Wake Audubon Monthly Meeting: Investigating the Elusive King Rail Meeting is In Person and Zoom Time: Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 8, 2026, 7:30 - 9:00 pm Nature Research Center, 121 W. Jones St., Raleigh, 4th floor conference room Location: In-person + Zoom **Our NEW Zoom link is (Click the link below, then paste the code and password):

WakeAudubonZoom Meeting code: 848 5786 3508 Password: 4Birds Park (for free after 6:30 pm) and walk to the main museum entrance on Jones Street, just to the right of the giant globe. Since the NCSM is closed at night, someone will be at the door ONLY from 7 to 7:45 to let you in, so be on time. Take the elevator to the fourth floor meeting room. The east-facing entrance to the "old wing" of the museum will not be used. If you feel unwell, please stay home and enjoy our presentation over Zoom.

Topic: In this presentation, August Gause will share information about research and fieldwork in the marshes of North and South Carolina related to a threatened freshwater marsh bird: the King Rail. The secretive King Rail is approximately the size of a chicken but is difficult to observe due to the dense emergent vegetation it inhabits. Studying this species is therefore challenging, and current knowledge about King Rail is limited compared to easier-to-study species. Monitoring these birds is particularly important because they serve as indicators of the health of freshwater marsh ecosystems. They are sensitive to environmental changes, and their populations have been declining for over fifty years. In the U.S., their distribution has become concentrated along the East Coast. However, these populations face challenges related to climate change. August will discuss conservation concerns, methods of studying this elusive species, and research findings.

Speaker: August Gause graduated with an M.S. in Biology from East Carolina University, where they were co-advised by Dr. Susan McRae and Dr. Christopher Balakrishnan. Currently, August is an environmental planner at a consulting firm and is working toward publishing their thesis research.

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*Last updated 2026-07-24 by Beegle WATCH for updates