Detroit Audubon members will be given the first opportunity to register for any in person field trips, so we encourage you to join us here! Going outside and enjoying nature is a great way to relieve stress. We encourage you to do so while respecting nature, wildlife and people in our natural spaces.
Detroit Audubon field trips offer fantastic year-round birding opportunities! We visit renowned regional hotspots during the migration season, and other trips focus on the many interesting resident species. Everyone is welcome, especially beginning birders, and you can always bring a friend.
Detroit Audubon Chapter Members will receive ticket discounts and opportunities for early registration for popular field trips and events. If you’re interested in having early access and discounts to our programs, consider joining Detroit Audubon as a Chapter Membership. A donation of $30 or more to Detroit Audubon qualifies your entire household to chapter membership benefits for one year. Click here to become a member!
Upcoming Field Trip Schedule
Elmwood Cemetery Bird and History Walk
Date: Saturday, August 12th
Time: 8:30 am to 10:30 am
Leaders: Joannie Capuano & Detroit Audubon
Fee: $6 General Admission, $4 for Detroit Audubon Chapter members
This is one in a series of walks to explore the birds, unique landmarks, and history of this beautiful 86-acre cemetery which is among the top “must-see” historic sites in Detroit. Designed by renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and dedicated in 1846, the cemetery provides a unique opportunity to experience the nature, culture, and history of Detroit. This event is great for beginning birders, young birders, or anyone just trying to get outside and explore a new part of the city!
To sign up: Click here to sign up!
Plants, Bugs & Birds Prairie Walk
Date: Saturday, August 12th
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 pm
Leaders: Leonard Weber, BIPOC Birders of MI, Detroit Audubon & Friends of Rouge Park
Fee: Free!
Explore Detroit’s restored tallgrass prairie located in Rouge Park on a guided nature walk! This walk will give participants the opportunity to learn about and explore a prairie ecosystem through the plants, bugs, and birds that call this rare habitat home. Further, learn about and see the impact of the recent restoration work done to this area by a prescribed burn. This walk is hosted in partnership with Detroit Audubon, BIPOC Birders of MI and Friends of Rouge Park.
To sign up: Click here to sign up!
Welcome to Nature Photography
Date: Saturday, August 19th
Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Leaders: Evan Deutsch
Fee: $6 General Admission, $4 for Detroit Audubon Chapter members
Come one, come all. Join us for our new Welcome to Nature Photography field trip series as we explore southeast Michigan at different seasons through the lens of a camera. Whether you shoot mirrorless, DSLR, action camera, film camera or even your cell phone, we welcome photographers that enjoy taking pictures of the natural world around us.
Think small. As in insects. That will be the focus of our first Detroit Audubon nature photography field trip. We will photograph bees, butterflies and any other interesting insects we find. While a macro lens is ideal (length dependent on what you shoot and your preferences), bring whatever you have. A zoom lens, if you have one, is quite versatile. If you don’t have a camera, use your cell phone.
To sign up: Click here to sign up!
Circle Forest Programs- Flower and Pollinator Walk
Date: Saturday, August 19th
Time: 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Leaders: Detroit Audubon & Arboretum Detroit
Fee: Free!
Join us for a Flower and Pollinator Walk led by Detroit Audubon as we talk about local plant and pollinator species. We will be walking over to Callahan Park to walk the meadow loop. Along our walk leaders will share information about the meadow installation process, native prairie plants and our most popular pollinators. This is great opportunity to learn more about how you can support these species at home and in your community.
To sign up: Click here to sign up!
Detroit Audubon Volunteer and Partner Appreciation Program
Date: Sunday, August 20th
Time: 10:30 to 1:00pm
Leaders: Detroit Audubon
Fee: Free!
To our amazing and dedicated volunteers and partners, Thank you.
2023 has been a BIG year for Detroit Audubon, all because of YOU! Detroit Audubon was founded by volunteers in 1939 and although now boasts a small staff, we continue to rely on the energy, time and talents of our many volunteers and partners every year to sustain our outreach and conservation efforts. We could not do the work that we do without the dedication and creativity of our many volunteers.
We truly could not do the work we do without our wonderful partners and volunteers. As a gesture of our gratitude, we’d like to invite you to a summer birding/wildflower walk and BRUNCH outside at Palmer Park.
To sign up: Click here to sign up!
How to Start Birding Walk at Belle Isle
Date: Thursday, August 24th
Time: 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Leaders: Detroit Audubon & Belle Isle Nature Center & InsideOut Literary Arts
Fee: Free!
Calling all new bird watchers! You are invited to an in-person How to Start Birding field trip hosted by the Belle Isle Nature Center, Detroit Audubon & InsideOut Literary Arts. Enjoy two short guided birding walks around trails on Belle Isle and interactive poetry readings about birding and nature. One of our main speakers will be Jacqueline Suskin (bio below). After the walk, stay for an opportunity to continue the birding as we discuss the birds observed and answer questions while watching the sun set along the Detroit River.
This walk will take place on the Okonoka and Light house Trails near the Belle Isle Nature Center. The beginning of the hike will lead us around the nature center and is a paved path and board walk, it’s about 400ft. The rest of the trail will be a gravel hiking path stopping at the pavilion where we’ll have the first poetry reading. (If folks want to go back after the first read that hike will be about .25 miles round trip.)
After that, we’ll take the beautiful light house trail (also gravel) and have the second reading at the light house. After that we’ll head back to the nature center. The complete hike will be about 1 mile.
To sign up: Click here to sign up!
Point Pelee Field Trip
Date: Saturday, September 2nd
Time: 9:00 am to 2:00 pm
Leaders: Jim Bull & Bruce Szczechowski
Fee: $18 General Admission, $12 for Detroit Audubon Chapter members
Point Pelee National Park is one of the best inland locations to observe bird migration. Its location on migratory flyways and on the north shore of Lake Erie makes it a place that attracts a wide diversity of species in a very small area. More than 390 species of birds have been recorded in the Point Pelee Birding Area.
To sign up: Click here to sign up!
Welcome to Birding Field Trip
Date: Sunday, September 3rd
Time: 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Leaders: Evan Deutsch
Fee: $18 General Admission, $12 for Detroit Audubon Chapter members
Join us this Fall birding season at Stony Creek Metropark as we walk along the trails near the Nature Center. Explore trails shaped by ice sheets 10,000 years ago as you walk through wetland areas, hardwood forest, restored prairie, old fields, along ponds and Stony Creek. We have chances to hear and see a wide array of pollinators and birds including warblers(Common Yellowthroat , Black and White, Tennessee), wood ducks, pied-billed grebe, belted kingfisher, cedar waxings, native sparrow species (Chipping, Song, Field), bluebirds, vireos, woodpeckers, and many more.
To sign up: Click here to sign up!
Lake St. Clair Metropark Fall Birding Extravaganza
Date: Saturday, September 9th
Time: 8:00 am to 12:00 pm
Leader: Joanna Pease
Fee: $15 General Admission, $10 for Detroit Audubon Chapter members
Meet leader Joanna Pease behind the nature center. The field trip will take all morning (until noon), but you are free to leave early if need to do so. We will be looking for fall migrants, especially songbirds and warblers in particular. Joanna is not only an incredible birder but adept in helping participants and especially beginners to find and enjoy these feathery visitors! Joanna has specified that she wants no more than 15 participants, so sign up early to reserve your spot.
To sign up: Click here to sign up!
Elmwood Cemetery Bird and History Walk
Date: Saturday, September 9th
Time: 8:30 am to 10:30 am
Leaders: Joannie Capuano & Detroit Audubon
Fee: $6 General Admission, $4 for Detroit Audubon Chapter members
This is one in a series of walks to explore the birds, unique landmarks, and history of this beautiful 86-acre cemetery which is among the top “must-see” historic sites in Detroit. Designed by renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and dedicated in 1846, the cemetery provides a unique opportunity to experience the nature, culture, and history of Detroit. This event is great for beginning birders, young birders, or anyone just trying to get outside and explore a new part of the city!
To sign up: Click here to sign up!
Birds, Bikes & Wines Bike Tour
Date: Sunday, September 17th
Time: 8:30 am to 3:30 pm
Leaders: Grand Traverse Audubon Club, Detroit Audubon & Grand Traverse Bike Tours
Fee: $79 General Admission
On this tour you will casually roll down the Leelanau Trail making detours to hand selected birding hot spots hosted by Grand Traverse Audubon Club. After a morning of birding we roll to Shady Lane Winery for lunch and wine tasting overlooking the vineyards. Then you continue down the trail to another boutique winery to finish out the day. The tour starts in Traverse City and finishes at our shop in Suttons Bay. The tour is led by our knowledgeable local guides we ride as a group down the paved scenic trail passing farms, orchards and vineyards along the way.
*Note– Hotel fees are not included in the price. (Because we are starting early, we do recommend booking a hotel room the night before or even making it a weekend trip to Traverse City.)
We ride about 3-4 miles in between each stop. The support van is always near by to pick up wine purchases or for rain rescue and just about anything else that may come up. The total tour is about 15 miles of casual riding.
To sign up: Click here to sign up!
Raptors on the River Fundraiser
Date: Sunday, September 24th
Time: 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Leaders: Detroit Audubon
Fee: $50 General Admission
Join us on the Diamond Belle for an evening river birding cruise as we search for local bird species, educate about raptor migration and sip on drinks from a cash bar. There will be six bird guides touring with us to help spot birds and educate about those seen. There will also be a ‘crash course’ on raptors and other birds.
To sign up: Click here to sign up!