Fall 2025

We are working on adding details!!

Thursday, September 18

• 7:30am at the Horseshoe on USC's campus. Meet at the Maxcy Monument, which is the large obelisk at the center of the Horseshoe. You can get an exact location using THIS LINK. Accessibility is GREAT (mostly sidewalks with some brick paving). We usually ramble for about an hour, but come and go as you like! Park along the sidestreets. Most spots are metered, but, according to the City of Columbia's website, meters aren't checked until 9am, so you should be good!

Saturday, September 20

• 10am at Silver Bluff Sanctuary. Meet at the office/visitor's center. You can get directions from their website LINKED HERE or you let Google Maps do the work for you by using THIS LINK. If you want to carpool or receive updates, you can sign up using THIS quick form. Accessibility is fair. We will be on maintained trails, but there could be trip hazards along the way.

Monday, September 22

• 6:30pm at Saulda Riverwalk Park. Meet at the Ranger Station. This is a crossover event with Sustainable Carolina, a student group at USC! Come and be a mentor for these aspiring naturalists! The address is 650 Candi Lane or you can use THIS LINK to get directions. Saluda Riverwalk is one of the best places to see migrating warblers this time of year! Accessibility is good. We will be on a concrete walk to start, but then will transition to a boardwalk which might have an occasional wonky board. 

Thursday, September 25

• 7:30am at Timberlane Drive. An urban oasis in Columbia! Ten years ago, the structures along this residential street were destroyed by the deluge from Hurricane Joaquin, With virtually all of the homes gone, it is a great spot to see wildlife along Gills Creek. Please park along the street (angled street parking) at the intersection of Glenhaven and Edmund Drive (see a link to the exact spots HERE). Then walk down the hill to the corner of Edmund Drive and Timberlane Drive (linked HERE), which is where the walk will begin. Accessibility is great; we will be on an asphalt surface. And it is easy to backtrack and escape if you need to cut out.

Saturday, September 27

• 11am in Fort Motte, SC. Join us for this special event focused on scanning the skies for migrating hawks. This is a private property on the south side of the Congaree River (across the river from Congaree National Park). Our birdwatching perch will be a hill that sits roughly 200 feet above the river with an unobstructed view that stretches for miles. For the most part, we will be birdwatching in place, which means the accessibility for this event is off of the charts! If we get bored, there will be an opportunity for a short walking excursion or two. We will likely be there earlier and later than the posted times, but you can come and go as you please. Keep in mind that this property is private and gated. If you plan to arrive at a time other than 11am, call or text 803-707-4965 (Clay) or 803-467-1717 (Bailey). We will happily come to open the gate for you!

  • • • Directions - There is no address for this place and Google Maps might lead you astray, so follow these directions closely!! We will have signage as you get close (starting at Step 3), so do not be intimidated by the direction below!

1. Navigate to the intersection of Adams Road and Lang Syne Road in Fort Motte, SC. You can use THIS LINK for the exact location or navigate to 94 Adams Road, St Matthews, SC.

2. Turn North on Lang Syne Road. If you are coming from Hwy 601, "North" will be a right turn. If you are coming from I-26/Hwy176/Hwy419/Fort Motte Road, "North" will be a left turn.

3. Drive 2+ miles on Lang Syne Road to the STOP sign at the end. We will have arrows/direction signs starting here. Turn left onto Wise Road. Wise Road is unpaved. 

4. Drive 1/2 mile and Turn Right on Moye Lane.

5. Go over the railroad tracks and Turn Left to stay on Moye Lane.

6. In 400 feet, Turn Right to stay on Moye Lane.

7. Drive to the top of the hill on Moye Lane. The gate will be on your right. We will have our Carolina Wren sign at the gate, so you won't miss it!

Thursday, October 2

• 7:30am at Saluda Riverwalk We never get tired of this place because it is so birdy! There are typically shorebirds in the river (Killdeer, Sandpipers, Kingfisher, Ducks, Herons, etc) and forest birds in the trees. There is no such thing as a bad day at Saluda Riverwalk! Meet at the Ranger Station. The address is 650 Candi Lane or you can use THIS LINK to get directions. Saluda Riverwalk is one of the best places to see migrating warblers this time of year! Accessibility is good. We will be on a concrete walk to start, but then will transition to a boardwalk which might have an occasional wonky board. 

Saturday, October 4

• 9am at Timmerman Trail: Another one of our favorite spots to birdwatch near downtown Columbia! This will be a crossover event with The Cayce Museum. The Museum regularly leads walks at Timmerman Trail, which is also know as the 12,000 Year History Park. For this outing, we will be obeserving NATURAL HISTORY! The walk will start and end at the Timmerman Trailhead near the Cayce Tennis Center. You can use THIS LINK for directions or look up 1120 Fort Congaree Trail, Cayce. We will park at the gravel parking lot past the tennis center on the left. The path is a concrete sidewalk, so accessibility is excellent!

Thursday, October 9

• 7:30am at Maxcy Gregg Park: In the heart of downtown Columbia, Maxcy Gregg is a great place to see birds seeking food and shelter in the concrete jungle. There is no dedicated parking for this park, but there is street parking in the surrounding area. We will meet at the Cancer Survivors' Garden and spend the next hour with our eyes focused on the treetops and creekside shrubbery. We will mostly be on a concrete sidewalk, so accessibility is excellent!

Sunday, October 12

• 10am in Fort Motte: Join us on our visit to a keystone property in the Congaree Bluffs conservation area! Known as the Arant Tract, this property was recently acquired by National Audubon Society. It is situated on the south side of the Congaree River opposite of Congaree National Park. And it is affectionately known as the Bluffs because the riverfront on this parcel is 200 feet above the river which gives us incredible views of the park below. There is also a beaverpond, hardwood and pine forests and tremendous beech trees. We will be walking on lagging roads. Footing can be tricky, so the accessibility rating is DIFFICULT.  

• Directions: You can also use THIS LINK and let Google help you with directions.

  1. Navigate to the intersection of Fort Motte Road and Town Square Street in Fort Motte, SC. You can use THIS LINK.

  2. From Ft Motte Road, turn onto Town Square Street. You will pass a small history museum and the boarded-up post office on your left. Town Square Street takes a 90 degree left curve. Soon after that curve, turn right onto Wise Road, which is a dirt road.

  3. Follow Wise Road for approximately one-half mile. You will see a green mailbox on the right and our Carolina Wren sign on the left. Turn left at our sign and proceed through the open gate.

  4. The road makes a left and then a right. You will see us at the grassy opening ahead!

Wednesday, October 22

• 5:30 pm at Columbia Riverfront and Canal Park Birds and Brews...birdwatching followed by some social time at Bierkeller. We really like birdwatching, but it isn't always the best place for us to practice our second most favorite pastime: socializing! The Columbia Riverfront Canal Park is conveniently located next to a prime location for fellowship. We will start at 5:30pm at the Columbia Riverfront Canal Park and use the last few minutes of daylight to see whatever flies, swims, crawls, or sits still! Once we have maxxed out on bird nerddom or run out of light, we will sneak over to Bierkeller and enjoy some food, drink, and merriment!

We hope you will come for birds and social hour, but it is totally cool to come for either. The trail accessibility rating is GOOD. It is a paved path, but there is some elevation change and sections of boardwalk. Also, there are steps between the park and Bierkeller.

***Note the time change. We have previously advertised this event as 6pm, but sunset comes earlier and earlier every day. If you cannot be there by 5:30pm, it will be easy to catch up with us!!

Saturday, October 25

• 9am at Wannamaker Nature Preserve Wannamaker Work Day!

Saturday, November 8

• 9am at Wannamaker Nature Preserve Adopt-a-Highway Trash Pickup

Tuesday, November 12

• 7pm at Garden Council Building Chapter Meeting

Saturday, November 16

• 1:30pm at Timmerman Trail

Friday, November 28

• 10:00 am at Kingsnake Trail (Congaree National Park)

Saturday, December 6

• 8am at Kingsnake Trail (Congaree National Park)

Sunday, December 14

• Christmas Bird Count Congaree Circle

Saturday, December 20

• Christmas Bird Count Columbia Circle