Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance Events
Regardless of the time of year, there is always something fun, interesting, and inspiring to do with Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance (SoWBA)! Join in one of our upcoming events listed below. Registration for most field trips opens 6 weeks in advance, on the Monday of that week.
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We are proud to offer a comfortable, outdoor, electric-powered wheelchair at most of our events & field trips—for free! > LEARN MORE HERE <
Have questions about upcoming events? Contact Brenna Marsicek, director of communications and outreach, at 608-255-2473 or bmarsicek@swibirds.org.
SoWBA’s field trip program is made possible, in part, through funding from the Henry A. Anderson III Fund.
>> SEE ALL UPCOMING EVENTS <<
Zoo visitors can watch the bird-saving window treatment installation and enjoy interactive displays and educational activities from SOS Save Our Songbirds, Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance’s Bird Collision Corps, and Lights Out Wisconsin. Those displays and activities will be set up near the treatment area from 12 to 4 p.m. Volunteers staffing the displays will share information about the serious threat windows pose to birds, and ways to treat problem home windows to keep birds safe.
Photo courtesy of Henry Vilas Zoo
Join the Madison Nature Journal Club and Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance at Lussier Family Heritage Center, which has a beautiful prairie with trails throughout. It also has a smaller "sensory garden" of plants selected for their bold scents and unique textures, plus some ~300 year old oak trees along the parking lot.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the lives of birds is their ability to migrate thousands of miles as they follow the changing seasons. This presentation by Wisconsin bird expert Bill Volkert will explore the annual migration of birds, their seasonal phenology, and explore recent studies that are revealing more information and instilling greater wonder over the phenomenon of bird migration. Part of the Mighty Migrations 2026 webinar series!
Photo by Ron Welker/USFWS
What if we could predict when and where migration is most intense and use that knowledge to turn off the lights at exactly the right moment? Ecological forecasting is making that possible. Drawing on radar data, weather models, and machine learning, researchers can now generate real-time forecasts that let us anticipate the pulse of bird movement before it happens. Part of the Mighty Migrations 2026 webinar series!
Photo by Joe Lynde
This field trip is full. Join the waiting list. 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
This field trip is full. Join the waiting list. Join fellow bird lovers of all skill levels on a slow-paced walk at Fish Camp County Park to listen and look for birds! Fish Camp County Park in McFarland is located along the shores of Lake Kegonsa, with trees, native prairie plantings, and wetlands all in the park. We expect to find lots of great migrating and resident bird species. We’ll walk on paved trails and board walk to enjoy this natural area.
Photo by Kelly Colgan Azar
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. Smith-Reiner Drumlin Prairie is a small parcel owned and managed by The Prairie Enthusiasts and a State Natural Area. It has 13 acres of remnant prairie between the two glacial drumlins. The drumlins will be covered with rough and cylindrical blazing stars and the valleys in between will have gay feather. This should be a monarch and grassland bird hotspot. Gentians and other prairie specialist flowers will also be blooming. This is a trip in conjunction with Southern Wisconsin Butterfly Association and The Prairie Enthusiasts.
Photo by Joshua Mayer
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
Fall is an amazing time to see warblers passing through Southern Wisconsin on their way to their tropical wintering grounds. Although they won't be singing or sporting their spring breeding plumages, finding them in fall is just as exciting as in the spring! In fact, their variable fall plumages make identifying them extra fun. This online class will teach you where and how to look for warblers this fall and how to ID them.
Photo by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren FCC
September is a great month to explore New Glarus Woods State Park. Birders of all skill levels are welcome! We will hike the south side of the park through mature woods and restored prairies. Come see what fall migrants are visiting. The park is normally home to a variety of woodpeckers, songbirds, and wildlife such as deer, squirrels and turkeys. Best for hikers in good physical condition.
Photo by Mick Thompson
Late fall through winter is prime time to view dozens of waterfowl species that migrate through south-central Wisconsin. In this class, you'll learn about what species you can expect to find, useful field marks for identifying waterfowl in varied viewing conditions (especially if you don't have a scope!), helpful birding tips for waterfowl viewing, and recommended locations to visit. Before you know it, you'll be picking out a Redhead hiding in a raft of Canvasbacks!
Photo by Arlene Koziol
Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance has some of the largest restored prairies in Wisconsin. Our Faville Grove Sanctuary, located just north of Lake Mills, is a major part of SoWBA's restoration efforts... but our restoration work is only possible with the help of volunteers!
Seed collecting at Faville Grove Sanctuary is held Sept. 2-Nov. 4, Wednesdays from 9:30am-12:00pm and Saturdays from 9:30am-12:00pm and 1:30-4:00pm. Saturday participants can choose to join the morning, or afternoon, or both sessions.
Photo by Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance
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 Sept. 5-Nov. 14.
The meeting location varies each week. RSVP to Emma Raasch, Goose Pond Land Steward, at eraasch@swibirds.org, to get involved.
Photo by Carolyn Byers
Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance has some of the largest restored prairies in Wisconsin. Our Faville Grove Sanctuary, located just north of Lake Mills, is a major part of SoWBA's restoration efforts... but our restoration work is only possible with the help of volunteers!
Seed collecting at Faville Grove Sanctuary is held Sept. 2-Nov. 4, Wednesdays from 9:30am-12:00pm and Saturdays from 9:30am-12:00pm and 1:30-4:00pm. Saturday participants can choose to join the morning, or afternoon, or both sessions.
Photo by Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance
Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance has some of the largest restored prairies in Wisconsin. Our Faville Grove Sanctuary, located just north of Lake Mills, is a major part of SoWBA's restoration efforts... but our restoration work is only possible with the help of volunteers!
Seed collecting at Faville Grove Sanctuary is held Sept. 2-Nov. 4, Wednesdays from 9:30am-12:00pm and Saturdays from 9:30am-12:00pm and 1:30-4:00pm. Saturday participants can choose to join the morning, or afternoon, or both sessions.
Photo by Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance
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