Georgia Bird Fest Events

Registration is now open!
View the complete listing of events below.

Birds, y'all! As Georgia's largest bird and nature festival, Georgia Bird Fest features a full month of activities, including guided field trips to Georgia's best birding hotspots, nature-based workshops, and guest speakers. Events are tailored to all levels of bird, nature, and outdoor enthusiasts—there's something for everyone during Georgia Bird Fest!

Your participation in Georgia Bird Fest supports Georgia Audubon's conservation, education, and community engagement programming. Thank you for helping us build places where birds and people thrive!

Please note: If an event is already full and you would like to be placed on the waiting list, please place that event in your cart as a separate item and proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. If you place a full event in your shopping cart, it will put all events in your shopping cart on the wait list so it is important that you register for full events in separate transactions.

Join or Renew your membership

Event Logistics: You will receive an immediate email confirming your registration. If you do not receive this email, please check your spam folder or contact us so that we may troubleshoot.

Registered participants will receive full event instructions, including meeting location, a list of what to bring, and contact information for their trip/workshop leader approximately 10 days in advance of the event. Instructions will be emailed to all registered participants using the email address provided during registration. Please be sure to use a valid email address during registration. If you do not receive a registration confirmation email or event instructions 10 days before your event, please contact Georgia Audubon at 678-973-2437.

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations must be received at least 72 hours before the event and will be refunded minus a 10% administrative fee. Cancellations received less than 72 hours before the event will not be refunded. All events are rain or shine unless otherwise noted. If an event must be cancelled because of weather, registered participants will receive a full refund. No refunds will be issued for no-shows.

georgia bird fest raffle

Zeiss TERRA ED 8x42 binoculars

Original framed artwork

$5 per Ticket
$20 for Pack of 5 Tickets
Drawing will be held virtually on Sunday, October 18.

This year's Bird Fest raffle features two exciting items, one Zeiss TERRA ED 8x42 binoculars and the framed, original Bird Fest 2020 artwork featuring a Barred Owl (artist: Laura Bell).

Your raffle ticket(s) will gain you entry into the raffle. Two drawings (one drawing per item) will be held to select two winners. You do not need to purchase separate tickets for each item. Please see below for information about each raffle item.

Zeiss Binoculars: Take higher performance into the field. TERRA ED Binoculars combine SCHOTT ED glass (TERRA ED 32+42) with ZEISS MC coating for pure, bright and vivid images, even in low light. With an awesome close focus and a wide-angle field of view, you’ll never miss a thing. And their extremely compact size aids mobility in the field. Retail Value: $399.99

Artwork: The Bird Fest 2020 artwork is a pen and ink drawing that features a Barred Owl surrounded by whimsical flora and fauna. The artwork was commissioned by Georgia Audubon from Atlanta-based artist Laura Bell and is one-of-a-kind. The original artwork has been framed to a finished size of 18" x 21". Retail Value: $750

purchase single raffle ticket ($5)

purchase pack of 5 raffle tickets ($20)

**Please note: Physical raffle tickets will not be issued or mailed. Ticket numbers will be assigned in order by date of purchase. The raffle drawing will take place electronically via a random number generator based on the number of tickets purchased. Raffle ticket sales will end at 12:00 PM (EDT) on Saturday, October 17, 2020. The item may be picked up by appointment at the Georgia Audubon offices at 4055 Roswell Road, Atlanta, during business hours (Monday-Friday, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM), or the winner may pay to have the item shipped to them (shipping charges determined based on shipping method and carrier selected by raffle winner). Georgia Audubon will not be responsible for any items lost or damaged in the mail.

thursday, sept. 17

Webinar: Nature's Best Hope with Doug Tallamy

7:00 to 9:00 PM
via Zoom Webinar

Georgia Audubon is thrilled to welcome award-winning author and entomologist Doug Tallamy for a webinar on the evening of September 17. This is an amazing opportunity to hear Doug’s message of hope and to learn how we all can be part of the solution to address declining biodiversity and save birds, too.

Recent headlines about global insect declines, the impending extinction of one million species worldwide, and three billion fewer birds in North America are a bleak reality check about how ineffective our current landscape designs have been at sustaining the plants and animals that sustain us. Such losses are not an option if we wish to continue our current standard of living on Planet Earth. The good news is that none of this is inevitable. Tallamy will discuss simple steps that each of us can and must take to reverse declining biodiversity and will explain why we, ourselves, are nature’s best hope.

Note on ticket pricing: Georgia Audubon is partnering with Eagle Eye Book Shop in Decatur to make available signed, hard-cover copies of Tallamy’s latest book, Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard. The books may either be picked up in the retail store or shipped to your home for an additional fee. Eagle Eye Book Shop will be donating a portion of the book sales to Georgia Audubon. Ticket prices are per device, so if you and your family would like to watch on the same device it is fine to purchase only one ticket.

Webinar Only:
$15 – Georgia Audubon members
$20 – Non-members

Ticket and copy of Nature’s Best Hope (You must pick up book at Eagle Eye Book Shop, Decatur)
$45 – Georgia Audubon members
$50 – Non-members
($2 Discount on ticket price)

Ticket and copy of Nature’s Best Hope (shipped to you at your home)
$50 – Georgia Audubon members
$55 – Non-members

friday, sept. 18 to sunday, sept. 20

Ruddy Turnstone and Marbled Godwit by Adam Betuel

Shorebird Weekend on the Georgia Coast

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

Pre-trip Shorebird ID Workshop: Thursday, September 10, 6:30 to 8:30 PM (via webinar)
Coastal Birding Trip: 7:00 PM on Friday, September 18, to 12:00 PM on Sunday, September 20.
Leader: Adam Betuel
Limited to 20 participants
Cost: $250 for Georgia Audubon Master Birders / $275 for Georgia Audubon members / $300 for non-members
Location: Georgia coast, based out of Brunswick (Glynn County)
Difficulty Level: Moderate with full days of birding along different terrains

Join us for this unique workshop and coastal trip highlighting the shorebird migration that coincides with the spawning of horseshoe crabs. This spectacular phenomenon brings thousands of migrating shorebirds to our very own Georgia coast, including Red Knots, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Short-billed Dowitchers, Marbled Godwits, Ruddy Turnstones, and more…all in breeding plumage! This two-part workshop consists of a class session on shorebird identification on September 10 via webinar, followed by a weekend coastal trip led by Georgia Audubon’s Director of Conservation, Adam Betuel.

The coastal trip kicks off with a Friday evening session on Friday, September 18, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM in Brunswick on Shorebird Conservation taught by Tim Keyes, DNR Wildlife Biologist. Weather and seas permitting, we’ll take a boat trip exploring the Altamaha River Delta at places such as the north end of Little St. Simons Island, Little Egg Island, and Wolf Island Bar. The schedule also includes birding coastal hotspots such as Jekyll Island and Altamaha Waterfowl Management Area. Registration fee does NOT include travel, lodging, or food expenses.

Sunday, september 20

Swainson's Thrush by Mick Thompson/Flickr-CC by NC 2.0

Fall Migration at Carters Lake IBA

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

8:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Leaders: Shannon Fair and Iris Schumacher
Limited to: 15 participants
Cost: FREE, suggested donation $30/person
Location: Murray County
Difficulty Level: Moderate

This trip will explore the Hidden Pond Songbird Trail and surrounding area at Carters Lake in Murray County. The 3200-acre reservoir is a designated Important Bird Area (IBA) with mixed habitats of open water, early successional, pine stands, and beaver ponds. Mid- to late-September will give us a chance to hopefully find interesting migrating vireos and flycatchers (Warbling Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo, and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher have all been recorded here), as well as a good mix of warblers and thrushes moving southward. Early arriving waterfowl on the reservoir will also be a focus, as we'll look for duck species such as Northern Shoveler, teal, and more.

American Kestrel, by Gary Grossman/Audubon Photography Awards

Birding at Pole Bridge Creek

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

8:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Leader: Patrick Maurice
Limited to 15 participants
Cost: $30/person
Location: Lithonia, GA (DeKalb County)
Difficulty Level: Moderate

Pole Bridge Wastewater Treatment Facility has become a highly popular birding location among local birders in South DeKalb County, thanks in large part to a few rarities and several surprises that have been found here over the years. Although access is limited, over 150 species of birds have been identified at this single location in the metro-Atlanta area. Grassland birds include Wild Turkey, Eastern Meadowlark, and possibly American Pipit. We will also look for lingering Sandhill Cranes and migrating shorebirds, warblers, thrushes, and sparrows.

Photo by Alan Cressler.

Lula Lake & Lula Falls

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

8:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Trip Leaders: Malcolm Hodges and Lula Lake Land Trust staff
Limited to 15 participants
Cost: $30/person
Location: Lookout Mountain, GA (Walker County)
Difficulty Level: Moderate, with walking over uneven trails

Sometimes described as the prettiest spot in all of Georgia, Lula Lake and Lula Falls are a must-see. In spring, the area is enhanced by a lively variety of upland forest birds, migrants and breeders, such as warblers, vireos, tanagers, and buntings, in addition to a good variety of permanent residents. We will take a leisurely hike through the property, with time to appreciate the views large and small. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy with the group or on your own.

tuesday, september 22

Cape May Warbler by Andrew Dreelin

Webinar: How to Identify Warblers & Enjoy Them More, Too
A Holistic Approach to Bird Identification

7:00 to 9:00 PM
Instructor: Andrew Dreelin
Cost per device (multiple participants may view on the same device): $7 Georgia Audubon member / $10 non-member
Location: Online Webinar via Zoom

Love watching warblers but struggling to identify those fast-flitting beauties? Get excited because this webinar is for you! Together we'll walk through the warblers of Georgia, teaching you how to go beyond identifying birds by color and pattern alone, to applying subtle but powerful field marks like shape, contrast, behavior, call, and even posture to confidently identify warblers from combinations of small details. Georgia birder Andrew Dreelin learned these techniques while rapidly counting songbirds in "morning flight" during fall migration in Cape May, NJ, one of the world's best migration hotspots. However, these skills can be applied by anyone in any place and during any season, whether you’re in Georgia in fall, Costa Rica in winter, or Québec in spring.

By attending this webinar, you will not only acquire some fancy ID tips, but in learning to identify birds *holistically* by taking in each individual as a whole, you’ll also enhance your appreciation of these colorful migrants as you learn the unique aspects of each species. We'll even talk a bit about the best places to go if you want to revel in warblers during migration. Whether you’ve been looking at warblers for many seasons or just a few, there's something for birders of all skill levels to learn and apply in the field this fall and beyond.

saturday, september 26

Elachee Nature Science Center – Lake Loop

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

8:00 to 11:00 AM
Leaders: Peter Gordon and Wes Hatch
Limited to 30 participants
Cost: Free to attend, but registration is required. Note that there is a $5 per car parking fee at Elachee.
Location: Gainesville, GA (Gwinnett County)
Difficulty Level: Moderate, with 3 miles of walking

Elachee Nature Science Center is a hidden gem nestled just outside of Gainesville. Sitting on just over 1400 acres, Chicopee Preserve hosts 8 miles of trails, over 21 miles of mountain bike trails. The lake loop traverses around a 5 acre lake and an emerging wetlands providing home to a number of breeding birds like Louisiana Waterthrush, Prothonotary Warblers, Kentucky Warbler, Ovenbird, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and Blue Grosbeak.

Photo provided by the Historic Oakland Foundation.

Birding in Oakland Cemetery

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Leader: Rob McDonough and Marcy Breffle
Limited to 15 participants
Cost: $20/person
Location: Atlanta, GA (Fulton County)
Difficulty Level: Easy, slow walking through the cemetery grounds with some uneven surfaces possible

Historic Oakland Cemetery is home to more than 70,000 Atlanta citizens, each with a story to tell. Hear their stories and discover the history, gorgeous Victorian gardens, and the funerary art that make Oakland a unique Atlanta landmark. Participants on this tour will be treated to the many examples of bird artwork and symbology seen in and among the sculptures and statuary. We'll also be looking and listening for warblers, flycatchers, vireos, tanagers, and all the birds that make this special park their home. This will be a great walk for beginning birders and history aficionados!

Indigo Bunting by Justin Rebbert/Audubon Photography Awards

Fall Migration at Cochran Shoals

Only 2 spots remain!

8:00 to 11:00 AM
Leader: Nathan Farnau
Limited to 16 participants
Cost: $30/person (note that there is also a $5 daily parking fee per car that will be payable on-site, or you may display your annual National Park Service pass)
Location: Marietta, GA (Cobb County)
Difficulty Level: Moderate, with 2-3 miles of walking on flat paths

The Cochran Shoals unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA) is a favorite metro Atlanta birding spot due to its location along the Chattahoochee River that attracts a healthy mix of birds, especially during migration. During the height of migration, the species totals here reach the high 60s, with occasional major finds popping up such as Olive-sided Flycatcher and Lincoln's Sparrow in the fall, as well as the possibility of Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Philadelphia Vireo, and a great variety of migratory warbler species. This guided trip will be led by top Georgia birder Nathan Farnau and is an opportunity not to be missed.

Sunday, september 27

Rolling Meadows Farm by Nikki Belmonte

Rolling Meadows Farm

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

8:00 to 11:00 AM
Leaders: Richard Candler
Limited to 15 participants
Cost: $30/person
Location: Sharpsburg, GA (Coweta County)
Difficulty Level: Moderate, with 2 to 3 miles of walking through fields and woods

Rolling Meadows Farm is a private, family-owned farm of over 900 acres located in Coweta County. It boasts a diversity of habitats, including grasslands, mature hardwood forest, open pineywoods, several creeks and ponds, and a shoreline with Lake McIntosh. Farm resident Richard Candler will show us around this one-of-a-kind metro Atlanta property. We will look for lingering breeding warblers such as Kentucky Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler; resident and early-arriving wintering waterfowl; orioles; and more. There’s also the possibility to observe the resident Bald Eagles, depending on where the resident pair decides to nest this year. This trip typically boasts a species list of 60+, so don’t miss it!

Join ecologist and retired Stewardship Director (The Nature Conservancy) on this special trip.

Exploring Camp Meeting Rock Preserve with Malcolm Hodges

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

8:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Leader: Malcolm Hodges
Limited to 15 participants
Cost: $30/person
Location: Group will meet west of Franklin, GA (Heard County)
Difficulty Level: Easy to moderate, rolling granitic flatrock terrain, no steep or high hills (flatter than Arabia Mtn.)

This is perhaps the least visited of Georgia’s protected Piedmont outcrops. Join Georgia Audubon friend Malcolm Hodges for a truly special experience at Camp Meeting Rock Preserve in Heard County, Georgia. Malcolm will lead a walk on Nature Conservancy property (he’s recently retired as their state ecologist); participants will see a very different-looking outcrop with odd rare plants and abundant granite daisies in bloom, and discuss the unique features of this special place. Birds will of course be on the menu, as will all aspects of natural history. Optional: bring lunch for a socially-distanced picnic on the shaded rock following our hike.

Cascade Springs Nature Preserve, by Adam Betuel.

Feathers & Fronds: A Bird & Plant Exploration of Cascade Springs Nature Preserve

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

8:15 to 11:15 a.m.
Leaders: Leslie Edwards and Jamie Vidich
Limited to 15 participants
Cost: FREE, but registration requested
Location: Atlanta, GA (Fulton County)
Difficulty Level: Moderate - Walking on hilly and occasionally steep terrain
Special Note: No restrooms on the route

Cascade Springs Nature Preserve is a gem in metro Atlanta supporting a diversity of native plant species and attracting myriad forest-loving birds. We will look for resident and migrant birds known to frequent the preserve, such as Hooded Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Scarlet and Summer Tanager, thrushes, vireos, woodpeckers and gnatcatchers. Leslie Edwards, lead author of "The Natural Communities of Georgia," will introduce the native plants and plant communities in this rich preserve and describe how they are used by birds.

saturday, oct. 3, to sunday, oct. 4

Black-throated Green Warbler by Jim Mailhoit/Audubon Photography Awards

Warbler Weekend in the North Georgia Mountains

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

Pre-trip Orientation & Warbler ID Workshop: Sunday, April 26, 2:00 to 4:00 PM
Weekend Birding Trip: 7:30 AM on Saturday, October 3, to 4:00 PM on Sunday, October 4
Leader: Georgann Schmalz
Limited to 11 participants
Cost: $150 for Georgia Audubon Master Birders in good standing / $175 for Georgia Audubon members / $195 for non-members
Location: Clayton, GA to Blairsville, GA
Difficulty Level: Moderate with full days of birding along different terrains

Perhaps no one knows the birds or hot spots of the North Georgia mountains better than ornithologist and Georgia Audubon instructor Georgann Schmalz. Join Georgann during the peak of fall migration exploring a variety of habitats in the North Georgia mountains, including Dawson Forest WMA and Eagle's Rest Park, a high elevation hotspot in Jasper, GA, as well as a few of her favorite local stops. Registration fee does not include food or lodging. This trip begins in Clayton, GA, on Saturday and in Blairsville, GA, on Sunday. Participants will receive lodging recommendations upon registration.

Saturday, october 3

Short-eared Owl by Eric Bowles

Webinar & Field Session: Introduction to Bird Photography

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

Webinar: Tuesday, September 29, 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Outdoor Field Session: Saturday, October 3, 8:00 to 11:00 AM
Instructor: Eric Bowles
Limited to 16 participants
Cost: $50/person
Location: Webinar via Zoom and Field Session at Blue Heron Nature Preserve (Fulton County)

Whether you are using a compact camera, a phone, or a DSLR camera, you still want to create good bird photographs. Professional nature photographer Eric Bowles will guide participants in this two-part workshop, which features a live webinar via Zoom to cover the classwork session (September 29) and an in-person, outdoor field session for hands-on practice and instruction at the Blue Heron Nature Preserve in Buckhead (October 3). In this workshop, you’ll receive tips, suggestions, and answers to help you make better photos with your camera. We’ll talk about equipment and its limitations, exposure settings, focus, and basics of bird composition.

Photo by Roseanne Guerra.

Birding by Canoe along the Chattahoochee River

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

7:00 to 11:00 AM
Trip Leaders: Roseanne Guerra and Jay Davis
Limited to 14 participants
Cost: $50/person
Location: Roswell, GA (Fulton County)
Difficulty Level: Moderate, must be able to sit in a canoe for several hours and must be able to paddle a canoe.

Celebrate fall migration with our partners at Chattahoochee Nature Center! Commune with nature and join birding canoe guides as you explore the hidden backwaters along the Chattahoochee River. This 4-hour trip is a treat for birders of any skill level! Canoeing equipment, including personal flotation device, provided. Participants are encouraged to bring their own binoculars. Please note that participants must be at least 14 years old.

Sunday, october 4

Mason Mill Park by Jonah McDonald.

Explore Mason Mill Park

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

8:00 to 11:00 AM
Leaders: Author Jonah McDonald and Jamie Vidich
Cost: Free to attend, but registration is required
Location: Decatur, GA (DeKalb County)
Difficulty Level: Moderate, 3 miles of walking

This 2- to 3-mile walk with Jonah McDonald, the Mason Mill Park naturalist and author of Hiking Atlanta’s Hidden Forests: Intown and Out will primarily follow this Decatur park's accessible boardwalks and paved multi-use trails through wetlands and along Burnt Fork Creek and the South Fork of Peachtree Creek. There will be a few sections on soft-surface hiking trails. We will stop regularly for birding opportunities, information about the native plants that support the forest’s bird population, as well as stories about the history of the park.

monday, october 5

Photo by Dottie Head

Webinar: Beginning Birder 101

7:00 to 9:00 PM
Instructor: Melanie Furr
Cost: $7 per device for Georgia Audubon members / $10 per device for non-members
Location: This workshop will be presented live via Zoom webinar. You will register and receive a link to the webinar, as well as a reminder email one day prior to the workshop. Ticket prices are per device. You are welcome to have multiple people viewing on the same device, but your registration link is unique to you and will only work on one device.

Birds are fascinating, familiar, and accessible–their colors and songs add beauty to our everyday lives. If you’d like to get started with birding or improve your birding skills, join Melanie Furr, Director of Education for Georgia Audubon, for a how-to class that will help you develop your skills and enhance your enjoyment of our feathered friends. Participants will learn about the common birds of our area and techniques for identifying new birds. We’ll also share information on choosing the best optics, field guides, and smartphone apps to enhance your birding experience, as well as attracting birds to your yard. Your newfound skills are sure to enrich your enjoyment of the outdoors and keep your mind active!

tuesday, october 6

Ruby-throated Hummingbird on coral honeysuckle by David M. Shipper/Audubon Photography Awards

Webinar: Gardening for Birds & Building Your Backyard Sanctuary

7:00 to 9:00 PM
Instructor: Ellen Honeycutt, Georgia Native Plant Society
Cost per device: $7/Georgia Audubon member; $10/non-member (multiple people may view on the same device)
Location: Online webinar via Zoom

Do you enjoy attracting birds and other beneficial wildlife to your yard? Do you know which types of plants will attract hummingbirds or which plants are the top producers of fruits for other birds? Do you have invasive plants you want to rid from your yard? Join Ellen Honeycutt from the Georgia Native Plant Society for this workshop on how to create a Wildlife Sanctuary on your own property. You’ll learn which plants give the biggest bang for your buck in terms of food production, shelter, and nesting sites and which plants you may want to avoid. Learn how to manage your Wildlife Sanctuary without the use of harmful pesticides and herbicides and where to go within north Georgia to source native plants for your own landscaping needs.

friday, october 9

Photo by Danielle Bunch

Facebook Live: Virtual Bird Walk with Clayton County Water Authority

9:00 to 10:00 AM
Leaders: Georgia Audubon & Clayton County Water Authority Staff
Cost: FREE
Location: Live on Georgia Audubon's Facebook Page

Join us for one of our popular Friday morning Virtual Bird Walks as we explore local hotspots and birdy patches. This week we'll partner with our friends at Clayton County Water Authority (CCWA) to take viewers on a virtual tour of the restricted-access treatment wetlands. CCWA's constructed wetlands, which are used for the county's wastewater treatment, offer habitat for many uncommon metro Atlanta birds such as rail species, overwintering waterfowl, sparrows, Marsh Wren, and more. Follow along on Facebook Live as we hope to turn up a few early fall surprises!

To participate, simply log on to Georgia Audubon's Facebook page at 9:00 AM to join in.

Georgia Audubon Facebook Page

Saturday, october 10

Roseate Spoonbill by Eric Bowles

Webinar & Field Session: Intermediate to Advanced Bird Photography Tips and Techniques

Only 4 spots remain!

Webinar: Wednesday, September 30, 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Outdoor Field Session: Saturday, October 10, 8:00 to 11:00 AM
Instructor: Eric Bowles
Limited to 16 participants
Cost: $50/person
Location: Webinar via Zoom and Field Session at the Blue Heron Nature Preserve (Fulton County)

You’ve got a good camera but your bird photographs are not quite as good as you’d like. What makes a great bird photo? How do you take better bird photos? How do you make images of difficult subjects such as birds in flight or songbirds in a wooded area? How do the situations affect your choice of camera settings? Professional nature photographer Eric Bowles will guide participants in this two-part workshop to answer all these questions and provide tips and techniques to help you make better bird photographs. Part One features a live webinar via Zoom to cover the classwork session (September 30), and Part Two features an in-person, outdoor field session for hands-on practice and instruction at the Blue Heron Nature Preserve in Buckhead (October 10). This workshop is best suited for participants with a basic understanding of cameras and photography.

Serenbe by Vinod Babu.

Birds & Brunch at Serenbe

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

7:30 AM to 3:00 PM
Trip Leaders: Vinod Babu and Gus Kaufman
Limited to 17 Participants
Cost: $60/person
Location: Palmetto, GA (Fulton County)
Difficulty Level: Strenuous with approximately 4 miles covered over uneven terrain; no restrooms on the trail

Always a fan favorite and consistently boasting a species list of 60+, this trip is sure to book quickly. Bird the private trails of Serenbe, a planned community focused on sustainable agriculture, the arts, and well-being located in south Fulton County. Trails meander through a mix of habitat, including pine and hardwood forests, open meadows, and shrub/scrub. We can expect a big species count for this walk, including good numbers of birds like Kentucky Warbler, Prairie Warbler and Blue Grosbeak, which can be hard to find within Atlanta itself. Following our morning hike, we will enjoy brunch at The Hill restaurant. Lunch entrees and non-alcoholic beverages are included in the registration fee.

Chilean Flamingos at Zoo Atlanta by Dottie Head

Behind-the-Scenes with the Birds of Zoo Atlanta

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

1:15 to 3:15 PM
Leader: Zoo Atlanta Avian Conservation Staff
Limited to 10 Participants
Cost: $30/person
Location: Atlanta, GA (Fulton County)
Difficulty Level: Easy, walking along paved trails at Zoo Atlanta

Join a behind-the-scenes tour of Zoo Atlanta’s avian collection with members of the Zoo Atlanta bird program staff. You’ll learn about the conservation programs they are working on and get the insider’s scoop on fascinating birds such as the Kori Bustards, Kookaburra, Chilean Flamingos, and more. Meet Moaning Myrtle the Mourning Dove, be wooed by an amorous pheasant, check out developing eggs in the incubators and see whatever else is going on! Zoo Atlanta daily admission is also included for tour-day use (Zoo rides and food are not included).

Note that an additional Behind-the-Scenes tour of Zoo Atlanta is scheduled for Saturday, October 17.

Celebrating a fun morning of birding at Yonah Mountain Vineyard. Photo by Dottie Head.

Wine and Warblers in North Georgia

8:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Leaders: Jay Davis and Roseanne Guerra
Limited to 12 participants
Cost: $50/person
Location: Helen, GA (White County)
Difficulty Level: Moderate, morning bird walk on uneven terrain
Special Notes: The group will meet at Smithgall Woods and caravan to Yonah Mountain Vineyards following the bird walk and a BYO picnic lunch at Smithgall Woods.

Spend the day in the idyllic north Georgia mountains with a morning of birding in the restricted conservation area of Smithgall Woods State Park, followed by a picnic lunch. Following lunch at Smithgall Woods, we will caravan to Yonah Mountain Vineyards to wind down with a wine tasting. Birds we can expect to observe including migrating and breeding warblers such as Black-throated Blue, Blackpoll, Chestnut-sided, and Canada. We will also keep an eye out for Wild Turkey, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, woodpeckers, raptors, owls, vireos, and flycatchers.

Sunday, october 11

Photo provided by Christy Knight

Webinar: Nature Sketching - Drawing Birds 101

Only 1 spot remains!

1:00 to 4:00 PM
Instructor: Christy Knight
Limited to 12 participants
Location: This workshop will be held as a webinar via Zoom
Cost: $50/person
Difficulty Level: Easy, streaming to your own device

Join award-winning naturalist illustrator, Christy Knight, for a fresh look at drawing birds. All ability levels are welcome to this hybrid format of online yet personal, place-based instruction. Explore new techniques in ornithological sketching from the safety of your home or green space while learning about some new secret spots for field work within the thirty acres of Blue Heron Nature Preserve. Our time will include both group collaboration and individual guidance in an inspiring routine for continuing work. The session will begin with a virtual class from 1:00-2:00 PM. One hour will then be spent on independent work, with participants having access to the instructor via text chat/image sharing. The final hour, 3:00-4:00 PM, will be a final virtual class session and opportunity for participants to share their work and gather personalized feedback from the instructor.

Mediums we will work in: Graphite and colored pencil. Artists will procure their own supplies for continuing. A list of suggested materials is provided below.

Suggested materials:

Bristol, 96 lb or heavier weight paper, smooth surface
Drawing board
Clips or tape to affix drawing paper to board
Graphite drawing pencils in HB, 2B or F lead
Kneaded eraser
Colored pencil set such as Prismacolor brand

wednesday, october 14

Webinar: Sip & Draw with David Sibley - Hummingbird Sketch

7:00 to 8:00 PM
Instructor: David Sibley
Location: This workshop will be held as a webinar via Zoom
Cost per device: $7 - Georgia Audubon Member / $10 - Non-member
Difficulty Level: Easy, streaming to your own device

Join Georgia Audubon for this special Sip & Draw webinar with acclaimed birdwatcher, author, and illustrator David Sibley. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the publishing of The Sibley Guide to Birds, in this one-hour online session, David Sibley will walk participants through the step-by-step process of drawing a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, inspired by Georgia Audubon's educational ambassador hummingbird, Sibley. Grab your favorite festive fall beverage and follow along from the comfort of home. No special materials are required for this class, just pencil and paper or any other drawing/painting materials which participants may prefer. This webinar is suitable for all skill levels, including beginners.

friday, october 16

Facebook Live: Birds & Beans -- How You Can Help Birds with Your Morning Cup of Coffee

9:00 to 10:00 AM
Instructors: Nema Etheridge (Café Campesino) & Adam Betuel (Georgia Audubon)
Cost: FREE
Location: Live on Georgia Audubon's Facebook Page

Join Adam Betuel, Georgia Audubon's Director of Conservation, and Nema Etheridge, Marketing Director for Café Campesino, to learn how the coffee choices you make every day can have far reaching impacts for a variety of bird species that migrate through or spend summers in Georgia and the winter months in Central and South America. Café Campesino and Georgia Audubon are teaming up to talk about how shade-grown coffee benefits both people and birds. Café Campesino is a wholesale roaster-distributor located in Americus, Georgia, specializing in artisan-roasted specialty-grade coffee. We'll wrap up the presentation with a quick demonstration of how to brew a great cup of coffee. Don't forget to purchase Georgia Audubon's bird-friendly, shade-grown coffee in our Online Store.

To participate, simply log on to Georgia Audubon's Facebook page at 9:00 AM to join in.

Georgia Audubon Facebook Page

Saturday, october 17

Eastern Meadowlarks are just one of several grassland species that can be found at this Atlanta site. Photo by Adam Betuel.

Donzi Landfill Exploration

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

8:00 to 11:00 AM
Leader: Adam Betuel, Georgia Audubon Director of Conservation
Limited to 16 participants
Cost: $30/person
Location: Atlanta, GA (DeKalb County)
Difficulty Level: Moderate, total distance of 1.5 miles, with most walking on a dirt/gravel road. Approximately 0.5 to 0.75 miles of this walk will be on a somewhat steep grade. No facilities onsite.

This private site consists of two capped landfills in western DeKalb County. The nature of the capped landfill requires little to no wood vegetation, meaning this location is primarily open grassland habitat and early successional spaces, both increasingly rare ecosystems in metro Atlanta. For the past couple of years, Georgia Audubon has enjoyed access to the site for the In-Town Atlanta Christmas Bird Count. During this count, we often find exciting birds including sparrows, raptors, and other open county birds. However, outside of the Christmas Bird Count, the site has not been monitored in any way. Brief site visits in spring of 2020 resulted in the documentation of American Kestrel, Eastern Meadowlark, Yellow-breasted Chat, and Grasshopper Sparrow, to name a few! This is all to say that this Bird Fest event promises not only a chance to explore a growingly rare habitat at a private site, but also that there is no telling what could show up there during fall migration!

We will start by birding the riparian corridor along Intrenchment Creek. Here we hope to find
migratory warblers, vireos, thrushes, in addition to the resident species like Carolina Wren, Northern
Cardinal, a handful of woodpecker species, and more. The trail/road will begin to enter a scrubbier
habitat. In this section, birds such as Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Orchard Oriole, and Yellow-breasted
Chat may be possible. At the top of the landfill, the space opens up. Here, there is a lot of grass,
herbaceous plants, other dense undergrowth, all mixed in with a few saplings. At the top we hope to find sparrows, raptors, swallows, and other grassland species. In addition to the great birdwatching, the top of this landfill offers one of the best views of downtown Atlanta possible. Time permitting, we may head to the southern landfill, which is even more grass dominate.

*This event is possible in thanks to our partners at CRH, which manages these sites.

CCWA Treatment Wetlands by Danielle Bunch

Birding the Restricted Treatment Wetlands of Clayton County Water Authority

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

8:00 to 10:30 AM
Leaders: Danielle Bunch and Anne McCallum
Limited to 20 participants
Cost: $30/person
Location: Hampton, GA (Henry/Clayton Counties)
Difficulty Level: Easy

Special Note: The majority of the treatment wetlands must be birded by car, so caravanning will be necessary with several high-clearance vehicles. Each car will be given a walkie-talkie to communicate bird sightings.

Newman Wetlands Center’s Senior Conservationist, Danielle Bunch, and Anne McCallum will guide us on a tour of the restricted-access Treatment Wetlands area. Participants on past trips have observed early-arriving winter and resident waterfowl such as Wood Duck, Gadwall, Blue-winged Teal, and Northern Shoveler; American Bittern; rail species such as Sora, Common Gallinule, and American Coot; vireos; Marsh Wren; swallows; Osprey; nesting Bald Eagles; and more. This is your chance to check out a typically-restricted access site with recent unusual-for-the-area sightings, with a small chance for Limpkin and night-herons. This trip is not to be missed!

Black-throated Blue Warbler by Adam Betuel

Rogers Bridge Trail

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

7:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Leader: Nathan Farnau
Limited to 12 participants
Cost: $30/person
Location: Johns Creek, GA (Fulton County)
Difficulty Level: Easy to moderate, mostly flat trails along an approximate 2-mile walk

Rogers Bridge Park is a leafy, peaceful site at the foot of an historic trestle-style river crossing. Farmed for nearly 300 years by the Rogers family, the site was slated for a 32-home development when The Trust for Public Land stepped in to permanently conserve it. Multiple habitat types allow for a diversity of bird species to be observed here, including uncommon Fulton County birds such as White-crowned Sparrow, American Kestrel, and Eastern Meadowlark. Migrating warblers, vireos, and shorebirds, as well as resident woodpeckers, raptors, wading birds, and songbirds should all be celebrating the beginning of spring.

Note: Due to limited parking at Rogers Bridge, the group will meet offsite to condense into just a few cars. Location details will be shared with registered participants.

Photo by Stephen Ramsden.

Bird and Nature Photography Hike at Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Trip Leader: Stephen Ramsden
Limited to: 20 participants
Cost: $30/person
Location: Decatur, GA (DeKalb County)
Difficulty Level: Moderate, walking on level packed dirt trails. Ages 8+, please.

Stephen W. Ramsden, Director and Founder of the global STEM nonprofit “Sunlit Earth,” will host a hands-on photography hike through one of intown Atlanta’s best birding spots, the Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve. The hike is open to all skill/equipment levels but the lessons are aimed at DSLR or manual settings accessible camera users. Stephen will discuss how the camera chip works, what the main settings do and how to use them, framing shots, background selection and a brief overview of processing RAW images. This hike can immeasurably improve your end results if you are a novice camera user.

Clyde Shepherd is a 28-acre nature preserve located in DeKalb County. Featuring many different habitat types in a small area, including a pond and wetlands area, emerging pine forest, low shrub meadow, and wooded uplands, this birding hotspot attracts many exciting species each spring, including migrating warblers, breeding waterfowl including Wood Duck, and sometimes some uncommon surprises.

Photo by Wes Hatch

Mud Creek Farm

8:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Leader: Wes Hatch
Limited to 20 participants
Location: Mud Creek Farm, Albany, GA (Dougherty County)
Cost: $30/person
Difficulty Level: Moderate with over 3 miles of walking

Mud Creek Farm in Albany, GA, has been owned by the Fowler Family for the last 100 years. The late host to Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, Jim Fowler grew up on this property and later turned it into an Ostrich Farm with a number of other exotic species that still call the farm home. The farm is now taken care of by his children and nieces and nephews. This a unique property that hosts southern specialties such as Northern Bobwhite, Bachman’s Sparrow, Red-headed Woodpeckers, and so much more. Plan to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy on the farm!

Proceeds from this event will be split with Mud Creek Farm to support its care.

Chilean Flamingos at Zoo Atlanta. Photo by Dottie Head.

Behind-the-Scenes with the Birds of Zoo Atlanta II

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

1:15 to 3:15 PM
Leader: Zoo Atlanta Avian Conservation Staff
Limited to 10 Participants
Cost: $30/person
Location: Atlanta, GA (Fulton County)
Difficulty Level: Easy, walking along paved trails at Zoo Atlanta. Ages 10+

Join a behind-the-scenes tour of Zoo Atlanta’s avian collection with members of the Zoo Atlanta bird program staff. You’ll learn about the conservation programs they are working on and get the insider’s scoop on fascinating birds such as the Kori Bustards, Kookaburra, Chilean Flamingos, and more. Meet Moaning Myrtle the Mourning Dove, be wooed by an amorous pheasant, check out developing eggs in incubators and see whatever else is going on! Zoo Atlanta daily admission is also included for tour-day use (Zoo rides and food are not included).

Note that an additional Behind-the-Scenes tour of Zoo Atlanta is scheduled for Saturday, October 10.

Sunday, october 18

Red-cockaded Woodpecker by Gary Leavens / License CC BY-SA 2.0

Red-cockaded Woodpeckers at Piedmont NWR

This event is currently full. To be placed on the waiting list, please proceed with the registration process. We will contact you if a space becomes available and collect payment at that time. Note that you must register for the waiting list separately from all other event registrations or ALL of your event registrations will be marked as pending.

8:00 to 11:00 AM
Leader: Jim Ferrari
Limited to 16 participants
Cost: $30/person
Location: Piedmont NWR, Round Oak, GA (Jones County)
Difficulty: Moderate, with driving on dirt roads through the refuge and short walks

In 1999 Georgia became the first state in the nation to develop a statewide conservation plan to provide management options and protection of suitable habitat for the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker. Historically widespread in the southeast, the Red-cockaded Woodpecker suffered severe population declines due to the loss of mature pine forests. Today, approximately 1% of the woodpecker’s original population can still be found across the southeast. We’ll caravan through several areas of the refuge to look for some of the 57 family groups that call Piedmont NWR home. Other key species we’ll keep an eye (and ear) out for during the trip are Northern Bobwhite, Bachman’s Sparrow, Wild Turkey, and fall migrants.

limited edition bird fest 2020 t-shirt

Featuring a design created by Atlanta-based artist Laura Bell, this year's Bird Fest T-shirts feature a Barred Owl, a species that may be found throughout Georgia. This year we are excited to partner with Recover Apparel to offer T-shirts that feature 100% recycled materials. This year’s shirts are made with 50% recycled PET from plastic bottles and 50% up-cycled cotton, with each shirt taking eight plastic bottles out of the waste stream.

Style & Color Info:

Unisex style is available in Buffy Brown and Sweet Blue
Ladies style is available in Sweet Blue

Unisex sizes are available in sizes small through 2XL, and ladies’ cut shirts are available in sizes small through XL. Please note that the ladies’ style offer a more fitted cut with a v-neck.. The unisex shirts are a more traditional cut with crew neck and regular sleeves. Shirts are on sale NOW in our online store and may be purchased for $20, plus tax (and optional shipping).

purchase t-shirt