Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center

05/22/2026

05/22/2026

Today's Bird Banding Public Program has closed early due to rain. Hope you can join us next time on June 26!

05/22/2026

Thank you to Spiral Food Co-op and all our friend in the community who are supporting Carpenter Nature Center by rounding up at the register this month! ❤️🛒

05/15/2026

The BioBlitz and Biggest Day are well underway 🦅🐍🐝🌾

The Biggest Day birders have had their BIGGEST count ever and are already at 135 species.

The BioBlitz team is out working to identify plants and invertebrates with frogs and moths yet to come. The team was happy to spot the resident fox snake pictured below.

05/15/2026

Our Minnesota Campus Biggest Day Bird Count is underway! Our team arrived at 4am to start counting, and are setting new records. Our past Biggest Day species count was 114 species, and as of 8am today, we have surpassed that record with 118 species and counting!

This year we are combining our Biggest Day Bird Count and our BioBlitz, so stop by our Minnesota Campus today 5/15 or tomorrow 5/16 to join in on guided hikes and help add to the growing species list!

Schedule of Events:
Friday, May 15
4:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Biggest Day Bird Count with Ben Douglas
9:00 - 12:00 p.m. Bird Banding Demonstration
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Dragonflies & Damselflies with Jeff Fischer.
4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Snake Boards with Abbey Holden
7:30 - 8:30 p.m. Frog Watch with Melonie Allyn-Schwerin
8:30 – 10:00 p.m. Moths with Daniella Collier
Saturday, May 16
8:00 - 9:00 a.m. Bird Hike with Ryan Alaimo
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Butterflies with Dr. Kevyn Juneau
11:45 - 12:00 p.m. Species Tally and Wrap Up

05/11/2026

You can help protect migrating birds tonight by turning off exterior lights! Read the post 👇 for more info!

🚨Lights Out Alert! 🚨 Tonight, an estimated 17.6 million birds will fly over Wisconsin!

We’re urging everyone to turn off or dim non-essential outdoor lights and close window shades from 11 p.m.–6 a.m. to help birds safely on their journey.

Most birds migrate at night, and light pollution can disorient them, leading to deadly window collisions. In addition to turning down the lights, you can also help by treating windows. If you’re looking for a quick fix, draw lines on your windows (no more than 2” apart) with a bar of soap or washable window markers.

A few simple steps can save countless birds, conserve energy, and protect our night skies. 🌌🐦

👉 Share this post to spread the word!

Want migration alerts sent straight to your inbox? Sign up for Cornell Lab of Ornithology BirdCast alerts through the link in the comments. BirdCast added 4 Wisconsin cities this year: Appleton, La Crosse, Madison, and Milwaukee. If you don’t live near one, choose the closest city to you.

BirdCast sends alerts only on the biggest migration nights; about 8–10 nights each season that account for roughly half of all migration traffic.

SOS Save Our Songbirds | Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance | Wisconsin Society for Ornithology - WSO | Kickapoo Valley Dark Sky Initiative | Focus on Energy

05/05/2026

Thank you Spiral Food Co-op for choosing CNC for the May Round Up!

Our May Round Up at the Register Partner is Carpenter Nature Center. CNC has been serving the community since 1981, nestled at the confluence of the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers near Hastings, and located only thirty minutes from the metro, Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center provides a unique opportunity to learn and explore the outdoors. They preserve wildlife habitats while providing educational experiences for community families. To ensure people of all economic backgrounds can connect to nature, admission is completely free.
Let our cashiers know you want to round up to the nearest dollar (or more) to help CNC continue their important work.

Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center

05/02/2026

Run or stroll on over to CNC this weekend! Kiddos and families can enjoy a temporary Story Stroll presented by Washington County Libraries. The story We All Play by Julie Flett will be up on a short paved loop at our MN Campus for South Washington County Schools Community Education Screen Free Week May 2nd-8th 2026.

Stop in the visitor center for additional details about the route or pick up activity sheets to take home!

https://commed.sowashco.org/early-learning/early-childhood-family-education-ecfe/screen-free