May Presentation & Birding Tour

Thursday, May 21, 2026

Social 6:30 pm | Program 7:00 pm

Richfield Community Center | 7000 Nicollet Ave 

Get ready to test your nature knowledge, win prizes, and have lots of fun at our May meeting! Wild Ones Twin Cities members and trivia nuts Andrea and Jackie will lead small teams through questions about birds, butterflies, plant identification, and more! The top three teams will win prizes and bragging rights. Join us to have fun and get to know other members! 

Program is free and open to public.

MAY Birding Tour

Kroening Nature Center | 4900 N Mississippi Dr, Minneapolis

Saturday, May 30th, 2026 | 10 AM-11:30 AM

Host: Travis Bonovsky

Join us for a guided tour of Kroening Nature Center led by Travis Bonovsky, a Minnesota Master Naturalist, expert birder, and nature photographer. This engaging walk will explore the rich diversity of native plants and the bird species they support within this unique urban natural area.

Participants should wear comfortable tennis shoes or hiking boots as this tour will take place on paved nature trails. Binoculars aren’t necessary, but highly encouraged. Binoculars are available for rent inside the Kroenig Nature Center. Meet at the Kroenig Nature Center. We hope you can join us as Travis helps us learn more about the relationship between native plants and birds. 

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New Member meeting

If you have joined Wild Ones Twin Cities in the last year, we invite you to a new members meeting on May 20, 5:30 at Malcom Yards: 501 30th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414. 

Members will have a chance to share a little bit about their native plant journey.

Please contact membership chair, Adrienne Richardson with any questions.

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Summer Preview!

Saturday, June 27th, 2026

Bex's Garden in Brooklyn Center

Saturday, July 25th, 2026

Meg's Garden in Chaska MN

Saturday, August 22nd, 2026

Gwen's Garden in Richfield, MN

Members-Only Nature Hikes 

Host: Don Gustafson

Attendance will be limited to 15 people each hike. Registration link coming soon!

June 13, 2026 | 10 AM

Easy hike at Eloise Butler to go see showy lady slippers.

July 11, 2026 | 10 AM

Moderate hike (approximately 1.5 miles) to view native forbs and grasses at Nine Mile Creek Bluff Remnant Prairie.

August 29, 2026 | 10 AM

Easy hike at Eloise Butler to view the prairie at peak bloom. 

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Congratulations to Hiawatha Elementary School in South Minneapolis! 

Their school is one of 22 organizations nationwide to be chosen for the 2026 Wild Ones Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Grant award and Wild Ones Twin Cities Chapter wants to help support their efforts.

Meet the Hiawatha garden leaders (right to left) second grade teachers Hannah Froiland and Emy Mariano, with Hiawatha parent Carrie Magnuson in front of what will soon become vibrant native habitat gardens.

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Thanks to our Earth Day Outreach Volunteers! 

Click here to download our Egg carton Eco garden instructions!

April Presentation

A bubble rock Diane installed to replace her birdbath.
Birds are attracted to the sound of moving water.
They bathe and drank from it, as do the squirrels!

A hummingbird sitting in a nest in Diane's yard.

April 23, 2026

Gardening for Birds

Presenter | Diane Hirigoyen

Social 6:30pm - 7:00pm 

Presentation 7:00pm - 8:15pm

Richfield Community Center 

7000 Nicollet Ave, Richfield, MN

Diane Hirigoyen will review the diet of birds, and then compare birds and insects in relation to ecosystem services, threats, habitat requirements, actions people can take, and some resources.

Diane was born and raised in Michigan. She received a degree in Clinical Laboratory Science from Michigan State University and a master's degree from the University of Minnesota in Medical Microbiology. She worked at Hennepin County Medical Center for 37 years in the microbiology and molecular laboratories. Upon retiring Diane focused on birding and gardening. She has been a member of Wild Ones since October 2019. In the fall of 2022 she was accepted into the Xerces Society Ambassador program. 

Spring Member-Only Tours

Pasque Flower Meadow and Nine Mille Creek Trail Hike, Bloomington

April 19th, 1:00- 2:30 pm

Bonus Native Garden Visit | 2:30 to 3:00 pm

REGISTER HERE

Meeting Place: Parking Lot at Rock Church, 2201 W. 108th St., Bloomington

Hike leaders:  Roz Johnson and Nathalie Shanstrom, Wild Ones Twin Cities members, Bloomington residents.

Please join Wild Ones Twin Cities members on a hike to see a rare Metro prairie meadow where Pasque wild flowers should be in bloom. We’ll then walk down to the Nine Mile Creek trail, currently undergoing Phase 1 of a major restoration project, to see what's emerging after a long winter. This hike is somewhat hilly so bring your hiking poles if you want. Wear good hiking shoes and bring water.

Optional extension activity: Around 2:15-2:30 pm, we will drive to nearby Oak Grove Presbyterian Church, 2200 W. Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington to see the Vanatta Memorial wildflower garden. You will see an example of Pasque flowers as well as other spring natives in this micro climate garden designed by Nathalie Shanstrom in collaboration with Julia Vanatta.

We especially encourage new members to attend. Group will be limited to 15 people. If it rains, hike will be rescheduled and you will be notified.

Life Beneath Our Feet: Understanding Soil

7515 Izaak Walton Road W, Bloomington, MN 55438

Saturday, May 2nd, 11:45am-4pm

Space is Limited- Members Only | REGISTER HERE

Come and learn about the Izaak Walton League Bush Lake ecosystem where over 12,000 native plants have been installed. Jim Etzel will give a presentation on healthy ecosystems, healthy soil and water infiltration. We will extract and view soil cores, and soil infiltration rates. Some samples will be sent to a lab and results will be available at a later date.

This event is open to members of Bush Lake Ikes (register on their website), Wild Ones and by invitation on a first come basis. Space for parking is limited, please walk, bike or carpool if possible. If you would like to attend and are not a members, please join today! 

Note: Parking on site is very limited, we encourage everyone to use bicycles (if you live nearby) or carpool. 

Agenda:

11:45 am - 12:15 pm     A tour of Bush Lake Izaak Walton League

12:15 pm - 12:45 pm     Complimentary Pizza and soft drinks will be provided

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm        Presentation by Jim Etzel, Understanding Bush Lake’s Ecology & Life Beneath Our Feet: Understanding Soil

2:00 - 4:00 Observe soil ecology, collect soil samples and perform soil infiltration test.

Questions: 

For Ikes and invited guests, email Jill Crafton 

For Wild Ones Twin Cities members, email Susan Van Baerle