take home.

**Bird Migration Game**: **2 – 3 p.m. (Warner Meeting Room, downstairs, suggested ages 5 – 12)**

* Be a migrating bird! Learn why birds migrate – or fly south for the winter, and back to North Carolina and beyond in spring. As you fly to your summer home, what challenges will you face? Come find out, and learn how we can all help birds make their journey safely.

Donated by Wake Audubon, **kids and adult Birding Backpack kits** contain age-appropriate backpacks, binoculars, guides, tips and games to equip adventurers for family time outdoors. providing easy entry for anyone curious about birds to begin to bird and explore nature.

**Wake Audubon’s partnership with Braswell Memorial Library brings our advocacy, hands-on learning, and joy of birding directly to the Rocky Mount community.**

*We look forward to meeting you on Saturday, May 16!*

[Wake Audubon](https://wakeaudubon.org/) is your local chapter of the National Audubon Society. We serve Wake, Nash, Franklin, Johnston, and Harnett counties, helping people connect with nature through conservation, education, and community programs.

We welcome people of every background and life experience who care about birds, wildlife, and our natural spaces, and offer programs, outings, and activities where everyone can access and enjoy nature in a safe, supportive community.

Wake Audubon Birding and Environmental Meetup
Wake Audubon Book Club
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 6:45 pm to 8:00pm
MacGregor Village **STARBUCKS, 101 S Edinburgh Drive, Cary, NC.**
We will be discussing **The Light Eaters by ZOË SCHLANGER**
*This New York Times Bestseller is part detective story, field trip, and philosophy.*
*This brilliant book stretches the mind toward a profound new understanding of the sophistication of under-appreciated plants.*
Our next meeting will be at Starbucks. Please bring a readily-available book to suggest for our next Book Club meeting, held every other month on the third Tuesday. You are also encouraged to participate in our book exchange (**bring books to give away or trade**). Thanks!
Please be prepared to make a small purchase to justify our free use of the conference room and to support the employees.