Happy September & Happy Feeder Swap Season!
Before we talk about anything else: we're hoping that everyone stayed safe and suffered minimal impacts from Hurricane Dorian. We'd like to thank everyone for their patience as we delayed the reopening of our stores so our staff and community could take some important recovery time.
 
Summer may be winding down, but don't you worry: we are gearing up for a great fall season full of exciting classes, trips, and events. We're continuing our series of native plant sales for the fall: as you know fall migration is just starting for many birds and butterflies, and September is a great time to help these travelers by adding native plants to the garden. 

We're also looking forward to doing a bit of traveling ourselves, and have planned a birding adventure to wildlife hotspots Lake Mattamuskeet and the Outer Banks. If you're up for some more local birding excitement too, there's still time to sign up for our special birding kayaking excursions with Mahanaim Adventures. To top it all off, we even have a variety of Fall Semester Birding and Native Plant Classes scheduled, both through the store and with some wonderful community partners. 

Check our website for all of the details on these events. We hope you're ready to mark your calendars and make plans to join us for a fun fall full of birds!

Fall Semester Birding Class
Sept 26 - Nov 10
(Only a few spots left!)

Registration for our Fall Semester Birding Class is now open! Expand your identification skills, learn a bit about the science behind the study of birds, and see an exciting variety of birds in action during their annual fall migration. Space is limited! Cost is $75 per person and includes all class sessions. CLICK HERE for more details.
Fall Native Plant Sales

Our friends from Going Native Gardens are back this fall with more of their native plants for your wildlife-friendly home habitat! We have special plant sale dates scheduled for both store locations, so mark those calendars!

Fall Plant Sale Dates:
Saturday, September 14 | 10 - 12:30  (Wilmington)
Thursday, October 3 | 10 - 12:30 (Southport)
Saturday, October 5 | 10 - 12:30 (Wilmington)
Saturday, October 19 | 10 - 12:30 (Wilmington)
Be Ready for Butterflies!

Birds aren't the only ones on the move during Fall migration - butterflies are too! You can support these travelers by choosing beneficial native plants for your garden and offering special feeders full of easy-to-prepare nectar. (A field guide to help you identify all of the appreciative visitors isn't such a bad idea either.) Stop in and we'll help you get set up with a butterfly feeding station or two for your yard!
Lake Mattamuskeet & Outer Banks Birding Weekend
Nov 22 - Nov 24

OF COURSE it isn't too early to think about a winter birding adventure! We hope you'll join us for our 6th annual weekend of super birding  around  Lake  Mattamuskeet  and the Outer Banks. Space is limited and registration is required. CLICK HERE for details, registration is due by November 1.
OLLI Fall Birding Class
The Birds of Southeastern North Carolina: Fall and Winter Migratory Species


Located along the "Atlantic Flyway", Southeastern North Carolina is a haven for many different bird species. Join Wild Bird and Garden's Jill Peleuses for a series of bird walks to discover the birds of our region. During this class we will focus on birds and their habitats. We will adventure to the coast, fresh water lake, marsh, and woodlands to discover a variety of species in their natural environments. Throughout this class students observe and learn how to identify fall migrants, backyard birds, shorebirds, and resident songbirds. 

September 16 | 8 - 10 a.m. | Class: Fall and Winter Birds of SE NC
September 17 | 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. | Airlie Gardens
October 15 | 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. | Fort Fisher Area
November 19 | 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. | Greenfield Lake

This class is offered through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNCW. Registration opened on August 21. Please visit the  OLLI website to learn more and to register.

Birding 101 with Leland Parks and Recreation
Sept 23 - Oct 7

We are so pleased to join the Town of Leland Parks and Rec department to offer a special birding class this fall! Birding 101: Fall Migration begins on Monday September 23, and there are still spots available. For more information
or to  register,please visit:
Birding/Kayaking Excursions

Join Wild Bird and Garden and  Mahanaim Adventures
for some great fall birding out on our local waters. Excursions are $55 per person and include all kayak equipment and guide services. Single and tandem boats are available for all excursions, and all skill levels are welcome. Space is limited, and registration is required. To register, visit the  Mahanaim Adventures website  or give them a call: (910) 547-8252.

Our Fall Excursions:
Friday September 13: Full Moon Owl Prowl Tour (5 - 9)
Tuesday October 1: Masonboro Island Tour (8:30 - 12)

Upcoming Events

We're so happy, we'll mention it twice: Fall Native Plant Sales are scheduled! CLICK HERE for details.
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Airlie Gardens Bird Walk
Wednesday, September 11 | 8:00 - 9:30
Meet in Airlie's Main Parking Lot
Join Jill Peleuses and Airlie Gardens Environmental educators for a relaxed bird walk at scenic Airlie Gardens. Airlie offers a wide range of super birding habitats, and we always see an interesting variety of birds (Fall migration may bring even more than usual!). Regular Airlie admission applies, or stop by Wild Bird & Garden to pick up a $2 admission discount voucher for this month's walk.

Southport Bird Walk
Wednesday, September 18 | 8:30 - 9:30
Meet at Wild Bird & Garden Southport
Join Wild Bird & Garden staff for a birding stroll around Southp ort's historic downtown and waterfront areas. This walk is free and open to all!
We're excited about all of our upcoming events, and look forward to seeing you at lots of them. In the meantime, start getting your home habitat ready for migrating birds and butterflies, and don't forget to bring in an old bird feeder for the Feeder Swap! Thank you for reading, and of course: Happy Birding!


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