Calendar
2025
Bald Eagle Days January 10, 11 and 12th. QC Expo Center.
Saturday February 9 Field Trip 9:00am. Smith Island. Meet at Lock and Dam 14 for wintering waterfowl, gulls and resident woodland birds. Some walking through a woodland. Dress for the weather. For questions contact qcaudubon@gmail.com
Sunday March 16 Field Trip to Princeton Marsh for migrating waterfowl and early spring migrants. Meet at Lock and Dam 14, LeClaire, Iowa at 8:00am. We will look for waterfowl en route to Princeton Marsh. This is a short half day field trip and will involve some walking. For questions, contact qcaudubon@gmail.com.
Saturday April 12 Field Trip Cone Marsh. Cone Marsh can be an exceptional wetland complex for waterfowl, shorebirds and more. This is a full day field trip with an estimated return around 2:00pm. Meet at the Marquette Street Boat Landing at 7:00am for carpooling. For questions contact qcaudubon@gmail.com
2024
Thursday, December 14, 2023. Public Meeting 7:00 pm – Pie Night, Butterworth Center. Folks may bring a pie to share, or just join in the fun. Dr. Brian Peer of Western Illinois University promises an entertaining program!
Thursday, December 14th, 2023 - Friday, January 5, 2024. Christmas Bird Count. You can add to a century of community science by joining Audubon's 124th Christmas Bird Count. Contact any QC Audubon Board Member, write us at qcaudubon@gmail.com or contact Kelly McKay at 309-235-4661 to participate.
Friday-Sunday, January 5th-7th, 2024, Bald Eagle Days at the QCCA Expo Center, Rock Island, Illinois. QCAS is looking for volunteers to help participants observe Bald Eagles. If you’re interested, contact us at qcaudubon@gmail.com.
Saturday, February 10 8:00-10:00am Winter Field Trip to Smiths Island for overwintering woodland birds and waterfowl and gulls. Meet at Lock and Dam 14 parking lot, just downriver from LeClaire. For questions contact qcaudubon@gmail.com.
March 14, 7:00pm; Thursday 7:00pm Membership Meeting, Butterworth Center 1105 8th Street, Moline. Program TBD. In person and zoom. Zoom link: https://wiu.zoom.us/j/94478127233.
Saturday, March 16, 2024, Field Trip to Princeton Marsh for migrating waterfowl and early spring migrants. Meet at Lock and Dam 14, LeClaire Iowa at 8:00am. We will look for diving ducks en route to Princeton Marsh. For questions contact qcaudubon@gmail.com.
April 11, 2024 Thursday 7:00pm, Membership Meeting Butterworth Center 1105 8th Street, Moline, Program TBD In person and on zoom. Zoom link:https://wiu.zoom.us/j/94478127233.
April 11, 2024 Thursday 6:00pm, Membership Meeting Butterworth Center 1105 8th Street, Moline, Dr. Brian Peer, Western Illinois University, will discuss Blackbirds in person and on zoom. Zoom link:https://wiu.zoom.us/j/94478127233.
Sunday April 14 Field Trip Cone Marsh. Meet at the Marquette Street Boat Ramp, Davenport at 7:00am. Cone Marsh southwest of Muscatine is great for viewing waterfowl and shorebirds. For questions contact qcaudubon@gmail.com
Saturday April 27 Stroll Thru Springtime, Black Hawk State Historic Site, Rock Island. Citizens to Preserve Black Hawk Park. Bird Walk 7:00-9:00 am Program 9:00-10:00am Wildflower Walk 10:00-Noon
Saturday May 4, Illinois Spring Bird Count. Contact Tim Murphy 309-764-9779 or for further information. https://spring-birdcount.inhs.illinois.edu/ Coordinated by Illinois Natural History Survey.
Saturday May 11, Field Trip Dorrance & Illiniwek Parks. Meet at the ball diamond parking lot at Dorrance Park, Port Byron, Illinois at 7 a.m. This field trip in the past has yielded outstanding numbers of migrating and breeding warblers, tanagers, orioles, and woodpeckers. For questions, contact qcaudubon@gmail.com.
Sunday June 2, Field Trip Mississippi Palisades State Park and Lost Mound Wildlife Refuge, Savanna, Illinois. Meet at Shuler’s Grove Park, Rapids City at 6 a.m. for carpooling. This is an all-day field trip that will include a stop for lunch. This field trip features late waterfowl, breeding warblers, forest and grassland birds. For questions, contact qcaudubon@gmail.com.
Sunday, September 15 8:00am - 11:00am, Quad City Audubon Society Field Trip, Black Hawk State Historic Site, Rock Island Il. Could
be very good for fall migrating warblers. Meet at the Black Hawk Statue south of the Lodge at 8:00m. Further information, Tim Murphy
309-764-9779.
Saturday, October 12 8:00am - 11:00am, Quad City Audubon Society Field Trip, Loud Thunder County Park for migrating and resident
songbirds. Meet at Sunset Park Rock Island in the north parking lot near the boat ramps at 8:00am. For further information contact Tim
Murphy 309-764-9779.
Sunday, November 9, 8:00am -2:00pm. Quad City Audubon Society Field Trip Rapids City to Spring Lake for migrating waterfowl.
Considered a full day field trip. Meet for carpooling at Shulers Shady Grove Boat Ramp, Rapids City at 8:00am. For further information
contact Tim Murphy at 309-764-9779
Thursday December 12 2024 Annual Meeting 6:00pm. This is pie night/ Officer and Board Member Elections. Butterworth Center, 1105 8th Street, Moline. Members are encouraged to bring a pie to share. Bird Quiz presented by Brian Peer. The public is invited there is no charge.
2023
January 6-8, 2023— Bald Eagle Days at the QC Expo Center, Rock Island, IL. Looking for volunteers to help participants observe Bald Eagles. If interested, contact us at QCAudubon@gmail.com
February 11, 2023 - Smith Island, Lock & Dam 14 winter walk with Dr. Brian Peer, 9:00 am, Lock & Dam 14 parking lot, LeClaire, Iowa.
Thursday March 9, 1:30 PM at the Bettendorf Public Library. Larry Stone will give a free public program, "Gladys Black: The Legacy of Iowa’s Bird Lady". This program is based on the book by Larry and Jon Stravers.
Thursday March 9, 7:00 PM (Virtual Meeting). Millions of waterfowl are on the move, and many different species will be passing through the Quad Cities in the next month or two! Join us as Tim Murphy discusses how to identify them! Zoom link: https://wiu.zoom.us/j/94727531516
March 11, 2023 8:00am Field Trip. Princeton Iowa Wildlife Management Area spring waterfowl walk. Meet at Princeton Wildlife Area south boat ramp end of 266th Street at 8:00am. For questions contact QCAudubon@gmail.com
Thursday April 13 7:00pm Butterworth Education Center, 701 12th Avenue, Moline. Program: Brian Fox Ellis, representing Illinois Audubon Society and a renowned character actor portrays "Robert Ridgeway, An Illinois Ornithologist" Ridgeway was a prominent ornithologist and Curator of Ornithology at Smithsonian Museum beginning 1880.
April 15 Field Trip Cone Marsh. Meet at the Marquette Street Boat Ramp, Davenport at 7:00am. Cone Marsh southwest of Muscatine is great for viewing waterfowl and shorebirds. For questions contact qcaudubon@gmail.com
April 29, Stroll Thru Springtime, Black Hawk State Historic Site, Rock Island. Citizens to Preserve Black Hawk Park. Bird Walk 7:00-9:00am Program 9:00-10:00am Wildflower Walk 10:00-Noon.
May 6, Illinois Spring Bird Count. See article newsletter. Contact Tim Murphy 309-764-9779 or for further information. https://spring-bird-count.inhs.illinois.edu/ Coordinated by Illinois Natural History Survey.
May 6 Earth Day Recognized. Farmers Market Freight House, Davenport 8:00am-2:00pm.
May 11, 7:00pm Membership Meeting at the Butterworth Center A Program "Birding South Texas" by Dick Sayles will be presented. Dick is the Vice-President of Iowa Ornithologist's Union and past President Quad City Audbuon. He has been traveling to Rio Grande Valley region of South Texas for the past several winters. The Rio Grande Valley is a nationwide hotspot for winter birds in the United States. In addition to describing the birds seen one will be able to get an idea of how to bird the area.
May 13, 2023 Field Trip Dorrance & Illiniwek Parks 7:00am. Meet at the ball diamond parking lot at Dorrance Park, Port Byron. IL 7:00am. This field trip has yielded outstanding numbers of migrating and breeding warbles, tanagers, orioles and woodpeckers. For questions contact qcaudubon@gmail.com
June 4. 2023 Field Trip Mississippi Palisades State Park and Lost Mound Wildlife Refuge, Savanna, IL.
Meet at Shulers Shady Grove Park, Rapids City 6:00am for carpooling. This is an all day field trip that will include a stop for lunch. This field trip features late waterfowl, breeding warblers, forest and grassland birds. For questions contact qcaudubon@gmail.com
Saturday August 19, 2023, 7:00am - Noon. Field Trip to Wapsi River Environmental Education Center. Scott/Clinton County. We will walk trails woodland and open country trails and visit the Education Center. Meet at Davenport Farm and Fleet Parking lot to carpool at 7:00am. Further Information, Tim Murphy
Sunday, September 10, 8:00am - noon, Field Trip, Wildcat Den State Park. Could be very good for fall migrating warblers. Meet for carpooling at Marquette Street Boat Landing at 8:00m. Further information, Tim Murphy 309-764-9779.
September 14, 2023 7:00pm, Thursday - Membership Meeting, Butterworth Center, 1105 8th Street, Moline. Amber Schorg , Renewable Enerty Biologist, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services, Illinois-Iowa Ecological Service Feld Office will present a program: "Wind Energy and Bats in the Midwest: Partnerships, Studies, and Innovations" .
October 12, 2023, 7:00pm, Thursday - Membership Meeting, Butterworth Center, 1105 8th Street, Moline, IL . Tyler Harms, Iowa DNR will present a Program: "Rails and Bitterns Response to Emergent Vegetation.
Saturday October 14, 2023 8:00am - 11:00am Field Trip, Crow Creek Park for migrating and resident songbirds. Meet at the Quarry parking lot at 8:00am. For further information contact Tim Murphy 309-764-9779.
Sunday November 12, 2023 8:00am -1:00pm. Field Trip Rapids City to Spring Lake for migrating waterfowl. Considered a full day field trip. Meet for carpooling at Shulers Shady Grove Boat Ramp, Rapids City at 8:00am. For further information contact Tim Murphy at 309-764-9779
2022
March 12, 2022, Saturday - Field Trip, Spring Lake and Lock & Dam 13. Meet at Shuler's Shady Grove Park/1st Ave Boat Ramp Parking Lot , Rapids City, IL, 7:00 am; Half to full day trip.
April 9, 2022, Saturday - Field Trip, Cone Marsh. Meet at Marquette Street Boat Ramp in Davenport at 7:00 am.
April 23, 2022, Saturday – Member Event, Nest Box Building. Meet at Nahant Marsh, 42209 Wapello Avenue, Davenport at 10:00 am. We will be constructing small nest boxes. Donated materials will be available. If you are interested in making a nest box and taking it with you, you need to let us know by April 15 so we can secure enough supplies. You may sign up by sending a note to qcaudubon@gmail.com.
April 23, 2022, Saturday – Davenport City Cemetery, Rockingham Road and West River Drive. Dedication of Purple Martin Gourd Nest Colony. Presentations on Purple Martin management and habits by Nahant Marsh staff and Quad City Audubon. 1:30 – 3:30 pm.
April 30, 2022, Saturday - Stroll Through Springtime, Black Hawk Park, Singing Bird Lodge. 7:00 am bird walk, Program 9:00 am. 10:00am Wildflower Walk.
May 7, 2022, Saturday - Earth Day 2022 Fair, at the Freight House Farmers Market from 9 to 2. QC Audubon is planning on hosting a table and would appreciate volunteers to help. Contact qcaudubon@gmail.com if you wish to volunteer.
May 7, 2022, Saturday. 50th Annual Illinois Spring Bird Count. Coordinated by Illinois Natural History Survey, a county by county survey of Illinois Birds. One may participate by joining a field party or by counting their neighborhood, personal property or feeder. For Rock Island County Contact Tim Murphy: 309-16-4575. For information of other counties: https://spring-bird-count.inhs.illinois.edu/
May 12, 2022, Thursday - Audubon Membership meeting at Nahant Marsh , 42209 Wapello Avenue, Davenport, 6:00 pm. A program, "Birds of Nahant Marsh” by Nahant ornithologist, Jimmy Wiebler will be presented, followed by a walk along the marsh to view evening birds.
May 15th, 2022, Sunday – Field trip to Illiniwek and Dorrance Parks. Half day trip. Meet at Illiniwek Park, east side of highway at 7:00am to view migrating and resident warblers, orioles, tanagers. This field trip may offer amazing views of a great many species.
Saturday and Sunday, May 21-22. GO WILD GO NATIVE PLANT SALE, HAUBERG ESTATE, 24TH Street & 13th Ave- Rock Island, IL
MAY 21, 9 AM - 4 PM; MAY 22, NOON - 4 PM
HOSTED BY : Guardians of the Prairie and Forest , Hauberg Estate, Mariposa Nursery, Perennial Crops Nursery, The Purple Violet
Featuring native grasses, flowers, trees and shrubs. 3,200 plants over 90 species.
Iron Garden Sculptures for sale with 100% of the proceeds to benefit QC Honor Flight.
Sunday June 5th, 2022 - Mississippi Palisades. This is an all-day event. Those interested in attending should meet at Shuler’s Shady Grove Park/boat ramp in Rapids City at 6:00 am. Carpooling will be at discretion of participants. This has typically yielded good views of Yellow-throated, Parula, Kentucky, Cerulean Warblers and many other species.
Friday June 24-Saturday June 25— Bioblitz, Sunderbruch Park 4675 Telegraph Road, and Fairmont Cemetery, Davenport, Iowa. CALLING ALL CITIZEN SCIENTISTS! Put your species identification skills to the test and help us find as many species as possible during this 24 hour event! Partner with an expert to learn local flora and fauna. Fun for all ages! FREE PUBLIC ACTIVITIES! • GUIDED HIKES • NATURE TALKS • INTERACTIVE NATURE STATIONS • & MORE!
Friday - Sunday, September 16 - 18. The annual Iowa Ornithological Union (IOU) fall meeting will be held in the Quad Cities this year! Registration and Social will be 5-8 PM on Friday September 16, 2022. Field Trips will include Nahant Marsh, Princeton Marsh, Wildcat Den. Field trip leaders include Susan Nixon, Brian Peer, Brian Ritter and James Wiebler. For additional information and a link to registration, see: https://iowabirds.org/IOU/Meetings/NextMeeting.aspx
Thursday, October 13, 2022. 7:00 pm. Public Meeting via Zoom. Speaker/Subject to be announced. Watch for updates here.
Saturday, October 15, 2022. Field trip to Sunderbruch park and Fairmount Cemetery. Meet at the Sunderbruch main parking lot at 8:00 am.
Saturday, November 12, 2022. Field trip to observe migrating waterfowl. Meet at Shuler’s Shady Grove Park/boat ramp in Rapids City, IL at 8:00 am.
Thursday, December 8, 2022. Public Meeting 7:00 pm – Pie Night, Butterworth Center. Folks may bring pie to share, or just join in the fun. Program speaker to be announced. Please watch our web page for more information.
2020
January 10 - 12, 2020 ~ Bald Eagles Days ~ At our December meeting we will have a sign up sheet for members to lead tours. Mark your calendars!
February 8, 2020 - Field Trip, Smith's Island, Lock and Dam 14, Iowa. Meet at Corp of Engineers L&D 14 parking lot, 9:00 am. Half day trip.
March 14, 2020 - Field Trip, Spring Land and Lock & Dam 13. Meet at Brothers Restaurant, Rapids City, IL, 7:00 am, 1/2 to full day trip.
May 9th, 2020, Saturday. Illinois Spring Bird Count. Join us for this annual survey of spring birds in our area. We need volunteers in Rock Island and Mercer County, Illinois to cover field parties. Contact Tim Murphy to participate: 309-764-9779.
May 9, 2020, Saturday - Global Big Day. Look for birds and report what you see - in your backyard, neighborhood, or favorite spots - then share your list with ebird. For more information, check out this web site. https://ebird.org/news/global-big-day-9-may-2020
June 6th, 2020, 7:00 a.m., Saturday - PLEASE NOTE CHANGE: Field Trip, Illiniwek Forest Preserve, Hampton, Illinois, and Dorrance Park, Port Byron, Illinois. Meet on the bluff side of Illiniwek Park for this half day field trip. We will be practicing social distancing while looking for resident birds and late migrants. We will be driving our own vehicles between Illiniwek and Dorrance Parks.
September 10th, 2020, 7:00 p.m., Thursday - Membership Meeting, The Butterworth Center. Local environmental advocate Lori O’Dell McCollum will present “The Climate Crisis: What You Can Do to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint.”
September 20th, 2020, 7:30 a.m., Sunday - Field Trip, Illiniwek and Dorrance Park. We’ll be on the lookout for fall warblers and early migrants on this half day field trip. Meet at the east side of Route 84 at the south parking area of Illiniwek Forest Preserve. For further information, contact Tim Murphy 309-764-9779.
October 8th, 2020, 7:00 p.m., Thursday - Membership Meeting, The Butterworth Center. Our speaker this month is Quad City Audubon Board Member, Dr. Brian Peer of Western Illinois University. His program is titled “Prothonotary Warbler: Jewel of the Quad City Swamps.” He will share information from research he and his students have been conducting on these beautiful birds in the Quad Cities area.
October 10th, 2020, 8:00 a.m., Saturday - Field Trip, Crow Creek Park (4701 Devils Glen Road), Bettendorf. We’ll be looking for late fall warblers and early winter residents on this half day field trip. Meet at the Quarry Parking Lot.
November 2, 2020, 8:00 a.m., Monday - Event: Hurstville Interpretive Center is hosting a workshop on Building Better Birders. Advance registration is requested. Kelly McKay, Brian Ritter, and Mark Roberts will present material on waterfowl and will guide a field trip to the Green Island Wildlife Management area. Find more information here.
November 15th, 2020, 7:00 a.m., Sunday - Field Trip, Lock and Dam 13. This is a field trip to focus on migrating waterfowl with an emphasis on the Mississippi River from Lock and Dam 13 to Savanna, Illinois. Meet at Brothers Restaurant (1718 2nd Avenue, Rapids City, Illinois) for carpooling/caravan.
December 10th, 2020, 7:00 p.m., Thursday - Membership Meeting, The Butterworth Center. Our speaker will be our club's president, Jody Millar, who will share her knowledge on Bald Eagles. Following the program, will be our annual Pie Night, with a few changes: there will be a one-way line into the kitchen where the pie will be served, and seating will be at new small tables in three rooms to provide social distancing. If you are able, please bring your favorite pie to share.
2019
January 11-13, 2019 ~ Bald Eagle Days ~ We will have a small booth to assist visitors for bus tours. We will lead the eagle bus tours.
January 26, Saturday ~ Muscatine Bald Eagle Watch from 9 am to 2 pm at the Pearl City Station at the Muscatine Waterfront. Free and open to all ages. Visit website https://muscatinecountyconservation.com/news-events/
February 15-18, Friday through Monday ~ The Great Backyard Bird Count. See BirdCount.org website for more information.
February 16, Saturday ~ Field Trip~ We will meet at Lock & Dam 14 at 7:30 am, Iowa side for carpooling. Three hour field trip to look for wintering waterfowl, gulls and eagles, potentially. Le Claire to Hampton and return. This will be a half day trip.
February 17, Sunday ~ Conservation and Science Series, Niabi Zoo ~ 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm. Speaker: Dr. Brian Peer, Ornithologist. Cowbirds are brood parasites that lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, completely depending on others to raise their young. 90% of birds accept cowbird eggs and nestlings and treat them as if they were their own. Come learn possible explanations for this strange parenting behavior and current research on the Prothonotary Warbler that nests in the Mississippi River floodplain in the Quad Cities. Register at niabizoo.com
February 23, Saturday ~ Figge Museum Eagle Viewing~ Family Day - We will have scopes set up for viewing from 10 am to 2 pm.
February 23, Saturday ~ Oberholtzer Awards, Nahant Marsh ~ Modern Woodmen Park, 9:30 am to 12 noon. Nahant Marsh Education Center’s First Annual awards.
March 14, Thursday ~ Monthly Meeting ~ Heather Sanders will present a program on Owls.
March 23, Saturday ~ Field Trip~ Full day trip to Cone Marsh or similar locations depending upon weather conditions. We will meet at Credit Island by the Army tank at 7 am for carpooling.
April 13, Saturday ~ Field Trip ~ Princeton Marsh. We will meet at 7 am on the east side of Slagle’s parking lot, Le Claire, Iowa. This is a half day trip.
May 4, Saturday ~ Illinois Spring Bird Count - QC Audubon has coordinated efforts in Rock Island County. In addition, QCAS members have also provided individuals to count Henry and Mercer counties as well. For further information, contact Tim Murphy 309-764-9779. The Illinois Spring Bird Count is coordinated statewide by the Illinois Natural History Survey and additional information can be obtained at http://wwx.inhs.illinois.edu/ collections/ birds/sbc/.
May 9, Thursday, Monthly Meeting ~ Our speaker is Jill Schmidt, a Naturalist with the Clinton County Conservation Board and the title of her presentation is "Going bats for Bats.”
May 11, Saturday ~ Dorrance County Park, Illiniwek Forest Preserve ~ We will meet at 7 am at the south trailhead off Route 84 at Illiniwek Forest Preserve, (bluff side parking lot). We will bird for a brief time at Illiniwek and then head to the north end of Port Byron, IL to focus on Dorrance Park. This will be a half-day trip.
May 11, Saturday ~ Non-Audubon event at Port Louisa NWR, Iowa ~ Join Refuge staff and the Friends of Port Louisa NWR for a Spring Bird Festival, 7 am - 11 am: Songbird banding 7 am to 11 am, Refuge staff and trained volunteers will band birds; bird walk 7 am, all are welcome to join David Griffin on a hike along the nature trail in the forest and along Muscatine Slough to look for birds. This is a great opportunity to see birds up close and learn about banding. 9:00 am: Bring the family and join Bobbi Provost to explore the nature trail for birds. Visit their website at https://www.fws.gov/refuge/port_louisa/
June 1, Saturday ~ Savanna/Mississippi Palisades ~ Meet at the Brothers Restaurant in Rapids City at 6 am. Jody Millar and Janelle Swanberg will lead this all day field trip.
December 12, Thursday - Monthly Meeting ~ One of our own members, Janet Moline, a retired biologist, will present a program entitled "Penguins---brrr". She will share photos and information from her trips to New Zealand and South Africa. Plus, this is also our annual pie night, so after the
program, we will adjourn to the dining room for pie, coffee and conversation. If possible, bring your favorite pie to share.
Christmas Bird Count - Audubon Christmas Counts fall between December 14 and January 5 inclusive. Count dates for 2019 have yet to be scheduled. Traditionally the Quad City Christmas Count has been the first Sunday of the count period, which this year would be December 15. The count circle is 15 miles in diameter and roughly centers on the I-74 bridge. Other local count circles include Lost Nation, Clinton/Savanna, Princeton/Camanche, Eastern Mercer County, Western Mercer County, Andalusia, Muscatine and Sterling.
Field Parties are assigned to cover areas within each count circle. To join a field party or to conduct a feeder count within a count circle, contact Kelly McKay at 309-794-5248.
2018
April 12, 2018—Monthly Meeting: Just in time for spring migration! Jessica Bolser, Wildlife Biologist from Port Louisa NWR will give a presentation on warblers. Whether you are a new birder or an experience birder wanting a refresher, you will enjoy this presentation.
April 21, 2018—Saturday, Crow Creek Park, Bettendorf, Iowa: Meet at the quarry parking lot at 7:30 am. Half day trip.
May 5, 2018—Saturday, 59th Annual Illinois Spring Bird Count: A person could count a local park, their neighborhood or simply count the birds coming to their feeders. For further information, contact Tim Murphy 309-764-9779.
May 10, 2018—Monthly Meeting: Mark Bowman will present a program about bird banding, the purposes and rewards of banding, and discuss a new banding program he has set up at Neal Smith NWR.
June 2, 2018--- World Migratory Bird Day:
Bird Hikes in Illinois and Iowa: Sylvan Island, 6:30-8:30am at the Sylvan Island Pedestrian Bridge, 1st Avenue and 2nd Street, Moline, IL. Guided bird hike with Kelly McKay. Nahant Marsh, 6:30-8:30am at Nahant Marsh Education Center, 4220 Wapello Avenue, Davenport, Iowa. Guided bird hike with Brian Ritter.
June 6, 2018 – Wednesday, Beginning Birding at Nahant Marsh: 6:30a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Meet at Nahant Marsh Learning Center. $6 for members, $12 for non-members
June 9, 2018 – Saturday, Savannah Palisades Park: Meet at Brothers Restaurant in Rapids City, Illinois at 6:30 am. We will look for warblers.
September 13 - Dr. David Shealer from Loras College will be speaking on Black Terns
August 18 – Saturday, Cone Marsh, Conesville, Iowa: Meet at 8:00 am at the Credit Island Lodge in Davenport, Iowa. We will look for shore birds.
October 11 - Holly Welch will be speaking about "Rescuing, Rehabing, and Loving Swans".
November 8 - Mitch and Marilyn Davis will be speaking about their trip to the Galapagos.
December 13 - Benjamin Leture, Groundskeeper at Glynn's Creek Golf Course at Scott County Park will speak about their recently acquired designation as a "Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary-Golf Course". He will share criteria for certification and how the local community, including Quad City Audubon, assisted in this designation
2016
Feb. 27, 2016 Saturday Field Trip to Wildcat Den and Surrounding area for possible early spring migrants and winter birds. Usually a beautiful, but possibly very cold late winter walk in the woods. This trip will meet at Buffalo Shores at 7:00 AM. Possible steep trails. Any questions contact Dick Sayles (563 676-9616).
March 19, 2016 Saturday Field Trip to Lock and Dam 13 (Thomson Causeway). This trip we will be looking for returning waterfowl and spring migrants. Meet at Brothers Restaurant Rapid City, Illinois at 7:00 AM. This trip will offer a full day option. Any questions contact Dick Sayles (563 676-9616).
April 9, 2016 Saturday, Field Trip to Cone Marsh. This trip will search for returning waterfowl at this beautiful wetland. Possible highlights, Snow Geese, Trumpeter Swans, multiple species of ducks and assorted shorebirds.
This early spring field trip will meet at Buffalo Shores at 6:30 AM. Any questions please contact Dick Sayles (563-676-9616).
April 12, 2016 Tuesday at 6:00 PM. Quad City Botanical Center. Dick Sayles will give a program "A River of Birds, from the headwaters of the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico, more than 325 species make the round trip each from there breeding grounds in Canada and the northern United States to there wintering grounds along the Gulf of Mexico and Central and South America. This talk will highlight Globally Important Birding Areas, some of the flyway priority birds, critical habitat needs and the joy of birding in the Quad Cities." Contact Quad City Botanical Center for further information.
April 13, 2016 Second Wednesday Birding. We will meet at Marquette Landing in Davenport at 8:00AM. This weeks destination will be St. Mary's Monastery in Rock Island Illinois. This trip will highlight the varied birds that call this beautiful property home. Any questions please contact Dick Sayles (563-676-9616).
May 2, 9,16, 23 and 30. Five Monday's of May birding at the Wapsi Center. We will meet at the Wapsi Center at 6:00 AM. to 9:00 AM. We will wander the Wapsi Center and Sherman Park in search of the spring migration, hopefully finding Summer Tanagers, Wood Thrush, and many more wonderful neo-tropics. Any questions please contact Dick Sayles (563-676-9616).
May 11, 2016 Second Wednesday Birding. We will meet at Marquette Landing in Davenport at 7:00 AM. This weeks destination will be determined at that time. Any questions please contact Dick Sayles (563-676-9616).
June 4, 2016 Field Trip to Mississippi Palisades for resident neo tropics. Meet at Brothers Restaurant in Rapid City, Illinois at 6:00 AM. We will stop for lunch in Thomson, but you are welcome to bring your own. Any questions please contact Dick Sayles (563-676-9616)
2015
January 8 - Brian Ritter presents Nahant Marsh From Brownfield to Nature Center.
February 12 - Joseph Lundh, US Army Corps Of Engineers, describesEnvironmental Projects on the Mississippi River.
March 12 - Tim Murphy will present a program on The Preservation of Lyndon-Agnew Prairie.
March 28, Saturday - field trip up the River to Lock and Dam 13 with many stops along the way searching for waterfowl and early spring migrants. Great trip to look for signs of spring! This trip will stop at Fulton for lunch, some may choose to continue birding after lunch. Meet at Brothers Restaurant in Hampton, Illinois, at 7:00 a.m.
April 9 - Janelle Swanberg will present a program with tips on finding and identifying the warblers of our area.
May 14—Membership Meeting, 7:00 p.m., at the Butterworth Center. Mik Holgerson will present a program on the Wetland Restoration Project in Moline that he designed and created. Mik is the President of Vildmark Inc in Rock Island and provides environmental restoration consulting, design and construction. In addition, he has a background in herpetology and surveys reptile and amphibian populations. He has studied the turtle population of Nahant Marsh which includes the endangered Blandings Turtle.
June 7, – field trip to Mississippi Palisades for resident neo-tropic migrants. Meet at Brothers Restaurant in Rapid City, Illinois, at 7:00 a.m. We will stop for lunch but you are welcome to bring your own. For more information contact Dick Sayles, (563) 676-9616.
Special - June 5, Friday, 12:00 noon, presentation on Birds of the Mississippi River by Mike McKean, Park Ranger, U.S. Corps of Engineers, at the Moline Library. No registration required, bring your lunch or just come to listen.
August 2, Sunday- Field Trip to Credit Island, Nahant Marsh, and Sunderbruch Park for summer residents and possible early shorebird migrants. Possible steep trails, but not necessary to walk them to enjoy this trip. Meet at Nahant Marsh at 7:00 a.m.
September 12, Saturday- Field Trip to Wildcat Den and surrounding area for many possible migrants. Lots of surprises on this trip last year! This trip will meet at Buffalo Shores at 7:00 a.m. Possible steep hikes and trails, duration half day, with lunch option at Fairport, Iowa. Please RSVP to Dick Sayles at 563-676-9616 by Thursday Sept. 10.
Oct. 4 Sunday- Field Trip to Credit Island, Nahant Marsh and Sunderburch Park. Meet at Sunderbruch Park at 7:00 a.m. This field trip will be the reverse of the Aug 2 trip. Last year we had some fungi surprises at Sunderbruch Park and Green Herons at Credit Island. This trip will be half day and may include steep trails, but they walking them is not required to enjoy this trip.
Oct.18 Sunday-Field Trip to Crow Creek Park in Bettendorf, Iowa. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the north entrance by the Quarry. Duration of this trip 3 hours, very easy walking. Last year we had a very photogenic Barred Owl, and many late migrants, and beautiful year round residents.
Nov 1 Sunday-Field Trip to Smith's Island Lock and Dam 14 near LeClaire, Iowa. Meet at 7:30 at Parking Lot at Lock and Dam 14 (Iowa Side). Duration 3 hours, possible lunch option and further birding at Lost Grove Lake.
Nov 15 Sunday-Field Trip to Thomson Causeway in Illinois. Meet at 7:30AM at Brother's Restaurant in Rapid City, Illinois (HWY 84). This field trip highlights migrating waterfowl. Half day with optional lunch in Thomson, Ill. followed with more birding in the surrounding area. Another of the great bird trips of the year.
2014
January 9 - a 30 minute film Endangered Hawaii. Produced by the American Bird Conservancy (ABC), with funding by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, it is narrated by actor Richard Chamberlain and explores the on-going bird extinction crisis in Hawaii that has led to about 70 percent of all native bird species in the state becoming extinct.
February 13 - Our speaker is our own JoAnn Whitmore, long-time member and officer. Her program is entitled Birding the Upper Coast of Texas. She will share with us the wonderful birding trip she took to Texas in 2013.
March 13 - Mr. Clayton Daughenbaugh is the speaker and his program is entitled Red Rock Wilderness in Southern Utah. His program will include a DVD which will describe the land, the threats to it, and the national efforts underway to protect this beautiful place. Mr. Daughenbaugh travels around the United States presenting this message to interested groups; we are privileged he can make the Quad Cities one of his stops.
April 10 - Doug Harr, a retired wildlife biologist and currently the president of Iowa Audubon, presents Swans, Swifts, and Ceruleans … Why Citizen Conservation Counts. Mr. Harr will talk about what individual citizens can do to help reverse the trend of declining bird species.
May 8 - Mr. James Scheib is the speaker and his program is entitledUnusual Birds of Iowa. Mr. Scheib lives in Iowa City and is a photographer who comes highly recommended.
September 11 - QCAS President Dick Sayles and Conservation Committee Co-chair Carol Rogers will be sharing information with us concerning National Audubon Society’s climate change initiative.
October 9 - Botswana Birds and Wildlife will be presented by Linda and Robert Scarth. Have you ever wanted to go on safari with just yourself and your guides? Linda and Robert Scarth, photographers from Cedar Rapids, made such a trip to three remote, fly-in camps in northern Botswana in December 2012. Two camps were in the Okavango Delta and the other was along the Kwando River. Their program will be an account of the birds, animals, plants, and landscapes they found and visited.
Prior to the October 9 general membership meeting, members will vote on the following proposed change to the Quad City Audubon by-laws: Change the first sentence of Article IV, Section 2, to read "The President and Vice President shall hold office for no more than three two-year terms or until their successors are elected.". This will eliminate the current language that prohibits the President and Vice-president from serving consecutive terms.
November 13 - Brent Langley, our club secretary, presents his program entitled Birding in Southern France. He will introduce us to the Camargue, which is a huge area of marshes where the Rhone River spreads out to enter the Mediterranean Sea. This area is home to a great variety of waterfowl and wading species and representatives of several African families, such as the bee-eater, roller, hoopoe, and flamingo.
Election of new Board Members - candidates for the QCAS board positions beginning in 2015 will be voted on at the November 2014, membership meeting. The candidates recommended by the Nominating Committee are: Dick Sayles, president; Tim Murphy, vice president; Walt Zuurdeeg, treasurer; Brent Langley, secretary; Jody Millar, board member; Judy Hartley, board member; Cathy Konrad, board member. New board members will replace Pat Carlson and Patrice Johannsen; the board would like to thank Pat and Patrice for their service on the board.
December 11 - Mr. Mitch Davis, who is a local QCAS member and avid photographer, will present Five Years (2010 - 2014) of Birding Magee Marsh in Ohio. After admiring all the beautiful warblers Mitch has photographed, we will move to the dining room for our annual pie night, where we will share conversation, pie, and warm beverages. Bring a pie to share if desired.
2013
January 10 - Dick Sayles presents The Birder's Cuba: An Audubon Journey Connecting Avian Communities. Cuba plays an important and critical role in bird migration across the hemisphere - 'What happens there, matters here'. Cuban culture, the beautiful flora and fauna will be included as well as migratory and endemic birds.
February 14 - Dick Sayles presents Part ll of The Birder's Cuba: An Audubon Journey Connecting Avian Communities. Cuba plays an important and critical role in bird migration across the hemisphere - 'What happens there, matters here'. Cuban culture, the beautiful flora and fauna will be included as well as migratory and endemic birds.
March 14 - Mary Lou Petersen who will present Beginning Birding, Part I, Non Passerines. While this program is geared towards beginners, any level of birder will find her information helpful and interesting. The birds Mary Lou will be discussing will be birds that can be seen in the Quad City area.
April 11 - Mary Lou Petersen who will present Beginning Birding, Part II, Passerines. As with Part I, in March, this program is geared towards beginners, but any level of birder will find her information interesting. It is not necessary to have attended the Part I program to find this program helpful and interesting as well.
May 9 - Mr. Maury Brucker from Peoria Audubon Society will present Illinois River North of Peoria; 40 acres of protected natural areas and 20 years of stewardship. You will see and hear how Maury took a piece of land and saved and enhanced it. Mr. Brucker is an entertaining speaker and a great photographer.
September 12 - Program by Thomas Lerczak of the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission entitled Side Channels in Story and Song. Mr. Lerczak lives in Havana, Illinois and his program will include readings from his book "Side Channels: A Collection of Nature Writing and Memoir", songs on his guitar that have relevance to the book, plus stories about how he became interested in birds. Mr. Lerczak has presented this program to various Audubon groups in Illinois and comes highly recommended.
October 10 - Jon Stravers gives his program entitled Recent Information on Cerulean Warbler and Red-Shouldered Hawk Monitoring. Mr. Stravers has worked for 33 years on bird monitoring and inventory projects along the Mississippi River. He currently is involved in surveys in the driftless area of which our local chapter has been one of his sponsors. It has been several years since Mr. Stravers spoke to QCAS; he is highly informative and entertaining.
November 14 - Brent Langley, local wildlife artist and QCAS Secretary, presents Birding in Trinidad and Tobago. The program will consist of an introduction to the country, its geography and its birdlife, with emphasis on the scarlet ibis, red-billed tropicbird, and mannakin leks.
December 12 - Dr. Michael Reisner of Augustana College will inform us about the new Upper Mississippi Studies Center at Augustana. Following Dr. Reisner's presentation, we will adjourn to the beautifully decorated dining room at Butterworth Center for our annual pie and coffee/tea night. If possible, bring a pie to share.
2012
January 12 - Two films from National Audubon Society will be shown."Restoring America's Delta", a film documenting the rich biodiversity of the Mississippi River delta and what can be done to restore it, and "A Family of Stewards", documents Audubon's efforts to monitor the bird species along the Gulf's beaches. CANCELLED (snowstorm)
February 9 - Roxie DeShane presents "Flying Flowers". Learn about butterflies and what you can do to attract these "flying flowers". This is the time to start planning your spring garden and to welcome these wonderful pollinators. Handouts are available to assist you in planning and planting your garden. Dallas and Roxie DeShane are members of the University of Illinois Extension, Rock Island County Master Gardeners. Both are past Presidents. They have been on the Speakers Bureau for the Master Gardeners since its inception seven years ago and have been presenters in both Iowa and Illinois at many seminars, libraries, organizations and garden clubs. They are founders of the Quad City Area Gourd Patch which holds the "Gourd"geous Day in the Country gourd festival at their home the last Saturday in September.
March 8 - Mary Lou Petersen will present "Listing, A Birding Obsession", discussing how birders use many different types of lists to keep track of and document their bird lists. Listing is the practice of recording, over time, a complete list of bird species observed and positively identified. A cumulative life list is the most common type, though many dedicated birders will keep a variety of specialized lists, such as Big Day/Big Year - the total species seen in one time period, focused on seeing the greatest number possible; Trip - the total species seen on one specific trip, such as on a birding tour or during a festival; Yard - the total species seen within property lines, perhaps restricted to birds attracted to feeders; and County/State/ Country - the total species seen within a county, state or country.
April 12 - Audubon Vice President JoAnn Whitmore along with members Mitch and Marilyn Davis will bring us Magee Marsh - A Birding Hot Spot for Warblers, an account of their trip to Magee Marsh along Lake Erie. Magee Marsh is not far from Toledo, Ohio. As many as 37 species of warblers are spotted at Magee Marsh each spring. Some of the favorites seen by the presenters are black-throated blue warbler, Kirtland's warbler, mourning warbler and Connecticut warbler.
May 10 - Ornate Box Turtles and Other Treasures of Lost Mound. Linda Boardsen, QCAS Education Chair, will discuss the ornate box turtle research program carried out by the US Fish and Wildlife Service at the Lost Mound nature preserve. Linda will also touch on the bird populations and endangered plant species at Lost Mound.
September 13 - Birds of the Galapagos Islands by Michael McBride. Mr. McBride worked for Lohman Companies in Geneseo as a Pension Administrator and Director of Advanced Underwriting for 40 years. To celebrate his retirement, he and his wife Jan took a trip to Quito, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, and Lima, Cuzco, and Machu Picchu, Peru. While in the Galapagos Islands he took photos of 26 birds, 9 of which are found only in the islands.
October 11 - Linda Boardsen and Walt Zuurdeeg will discuss the Mississippi Flyway Action Network, a conference they attended in March of this year in New Orleans hosted by the National Audubon Society. Representatives from all the states bordering the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers were invited to attend. Linda and Walt will briefly discuss the purpose of MFAN and how Audubon members can actively participate. Two brief films, "Restoring American's Delta" and "A Family of Stewards", Audubon's ongoing response to the Gulf Oil Spill, will be shown. A special guest, Stephanie Powell, Field Director for the Mississippi River Delta Restoration campaign, all the way from Washington, DC will join us. Stephanie will speak about the Mississippi River Delta restoration, the importance of implementation of the Restore Act, and the role that you can play in making sure that the vitality of the Mississippi Flyway is maintained providing healthy habitat for the birds and wildlife we all love. This meeting is officially a part of Audubon's first ever Mississippi Flyway Fall Migration Tour that will be making stops at various events throughout the flyway this Fall. Come meet other members of Audubon, National Wildlife Federation, and Environmental Defense Fund.
November 8 - Doug Harr presents From Tanagers to Hummingbirds and Much More: Birding NW Ecuador, Feb. 2012. Doug was employed by Iowa DNR for over 38 years as a Wildlife Biologist, retiring in 2010 as DNR's Wildlife Diversity State Program Coordinator. He previously worked for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and as an Instructor of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at South Dakota State University. Doug currently is President of Iowa Audubon and does private avian consulting work.
December 13 - Brent Langley will give a PowerPoint presentation on birding in Utah, Idaho, and Northern California. The December meeting is also our annual pie night, so bring a friend, your appetite, and come join us for homemade pie, coffee, fellowship and good conversation.
2011
January 13 - Bob Bryant, resource manager/naturalist at Nahant Marsh in Davenport, will present a program on Cameron Woods State Preserve in Scott County, "Should Cameron Woods be a State Preserve?", about the flora inventory and historical research he has been doing at the tract, located west of Maysville. Bob has lived in the area for many years and is retired from the Wapsi River Center Environmental Education Center, where he was the director.
February 10 - Mary Lou Petersen will discuss "Changes in Bird Watching Since 1950". Mary Lou is a long-time member of Quad City Audubon and has been birding since 1961. She taught middle school science for many years in the Quad Cities.
March 10 - Mikael Holgersson will speak about the turtle study at Nahant Marsh. Mik works at River Action, Inc. in Davenport as Program Director of Natural Resources.
April 14 - "Peregrine Falcons in the Quad Cities" presented by Pat Schlarbaum, Wildlife Diversity Technican for the Iowa DNR. Pat has worked with river otters, Barn Owls, Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, Prairie Chickens, Sharp-tailed Grouse, neotropical migrants, Trumpeter Swans, and most recently, Ospreys.
May 12 - Linda Boardsen will present "Mill Creek Park: Urban Birding Paradise". Linda will discuss the history of this unique urban park in Youngstown, Ohio. It was the first park district in Ohio, designated by the Ohio legislature in 1891. Mill Creek Park features a variety of bird habitats. Linda became familiar with the park while living in Youngstown from 1987 to 2002. Before Linda's program, Billy Reiter-Marolf, coordinator of the Iowa Breeding Bird Atlas, will discuss the current status of the Atlas and summerize findings so far. This five year project is collecting information on the current ranges of Iowa’s breeding birds.
September 8 - Julie Malake presents "Nature Photography at Nahant Marsh". Julie will give a photo tour of Nahant Marsh in all the seasons and will provide nature photography tips. She has been a lifelong nature photographer, camera at the ready. Julie started visiting and photographing Nahant Marsh when the EPA conducted the superfund cleanup of lead. Her photographs document the changes at the marsh over the years, and they appear in a book she has published.
October 13 - Tim Murphy will present a program about changes in the Illinois Spring Bird Count over the years, including decreases in some species populations and increases in others. Tim is the compiler for the Rock Island County portion of the Spring Bird Count.
November 10 - Jon Stravers "Birding from the Arctic to the Tropics". Jon will update the bird surveys and Cerulean Warbler work he has been doing in Northeast Iowa for the past 5 years. He spent two months in the Arctic wilderness of southeastern Baffin Island, collecting field samples to help decipher the limits of the Laurentide Ice Sheet, the ice sheet that covered Wisconsin and stretched all the way south to Des Moines, and will share photographs of the landscape and wildlife. Jon visited the jungles of Costa Rica, documented raptor migration and photographed bird life along the flyway.
December 8 - Janet Moline presents "Gathered Gannets: Graceful yet Clumsy" about Northern Gannets nesting on Bonaventure Island in Quebec, Canada. Janet visited the island, managed by Parks Canada, this June. Janet taught preschool, junior high and high school in the Rock Island-Milan School District, received her B.A. and M.A. at Augustana College, and Chairs the Citizens to Preserve Black Hawk Park Foundation. Tonight will also be our annual pie night. Bring a friend and come join us for pie, fellowship and good conversation at the beautiful Butterworth Center!
2010
January 14 - Dr. Brian Peer will present "Cowbirds vs Hosts: Who Wins?". Dr. Peer is Associate Professor of Biology at Western Illinois University. His field of study is in the interactions between avian bird parasites and their hosts.
February 11 - Linda Boardsen will show a film, "Opposable Chums: Guts & Glory at the World Series of Birding" by Jason Kessler. The film features interviews with David Sibley, Kenn Kaufman and Peter Dunne.
March 11 - Jon Stravers, Driftless Area Coordinator for National Audubon's Mississippi River Initiative, will present a program on his current monitoring projects on Red-Shouldered Hawks and Cerulean Warblers. He will also discuss his upcoming book on Gladys Black and play some music.
April 8 - Billy Reiter-Marolf, coordinator of the Iowa Breeding Bird Atlas, will discuss the current status of the Atlas and summerize findings so far. He is a graduate of the University of Wyoming and the Art Institute of Chicago. This five year project is collecting information on the current ranges of Iowa’s breeding birds. Answers to many of the questions asked about the Breedng Bird Atlas may be found in the Frequently Asked Questions page of the Iowa Breeding Bird Atlas site.
May 13 - Kurt Burnham, President of the High Arctic Institute, will present a program on the birds of Greenland. The High Arctic Institute is a non-profit organization based in Orion, Illinois. Kurt Burnham has studied Peregrine Falcons and Gyrfalcons intensively, and has spent the last 17 summers doing work in Greenland. Visit them on the web at www.higharctic.org.
September 9 - Iowa's Water and Land Legacy, a coalition of over 110 conservation organizations, sportsmen, community leaders and business people, will present information about the upcoming Constitutional Amendment to secure a firm source of Iowa funding for the environment, natural resources and recreation. The amendment will be on the November ballot.
October 14 - Larry Stone, co-author with Jon Stravers of a new book,"Gladys Black: The Legacy of Iowa's Bird Lady", will talk about the book and about the life of Gladys Black. Gladys was a fierce advocate for birds and their habitats.
November 11 - Mike Coffey, Evironmental Contaminants Biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Rock Island Environmental Field Office, will speak about his two tours of duty on the Gulf of Mexico following the BP oil spill. He assisted with the recovery of oiled birds off of the coast of Louisiana.
December 9 - Linda Boardsen will present information about the first park district in the State of Ohio, which features a variety of birding habitats. This is our annual pie night, so please bring an appetite and/or a pie to share after the meeting.
2009
January 8 - Walt Zuurdeeg will report on the Milan Bottoms Bald Eagle Night Roost Survey Project.
February 12 - Carol Rogers will present a DVD entitled "Tallgrass Prairie Revival", about the Iowa Department of Transportation's roadside prairie planting program.
March 12 - Keith and Mary Blackmore of the Northwest Illinois Audubon Society will give a presentation on “Our role in Global Climate Change.”They will give an overview of climate change, then zero in on people using the book “Low Carbon Diet” by David Gershon. (the book is available from amazon.com for $10.36). To get the most from this program, each person or family should take to the meeting: a calculator, number of gallons of trash generated per week (not recycled materials), kilowatt hours of electricity used per year, quantity of fuel used for heating and/or cooking per year in whatever units used (therms, gallons, cords, etc.), miles driven per year and mpg of all vehicles, recorded separately, and miles traveled by air per year. If you or your family doesn’t have all of these figures, it will not preclude you from learning, it will only make it more meaningful if you have them.
April 9 - Linda and Robert Scarth from Cedar Rapids will give a program onEast African birds as well as “The Big Five” (lion, elephant, rhinoceros, leopard, and cape buffalo) and other animals, scenery and people.
May 14 - Nicki Nagl from the Iowa Breeding Bird Atlas will return with an update on the atlas from last year. This five year project is collecting information on the current ranges of Iowa’s breeding birds. Numerous changes to Iowa’s landscape in the 18 years since the first atlas project was completed in 1990 (e.g., widespread wetland restorations and the CRP program) suggest that a second atlas project will reveal many changes. To be successful, this project will require many hours of volunteer help from birders statewide. Atlasing is a fun way to bird during summer and a great way to explore new areas, so we’re hoping Audubon members will lend their support to this important project! Answers to many of the questions asked about the Breedng Bird Atlas may be found in the Frequently Asked Questions page of the Iowa Breeding Bird Atlas site.
September 10 - Michael Hunter of Prophetstown will speak on falconry. A live bird will be part of the program.
October 8 - Doug Harr, Diversity Coordinator with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, will present a program entitled “Birding Panama”.
November 12 - David Steven Faldet, professor of English at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, will talk about his recently published book “Oneota Flow”, and the history of birds and people of the upper Iowa River. He will bring copies of his book to sell and sign.
December 10 - Brent Langley will present a program on his three week neo-tropical birding trip with the Sierra Club to Costa Rica. This is also ourannual pie night, so bring a friend and an appetite.
2008
January 10 - Stan Bousson will be giving a program on wildlife photography. He will explain how he goes about getting wildlife photos, and the locations and activities of the animals.
February 14 - The regular meeting this month has been moved to Monday, February 25. See below.
February 25, MONDAY at 6:30 - Karen Viste-Sparkman will present "Prelude to the Prairie Chicken: Ecological Restoration and Birds at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge". She is the Refuge Biologist at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, 20 miles east of Des Moines. The refuge is a unique ecological restoration project, emulating tallgrass prairie and oak savanna ecosystems that once dominated the Iowa landscape. Ms. Viste-Sparkman will present information on the refuge goals, management challenges, and how restoration activities affect birds and other wildlife and their interrelationships. She will discuss birds and birding opportunities on the refuge and data from breeding season bird surveys that have been conducted on the refuge since 1994. Finally, she will discuss future plans for the refuge and the work that lies ahead.
March 13 - Larry Best will share with us some of the best of his photos and experiences in Alaska. Also, Nicki Nagl will present information on the Iowa Breeding Bird Atlas project.
April 10 - Mary Lou Petersen will present a program on the Illinois Spring Bird Count.
May 8 - Bob Bryant will present "Ferns of the Quad City Region". This program is a local version of his e-book (a work in progress), "An Interpreter's Guide to the Ferns of Iowa", covering the identification, distribution, uses, folklore, and photography of Iowa's ferns.
September 11 - Kelly McKay will give the first of a two part series on Bird Surveys. This presentation will focus on Port Louisa Bird Surveys.
October 9 - Kelly Mckay will give the second of a two part series on Bird Surveys and his work with the Corps of Engineers.
November 13 - Ecologist Cornelia Mutel, historian and archivist for Hydroscience and Engineering at the University of Iowa College of Engineering, will talk about her book "The Emerald Horizon - The History of Nature in Iowa" (available at University of Iowa Press). QCAS Officers and Board Members will be elected at this meeting. The Nominating Committee has submitted the following individuals for consideration; members may nominate other candidates for these offices at the meeting.
OFFICERS |
BOARD MEMBERS |
President: Dick Sayles |
Bob Johanssen |
Vice-President: Carol Rogers |
Brent Langley |
Secretary: Janelle Swanberg |
|
Treasurer: Karen Rotschafer |
December 11 - Karen Rotschafer will give a presentation on her trip to Texas. This is our traditional pie and coffee night, so bring a friend and join QCAS for a fun evening.
2007
January 11 - Mary Lou Petersen will present a bird identification class. This class will focus on the non-passerines (primarily water birds and birds of prey).
February 8 - Mary Lou Petersen will present a second bird identification class. This class will focus on the passerines (perching/song birds).
March 8 - Kelly McKay will provide information on the Milan Bottoms bald eagle survey and talk about his recent birding trip to Thailand.
April 12 - Taldi Walter, Alaska Field Coordinator for National Audubon Society, will be giving a program on Alaskan bird populations and the impacts of human activities. Ms. Walter is the state office director of Alaska.
May 10 - Members’ “Show and Tell” nature photography fest. Share your favorite slides, prints, or CD images of nature and wildlife.
September 13 - Steve Siegel will give a program on the Pacific National Wildlife Refuge, the most remote National Wildlife Refuge. Steve is an environmental lawyer presently working on high power transmission line issues in the western part of the United States.
October 11 - Linda Boardsen will present a program on her recent trip to Costa Rica.
November 8 - Sheri Coleman will present a program on a National Sierra Club Service trip in the Shawnee National Forest. Sheri is a Sierra Club National Outings leader.
December 13 - Join us for the annual pie and cake party. Brent Langley will make a presentation on birds of Maine and the Canadien Maritime Provinces.
2006
March 9 - Robert Lipnick - Butterflies of Spain.
April 13 - George Schlenker - "How To" guide on bird photography.
May 11 - Members "Show and Tell" Nature Photography Fest.
September 14 - Jim Frink - Presentation on wildlife photography.
October 12 - Dr. Maury Brucker and Emiko Yang – Birding in East and South Africa.
November 9 - Brent Langley will give a presentation on “Wildlife Art—Then and Now.”
December 14 - Mary Lou Petersen will give a presentation on “Quad City Christmas Count - Changes in the Last Fifty Years.” This is “Pie Night,” join us for some good pie, coffee, and fellowship.
2014
mid-December thru early January - The 114th Christmas Bird Count. There are many opportunities around the Quad Cities area. To join the Quad Cities count or any other counts in the area, call Kelly McKay at (309) 235-4661, email kellyjmckay@aol.com, or Steve Hager at (309) 945-6012, email stevehager@augustana.edu. Kelly and Steve compile CBC circles in the following villages and cities and the surrounding areas in Iowa and Illinois: Albany, Andalusia, Argo Fay, Bettendorf, Buffalo, Buffalo Prairie, Camanche, Clinton, Cordova, Davenport, East Moline, Edgington, Eliza, Fruitland, Follets, Fulton, Hampton, Illinois City, Joy, Keithsburg, Mannon, McCausland, Milan, Millersburg, Moline, Montpelier, Muscatine, New Boston, Oakville, Pleasant Valley, Princeton, Riverdale, Rock Falls, Rock Island, Sabula, Savanna, Silvis, Sterling and Thomson. To join the Bald Bluff, Illinois count or the Eastern Mercer County Illinois count contact Jason Monson at jmonson75@hotmail.com or text Jason at (309) 221-1177 (please include your name in the text). Come join us! The dates for the remaining counts are:
- Eastern Mercer County - Saturday, January 4
- Andalusia - Sunday, January 5
February 22, Saturday - Wildcat Den State Park in Muscatine County. We will look for winter residents and possible early Spring migrants. Meet at Buffalo Shores County Park (near Buffalo, Iowa) at 7:30 a.m.
March 8, Saturday - north along the Mississippi River to Thomson, Illinois, searching for migrating waterfowl and perhaps some surprises. Meet at Brothers Restaurant in Rapids City, Illinois at 7:00 a.m.
April 12, Saturday - Cone Marsh in Louisa County to look for Spring migrants. Meet at Buffalo Shores County Park (near Buffalo, Iowa) at 7:00 a.m.
May 10, Saturday - Illinois Spring Bird Count. Join us in this annual survey of spring birds in our area. We need counters for field parties and feeder watchers in both Rock Island and Mercer Counties. Each field party covers a section of the county, tallying all birds identified by sight and call. Feeder watchers can watch their feeders, cover their yard, or canvas the neighborhood, as much as they want. Generally urban areas are poorly covered so their efforts are greatly appreciated. The Spring Count usually takes place near the peak of warbler migration and provides a great opportunity to see a variety of birds. Sunday, May 11, will potentially be a makeup day. Contact Tim Murphy to participate: evenings (309) 764-9779, days (309) 558-3721 or email molinemurphy@sbcglobal.net.
June 1, Sunday - Mississippi Palisades State Park. Some of the breeding birds likely to be found are Cerulean Warbler, Yellow-Throated Warbler, Ovenbird and Scarlet Tanager. Meet at Brothers' Resturant in Rapid City, Illinois at 7:00 a.m. We will stop after lunch at Thomson Causeway (you are welcome to bring your own lunch).
Aug 3, Sunday - Nahant Marsh in Davenport. Meet at 7:00 a.m. at the entrance to the marsh for 3 hours of birding.
September 14, Sunday - Wildcat Den State Park. Meet at 7:00 a.m. Buffalo Shores Scott County Park (Hwy. 22 just west of Buffalo, Iowa).
October 5, Sunday - Sunderbruch Park in Davenport. Meet at 7:00 a.m. This field trip may involve walking steep trails. Duration: 2-3 hours.
October 19, Sunday - Crow Creek Park in Bettendorf. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the north entrance of the park by the quarry. Duration: 2-3 hours.
November 2, Sunday - Smiths Island by Lock and Dam 14 near Le Claire, Iowa (Iowa side). Meet at 8:00 a.m. in the parking lot at the Lock and Dam. Duration: 3 hours, with optional lunch stop to compile birds and activities.
November 15, Saturday - Thomson Causeway in Illinois. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at Brothers' Resturant in Rapid City, Illinois (Hwy 84). Duration: half day.
mid-December thru early January - The 115th Christmas Bird Count. There are many opportunities around the Quad Cities area. To join the Quad Cities count or any other counts in the area, call Kelly McKay at (309) 235-4661, email kellyjmckay@aol.com, or Steve Hager at (309) 945-6012, email stevehager@augustana.edu. To join the Bald Bluff count or the Eastern Mercer County Illinois count, contact Jason Monson at jmonson75@hotmail.com or text Jason at (309) 221-1177 (please include your name in the text). Come join us! The dates for the counts are:
Davenport - Sunday, December 14
Clinton - Tuesday, December 16
Princeton - Thursday, December 18
Van Petten - Sunday, December 21
Bald Bluff - Monday, December 22
Muscatine - Tuesday, December 23
Andalusia - Wednesday, December 24
Western Mercer County - Friday, December 26
Eastern Mercer County - Friday, January 2
2013
February 23, Saturday - Iowa Young Birders field trip. All young birders are invited to join Iowa Young Birders on a field trip in the Quad Cities. This field trip is open to any young birder ages 8 to 18. Parents are encouraged to attend. Birders age 11 and under must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Advance registration is required. It takes just a minute to register at our Quad Cities Field Trip website. We'll start at 9:00 a.m. in Davenport and should be done by noon. The exact meeting location will be sent to registered participants well in advance. The Quad Cities and Mississippi River offer many exciting birding opportunities. We'll visit several locations to look for bald eagles, gulls, and winter land birds. Our exact route will depend on some pre-trip scouting but will likely include visits to Lock & Dams 14 and 15 and to Fairmount Cemetery to look for winter finches. Our trip leaders are Carl Bendorf and Bill Scheible. Iowa Young Birders is an independent, not-for-profit organization founded in 2011 to encourage young Iowans to study and enjoy birds and birding. For more information, visit www.iowayoungbirders.orgor call (319) 333-9667.
March 9, Saturday - North along the Mississippi River for waterfowl to Thomson, Illinois with Mary Lou Petersen. Meet at 7:00 a.m. at Brother's Restaurant in Rapids City, Illinois for a half-day trip. *
April 20, Saturday - Bird walk for beginning birders at Credit Island Park, Davenport, 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Members of QCAS will lead beginning birders on a bird walk for Earth Day. Everyone is welcome, especially children. Dress in layers as morning can be cold. Bring binoculars if you have them, but extra binoculars will be available. Meet at the army tank on the north side of the island at 7:30 a.m.
May 4-5, Saturday-Sunday - Illinois Spring Bird Count. Join us in this annual survey of spring birds in our area. We need counters for field parties and feeder watchers in both Rock Island and Mercer Counties. Each field party covers a section of the county, tallying all birds identified by sight or call, from dawn to dusk. Feeder watchers can watch their feeders, cover their yard, or canvas the neighborhood, as much as they want. Generally urban areas are poorly covered so their efforts are greatly appreciated. The Spring count usually takes place near the peak of warbler migration and provides a great opportunity to see a variety of birds. Contact Tim Murphy to participate: evenings (309) 764-9779, days (309) 558-3721 or emailmolinemurphy@sbcglobal.net.
June 2, Sunday - Mississippi Palisades State Park with Mary Lou Petersen. Some of the breeding birds likely to be found are Cerulean Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Ovenbird, and Scarlet Tanager. Meet at Brothers' Restaurant in Rapids City at 7:00 a.m., and expect to return early afternoon. We will stop for lunch but you are welcome to bring your own.
August 4, Sunday - Nahant Marsh in Davenport. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the entrance to the marsh. Duration: 1-2 hours.
September 14, Saturday - Wildcat Den State Park. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at Marquette Street Landing parking lot by the Mississippi River in Davenport. The pursuit of interesting specimens may require traversing some steep paths and trails. Duration: half-day.
October 6, Sunday - Sunderbruch Park in Davenport. Meet at 8:00 a.m. This field trip may require taking steep trails if unusual species are encountered! Duration: 1-2 hours.
October 20, Sunday - Crow Creek Park in Bettendorf. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the north entrance by the quarry. Duration: 2-3 hours.
November 3, Sunday - Smith's Island by Lock & Dam 14 near LeClaire on the Iowa side. Meet at 8:00 a.m. in the parking lot for Lock & Dam 14. Duration: 2-3 hours.
November 16, Saturday - Thompson Causeway in Illinois. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at Brother's Restaurant in Rapids City on Highway 84. Duration: half-day plus.
2012-2013 Christmas Bird Counts
December 14, Friday, thru January 5,Saturday - The 113th Christmas Bird Count. There are many opportunities around the Quad Cities area. To join the Quad Cities count or any of six other counts in the area, call Kelly McKay at (309) 235-4661, or email him at kellyjmckay@aol.com. Kelly compiles CBC circles in the following villages and cities and the surrounding areas in Iowa and Illinois: Albany, Andalusia, Argo Fay, Bettendorf, Buffalo, Buffalo Prairie, Camanche, Clinton, Cordova, Davenport, East Moline, Edgington, Eliza, Fruitland, Follets, Fulton, Hampton, Illinois City, Joy, Keithsburg, Mannon, McCausland, Milan, Millersburg, Moline, Montpelier, Muscatine, New Boston, Oakville, Pleasant Valley, Princeton, Riverdale, Rock Falls, Rock Island, Sabula, Savanna, Silvis, Sterling and Thomson. To join the Eastern Mercer County, Illinois count, contact Jason Monson at jmonson75@hotmail.com (please put Christmas Bird Count in your subject line). We had a great time stomping around Fyre Lake, Sherrard, Matherville, Viola, Alpha, New Windsor, Swedona, Glichrist, Cable and Opheim last year in the Eastern Mercer County CBC. Come join us! The dates for the counts are:
Quad Cities - Sunday, December 16
Clinton - Wednesday, December 19
Princeton/Comanche - Thursday, December 20
Sterling/Rock Falls (Van Petten) - Monday, December 24
Muscatine - Wednesday, December 26
Western Mercer County - Monday, December 31
Eastern Mercer County - Friday, January 4
Andalusia - Saturday, January 5
2012
February 25, Saturday - Wildcat Den State Park for winter residents. Dick Sayles will lead this field trip. Meet at the Marquette Street Landing at 7:30 a.m. *
March 4, Sunday - North along the Mississippi River for waterfowl with Mary Lou Petersen. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at Brother's Restaurant in Rapids City, Illinois for a half-day trip. *
March 31, Saturday - Cone Marsh in Louisa County between the Iowa and Cedar Rivers for waterfowl and a variety of wetland-dwelling birds. Meet field trip leader Mary Lou Petersen at Marquette Street Landing, Davenport at 7:30 a.m. for this half-day trip. *
April 21, Saturday - Credit Island Park in Davenport. Members of QCAS will lead beginning birders on bird walks at Credit Island in celebration of Earth Day. Everyone is welcome, children especially. Dress in layers as mornings are cold, and bring binoculars if you have them. Meet at the army tank in the park at 7:30 a.m.
May 5, Saturday - Illinois Spring Bird Count. Join us in this annual survey of spring birds in our area. We need counters for field parties and feeder watchers in both Rock Island and Mercer Counties. Each field party covers a section of the county, tallying all birds identified by sight or call, from dawn to dusk. Feeder watchers can watch their feeders, cover their yard, or canvas the neighborhood, as much as they want. Generally urban areas are poorly covered so their efforts are greatly appreciated. The Spring count usually takes place near the peak of warbler migration and provides a great opportunity to see a variety of birds. Contact Tim Murphy to participate: evenings (309) 764-9779, days (309) 558-3721 or emailmolinemurphy@sbcglobal.net.
June 3, Sunday - Mississippi Palisades State Park with Mary Lou Petersen. Some of the breeding birds likely to be found are Cerulean Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Ovenbird, and Scarlet Tanager. Meet at Brothers' Restaurant in Rapids City at 7:00 a.m. for a half-day trip. If the trip runs into the afternoon we will stop somewhere to eat.
July 1, Sunday - Work morning at Lyndon-Agnew Prairie. QCAS' annual effort to assist in the removal of invasive plants from this prairie plot near Lyndon, Illinois. The plot runs parallel to Interstate 88. Meet at the Jewel grocery store in Silvis, at 7:00 a.m. for a half-day trip. Long sleeves, long pants, water, sunscreen and insect repellent are recommended. Bring a lopper and/or a spade if you can. Contact Tim Murphy (309) 764-9779 or (309) 716-4575 for more information. See the get involved page for more about the Lyndon-Agnew Prairie. CANCELLED
September 16, Sunday - Mary Lou Petersen will lead a birding trip to Credit Island Park in Davenport and Wildcat Den State Park in Muscatine County in search of Fall migrants. Meet at the lodge at Credit Island at 7:00 a.m. for a half-day trip.
October 13, Saturday - Birding parks with birds in their names with Mary Lou Petersen - Crow Creek Park in Bettendorf and Pigeon Creek Park in Pleasant Valley, as well as Lock & Dam 14 (Duck Creek Park will have to wait until another year :-) ). Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the parking lot south of Faye's Field south of Bettendorf Public Library. The parking lot is on the left on 18th Street north of Spruce Hills Drive. Expect to be home around noon.
November 4, Sunday - Birding along the Mississippi River to Savannah, Illinois. Meet at 7:00 a.m. at Brothers' Restaurant in Rapids City. The trip will take most of the day so plan to bring a lunch or dine at a restaurant in Savannah.
2011-2012 Christmas Bird Counts
December 14, Wednesday thru January 5, Thursday - The 112th AnnualNational Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count. Come join us for this annual winter adventure as birders around the Quad Cities brave the Midwestern winter to count birds as part of the longest running bird survey in North America. You can join a field party, or count at your feeder. All skill levels are welcome. If you feel like a novice, this is an excellent opportunity to learn from some of the most experienced and knowledgeable avian enthusiasts the bi-state area has to offer. If you’d like to join in on the fun, call Kelly McKay at 309.235.4661 for the all of the counts below except Eastern Mercer County. For the Eastern Mercer County count call Jason or Cathleen Monson at 309.221.3706.
Western Mercer County - Thursday, December 15
Quad Cities - Sunday, December 18
Clinton - Tuesday, December 20
Princeton/Cordova - Thursday, December 22
Sterling/Rock Falls - Saturday, December 24
Muscatine - Monday, December 26
Eastern Mercer County - Tuesday, January 3
Andalusia - Wednesday, January 4
2011
January 15-16, Saturday and Sunday - Quad City Audubon Society members will man spotting scopes to watch bald eagles over the Mississippi River from the warm confines of the Figge Art Museum, Davenport, from 12:00 to 3:00 both days. The museum will be open to the public for this event.
February 26, Saturday - Wildcat Den State Park for winter residents. Meet at the Buffalo Shores campground in Buffalo, Iowa, at 8:00 a.m. for a half-day trip. *
March 26, Saturday - Cone Marsh in Louisa County between the Iowa and Cedar Rivers for waterfowl and a variety of wetland-dwelling birds. Meet field trip leader Mary Lou Petersen at Marquette Street Landing, Davenport at 7:00 a.m. for this half-day trip. If the marsh is flooded an alternate destination will be determined. *
April 10, Sunday - North along the Mississippi River with Mary Lou Petersen. Destinations include Eagle Point Park, Bulger's Hollow, Sabula, Spring Lake, Thompson Causeway and Lock & Dam 13. Meet at 7:00 a.m. at Brother's Restaurant in Rapids City, Illinois. Scheduled for half a day but it may extend into the afternoon, in which case we will stop for lunch at a restaurant. If the marsh is flooded an alternate destination will be determined.
May 7, Saturday - Illinois Spring Bird Count. Join us in this annual survey of spring birds in our area. We need counters for field parties and feeder watchers in both Rock Island and Mercer Counties. Each field party covers a section of the county, tallying all birds identified by sight or call, from dawn to dusk. Feeder watchers can watch their feeders, cover their yard, or canvas the neighborhood, as much as they want. Generally urban areas are poorly covered so their efforts are greatly appreciated. The Spring count usually takes place near the peak of warbler migration and provides a great opportunity to see a variety of birds. Contact Tim Murphy to participate: evenings (309) 764-9779, days (309) 558-3721 or emailmolinemurphy@sbcglobal.net.
May 14, Saturday - monthly migratory bird walk at the Upper Mississippi River Refuge near Thomson, Illinois. Hosted by the Stewards of the Upper Mississippi River Refuge (SUMRR), bird walks are held the 2nd Saturday of each month from April through October. The variety of migratory birds changes each month as the seasons progress. Meet at the Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center located at 7071 Riverview Rd. in Thomson. Bird walks usually last 2 to 3 hours depending on weather conditions. Walking is minimal; eight-passenger golf carts will be available for those with mobility challenges. There is no admission charge but pre-registration is highly suggested. You may register online at www.sumriver.org or by sending an email to info@sumriver.org. If you have any questions please call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Refuge office at (815) 273-2732.
May 15, Sunday - visit restored prairie and wetlands in Scott County. A property owner has allowed QCAS to visit his 160 acre prairie and 720 acre wetlands in northeast Scott County. Dickcissels and Sedge Wren are a couple of the breeding species at the prairie site, while Bald Eagles, Trumpeter Swans and Sandhill Cranes nest at the wetlands. This will be our first field trip to these habitats. Most of the time we'll be on our feet so bring comfortable footwear. Meet at Border's bookstore on 53rd Street in Davenport at 7:00 a.m. If the wetlands are flooded an alternate wetland location, maybe Princeton Marsh, will be determined.
June 5, Sunday - Mississippi Palisades State Park with Mary Lou Petersen. Meet at Casey's in Princeton at 7:00 a.m. for a half-day trip. We will travel up the Iowa side stopping briefly at birding spots before crossing the Mississippi at Sabula and heading to the palisades, and then come back along the Illinois side. If the trip runs into the afternoon we will stop somewhere to eat.
June 11, Saturday - monthly migratory bird walk at the Upper Mississippi River Refuge near Thomson, Illinois. Bird walks are held the 2nd Saturday of each month from April through October. The variety of migratory birds changes each month as the seasons progress. Meet at the Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center located at 7071 Riverview Rd. in Thomson. Bird walks usually last 2 to 3 hours depending on weather conditions. Walking is minimal; eight-passenger golf carts will be available for those with mobility challenges. There is no admission charge but pre-registration is highly suggested. You may register online at www.sumriver.org or by sending an email to info@sumriver.org. If you have any questions please call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Refuge office at (815) 273-2732.
July 2, Saturday - Work morning at Lyndon-Agnew Prairie. QCAS' annual effort to assist in the removal of invasive plants from this prairie plot near Lyndon, Illinois. The plot runs parallel to Interstate 88. Meet at the Jewel grocery store in Silvis, at 7:00 a.m. for a half-day trip. Long sleeves, long pants, water, sunscreen and insect repellent are recommended. Bring a lopper and/or a spade if you can. Contact Tim Murphy (309) 764-9779 or (309) 716-4575 for more information. See the get involved page for more about the Lyndon-Agnew Prairie.
July 9, Saturday - monthly migratory bird walk at the Upper Mississippi River Refuge near Thomson, Illinois. Bird walks are held the 2nd Saturday of each month from April through October. The variety of migratory birds changes each month as the seasons progress. Meet at the Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center located at 7071 Riverview Rd. in Thomson. Bird walks usually last 2 to 3 hours depending on weather conditions. Walking is minimal; eight-passenger golf carts will be available for those with mobility challenges. There is no admission charge but pre-registration is highly suggested. You may register online at www.sumriver.org or by sending an email to info@sumriver.org. If you have any questions please call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Refuge office at (815) 273-2732.
August 13, Saturday - monthly migratory bird walk at the Upper Mississippi River Refuge near Thomson, Illinois. Bird walks are held the 2nd Saturday of each month from April through October. The variety of migratory birds changes each month as the seasons progress. Meet at the Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center located at 7071 Riverview Rd. in Thomson. Bird walks usually last 2 to 3 hours depending on weather conditions. Walking is minimal; eight-passenger golf carts will be available for those with mobility challenges. There is no admission charge but pre-registration is highly suggested. You may register online at www.sumriver.orgor by sending an email to info@sumriver.org. If you have any questions please call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Refuge office at (815) 273-2732.
August 27, Saturday - Credit Island, Fairmount Cemetery, Sunderbruch Park and Schuetzenpark in Davenport for early Fall migrants. Fairmount Cemetery will include a historical tour by the caretaker of some of the interesting aspects of the cemetery. Meet at Credit Island by the army tank at 7:00 a.m. for a half-day trip, but it may be shorter or longer depending on heat and humidity. If time and weather permits, Seven Cities Sod and Crow Creek Park may be added to the agenda.
September 4, Sunday - Cone Marsh in Louisa County between the Iowa and Cedar Rivers for shorebirds and warblers. Field trip leader Mary Lou Petersen will depart Marquette Street Landing in Davenport at 7:00 a.m. for a half-day trip.
September 10, Saturday - monthly migratory bird walk at the Upper Mississippi River Refuge near Thomson, Illinois. Bird walks are held the 2nd Saturday of each month from April through October. The variety of migratory birds changes each month as the seasons progress. Meet at the Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center located at 7071 Riverview Rd. in Thomson. Bird walks usually last 2 to 3 hours depending on weather conditions. Walking is minimal; eight-passenger golf carts will be available for those with mobility challenges. There is no admission charge but pre-registration is highly suggested. You may register online at www.sumriver.orgor by sending an email to info@sumriver.org. If you have any questions please call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Refuge office at (815) 273-2732.
October 8, Saturday - Mary Lou Petersen will lead a birding trip to Wildcat Den in Muscatine County in search of Fall migrants. Meet at Marquette Street landing, Davenport at 7:30 a.m.
November 6, Sunday - Along the Mississippi River to Sping Lake. Meet at The Brothers Restaurant in Rapids City at 7:30 a.m. The trip may be slightly longer than half a day so a packed lunch is advisable.
2010-2011 Christmas Bird Counts
December and early January - Christmas Bird Counts are a census of area birds conducted during the 23 days surrounding Christmas. On the assigned date, organized field parties census the bird populations within a given count circle, a pre-defined area 15 miles in diameter. Volunteers can help by observing birds in the field or monitoring bird feeders. Contact Kelly McKay at (309) 235-4661 if you would like to participate. See our Get Involved page for further information about Christmas Bird Counts.
Quad Cities - Sunday, December 19 Clinton - Tuesday, December 21 Princeton/Cordova - Wednesday, December 22 Sterling/Rock Falls - Monday, December 27 Western Mercer County/New Boston - Wednesday, December 29 Muscatine - Thursday, December 30 Andalusia - Sunday, January 2
2010
February 20, Saturday - Wildcat Den State Park. Meet at Marquette Street Landing, Davenport, at 8:00 a.m. *
March 20, Saturday - Cone Marsh, Louisa County between the Iowa and Cedar Rivers for waterfowl and a variety of wetland-dwelling birds. Meet at Marquette Street Landing, Davenport at 7:00 a.m. for this half-day trip. If the marsh is flooded an alternate destination will be determined. *
April 11, Sunday - North along the Mississippi River including Eagle Point Park, Bulger's Hollow, Sabula, Spring Lake, Thompson Causeway and Lock and Dam 13. Meet at Casey's in Princeton, Iowa at 7:00 a.m. An all-day trip so bring a lunch.
May 8, Saturday - Illinois Spring Bird Count. Join us in this annual survey of spring birds in our area. We need counters for field parties and feeder watchers in both Rock Island and Mercer Counties. Each field party covers a section of the county, tallying all birds identified by sight or call, from dawn to dusk. Feeder watchers can watch their feeders, cover their yard, or canvas the neighborhood, as much as they want. Generally urban areas are poorly covered so their efforts are greatly appreciated. The Spring count usually takes place near the peak of warbler migration and provides a great opportunity to see a variety of birds. Contact Tim Murphy to participate: evenings (309) 764-9779, days (309) 558-3721 or email molinemurphy@sbcglobal.net.
June 6, Sunday - Mississippi Palisades State Park. Meet at Casey’s in Princeton at 7:00 a.m., arriving at the park about 8:00. If you’re travelling up the Illinois side of the river, meet at the park about 8:00 a.m. After birding the park, we’ll bird Lost Mound and the Upper Mississippi Refuge areas south of Savannah and Lock and Dam 13. The Iowa part will cross back into Iowa on the south bridge at Clinton. This field trip will run into the afternoon, so pack a lunch.
July 11, Sunday - Work morning at Lyndon-Agnew Prairie. We will remove invasive plants from this prairie plot near Lyndon, Illinois. The plot runs parallel to Interstate 88. Meet at the Anchor Do-It Center, 1505 1st Street, Silvis, at 7:00 a.m. for a half-day trip. Long sleeves, long pants, water, sunscreen and insect repellent are recommended. Bring a lopper and/or a spade if you can. Contact Tim Murphy (309) 764-9779 or (309) 716-4575 for more information. See the get involved page for more about the Lyndon-Agnew Prairie.
August 21, Saturday - Field trip to Credit Island Park and Nahant Marsh in Davenport. Meet at Credit Island by the tank at 7:00 a.m. for a half-day trip, but it may be shorter or longer depending on heat and humidity. If time and weather permits, Sunderbruch Park, Fairmount Cemetery and Schuetzenpark may be added to the agenda.
September 5, Sunday - Field trip to Wildcat Den State Park in Muscatine County. A half-day trip concentrating on migrating songbirds. Meet at the Marquette Street Landing, Davenport, at 7:00 a.m.
October 10, Sunday - Birding the Neighborhood - birding areas in east Davenport and Bettendorf will be toured that haven't been visited on field trips in recent years, including Crowe Creek Park and Duck Creek Park. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the parking lot by the entrance to Duck Creek Park.
November 20, Saturday - Up the Mississippi River to Lock & Dam 13, Spring Lake and Thomson causeway to look for waterfowl and a chance to see large numbers of Tundra Swans. Meet at Brothers Restaurant in Rapids City, IL, at 7:30 a.m. for a half-day trip. *
2009-2010 Christmas Bird Counts
December and early January - Christmas Bird Counts are a census of area birds conducted during the 23 days surrounding Christmas. On the assigned date, organized field parties census the bird populations within a given count circle, a pre-defined area 15 miles in diameter. Volunteers can help by observing birds in the field or monitoring bird feeders. Contact Kelly McKay at (309) 235-4661 or (309) 755-6731 if you would like to participate. See our Get Involved page for further information about Christmas Bird Counts.
Quad Cities - Sunday, December 20
Clinton - Monday, December 21
Princeton/Cordova - Wednesday, December 23
Sterling/Rock Falls - Thursday, December 24
Muscatine - Saturday, December 26
Western Mercer County/New Boston - Wednesday, December 30
Andalusia - Monday, January 4
2009
January 24, Saturday - Field trip along the Mississippi River, from I-280 to I-80. Meet at the Marquette Street Landing, Davenport at 8:00 a.m. for this half-day trip. *
February 22, Sunday - Field trip to Wildcat Den State Park. Meet at the Marquette Street Landing, Davenport, at 8:00 a.m. for this half-day trip. *
March 15, Sunday - Field trip north along the Mississippi River. Meet at Brother’s Restaurant, Rapids City, Illinois at 7:00 a.m. for this half-day trip. *
April 4, Saturday - Field trip to Cone Marsh. Meet at Marquette Street Landing, Davenport at 7:00 a.m. for this half-day trip. *
May 9, Saturday - Illinois Spring Bird Count. Join us in this annual survey of spring birds in Rock Island County. Groups will cover all areas of the county. If you are not an experienced birder, no problem, we will team you with experienced birders. Whether experienced or not, it's always better to have more pairs of eyes than less. You can participate for part or all of the day. Some groups begin before dawn to look for owls, and most groups stay until dusk, but you can start whenever you want and stay as long as you want. The only requirement: have an interest in birds. Contact Tim Murphy, (309) 764-9779, to participate.
June 7, Sunday - Field trip to Mississippi Palisades and Lost Mound. Due to the closure of the I-80 bridge going into Illinois, people in Illinois will meet at Brother’s Restaurant in Rapids City at 6:30 am, and Iowa folk will meet at the Casey’s in Princeton at 6:30 am. The two groups will then meet at Lock & Dam 13 in Clinton at 8:00 a.m. This will be an all day field trip. We will stop for lunch in Savanna.
July 12, Sunday - Work morning at Lyndon-Agnew Prairie. We will remove invasive plants from this prairie plot near Lyndon, Ilinois. The plot runs parallel to Interstate 88. Meet at the Anchor Do-It Center, 1505 1st Street, Silvis, at 7:00 am for this half-day trip. Long sleeves, long pants, water, sunscreen and insect repellent are recommended. Bring a lopper and/or a spade if you can. Contact Tim Murphy (309) 764-9779 or (309) 716-4575 for more information. See the July-August issue of Mississippi Currents and theget involved page for more about the Lyndon-Agnew Prairie.
August 22, Saturday - Field trip to Credit Island, Nahant Marsh, Fairmount Cemetery, Sunderbruch Park and Schuetzenpark in Davenport. Fairmount Cemetery will include a historical tour by the caretaker of some of the interesting and infamous people buried there, and snacks will be served. The tour will cover a different part of the cemetery than last year. Meet at Marquette Street Landing, Davenport, at 7:00 a.m. for a half-day trip.
September 13, Sunday - Field trip to Wildcat Den. A half-day birding trip which will concentrate on migrating songbirds. Meet at Marquette Street Landing, Davenport at 7:00 a.m.
October 10, Saturday - Field trip to birding hotspots in Clinton - Eagle Point Park, Soaring Eagle Nature Center, and Bickelhaupt Arboretum. Meet at Casey’s in Princeton, Iowa at 7:00 a.m. for this half day plus trip.
November 8, Sunday - Field trip up the Illinois side of the Mississippi River. Illinois residents meet at Brothers Restaurant in Rapids City, Illinois at 7:00 a.m. Iowa residents meet at Casey’s in Princeton, Iowa at 7:00 a.m. The two groups will meet at 7:45 a.m. at Lock and Dam 13 north of Fulton, Illinois for this half day trip to look for waterfowl.
2008-2009 Christmas Bird Counts
December and early January – see our Get Involved page for further information about Christmas Bird Counts.
Quad Cities - Sunday, December 14
Clinton - Thursday, December 18
Muscatine - Sunday, December 21
Princeton-Cordova - Monday, December 22
New Boston - Tuesday, December 23
Andalusia - Friday, January 2
2008
January 27, Sunday - Field trip along the Mississippi River from I-280 to I-80. Meet at Marquette Street Landing, Davenport, at 8:00 a.m. for a half-day trip.*
February 23, Saturday - Field trip to Wildcat Den State Park. Meet at Marquette Street Landing, Davenport, at 8:00 a.m. for this half-day trip.*
March 1, Saturday - Bluebird Trail Maintenance. Meet at Marquette Street Landing, Davenport, at 7:00 a.m., to help clean bluebird nest boxes at Horseshoe Bend, Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge.*
March 29, Saturday - Field trip to Cone Marsh. Meet at Marquette Street Landing at 8:00 a.m. for a half-day trip.*
May 10, Saturday - Illinois Spring Bird Count. Join us in this annual survey of spring birds in our area. Requirements: an interest in nature (especially birds) and be willing to get up rather early. Contact Tim Murphy, (309) 764-9779, to participate.
May 17 & 18, Saturday and Sunday - Field trip to Shimeck State Forest in southeastern Iowa. Meet at Marquette Street Landing in Davenport at 6:00 a.m. Individuals wishing to stay overnight should bring camping gear and be prepared to drive their own vehicle. Point of contact is Janelle Swanberg, (563) 324-9806.
June 7, Saturday - Field trip to the Mississippi Palisades and Goose Laketo look for spring song birds, shorebirds, and waterfowl. Meet at Brothers Restaurant in Rapids City, IL, at 6:00 a.m. for this half-day trip.
July 6, Sunday - Work morning at Lyndon-Agnew Prairie. We will remove invasive plants from this remnant prairie plot near Lyndon, IL. Meet at Quad City Downs by IL Highway 5 in East Moline, at 7:00 a.m. Wear long-sleeve shirt and full-length pants. Bring drinking water and sunscreen, and gloves and tools for cutting (loppers or spade). Leader: Tim Murphy (309) 764-9779.
August 23, Saturday - Field Trip to Credit Island, Nahant Marsh, Fairmount Cemetery, Sunderbruch Park and Schuetzen Park in Davenport. Fairmount Cemetery will include a historical tour by the caretaker of some of the interesting and infamous people buried there, and refreshments will be served. Meet at Marquette Street Landing, Davenport, at 7:00 a.m. for this half-day trip.
September 7, Sunday - Wildcat Den State Park. A half-day birding trip which will concentrate on migrating songbirds. Meet at Marquette Street Landing, Davenport at 7:00 a.m.
November 16, Sunday - North from the Quad Cities along the Illinois side of the Mississippi River, including Lost Mound. Meet at Brothers Restaurant in Rapids City, Illinois, at 7:30 a.m. We will stop at the Pizza Hut in Savannah for lunch and will return late in the afternoon. *
2007- 2008 Christmas Bird Counts
December and early January – see our Get Involved page for further information about Christmas Bird Counts.
Quad Cities - Sunday, December 16
Clinton - Tuesday, December 18
Princeton-Cordova - Thursday, December 20
New Boston - Friday, December 21
Muscatine - Saturday, December 22
Sterling-Rock Falls - Wednesday, December 26
Andalusia - Saturday, January 5
2007
January 28 - Up the Mississippi River to look for waterfowl. Meet at Brothers Restaurant in Rapids City, IL, at 8:00 a.m. for a half-day trip.
February 11 - Wildcat Den State Park. Meet at Marquette Street Landing in Davenport, IA, at 8:00 a.m. for this half-day trip to look for birds wintering in local woodlands.
Sunday, March 4 - Bluebird Trail Maintenance. Meet at Marquette Street Landing, Davenport, at 7:00 a.m. We will car pool to Horseshoe Bend, Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge, to check and clean bluebird houses and do some bird watching.
Saturday, March 17 - Field Trip to Lock and Dam 13 and Savannah to look for early migrants and waterfowl. Meet at Brothers Restaurant in Rapids City, IL, at 8:00 a.m. for a half-day trip .
Saturday, March 31 - Field Trip to Cone Marsh. Meet at 7:00 a.m. at Marquette Street Landing in Davenport for this half-day birding excursion.
Sunday, April 15 - Field Trip to the Martin Farm. Meet at Singing Bird Lodge, Blackhawk State Historic Site, Rock Island, at 7:00 a.m. for this half-day birding trip.
Saturday, May 5 - Illinois Spring Bird Count. Join experienced bird watchers in a day-long bird count through area fields, woods, and urban areas. Data collected in the count supports population trend analysis for birds that nest or pass through in spring migration. Contact Tim Murphy, (309) 764-9779, to participate.
Sunday, June 3 - Field Trip to the Mississippi Palisades and Goose Lake to look for songbirds, shorebirds, and waterfowl. Meet at Brothers Restaurant in Rapids City, IL, at 6:00 a.m. for a half-day trip.
Sunday, July 8 - Work morning at Lyndon-Agnew Prairie. Help remove invasive plants from this outstanding prairie remnant near Lyndon, IL. Meet at Quad City Downs, IL Highway 5 in East Moline, at 7:00 a.m. Wear long-sleeve shirt and long pants, bring drinking water, sunscreen, loppers (preferred) or a spade. Leader: Tim Murphy, (309) 764-9779.
Sunday, August 5 – Field trip up the Mississippi River from Nahant Marsh to Hampton, with the focus on shore birds. Meet at Marquette Street Landing in Davenport at 7:00 a.m. for this half-day trip.
Saturday, October 13 - Eagle Point Park and Bulger’s Hollow. Meet at the Casey’s store in Princeton, IA. at 7:00 a.m. for a half-day trip.
Sunday, November 11 - Up the Mississippi River to look for waterfowl. Meet at the Brothers Restaurant in Rapids City, IL, at 7:30 a.m. for a half-day trip.
2006
March 4, Bluebird nesting box maintenance and bird watchingat Horseshoe Bend, Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge. Meet at Marquette St. Landing in Davenport at 7:30 a.m.
March 19, Field Trip to Lock and Dam 13 and Savanna for waterfowl. Meet at Brothers' Restaurant in Rapids City at 7:00 a.m. for half-day trip.
April 1, Field Trip to Cone Marsh. Meet at Marquette St. Landing in Davenport at 6:30 a.m. for half-day trip.
May 6 - Illinois Spring Bird Count. Partner with one or more knowledgeable bird identifiers in an all-day jaunt through fields, woodlands, and urban areas throughout the Quad Cities. Data supports the analysis of population trends for the species that inhabit our region during the spring. Contact Tim Murphy at (309) 764-9779 if you would like to participate.
May 13 - Prairie restoration at Horseshoe Bend, Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge. Meet at Marquette Street Landing, Davenport, at 7:30 a.m. Leader: Pat Carlson, (309) 793-4131.
June 3 - Field Trip to the Mississippi Palisades. Meet at Brothers' Restaurant in Rapids City, IL, at 6:00 a.m. This is a day long trip, so bring a sack lunch or snacks.
July 9 - Work morning at Lyndon-Agnew Prairie. Help remove invasive plants from this outstanding prairie remnant near Lyndon, IL. Meet at Quad City Downs at 7:00 a.m. Wear long-sleeve shirts and pants, bring drinking water, sunscreen, loppers or a spade.
July 15 - Walk in the Park at Schuetzen Park, Davenport. Meet at Marquette Landing, Davenport, at 7:30 a.m. Plan a half day outing. (Bug spray is recommended..)
August 6 - Field trip to Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge. Meet at Marquette Street Landing at 7:00 a.m. for a half day trip.
September 16 - Field Trip to Wildcat Den to look for migrating songbirds. Meet at Marquette Street Landing at 7:00 a.m. for a half day trip.
October 15 – Field Trip to Eagle Point and Bulger's Hollow. Meet at the Casey's store in Princeton, IA, at 7:00 a.m. for a half day trip.
November 11 - Field Trip up the Mississippi River to look for waterfowl and a chance to see large numbers of tundra swans. Meet at Brothers Restaurant in Rapids City, IL, at 7:30 a.m. for a half-day trip.
December – No field trip, instead we will be participating in the Christmas Bird Counts. The dates are indicated below. Contact Brent Langley at (309) 799-7192 if you would like to participate.
Quad Cities - December 17
Clinton - December 19
Princeton-Cordova - December 20
Sterling-Rock Falls - December 22
Muscatine - December 23
New Boston - December 26
Andalusia - December 28
Special Events
2013
January 5-6, Saturday-Sunday - Iowa author and photographer Ty Smedes will sign copies of his book Return of the Bald Eagles at Wide River Winery in Clinton during Eagle Watch weekend, from 1:00-5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Mr. Smedes, of Ames, Iowa, will also present photos and details that chronicle the conservation success story of Iowa's bald eagles. Return of the Bald Eagles is a full color coffee table book that recounts in pictures and text the amazing return of Iowa's eagles from the brink of extinction. The book sells for $29.95 and will be available for purchase at the winery. Clinton's own Char Daehler will be on hand to lead winery visitors on a hike along the bluff trail to point out where she discovered an eagles nest in 2010. The eagles are also expected to attend! Admission to the presentation and guided hike is $10.00 and includes a glass of wine. Wide River Winery's vineyard, tasting room & winery is located north of Clinton and overlooks the Mississippi River. Wide River Winery, 1776 East Deer Creek Rd. Clinton, Iowa, www.wideriverwinery.com, (563) 519-9463.
January 11-13, Friday-Sunday - Bald Eagle Days, Quad Cities Expo Center, Rock Island, Friday, 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Quad City Audubon Society will again have an information booth at the Expo Center. The QCAS has supported and participated in Bald Eagle Days since its inception. Each year, many of our members generously donate their time to help spread the message about QCAS by helping to man our booth. The booth will have information about the Quad City Audubon Society. We need volunteers to help run the booth. Face-painting for children (and the young at heart) will be donated by the Davenport Central High School Art Club. We will also lead bus trips on Saturday and Sunday to bald eagle hot spots around the Quad Cities, including Lock & Dam 15 where dozens of eagles are often seen. Spotting scopes will be provided. Please contact Janelle Swanberg at (563) 324-9806 or jswanberg@mchsi.com to volunteer to help at our booth.
January 26, Saturday - Linda Boardsen, Quad City Audubon member, is presenting a winter bird feeding program for children ages 5-12 at 11:00 a.m. at the Felix Adler Children's Discovery Center, located at 332 8th Ave. So. in Clinton. Slides will be shown of common winter birds. Children will have an opportunity to make peanut butter pine cone feeders and take them home. Admission prices are: Children 2 and under - free; Ages 3 to 64 - $4.00; Seniors (65+) - $3.00. Children must be accompanied by an adult. For more information go to the website at adlerdiscoverycenter.org, or call (563) 243-3600.
February 2, Saturday - Eagle Watch at the Figge Art Museum - Quad City Audubon Society will man spotting scopes to watch bald eagles over the Mississippi River from the warm confines of the Figge Art Museum, Davenport, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The museum will be open to the public for this event.
February 3, Sunday - Linda Boardsen, Quad City Audubon member, is presenting a winter bird feeding program at 2:00 p.m. at the Wide River Winery, 1776 East Deer Creek Rd., Clinton, Iowa, www.wideriverwinery.com, (563) 519-9463. Linda will cover seed preferences, types of feeders, and squirrel deterrents. The program is free of charge. Following the program, Linda will lead a brief birding walk along the Bluff trail.
February 16, Saturday - Linda Boardsen will assist families in participating in this year's annual Great Backyard Bird Count at 1:00 p.m. at the Felix Adler Children's Discovery Center, 332 8th Ave. So., Clinton, Iowa, (563) 243-3600. Birds will be counted in the area surrounding the Discovery Center and in the park across the street. Admission prices are: Children 2 and under - free, Ages 2 to 64 - $4.00, Seniors (65+) - $3.00. For more information go to the website at adlerdiscoverycenter.org, or call (563) 243-3600. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
2012
January 6-8, Friday-Sunday - Bald Eagle Days, Quad Cities Expo Center, Rock Island, Friday, 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Quad City Audubon Society will again have an information booth at the Expo Center. The QCAS has supported and participated in Bald Eagle Days since its inception. Each year, many of our members generously donate their time to help spread the message about QCAS by helping to man our booth. The booth will have information about the Quad City Audubon Society. We need volunteers to help run the booth. We will also lead bus trips on Saturday and Sunday for viewing bald eagles along the Mississippi River at various spots, including Lock & Dam 15 where dozens of eagles are often seen. Spotting scopes will be provided. Buses will leave at 10:30, 11:45, 1:00, 2:15 and 3:30 from the Expo Center. Please contact Janelle Swanberg at (563) 324-9806 orjswanberg@mchsi.com to volunteer to help at our booth or the bus tours.
February 4, Saturday - Eagle Watch at the Figge Art Museum, 12:00-3:00 p.m. Quad City Audubon members will set up and man scopes for bald eagle watching on the Mississippi River as part of the Figge’s “Fins and Feathers” Free Family Day.
February 17-20, Friday-Sunday - The Great Backyard Bird Count. Join birders across the United States and Canada in this annual survey of bird distribution. The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four day event that engages people of all ages in counting birds to create a snapshot of where the birds are found across the continent. It’s free, fun and easy, and anyone can participate. Count birds in your area for 15 minutes or longer during any or all of the four days in the period by tallying the highest number of any species of bird you see at one time. Submit your findings using an online checklist at the GBBC website. Anyone with internet access can watch the results unfold across North America and see how they compare to previous years’ surveys. Scientists and bird enthusiasts can learn much from the continued work of citizen scientists. Each year that data from the GBBC, Christmas Bird Counts, Project FeederWatch and eBird sightings is recorded gives us a better, more up to date picture of bird distribution across Canada and the United States. The Great Backyard Bird Count is a project of National Audubon Society, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada. Last year, counters submitted over 92,000 checklists for a total of 594 total species observed and over 11 million individual birds were counted. You can learn more at www.birdsource.org/gbbc.
Opportunity for Iowa birders: volunteer to participate in a study of birdwatching hobbyists. Iowa State University is seeking participants for a National Science Foundation (NSF) supported study of individuals with science related hobbies. Science related hobbies like birding are an important form of informal science education and contribute to overall science literacy. The study is intended to learn about how and why people involve themselves in such hobbies. Participation is voluntary, and any information shared will be recorded anonymously. No names will be associated with interviews. If you are interested in volunteering, please go to this websitewww.surveymonkey.com/s/LGWKW7M. You will receive a more complete description of the study and will be asked to provide your contact information (name, address, phone and email). A researcher from the study will contact you and schedule a mutually convenient time for an interview. We anticipate that an interview will take 30-45 minutes. Individuals participating in interviews will receive a $10 gift card (Target) as a thank you for contributing to this research.
March 17-18, Saturday-Sunday - Spring Migration Event at Milan Bottoms. Quad City Audubon partners with the Natural Land Institute for this two day event. The Milan Bottoms Wildlife Refuge, normally accessible only by boat, will be open to the public from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on March 17 and 18 to see the Spring bird migration along the river. Meet at the entrance to the Natural Land Institute’s Milan Bottoms Preserve, located at the intersection of IL-92 (Andalusia Road) and Turkey Hollow Road in southwest Rock Island. Expect to see geese, ducks, pelicans, and with any luck the resident bald eagle will be occupying its nest. A heron rookery or nesting colony, containing several hundred nests, will also be in view. The Natural Land Institute will host the Spring Migration event with Quad Cities Audubon Society and Interstate RC&D Conservation Stewardship Volunteers. Quad City Audubon members will be present to assist in bird identification. Periodically, throughout the day members will set up spotting scopes for bird viewing at a distance. If the Mississippi River water level is low enough visitors can walk right up to a beaver dam and see how these animals shape their environment. If the river is high, some areas may be less accessible, but there is still much to be seen from higher ground. “We intend to host a couple of events each year that open the refuge lands to the public from the preserve”, said Eric Anderson, Mississippi River Bluffland Project Director for the Institute. “If we can grow enough public and private support for land conservation, this property could be open a lot more”. Those wanting to see the largest number of birds should plan to be ankle deep in mud, though most people should be able to experience the area with just sturdy walking shoes. Membership information for the Natural Land Institute, Quad City Audubon and the Interstate RC&D Stewardship Volunteers will be available at the event.
March 24, Thursday - Backyard Birding Class. President Janelle Swanberg will present this class from 1:00-2:00 p.m. at the Davenport Library, Eastern Avenue Branch.
June 9, Saturday - A Celebration of Urban Birds from 10:00 a.m. to Noon at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 309 30th Ave. N. in Clinton. The "Celebration" features a puppet show describing 15 urban birds designated by the Cornell University Ornithology Lab for study in a Citizen Science project. The puppet show will be presented at 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Following the puppet show, attendees will be given an opportunity to look for the designated species in the birding garden planted by church members. Children will have an opportunity to make a birding art project and plant seeds featuring bird friendly plants in a small container. The program is free and open to the public. Linda Boardsen, UU member and Educational Chair for Quad-City Audubon Society will be available to answer questions. If planning to attend, please call the UU Fellowship at (563) 242-4972. The UU Fellowship is located at the intersection of 30th Ave. N. and North 3rd St. (U.S. 67), south of Eagle Point Park in Clinton.
2011
January 7-9, Friday-Sunday - Bald Eagle Days, Quad Cities Expo Center, Rock Island, Friday, 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Quad City Audubon Society will again have an information booth at the Expo Center. The QCAS has supported and participated in Bald Eagle Days since its inception. Each year, many of our members generously donate their time to help spread the message about QCAS by helping to man our booth. The booth will have information about the Quad City Audubon Society. We need volunteers to help run the booth. We will also lead bus trips on Saturday and Sunday for viewing bald eagles along the Mississippi River at various spots, including Lock & Dam 15 where dozens of eagles are often seen. Spotting scopes will be provided. Buses will leave at 10:30, 11:45, 1:00, 2:15 and 3:30 from the Expo Center. Please contact Dick Sayles (563) 676-9616 or d5169@aol.comto volunteer to help at our booth or the bus tours.
February 18-21, Friday-Monday - The Great Backyard Bird Count. Participate in one of the biggest citizen science projects of its kind. Count birds in your yard, parks or neighborhood. Novices as well as experts are welcome. Spend as little as 15 minutes on one or more of the 4 days counting birds, then submit your results online. For more information visitwww.birdcount.org.
April 16, Saturday - Great American Cleanup in Moline. For more information visit www.keepmolinebeautiful.org.
April 16, Saturday - The 8th annual Earth Week Fair from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the QCCA Expo Center in Rock Island. Admission is free. Educational booths, workshops, Scout activities and green giveaways! For more information visit www.qcearthweek.org.
April 30, Saturday - Davenport Clean-up & Green-up from 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Volunteers are needed to cleanup litter and plant trees throughout the city. For more information visit www.cityofdavenportiowa.com/cg.
May 21, Saturday - "Warblers and Wine" at the Wide River Winery in Clinton, Iowa. The public is invited to view warblers at the winery. Two field stations will be set up - one at the winery itself which features tree top viewing, and the other at the nature trail which overlooks Lake Clinton. Spotting scopes will be available. Several birding organizations have been invited in addition to QCAS including Dubuque Audubon, Iowa City Bird Club, and Friends of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge. Wide River Winery is located just north of Eagle Point Park off of U.S. Highway 67 on the east side of the road. Turn onto Deer Creek Rd. and follow the signs. The event starts at 8:00 a.m. and ends a little after 10:00 a.m. when there will be a drawing for winery gift certificates (you must be present to win). The Winery will be open for business at 10:30 a.m.
May 21, Saturday - International Migratory Bird Day & National Trails Day at Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge in Louisa County from 7:00 a.m. - noon. Activities include songbird banding, birding hikes (7:30 and 9:30), geocache rally, and kayak and canoe paddling tours (8:00 and 10:00) on Lake Odessa. Call the refuge at (319) 523-6982 for more information.
September 25, Sunday - Pelican Festival and Gala: Iowa Audubon’s Annual Fundraiser and Pelican migration viewing. Join Iowa Audubon in celebrating Iowa's annual "Pelican Festival" from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. For the first time this event will be held at DNR's Hawkeye Wildlife Area in Swisher, Iowa. Activities include pelican viewing with bird experts, presentations about pelicans and other birds, face painting for kids, and free pelican (temporary) tattoos. Following the pelican festival, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Iowa Audubon will hold it's annual fundraising "Pelican Gala" in Iowa City, including a silent auction and live music. Reservations are required for the gala. For more information go to www.iowaaudubon.org.
2010
January 8-10, Friday-Sunday - Bald Eagle Days, Quad Cities Expo Center, Rock Island. Friday, 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Quad City Audubon Society will again have an information booth at the Expo Center. The QCAS has supported and participated in Bald Eagle Days since its inception. Each year, many of our members generously donate their time to help spread the message about QCAS by helping to man our booth. The booth will have information about the Quad City Audubon Society. So we need volunteers to help run the booth. We will also lead bus trips on Saturday and Sunday for viewing bald eagles along the Mississippi River at various spots, including Lock & Dam 15 where dozens of eagles are often seen. Spotting scopes will be provided. Buses will leave at 11:30, 12:45, 2:00 and 3:15 from the Expo Center. Please contact Brent Langley at (309) 799-7192 orlangleyart@mchsi.com to volunteer to help at our booth or the bus tours.
January 16-17, Saturday-Sunday - Bald Eagle watching at the Figge Art Museum. Scopes will be set up in the museum to watch eagles from the comfort of the indoors. Cocoa and cookies will be served. Viewing from 12:00 - 3:00 both Saturday and Sunday in the Arts Café in the Winter Garden located between the 2nd and 3rd floors.
February 12-15, Friday-Monday - The Great Backyard Bird Count. Participate in one of the biggest citizen science projects of its kind. Count birds in your yard, parks and neighborhood. Novices as well as experts are welcome. Spend as little as 15 minutes on one or more of the 4-day event counting birds, then submit your results online. For more information visitwww.birdcount.org, contact National Audubon at www.citizen-science@audubon.org (215) 355-9588 ext.16, or contact the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at www.gbbc@cornell.edu (800) 843-2473.
March 24, Wednesday - Kenny Salwey, author of "Tales of a River Rat: Adventures Along the Wild Mississippi" and coauthor of "The Last River Rat: Kenny Salwey's Life in the Wild" will be at the Capitol Theatre, 330 W. 3rd Street, Davenport, at 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Salwey will be available for storytelling and a meet and greet. View the Emmy-winning documentary about Salwey's life at the Capitol Teatre. Tickets are available for $5.00 at the Capitol Theatre box office, 311 Ripley Street, Davenport, (563) 326-8820. Proceeds go to Friends of Nahant Marsh.
April 30 - May 2, Friday-Sunday - The Iowa Ornithologist's Union Spring Meeting will be held in Bettendorf. All meeting activities will take place at the Ramada Inn in Bettendorf. Dr. Brian Peer will be the keynote speaker. He is Associate Professor of Biology at Western Illinois University. His field of study is in the interactions between avian bird parasites and their hosts. Potential field trip locations include Wildcat Den State Park, Credit Island, Nahant Marsh, Wapsi River Environmental Education Center, Sherman Park, Lost Creek Wildlife Area, Rock Creek State Park, Princeton Marsh, and Lock and Dams 13, 14, 15, and 16 on the Mississippi River. Some trips may also include areas in Illinois. In addition, there will be a special limited opportunity to visit Big Sand Mound Nature Preserve near Muscatine. Monsanto and MidAmerican Energy own and manage this 510 acre property along the Mississippi River. Because access to this unique site is restricted, there will be a single Saturday field trip which will be limited to fifteen people (sorry, this field trip has been filled). For more information visit the Iowa Ornithologist's Union IOU Meeting page.
Schedule
Friday, April 30
5:30-9:00 p.m. - registration, social time with snacks, field trip sign-up
Saturday, May 1
6:00 a.m. - breakfast
7:00 a.m. - field trips depart
12:00-1:00 p.m. - lunch
1:00-1:30 p.m. - Larry Stone and Jon Stravers: "Gladys Black: The Legacy
of Iowa’s Bird Lady"
1:35-2:05 p.m. - Kelly McKay: Milan Bottom’s Bald Eagle Study
2:15-4:00 p.m. - IOU General Business Meeting
4:00-4:10 p.m. - introduction of new IOU members
4:15-5:15 p.m. - IOU Board Meeting
6:30-7:30 p.m. - Saturday Evening Banquet
7:30-8:30 p.m. - Keynote Speaker Dr. Brian Peer: "Brood Parasitic Brown-
headed Cowbirds: Separating Fact from Fiction"
Sunday, May 2
6:00 a.m. - breakfast
7:00 a.m. - field trips depart
12:00 p.m. - field trips return, lunch, final compilation
May 22, Saturday - Bird Banding Demonstration, Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge, 10728 County Road X-61, Wapello, Iowa, 7:00-11:00 a.m. Mark your calendars and bring your field guides. To celebrate the wonder of migration, the refuge is hosting a bird banding demonstration. Learn about birds that migrate through the area. Get a rare, up-close perspective of birds in the hand. Learn what information scientists gather about birds in the wild. Contact the refuge at (319)523-6982 for more information or to inquire about volunteer opportunities for this program. The program will be cancelled in the event of rain.
Now through October - Butterfly Count Program by the North American Butterfly Association. In its 36th year, the program censuses butterflies throughtout the continent by conducting counts in 15 mile diameter circles. Counts are available in our area. They help scientists monitor the distribution and success of butterflies across North America. To learn more about the Butterfly Count Program and the North American Butterfly Association, visit their website at www.naba.org.
2009
January 9-11, Friday-Sunday - Bald Eagle Days, Quad Cities Expo Center, Rock Island. Friday, 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Quad City Audubon Society will again have an information booth at the Expo Center. The QCAS has supported and participated in Bald Eagle Days since its inception. Each year, many of our members generously donate their time to help spread the message about QCAS by helping to man our booth. The booth will have information about the Quad City Audubon Society and will have hands-on activities for children, including building suet feeders from pine cones that they can hang in their yards to attract birds. So we need a lot of volunteers to help run the booth, and lots of pine cones for feeders. We will also provide spotting scopes for viewing bald eagles along the Mississippi River at Sunset Park in Rock Island. Please contact Karen Rotschafer at (309) 749-7660 to volunteer to help at our booth or the spotting scopes. Pine cones can be dropped off at the December general meetings, or call Karen to arrange for pick up.
April 17-18, Friday-Saturday - Earth Week Celebration at the QC Expo Center, Rock Island. Volunteers are needed to man the QCAS booth. Please contact Karen Rotschafer, (309) 749-7660, greyiny2k@netzero.net, to volunteer.
May 16, Saturday - International Migratory Bird Day at Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center, Upper Mississippi Wildlife Refuge, 7071 Riverview Road, Thomson, Illinois (North of Thomson, behind Metform on Highway 84). Bird walk at 7:30 a.m., speakers throughout the morning. For more information, contact Anne Schmidt (563) 244-7070, or Pam Steinhaus (815) 273-2732.
June 27, Saturday - Marilyn Andress Prairie Rose Farm will again this year be the site for a combined Audubon and Sierra Club outing. And again this year we will gather at Marilyn's by 10:00 am. The group will take a tour of the Andress restored farm including prairies, wetland, woods and, of course, observation of all of the birds along the bluffs of the Mississippi. At noon we will gather in the yard for a potluck. We ask everyone to bring a dish to share, plus your own table service and beverage. After lunch we will work off the extra calories and "pay" for the Andress Family's hospitality by helping remove some invasive species. Please bring a pair of work gloves and your own sun screen, mosquito repellant and camera. If you wish, you can also bring a folding chair. To make reservations and get directions to the farm contact (Audubon) Carol Rogers at (563) 324-8897 or (Sierra Club) Sheri Colman at (309) 786-8504.
August 29, Saturday - The Pelican Gala at White Oak Vineyards. This is Iowa Audubon’s major fundraiser and this year the guest speaker is Bill Zales. Bill has been extensively involved in land management with his White Oak Vineyards property in western Iowa and in teaching others how to care for their own. Hors-d’oeuvres, dessert and a beverage will be served. There will be a silent auction later in the evening. The vineyard is located between Ames and Ankeny, 2 miles east of I-35. $60 per person or $100 per couple. For further information, contact Carol Rogers at (309) 324-8897.
September 18-20, Friday-Sunday - Upper Midwest Regional Audubon Conference. This year the theme is “Hope, Action and a Sense of Place”. It will take place at Chestnut Mountain Resort near Galena, Illinois. The conference is sponsored by the Audubon Council of Illinois. A luncheon address will be provided by National Audubon Society President John Flicker. Keynote speakers are photographer David Olson, author Scott Russell Sanders (who will also lead a writer’s workshop), and grassland bird authority Dr. Jim Herkert. More information and a registration form can be obtained from Lake County Audubon.
October 16-18, Friday-Sunday - Iowa Ornithologists’ Union Fall Meeting. The Lake Rathbun Birding Club will host the meeting in Centerville, Iowa. Jon Dunn, Chief Consultant/Editor for all five editions of the National Geographic Society’s Field Guide to the Birds of North America, will take center stage at Saturday night’s banquet. For more information, visit Iowa Ornithologists’ Union.
November 6-8, Friday-Sunday - 2009 Inland Bird Banding Association Conference, World Bird Sanctuary, 125 Bald Eagle Ridge Road, Valley Park, Missouri. Visit www.ibbainfo.org, or contact Valerie Geile at stlvanilla@aol.com or (636) 458-1554 for more information about the field trips, workshops and speakers.
November 10, Tuesday - Illinois Sierra Club’s 50th Anniversary Celebration. 6:00-8:30 p.m.at the Watch Tower Lodge, Black Hawk State Historic Site, 1510 46th Avenue, Rock Island. Join the Eagle View Chapter of the Sierra Club for music, food and the spellbinding storytelling of John Wallace as Sierra Club founder, John Muir. A donation of $5.00 is requested; free to all children and students.
2008
January 12 & 13 - Bald Eagle Days, Quad Cities Expo Center, Rock Island. Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Quad City Audubon Society will again have an information booth at the Expo Center. The booth will have information about the Quad City Audubon Society and will have hands-on activities for children, including building suet feeders from pine cones. We will also provide spotting scopes at Sunset Park, Rock Island, for viewing bald eagles along the Mississippi River. Please contact Karen Rotschafer at (309) 523-9154 to volunteer to help at our booth or the spotting scopes.
February 3, Sunday - In conjunction with the John J. Audubon exhibition at the Figge Art Museum (see February 16 event below), Brent Langley will present a gallery talk at 1:30 p.m.
February 16, Saturday - Quad City Audubon Society 60th Anniversary Celebration and Reception, Figge Art Museum, Davenport. QCAS members, their families and friends are invited to share good food, fellowship and reminiscences of the past 60 years. There is no charge for attending, which runs from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m., and reservations are not required. Our aniversary celebration will be held at the Figge to take advantage of a special exhibition of John J. Audubon prints. These prints are from a rare 1860 edition of Audubon's Birds of America, probably purchased by Charles Deere in the 1870s. As part of our reception, we will tour the Audubon print exhibition. For more information on the Audubon exhibition, go to Figge Art Museum.
March 1, Saturday - Bluebird Trail Maintenance. Meet at Marquette Street Landing, Davenport, at 7:00 a.m., to help clean bluebird nest boxes at Horseshoe Bend, Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge. (will be canceled in the event of hazardous winter road conditions.)
March 12, Wednesday - In conjunction with the John J. Audubon exhibition at the Figge Art Museum (see February 16 event above), Dick Sayles will lead a discussion on Richard Rhodes' biography of Audubon "John James Audubon: The Making of an American" at 7:00 p.m. at the Bettendorf Public Library.
April 18 & 19, Friday and Saturday - Earth Week celebration at the Quad City Expo Center, Rock Island. Volunteers are needed to help with the QCAS booth. Please contact Karen Rotschafer, (309) 749-7660 to volunteer.
June 28, Saturday - Andress Farm Picnic. Enjoy a pot luck picnic with the QCAS and the local Sierra Club chapter at the Andress’ Prairie Rose Farm west of the Quad Cities. The address is 31501 113th Avenue West, Illinois City. Hiking and work projects begin at 10:00 a.m., with lunch at 11:30. Bring one food item, and your own plates, utensils, and drinks. Directions: from I280, take Highway 92 west exit onto Hwy. 92 West (Andalusia). At the stop lights at Andalusia Road (78th Avenue West) turn right. This is still Hwy. 92 West. Continue on Hwy. 92 west through Andalusia to Illinois City (watch for where Hwy. 92 takes a turn to the right). Go four miles west of Illinois City on Hwy. 92 and turn right (north) onto 294th Street West (Pine Bluff Church is on your left at this intersection). At the curve this road becomes 113th Avenue West. Go one mile to the dead end. The house is on the right. For those wishing to car pool, meet at the Milan HyVee store, at the back of the parking lot near the gas station, at 9:30 a.m. If you get lost, call the Andress Farm at (309) 292-0690.
July 9, Wednesday - A Natural History Video of Ecuador at the Eldridge Library, Eldride Iowa. Keith and Jan Wiggers will present a video program condensed from a ten week trip through Ecuador.
August 21-23, Thursday-Saturday - Upper Mississippi River Conference, I-Wireless Center, Moline.
September 27-28, Saturday-Sunday - Unity Festival at LeClaire Park, Davenport. Unity Festival is a celebration of our rich and diverse Quad City community. Support the National Day of Action in support of our many service organizations. 10:00 - 5:00 Saturday and 11:00 - 6:00 Sunday.
October 11, Saturday - Earth Charter Summit at The River Center, Davenport.
October 17-19, Friday-Sunday - Upper Midwest Audubon Conference at the Holiday Inn in Dubuque, Iowa. This conference is a forum to network with others interested in habitat preservation and restoration. This year's conference welcomes two individuals who worked with the reintroduction of Peregrine Falcons and Trumpeter Swans in Iowa. On Friday evening a private reception will be held at the National Mississippi River Museum. Saturday conference activities include field trips and programs presenting research and chapter activities. John Flicker, National Audubon Society President, is the scheduled keynote speaker at the luncheon. Kelly McKay, of the BioEco Research and Monitoring Center in Hampton, Illinois, will have a couple of sessions on work and surveys at Milan Bottoms. Saturday night features impersonator Brian Ellis, who will be paying tribute to John James Audubon. For more information, contact Maggie O'Connell (birdlady1@iowatelecom.net) or Joe Tollari (jtollari@mchsi.com) for registration materials, or send the $75 registration fee, which includes the reception, four meals and all conference activities (except for the riverboat ride - $20 extra) to: The Upper Midwest Audubon Conference, c/o Dubuque Audubon Society, P.O. Box 3174, Dubuque, Iowa 52004-3174.
2007
January 6, 7 - Bald Eagle Days, Quad Cities Expo Center, Rock Island. Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Quad City Audubon Society will have an information booth at the Expo Center and will provide spotting scopes at Sunset Park, Rock Island, for viewing bald eagles along the Mississippi River. Please contact Karen Rotschafer (309) 523-9154 to volunteer to help man our booth or spotting scopes.
May 5, Saturday - Illinois Spring Bird Count. Join experienced bird watchers in a day-long bird count through area fields, woods, and urban areas. Data collected in the count supports population trend analysis for birds that nest or pass through in spring migration. Contact Tim Murphy, (309) 764-9779, to participate.
June 9, Saturday - Picnic at Phipps Prairie Park. All Quad City Audubon members are invited to a pot luck picnic in the new park that QC Audubon helped to fund. Bring your own plates, eating utensils, drinks, and a menu item to share with other picnickers, and binoculars for bird watching. Meet at Phipps Prairie Park, 12th Street off Colona Road, Silvis, IL, at 6:00 p.m.
July 8, Sunday - Work morning at Lyndon-Agnew Prairie. Help remove invasive plants from this outstanding prairie remnant near Lyndon, IL. Meet at Quad City Downs, IL Highway 5 in East Moline, at 7:00 a.m. Wear long-sleeve shirt and long pants, bring drinking water, sunscreen, loppers (preferred) or a spade. Leader: Tim Murphy, (309) 764-9779.
September 13–16 - Midwest Birding Symposium at the Stoney Creek Inn, Moline. Keynote Speaker is author/naturalist Kenn Kaufmann. There will be field trips to area birding locations.
October 24, Wednesday - Petersen Ornithological Collection Grand Opening Celebration, Western Illinois University. The ceremony and dinner are open to the public. Tickets are $20 per person and may be purchased through the University Libraries. Checks, payable to Western Illinois University, should be mailed to University Libraries, Western Illinois University, 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455. For more information, contact the library office at (309) 298-2762.
2006
April 21 & 22, Friday and Saturday, Earth Week celebration at QC Expo Center. Many local environmental and educational organizations will gather together to promote interest in nature and environment protection. Volunteers are needed to help man the Quad City Audubon Society booth on both days. Contact Karen Rotschafer, (309) 523-9154, greyiny2k@iwon.com, to volunteer.
The Quad City Audubon Society (QCAS) is dedicated to the enjoyment of birds, a better understanding of the natural world, stewardship of natural areas and habitats, fellowship, improvement of community awareness of environmental issues, and education of youth for the benefit of future generations.
UPCOMING EVENTS
All events are open to the public:
Thursday December 12 2024 Annual Meeting 6:00pm. This is pie night/ Officer and Board Member Elections. Butterworth Center, 1105 8th Street, Moline. Members are encouraged to bring a pie to share. Bird Quiz presented by Brian Peer. The public is invited there is no charge.
Bald Eagle Days January 10, 11 and 12th. QC Expo Center.
Saturday February 9 Field Trip 9:00am. Smith Island. Meet at Lock and Dam 14 for wintering waterfowl, gulls and resident woodland birds. Some walking through a woodland. Dress for the weather. For questions contact qcaudubon@gmail.com
Sunday March 16 Field Trip to Princeton Marsh for migrating waterfowl and early spring migrants. Meet at Lock and Dam 14, LeClaire, Iowa at 8:00am. We will look for waterfowl en route to Princeton Marsh. This is a short half day field trip and will involve some walking. For questions, contact qcaudubon@gmail.com.
Saturday April 12 Field Trip Cone Marsh. Cone Marsh can be an exceptional wetland complex for waterfowl, shorebirds and more. This is a full day field trip with an estimated return around 2:00pm. Meet at the Marquette Street Boat Landing at 7:00am for carpooling. For questions contact qcaudubon@gmail.com
Saturday April 26, Stroll Thru Springtime, Black Hawk State Historic Site, Rock Island. Citizens to Preserve Black Hawk Park. Bird Walk 7:00-9:00am Program 9:00-10:00am Wildflower Walk 10:00-Noon.
