Wake Audubon Society

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Wake Audubon Society

Wake Audubon is a non-profit dedicated to the appreciation and conservation of wildlife.

09/02/2026

This week's Bird of the Week is the Broad-winged Hawk, and its migration is one of the best shows in the sky each fall.

Right now these compact, banded-tail hawks are just starting to move south out of North Carolina. By mid-September, watch for kettles: hundreds to thousands of hawks spiraling together on a single rising column of warm air, riding those thermals to save energy on the long trip to Central and South America.

You don't need a mountain ridge to catch the show. A clear day with a north wind is your best bet for a kettle passing overhead almost anywhere in Wake County.

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Photo: Mark Hainen / Audubon Photography Awards

08/30/2026

Three chances to get outside with Wake Audubon this week!

First Friday Bird Walk at Lake Benson Park Friday, September 4, 2026, 8:00 to 10:00 AM Registration is required through the Town of Garner, not Meetup. Deadline is 3:00 PM on September 3. https://www.meetup.com/wake-audubon-meetup/events/316185254/

Early Bird at Horseshoe Farm Nature Preserve Saturday, September 5, 2026, 8:00 to 9:30 AM 2900 Horseshoe Farm Rd, Wake Forest, NC Limited to City of Raleigh residents. Registration requires a login. https://www.meetup.com/wake-audubon-meetup/events/315752208/

Birding at Bass Lake and Sugg Farm Sunday, September 6, 2026, 8:15 to 10:30 AM 900 Bass Lake Road, Holly Springs, NC Space is limited to 25 birders, so RSVP soon. https://www.meetup.com/wake-audubon-meetup/events/315826335/

Pick your morning and come find some birds with us.

08/26/2026

Look up into the pine and sycamore canopy along our streams this month and you might catch a flash of yellow throat: the Yellow-throated Warbler is still holding on through late summer before it heads south.

Unlike many warblers that pass through quickly each spring, this one settles in as a summer breeder in Wake County and can be found well into August if you know where to look. It forages methodically along branches and trunks, more patient than flashy, which makes it easy to miss.

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Photo: Gary Robinette / Audubon Photography

Awards

08/24/2026

Hundreds of Chimney Swifts spiral into their roost together at dusk this time of year, and you can watch it happen right here in Fuquay-Varina.

Join Wake Audubon Society for a Chimney Swift Watch on Friday, September 25, 7 to 8 PM at Old Fuquay-Varina Middle School, 109 Ennis Street, Fuquay-Varina. Bring a chair. Binoculars help but aren't necessary.

RSVP on Meetup (optional): https://www.meetup.com/wake-audubon-meetup/events/316188239/

Bring the family and invite a friend!

08/19/2026

Watch pond edges closely this time of year and you might catch a Green Heron in action. This small, secretive heron stays through September, hunting quietly at the water's edge in Wake County parks and preserves.

Its stealthy hunting style, crouched and still before a lightning strike at the water, makes it one of the more rewarding herons to watch if you take the time.

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Photo: Marti Phillips/Audubon Photography Awards

08/16/2026

This Saturday we're headed to Hilltop-Needmore Park (North) in Fuquay-Varina for one of our regular fourth Saturday walks. Expect a relaxed pace along paved trails and grassy fairways, with plenty of stops to look and listen. No birding experience necessary, so bring your binoculars or just come along and learn from the group.

Hilltop-Needmore Park (North) Saturday, August 22, 2026, 8:30 to 10:30 am 4621 Shady Greens Drive, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526 https://www.meetup.com/wake-audubon-meetup/events/315752065/

Meet at the lower end of the old Club House parking lot and look for the "Bird Walk Here" sign. Spots are limited to 20, so RSVP on Meetup soon.

08/12/2026

Watch woodland edges and backyard feeders this week for the Sharp-shinned Hawk, one of the earliest fall raptors on the move through Wake County. This small, fast accipiter often surprises birders as it darts through cover chasing smaller songbirds, an early sign that fall migration season has begun.

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Photo: Alan Kolnik / Audubon Photography Awards

08/09/2026

Two ways to join Wake Audubon this week!

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION NIGHT: Slide Show and Potluck (In-Person Only!) Tuesday, August 11, 2026, 6:30 to 9:00 PM Museum of Natural Sciences, William G. Ross Jr. Environmental Conference Center (4th floor), 121 W. Jones St., Raleigh, NC

This month, you're the speaker. Bring a dish to share and, if you'd like, up to five natural history images to describe to the group. It's not a competition, just a chance to swap stories and memories over a meal. No dish, no photos, and no membership required. Just come. https://www.meetup.com/wake-audubon-meetup/events/315673885/

Birding at Williamson Preserve Friday, August 14, 2026, 8:00 to 10:30 AM Bailey and Sarah Williamson Preserve, 4429 Old Country Mial Rd, Raleigh, NC

Marc Ribaudo leads this roughly 2-mile walk through meadow and the Two Ponds Loop, mostly on dirt trails. Wear good walking shoes, bring water, and leave pets at home. Registration is required off Meetup, on Triangle Land Conservancy's site: https://triangleland.org/explore/events https://www.meetup.com/wake-audubon-meetup/events/315751744/

08/05/2026

Watch the mudflats this week for the Semipalmated Sandpiper, one of the earliest southbound shorebirds moving through Wake County as fall migration begins. Look for it working exposed mud at area reservoirs and wetlands during low-water drawdowns, often alongside other small sandpipers.

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Photo: Nikki Buchalski / Audubon Photography Awards

08/02/2026

Grab your binoculars and join Wake Audubon for a birding walk at the NC Museum of Art's Ann & Jim Goodnight Museum Park! Saturday, August 8, 8:00 to 9:30 AM. Meet at the Welcome Center near the tall brick smokestack, 1950 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh. The route stays mostly on paved trails through field, forest, and pond habitat, so birders of every level are welcome.

RSVP here: https://www.meetup.com/wake-audubon-meetup/events/315642526/

Address

2615 Fitzgerald Drive
Raleigh, NC
27610

Website

http://www.wakeaudubon.org/

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