Join us for Black Birders Week 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin with the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance, and Henry Vilas Zoo! This special event is a great way for you to explore the Zoo before it opens to the public, looking and listening for wild birds that visit the property as well as captive birds that are on exhibit.

Photo by Eric Kilby FCC

Experience the amazing American Kestrel close up! We will visit the kestrel nest boxes that volunteers in our Kestrel Nest Box Monitoring Program steward, open them up, and place research bands on the chicks' ankles. It doesn't harm the birds, and allows scientists to study things like nesting preferences, migration, etc. Plus, it is really, really fun!

Photo by Richard Jones

This field trip is full. Join the waiting list. Join SoWBA staff and board members for a slow paddle exploring the incredible diversity of Cherokee Marsh. Get a great experience looking for spring birds, insects, and aquatic plants by boat; we expect to see species like Green Heron, Kingfishers, swallows, Sora, and more!

Photo by Brenna Marsicek/SoWBA

This field trip is full. Join the waiting list. Join us for an energetic field trip to Patrick Marsh Wildlife Area! This field trip is geared for all levels, and will be especially fun for entry-level birders who want to enjoy a bird outing with Dexter "The Wisco Birder" Patterson, co-founder of the BIPOC Birding Club of WI.

Photo by Dexter Patterson

This field trip is full. Join the waiting list. Join us for a summer evening to watch Barn Swallows feeding and coming into the barn to roost for the evening, and counting bats coming out for their nightly foraging! This exciting, marvelous event is part of the Wisconsin Bat Program surveys coordinated by the Wisconsin DNR; Fair Meadows has been a site for surveys for X years.

Photo by Jared Kelly FCC

Hone your skills at taking beautiful, inspiring wildlife photographs. Experienced bird and nature photographer, Arlene Koziol (you may have noticed that her bird photos are everywhere on our website and printed materials!), will lead you through techniques and strategies for getting that perfect bird capture using your own equipment.

Photo by Arlene Koziol

This field trip is full. Join the waiting list. Join us for an adventurous, unique way to enjoy hearing and seeing our feathered friends: Birding by bike! This field trip will involve slow to moderate-paced biking with stops at multiple points along the way to enjoy the birds we see and hear in these great natural areas.

Photo by Brenna Marsicek/Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance

Come enjoy Fair Meadows Sanctuary during the Birding Day! This 374 acre sanctuary and State Natural Area has many trails and habitats to explore. During this Birding Day, attendees can grab a map, wipe their boots, and hit the trails independently. No guided walks are provided.

Fair Meadows Birding Days are held the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month, except in November.

Photo by Gary Shackelford

This field trip is full. Join the waiting list. Train yourself to listen for the birds rather than looking for them! Birding by Ear is a great way to practice your skills at bird ID using a totally different sense. Join leader Kerry Wilcox (volunteer and teacher of last spring’s Birding by Ear class) for a trip to Lakeshore Nature Preserve, where you will walk the paths through the woods and prairie, and learn tools, tips, and techniques for birding by ear.

Photo by Kenneth Cole Schneider

Fair Meadows Sanctuary is full of diverse life in the summer! Join us for a hike through the prairies to see and learn about the plants in bloom, the insects that buzz around them, and the birds that nest, forage, and rest in these habitats.

Photo by Gary Shackelford

This field trip is full. Join the waiting list. In a celebration of early summer, we'll hike the paths to listen, see, and smell the natural world on what should be a warm summer’s eve. This is the peak time of the year to see bats, glowworms and fireflies, and hear the calls of owls in the woods and the frogs, toads and night birds of the ponds and marshes. The spectacular display of fireflies at this site alone is worth the hike, and we may also get to hear the calls of coyotes nearby.

Photo by Gary Shackelford

This field trip is full. Join the waiting list. Pleasant Valley Conservancy is a beautiful state natural area situated in the Driftless Area, with steep goat prairies, oak savanna, and a large, high quality marsh. We hope to see beautiful Baltimore Checkerspots and other wetland butterflies nectaring on wonderful native plants.

Photo by Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance

Come enjoy Fair Meadows Sanctuary during the Birding Day! This 374 acre sanctuary and State Natural Area has many trails and habitats to explore. During this Birding Day, attendees can grab a map, wipe their boots, and hit the trails independently. No guided walks are provided.

Fair Meadows Birding Days are held the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month, except in November.

Photo by Gary Shackelford

Grab the kids and join us for a fun morning outdoors learning about nature in our Field Trips for Kids series this summer! On Tuesday, June 24, we’re focusing on Pond Life! Read a great pond-related children’s book, learn about what lives in a pond, learn how to and try dipping for pond critters, use magnifying glasses to see the critters close-up.

Photo by Carolyn Byers/SoWBA

This field trip is full. Join the waiting list. Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance purchased this 348-acre property from David Gunnulson in December 2024. There is some restored prairie and woodland, but most of the land is open grassy fields which have been used only for haying over the last 30 years. Explore the new property with us!

Photo by Graham Steinhauer/SoWBA

Come enjoy Fair Meadows Sanctuary during the Birding Day! This 374 acre sanctuary and State Natural Area has many trails and habitats to explore. During this Birding Day, attendees can grab a map, wipe their boots, and hit the trails independently. No guided walks are provided.

Fair Meadows Birding Days are held the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month, except in November.

Photo by Gary Shackelford

Odonates are a fierce group of insects with highly variable coloration and habitat preferences. Dragonfly expert Bob Honig will discuss the life history and ecological importance of dragonflies and damselflies. Then we’ll explore Goose Pond’s prairies and identify as many species as we are able!

Photo by Arlene Koziol

Grab the kids and join us for a fun morning outdoors learning about nature in our Field Trips for Kids series this summer! On Tuesday, July 15, we’re focusing on being Insect Detectives! Check out our bug collection (non-living), search for bugs using magnifying glasses, and discuss why insects are amazing and not always scary.

Photo by Carolyn Byers/SoWBA

Together, these properties provide beautiful and high quality habitats for wetland, grassland, and savanna wildlife. We'll walk though Erstad Prairie on mowed trails and then shift over to Schoeneberg Marsh which has a parking lot a half mile away. The WPA has accessible hiking (paved path and boardwalk) which terminates at an overlook with a great view of the marsh.

Come enjoy Fair Meadows Sanctuary during the Birding Day! This 374 acre sanctuary and State Natural Area has many trails and habitats to explore. During this Birding Day, attendees can grab a map, wipe their boots, and hit the trails independently. No guided walks are provided.

Fair Meadows Birding Days are held the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month, except in November.

Photo by Gary Shackelford

Ferry Bluff is one of the prettiest places in southern Wisconsin. It is also one of the few places to consistently hear the call of the Eastern Whip-poor-will. If you miss hearing this bird on a summer night or have always wanted to hear them, then this outing is for you! Join us for a short hike to the top of Ferry Bluff where we'll sit and wait for the whip-poor-wills to sing, usually about 30 minutes after sunset.

Photo by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

Are you curious about birding but not sure how to get started? Geared specifically towards people who are learning about bird identification, this small group trip is for you!

Photo by Arlene Koziol

Train yourself to listen for the birds rather than looking for them! Birding by Ear is a great way to practice your skills at bird ID using a totally different sense. Join Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance educator Mickenzee Okon for a trip to Cherokee Marsh - North Unit, where you will walk the paths through the woods and prairie, and learn tools, tips, and techniques for birding by ear.

Photo by Mick Thompson

Join us for this mostly sitting tour of Goose Pond Sanctuary's restored mesic prairies. Tallgrass prairie is one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world with less than 3% of the original area remaining. We will have a touring wagon ready to explore our trails, and there will be frequent stops to allow folks to get out and explore.

Photo by SoWBA

Join us as we leisurely explore the gardens and landscape at and around the Lussier Family Heritage Center. Anything and everything is fair game on this trip: plants, birds, insects and whatever else catches our attention.

Photo by Brenna Marsicek/SoWBA

Grab the kids and join us for a fun morning outdoors learning about nature in our Field Trips for Kids series this summer! On Saturday, August 9, we’ll be doing a Bird Hike for Kids! Enjoy the sights and sounds of birds in summer with a guided hike. Learn how to use binoculars and basic bird identification skills.

Photo by Carolyn Byers/SoWBA

Come enjoy Fair Meadows Sanctuary during the Birding Day! This 374 acre sanctuary and State Natural Area has many trails and habitats to explore. During this Birding Day, attendees can grab a map, wipe their boots, and hit the trails independently. No guided walks are provided.

Fair Meadows Birding Days are held the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month, except in November.

Photo by Gary Shackelford

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance has some of the largest restored prairies in Wisconsin. Our Goose Pond Sanctuary, located near Arlington, is a major part of SoWBA's restoration efforts... but our restoration work is only possible with the help of volunteers!

Seed collecting occurs almost every Saturday, 9:30-12:00 from Aug. 23 - Nov. 8.

The meeting location varies each week. RSVP to Graham Steinhauer, Goose Pond Land Steward, at gsteinhauer@swibirds.org or 608-333-2947, to get involved.

Photo by Carolyn Byers

Come enjoy Fair Meadows Sanctuary during the Birding Day! This 374 acre sanctuary and State Natural Area has many trails and habitats to explore. During this Birding Day, attendees can grab a map, wipe their boots, and hit the trails independently. No guided walks are provided.

Fair Meadows Birding Days are held the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month, except in November.

Photo by Gary Shackelford

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance has some of the largest restored prairies in Wisconsin. Our Goose Pond Sanctuary, located near Arlington, is a major part of SoWBA's restoration efforts... but our restoration work is only possible with the help of volunteers!

Seed collecting occurs almost every Saturday, 9:30-12:00 from Aug. 23 - Nov. 8.

The meeting location varies each week. RSVP to Graham Steinhauer, Goose Pond Land Steward, at gsteinhauer@swibirds.org or 608-333-2947, to get involved.

Photo by Carolyn Byers

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance has some of the largest restored prairies in Wisconsin. Our Goose Pond Sanctuary, located near Arlington, is a major part of SoWBA's restoration efforts... but our restoration work is only possible with the help of volunteers!

Seed collecting occurs almost every Saturday, 9:30-12:00 from Aug. 23 - Nov. 8.

The meeting location varies each week. RSVP to Graham Steinhauer, Goose Pond Land Steward, at gsteinhauer@swibirds.org or 608-333-2947, to get involved.

Photo by Carolyn Byers

Monarchs make a huge migration each year, from Wisconsin (and even further north) all the way down to their winter grounds in Mexico. It is an incredible journey, and one that scientists are still studying. This monarch tagging event, one of the most celebrated activities Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance hosts, will teach you about the amazing monarch life history, migration, and conservation needs. We will teach you how to safely catch, handle, tag, and release a monarch, all in the name of science and love of nature.

Photo by Michael Anderson

Train yourself to listen for the birds rather than looking for them! Birding by Ear is a great way to practice your skills at bird ID using a totally different sense. Join Anna Walther, a wonderful birder by ear and educator, to explore Cherokee Marsh South and practice the tools, tips, and techniques for birding by ear.

Photo by Arlene Koziol

Monarchs make a huge migration each year, from Wisconsin (and even further north) all the way down to their winter grounds in Mexico. It is an incredible journey, and one that scientists are still studying. This monarch tagging event, one of the most celebrated activities Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance hosts, will teach you about the amazing monarch life history, migration, and conservation needs. We will teach you how to safely catch, handle, tag, and release a monarch, all in the name of science and love of nature.

Photo by Kaitlin Svabek/SoWBA

Monarchs make a huge migration each year, from Wisconsin (and even further north) all the way down to their winter grounds in Mexico. It is an incredible journey, and one that scientists are still studying. This monarch tagging event, one of the most celebrated activities Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance hosts, will teach you about the amazing monarch life history, migration, and conservation needs. We will teach you how to safely catch, handle, tag, and release a monarch, all in the name of science and love of nature.

Photo by Kaitlin Svabek / SoWBA

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance has some of the largest restored prairies in Wisconsin. Our Goose Pond Sanctuary, located near Arlington, is a major part of SoWBA's restoration efforts... but our restoration work is only possible with the help of volunteers!

Seed collecting occurs almost every Saturday, 9:30-12:00 from Aug. 23 - Nov. 8.

The meeting location varies each week. RSVP to Graham Steinhauer, Goose Pond Land Steward, at gsteinhauer@swibirds.org or 608-333-2947, to get involved.

Photo by Carolyn Byers

Prairies in fall can be spectacularly beautiful.  On this trip you will immerse yourself in the textures, colors, sounds, and smells of fall at Faville Grove. We will meet by the Kiosk at W7480 Prairie Lane, Lake Mills, and then tour the Prairie Lane restorations and take in the fall landscape with its autumn colors including late blooming wildflowers (such as gentians, asters, and goldenrods), talk about the role of seed collecting in our restorations, and more.

Photo by Jeff Pieterick

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance has some of the largest restored prairies in Wisconsin. Our Goose Pond Sanctuary, located near Arlington, is a major part of SoWBA's restoration efforts... but our restoration work is only possible with the help of volunteers!

Seed collecting occurs almost every Saturday, 9:30-12:00 from Aug. 23 - Nov. 8.

The meeting location varies each week. RSVP to Graham Steinhauer, Goose Pond Land Steward, at gsteinhauer@swibirds.org or 608-333-2947, to get involved.

Photo by Carolyn Byers

This morning trip is especially for backyard birders looking to grow their skills! Come to have your bird questions answered and get help identifying all of those small, streaky brown birds! We'll also be keeping our eyes out for any exciting migrants and recently fledged birds! The walk will be on even trails at a leisurely pace so bring the whole family! We will have binoculars for loan.

Photo by Arlene Koziol

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance has some of the largest restored prairies in Wisconsin. Our Goose Pond Sanctuary, located near Arlington, is a major part of SoWBA's restoration efforts... but our restoration work is only possible with the help of volunteers!

Seed collecting occurs almost every Saturday, 9:30-12:00 from Aug. 23 - Nov. 8.

The meeting location varies each week. RSVP to Graham Steinhauer, Goose Pond Land Steward, at gsteinhauer@swibirds.org or 608-333-2947, to get involved.

Photo by Carolyn Byers

Train yourself to listen for the birds rather than looking for them! Birding by Ear is a great way to practice your skills at bird ID using a totally different sense. Join Bob Kendall, a wonderful birder and educator, to slowly walk through bird habitat, and practice the tools, tips, and techniques for birding by ear.

Photo by Kelly Colgan Azar

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance has some of the largest restored prairies in Wisconsin. Our Goose Pond Sanctuary, located near Arlington, is a major part of SoWBA's restoration efforts... but our restoration work is only possible with the help of volunteers!

Seed collecting occurs almost every Saturday, 9:30-12:00 from Aug. 23 - Nov. 8.

The meeting location varies each week. RSVP to Graham Steinhauer, Goose Pond Land Steward, at gsteinhauer@swibirds.org or 608-333-2947, to get involved.

Photo by Carolyn Byers

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance has some of the largest restored prairies in Wisconsin. Our Goose Pond Sanctuary, located near Arlington, is a major part of SoWBA's restoration efforts... but our restoration work is only possible with the help of volunteers!

Seed collecting occurs almost every Saturday, 9:30-12:00 from Aug. 23 - Nov. 8.

The meeting location varies each week. RSVP to Graham Steinhauer, Goose Pond Land Steward, at gsteinhauer@swibirds.org or 608-333-2947, to get involved.

Photo by Carolyn Byers

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance has some of the largest restored prairies in Wisconsin. Our Goose Pond Sanctuary, located near Arlington, is a major part of SoWBA's restoration efforts... but our restoration work is only possible with the help of volunteers!

Seed collecting occurs almost every Saturday, 9:30-12:00 from Aug. 23 - Nov. 8.

The meeting location varies each week. RSVP to Graham Steinhauer, Goose Pond Land Steward, at gsteinhauer@swibirds.org or 608-333-2947, to get involved.

Photo by Carolyn Byers

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance has some of the largest restored prairies in Wisconsin. Our Goose Pond Sanctuary, located near Arlington, is a major part of SoWBA's restoration efforts... but our restoration work is only possible with the help of volunteers!

Seed collecting occurs almost every Saturday, 9:30-12:00 from Aug. 23 - Nov. 8.

The meeting location varies each week. RSVP to Graham Steinhauer, Goose Pond Land Steward, at gsteinhauer@swibirds.org or 608-333-2947, to get involved.

Photo by Carolyn Byers

Goose Pond is a mecca for migrating waterfowl. Catch a glimpse of this incredible phenomenon as swans, geese, and ducks of all sorts pack into this prairie pothole by the hundreds or even thousands. Now, you can join Goose Pond Sanctuary staff and volunteers to learn more about them!

Photo by SoWBA

Did you know that cemeteries were a precursor to city parks? Starting in the early 1830s, “rural cemeteries” were established to create tranquil, beautiful settings where families could visit and commemorate their loved ones. Birdwatching quickly became one of many popular recreational activities in cemeteries.

Illustration by Kaitlin Svabek/SoWBA

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance has some of the largest restored prairies in Wisconsin. Our Goose Pond Sanctuary, located near Arlington, is a major part of SoWBA's restoration efforts... but our restoration work is only possible with the help of volunteers!

Seed collecting occurs almost every Saturday, 9:30-12:00 from Aug. 23 - Nov. 8.

The meeting location varies each week. RSVP to Graham Steinhauer, Goose Pond Land Steward, at gsteinhauer@swibirds.org or 608-333-2947, to get involved.

Photo by Carolyn Byers

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance has some of the largest restored prairies in Wisconsin. Our Goose Pond Sanctuary, located near Arlington, is a major part of SoWBA's restoration efforts... but our restoration work is only possible with the help of volunteers!

Seed collecting occurs almost every Saturday, 9:30-12:00 from Aug. 23 - Nov. 8.

The meeting location varies each week. RSVP to Graham Steinhauer, Goose Pond Land Steward, at gsteinhauer@swibirds.org or 608-333-2947, to get involved.

Photo by Carolyn Byers

As winter sets in, smaller ponds and lakes in south-central Wisconsin freeze, causing migrating birds to become concentrated on Madison’s large lakes, which remain open longer. We will look for waterfowl, gulls, and winter birds. This trip has produced some unusual sightings in the past, including Red-throated Loons, so don’t miss it!

Photo by Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance