Chapel Hill Bird Club

The purpose of the Chapel Hill Bird Club is to provide engagement and educational opportunities for area birders of all experience levels. We offer interesting educational programs, local birding field trips, Christmas and spring bird counts, and connection to other members via a Facebook group. Members have access to like-minded people including experts who can answer your questions. Whether you watch birds in your yard or travel to the ends of the earth to chase rarities, our club offers something for you. We are a friendly group and welcome all to join us, especially new birders! Our members are mostly from the Triangle area of North Carolina: Chapel Hill, Durham, Raleigh, Cary, Pittsboro, and surrounding towns.

News

November Meeting Program

November 23, 2026 at 7:30 pm — Binkley Baptist Church, 1712 Willow Drive, Chapel Hill

Roger Shaw—The Big Days-Year—a novel birding challenge

To attend by Zoom, see zoom information.

Big Years and Big Days are among the most captivating stories in birding, pushing birders' skills and dedication to the limits. But they also demand tremendous sacrifices of time and energy, that not everyone can afford or maintain. What if a more accessible version of a Big Year existed, that demanded less commitment and time, while still delivering challenge and adventure? In 2023, Roger and a friend developed a fun and novel twist on the Big Year concept, sparking an exciting year of birding around the state.

Roger Shaw is co-Vice-President of the Chapel Hill Bird Club. He began birding as a child in Raleigh, and this lifelong passion led to him pursing an academic career in the field, receiving a PhD in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior from the University of Texas at Austin. While in graduate school, he was also a co-instructor for the university's Ornithology class, leading students on weekly local field trips, as well as long weekend trips to every corner of Texas. He now works as a data scientist in healthcare, but still regularly ventures outdoors across the state in search of birds, butterflies, orchids, and other kinds of adventures in nature.

Joint CHBC/NHBA Field Trips for MLK weekend, January 16-18, 2027

The New Hope Bird Alliance and the Chapel Hill Bird Club are joining together to offer all our members an MLK weekend choice of field trips, January 16-18, 2027. NHBA will be traveling to the NC Outer Banks, while CHBC will go to Huntington Beach State Park in South Carolina. You are invited to sign up for one or the other, as our expert trip leaders help you explore the best birding hot spots in both venues. For the CHBC trip, preference will be given to members. Just send an email to David Anderson (d47anders@gmail.com) for the Outer Banks, or to Bo Howes (bohowes@gmail.com) for Huntington Beach. We will sign you up and then send further details. Even with two trips, space is limited, so respond as soon as you can. We are asking a donation of $75 for either trip. We are offering a couple of scholarships for students or others who need help with funds for the trips. See below for student scholarship application information. For questions about the trips, please contact David Anderson or Bo Howes.

Membership and Donations

Annual dues are $25 per individual or family, or $10 if you're a student. Dues go by calendar year, Jan 1 to Dec 31, so renewal season is now for continuing members. If you are a new member, you can join now and we'll credit your membership as being for 2027. To join the club, renew your membership, or make a donation, visit the membership and donation page.

Field Trips

We have bimonthly field trips from September through April, except during bird count seasons. Check our bird walk schedule for dates and times.

Meetings

We have monthly meetings from September through May (except December), generally on the fourth Monday of the month at 7:30pm. We are exploring holding hybrid meetings this season—in-person meetings with a Zoom option. As the night of the meeting approaches, please look for an announcement with the Zoom meeting link on the Chapel Hill Bird Club email list and Facebook page, and Carolinabirds.

In-person meetings are at 7:30 pm on the fourth Monday of the month at Binkley Baptist Church, in the Lounge. Binkley is at 1712 Willow Drive in Chapel Hill, at the intersection with 15-501 near University Mall (map with meeting room pinpointed). Visitors welcome! Come at 7:15 for light refreshments. We don't have a meeting in June, July, August, or December.

Find the lineup of meetings and speakers for our 2026–2027 season on our speakers page.

Our newsletter is the Chapel Hill Bird Club Bulletin. Current issue: October 2026. For past issues, visit our archives page.

Archives and Club History

Find past zoom meeting recordings, all of our newsletters since 1999, and an article on the first 50 years of the club on our archives page.

Counts and Lists

Bird counts, the Triangle Bird Checklist, and link to the Mini-BBS are on the Counts and Lists page.

Club Stuff

Officers, Constitution, and By-Laws of the Chapel Hill Bird Club.

Questions? Email us! chbirdclub at gmail.com

Facebook Group

If you'd like to interact with other local bird folks online, check out the Chapel Hill Bird Club's Facebook group.

Other Groups

You may wish to join the Carolina Bird Club, which covers both Carolinas, as well as New Hope Bird Alliance or Wake Audubon, which also have bird-related programs and activities.

Chapel Hill Bird Club field trip at Oregon Inlet, 1/19/2026

Field trip exploring Oregon Inlet on the Outer Banks, 1/19/2026. Photo courtesy of Loren Hintz

Carolina Nature | Carolinabirds info | Triangle Birder's Guide

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