Events

Events in April 2026

Annual Outings

Community Events

April

May

August

December

February

May

October

Summer/Fall

Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of the month from September through April. Speaker presentations are open to the public, providing environmental education to everyone in our community.

We sponsor outings and participate in bird- and conservation-related community events at the local, regional, and national level. We also participate in a number of community, regional, and even national events.

Sandhill Cranes near Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge
*Photo: Doris Minnerath-Kneip*

These are outings that occur every year.

Sand Prairie WMA – look and listen for Woodcocks in their mating ritual. Programming the date is challenging as we are still subject to snowstorms, but the display is always worth the effort.

Albany Wastewater ponds – migrating ducks and shorebirds

Peck Farm in Rockville – Annual picnic. This event has been held for the past thirty years.

Varying locations – Chimney Swift Sit. We choose a location where there is a migratory communal roost. This outing had been very popular in previous years. We have just restarted it this past year and plan to continue, hoping to identify additional communal roosts in the CMAS area.

St Cloud/Collegeville area – Christmas Bird Count. The CBC has been around for 125 years, and the St Cloud circle has participated since 1980. Brian Jungels is the compiler for the CBC

CMAS members are also encouraged to participate in area birding events:

Great Backyard Bird Count, promoted by National Audubon, Cornell Lab, and Birds Canada

Birding Days at St. John’s Arboretum, Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge, and Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.

Sand Hill Crane Viewing at Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge.

Removing Invasive Species, Planting Native Species, Building Bird Houses or Feeders, Placing and Monitoring BlueBird Houses in Trails.

17 6:30 pm: Woodcock Outing- Sand Prairie WMA 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm April 17, 2026 2025 Woodcock Outing – Photo Credit: Doris Minnerath-Kneip Join fellow birders on a trip to Sand Prairie Wildlife Management Area the evening of Friday, April 17th. Plan on meeting at 6:30 PM at the kiosk near Hwy. 10. We will walk to the observation deck overlooking the marsh. As we walk to the marsh we can look and listen for early spring migrants like meadowlarks and fox sparrows on the extensive prairie and tree line. At the marsh we should expect to see/hear an assortment of waterfowl (teal, wigeons, hooded mergansers, wood ducks, ring necked ducks and other marsh dwellers like northern harriers and sandhill cranes. If you wish to stay until dark we will hopefully see/hear the courtship display of the American Woodcock. Even if it seems warm, consider wearing layered warm clothing. The observation deck can be surprisingly cold in mid-April. Bring binoculars. If you do not own any binoculars, we have several you can borrow. There is no restroom at the WMA. The walk to the marsh is about 1.5 miles round trip. It is a compacted dirt path that is often uneven, with occasional ruts. There is a boardwalk with no railing and spaces between the boards, and there are steps up to the observation deck with railings on both sides. Brian Jungels is the coordinator for this outing. Contact him with any questions at 320-469-0876. Sand Prairie WMA is located south of St. Cloud on Hwy. 10 across from the Reformatory. Look for the brown signs on Hwy .10. Map of Sand Prairie WMA iCal Google

21 6:30 pm: CMAS Meeting: Phenology with John Latimer 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm April 21, 2026 We are excited that we are joining Central MN Master Naturalists (lead organizer this year) as well as St. Cloud Flower and Garden Club, Wild Ones, and Stearns County Horticultural Society to present our third annual joint meeting! Our presenter, John Latimer, is well known in the state for engaging students and adults in phenology. He was instrumental in creating the Minnesota Phenology Network. John Latimer is Staff Phenologist at KAXE – Northern Community Radio. From their website: “As a mail carrier in rural Grand Rapids, Minn., for 35 years, John Latimer put his own stamp on a career that delivered more than letters. Indeed, while driving the hundred-mile round-trip daily route, he passed the time by observing and recording seasonal changes in nature, learning everything he could about the area’s weather, plants and animals, and becoming the go-to guy who could answer customers’ questions about what they were seeing in the environment. The expertise he developed along the way turned him into one of Minnesota’s leading phenologists and host of a popular weekly radio show Phenology that attracts nature lovers and regular phenology contributors from around the state… Phenology is the rhythmic biological nature of events as they relate to climate. Staff Phenologist John Latimer, alongside a network of student phenologists across Minnesota, offer their valuable insights and seasonal observations on Tuesday mornings. “ We will meet at St. John’s University in the Founder’s Room, Quad 170 (map below). The meeting is open to the public, so invite your friends and neighbors. There will be door prizes from the sponsoring organizations. Map of St. John’s University iCal Google

25 7:00 am: Intro to Birding – Avon Hills Folk School 7:00 am – 9:00 am April 25, 2026 Our own Jim Millard will be leading a bird walk at Avon Hills Folk School. From the Folk School’s website: Springtime is the time of migration and the largest variety of full plumage birds are most likely to be encountered. As we move into late spring / early summer, migrants have moved to their nesting grounds and pair off for the nesting period. Visual ID becomes much more difficult as the foliage often completely obscures birds, but their habits and audible clues still allow identification and enjoyment. Students can expect to be guided through the natural area of the Avon Hills Folk School and get an introduction to bird identification, habitat and activity. Bird identification will be through both visual [shape / color / behavior] and audio [calls / songs / behavior] means. Recommended: Head net and/or bug repellent, binoculars, good walking shoes. Your Instructor JIM MILLARD (he/him) Born and raised in the Midwest, I have had an interest in birds since early grade school. I had an older brother who inspired me with an enthusiasm for birding and helped me learn the sights, sounds and behavior of birds. After graduating from college and getting into the workplace my hobbies tended towards my 3 children; when they were old enough I took them to the state park near our house to observe wildlife and participated in the park’s bluebird monitoring program. My wife [Mary] and I took the University of Minnesota’s Master Naturalist Volunteer course in the spring of 2021, and my capstone project was an Eastern Bluebird nest box trail at Crow Wing State Park. Since moving to St. Joseph last summer I have become a member of the Central Minnesota Audubon Society Recently retired from 33 years with the US Army, I now have the time to spend doing more with wildlife. I have a passion to instill enthusiasm and participation from students so that they can learn, grow and enjoy the outdoors, birds in particular. I have found that the students’ questions and conversation also inspire me to learn more along with them. Curiosity is a quality which should be encouraged as it leads to life-long learning. Go to Avon Hills Folk School to register Click on ‘Explore Courses.’ Map showing Avon Hills Folk School iCal Google, 9:30 am: Birding Outing: Albany Sewage Ponds 9:30 am – 11:00 am April 25, 2026 Join fellow birders as we search and listen for shorebirds and other featured migrants at the Albany Wastewater Treatment Ponds (Pools). Besides shorebirds, we should expect to find a plethora of waterfowl, gulls and waterbirds. We may also visit Getchell Lake which is only a few minutes drive away. A few pairs of binoculars will be available to borrow if you have a need. A spotting scope will also be available for use. Accessibility: There are no bathrooms at this site for use. The road along the pools is a hard, level gravel road. The pools can mostly be observed from a car or a chair. The Albany sewage ponds are located south of I-94 near Albany. (See map below.) If traveling on I-94 exit the freeway at Albany. Go south from the stop sign. The town of Albany at this point is to the north. Take a left onto Hwy 41 at the next stop sign. Take a right onto the first dirt road off of Hwy 41. This road runs right along the sewage ponds. We will scan the sewage ponds from the road. Map of Sewage Treatment Ponds iCal Google