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. 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

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

Spring migration is here and birds are on the move! Help celebrate the return of our amazing migratory birds like Baltimore Orioles, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, warblers, and more at this celebration. Activities for children and adults alike, including hummingbird mask-making, sewn bird decorating, information on native plants and a local native plant sale, how to make your home and windows safer for birds, and more!

Photo by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

This field trip is full. Join the waiting list. 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 and distant ducks! We'll also be keeping our eyes out for any exciting spring migrants! 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

This field trip is now full. Join the waiting list. Are you curious about birds but not sure how to get started? Geared specifically towards people who newer to birding or venturing out for one of the first times, we’ll identify birds together at Nine Springs.

Photo via Pixabay

This field trip is now full. Join the waiting list. This field trip is designed for folks new to birding, and is family-friendly! We will explore the wonderful Cherokee Marsh North Unit, enjoying the sights and sounds of winter. We will share bird ID and talk about how to tell that bird species apart from others. This is a low-key, slow paced, no-pressure outing for beginners.

Photo by Courtney Celley/USFWS

This field trip is full. Join the waiting list. Enjoy the nighttime woods on this evening Owl Prowl at Pheasant Branch Conservancy. Great Horned and Barred Owls are regularly seen in this area, and we may get lucky and find Screech Owls as well!

Cover photo by Phil Brown

This field trip is full. Join the waiting list. Enjoy the nighttime woods on this evening Owl Prowl at Pheasant Branch Conservancy. Great Horned and Barred Owls are regularly seen in this area, and we may get lucky and find Screech Owls as well!

Cover photo by Arlene Koziol

New this year: In addition to Swift Night Out, the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, the Feminist Bird Club - Madison Chapter, and Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance will also be hosting informal get togethers each evening to watch the swifts. We’re calling it Swift Week!

Photo by Brenna Marsicek/SoWBA

New this year: In addition to Swift Night Out, the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, the Feminist Bird Club - Madison Chapter, and Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance will also be hosting informal get togethers each evening to watch the swifts. We’re calling it Swift Week!

Photo by Brenna Marsicek/SoWBA

New this year: In addition to Swift Night Out, the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, the Feminist Bird Club - Madison Chapter, and Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance will also be hosting informal get togethers each evening to watch the swifts. We’re calling it Swift Week!

Photo by Brenna Marsicek/SoWBA

New this year: In addition to Swift Night Out, the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, the Feminist Bird Club - Madison Chapter, and Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance will also be hosting informal get togethers each evening to watch the swifts. We’re calling it Swift Week!

Photo by Brenna Marsicek/SoWBA

New this year: In addition to Swift Night Out, the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, the Feminist Bird Club - Madison Chapter, and Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance will also be hosting informal get togethers each evening to watch the swifts. We’re calling it Swift Week!

Photo by Brenna Marsicek/SoWBA

New this year: In addition to Swift Night Out, the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, the Feminist Bird Club - Madison Chapter, and Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance will also be hosting informal get togethers each evening to watch the swifts. We’re calling it Swift Week!

Photo by Brenna Marsicek/SoWBA

New this year: In addition to Swift Night Out, the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, the Feminist Bird Club - Madison Chapter, and Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance will also be hosting informal get togethers each evening to watch the swifts. We’re calling it Swift Week!

Photo by Brenna Marsicek/SoWBA

Swift Night Out returns this September, and we are collaborating with fellow bird-loving organizations to celebrate the incredible natural phenomenon of Chimney Swifts coming in to roost during migration! In addition to Swift Night Out, our organizations will also be hosting informal get togethers each evening to watch the swifts. We’re calling it Swift Week!

Hosted by BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, the Feminist Bird Club - Madison Chapter, and Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance.

Photo by Steve Benoit

Curious and observant kids, join us for our new Nature Journaling Club for Kids this summer! Nature journaling can take the form of drawings, writing, notes, and more. We will see nature in a new way and grow our art and observation skills.

Photo by Carolyn Byers / SoWBA

Grab the kids and join us for a fun morning outdoors learning about nature in our Family Field Trip series this summer! On August 8, we’re focusing on insects! These field trips are designed to be fun and educational for families with kids. Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance educators will pair some of our school year lessons and games to make these outings not just informational but memorable and silly all in one.

Photo by Carolyn Byers/SoWBA

Curious and observant kids, join us for our new Nature Journaling Club for Kids this summer! Nature journaling can take the form of drawings, writing, notes, and more. We will see nature in a new way and grow our art and observation skills.

Photo by Carolyn Byers / SoWBA

Curious and observant kids, join us for our new Nature Journaling Club for Kids this summer! Nature journaling can take the form of drawings, writing, notes, and more. We will see nature in a new way and grow our art and observation skills.

Photo by Carolyn Byers / SoWBA

Curious and observant kids, join us for our new Nature Journaling Club for Kids this summer! Nature journaling can take the form of drawings, writing, notes, and more. We will see nature in a new way and grow our art and observation skills.

Photo by Carolyn Byers / SoWBA

Grab the kids and join us for a fun morning outdoors learning about nature in our Family Field Trip series this summer! On July 18, we’re focusing on owls! These field trips are designed to be fun and educational for families with kids. Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance educators will pair some of our school year lessons and games to make these outings not just informational but memorable and silly all in one.

Photo by Arlene Koziol

Curious and observant kids, join us for our new Nature Journaling Club for Kids this summer! Nature journaling can take the form of drawings, writing, notes, and more. We will see nature in a new way and grow our art and observation skills.

Photo by Carolyn Byers / SoWBA

Curious and observant kids, join us for our new Nature Journaling Club for Kids this summer! Nature journaling can take the form of drawings, writing, notes, and more. We will see nature in a new way and grow our art and observation skills.

Photo by Carolyn Byers / SoWBA

This field trip is cancelled due to low registration. Grab the kids and join us for a fun morning outdoors learning about nature in our Field Trips for Kids series this summer! On June 13, we’re focusing on deer! These field trips are designed to be fun and educational for kids and their grown ups. Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance educators will pair some of our school year lessons and games to make these outings not just informational but memorable and silly all in one.

Photo by Courtney Celley/USFWS

Registration is currently open to Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance members only. 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 Ruth Smith

This field trip is full. Join the waiting list. 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 and distant ducks! We'll also be keeping our eyes out for any exciting spring migrants! 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

This field trip is now full. Please join the waiting list. Are you curious about birds but not sure how to get started? Geared specifically towards people who newer to birding or venturing out for one of the first times, we’ll identify birds together at Nine Springs.

Photo via Pixabay

This field trip is now full. Join the waiting list. This field trip is designed for folks new to birding, and is family-friendly! We will explore the wonderful Cherokee Marsh North Unit, enjoying the sights and sounds of winter. We will share bird ID and talk about how to tell that bird species apart from others. This is a low-key, slow paced, no-pressure outing for beginners.

Photo by Kelly Colgan Azar