Barb Dougan

September 1st marks the beginning of the hawkwatching season atop the scenic overlook at Greene Valley F.P. Volunteers have been counting migrating raptors since 2006 from this site. The data collected here and from nearly 200 other sites in Central and North America is used in the scientific study of migration and the promotion of raptor conservation. At 190 feet above the surrounding landscape, “The Hill” offers a 360 degree view of the horizon. On clear days one can see landmarks from six counties. We have recorded 22 species of raptors and 160 species of non-raptors from the hilltop over […]

Under the guidance of the club’s Grants and Donations Committee, the DBC has awarded $1,000 to the Midewin Tallgrass Prairie Alliance for the purchase of a high-resolution viewing scope. The scope will be installed in the Welcome Center at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie for visitor use. One focus of the scope will be the viewing of an active Bald Eagle nest located ¼ mile west of the Welcome Center. It will also be used by U.S. Forest Service rangers and volunteers to provide visitors the opportunity to view, learn about, and appreciate the many special bird species that frequent and

Joe Suchecki reports that the DBC Silent Auction for the remaining decoys in the Craig Holderness estate donation garnered $1,161, bringing the total raised through the sale of these decoys to more than $3,100! The high bids went to the Female Wood Duck, a real beauty, and the Blue-winged Teal, another excellent piece. The proceeds from these sales will fund a future donation to a regional bird conservation program. Stay tuned for details on that. THANK YOU, DBC members, for your generosity and participation, and thanks to Joe for organizing and administering the decoy sales.

The DBC’s first photo contest was a great success, so we did it again! Our second contest included 35 entries. Entries were judged by John Hebert, Andie Duffy, Steve Constantelos, Natalie McFaul, and Mike Warner. The committee wants to thank all the photographers for their entries. Go to Spring ’22 Photo Contest Winners to see all the winning images and the stories behind them.   

It’s time for the annual Birding and Breakfast event on August 13 to be held at Pratt’s Wayne Woods. We’ll start the day with a field trip at 7:30 a.m. led by the Byrd Gyrlz team, who covered Pratt’s for the Big Fun Morning. At 9:00 a.m. we’ll gather at the picnic shelter for a yummy breakfast. Mark your calendar now for this don’t-miss event!

:Due to the ongoing popularity of our photo contest series, the DBC is launching a  third contest focused on summer birds. We are looking for pictures of birds taken between June 1, 2022 and August 31, 2022. Photographs will be judged by a small team of DBC members. All photos are welcome: amateur, funny, imperfect, high-quality. The “story behind the shot” will be taken into account when judging. The judges want this to be a fun contest; no categories have already been defined for award-winners so every entry has a chance to win! The contest is open to DBC members

A 22-year study of breeding birds shows that northeastern Illinois is a stronghold for breeding birds and of global importance for several key avian species. Published by the Bird Conservation Network (BCN), Breeding Bird Trends in the Chicago Region 1999-2020 provides an update on the status of more than 100 nesting species across grassland, shrubland, wetland, and woodland habitats. The landmark study shows that some breeding bird species are stable or expanding, while others face declines. The Bird Conservation Network (BCN), a coalition of 21 conservation organizations dedicated to the preservation of birds and the habitats they need to survive,

Long-time DBC member Susan Kaley is the latest recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Award, a recognition reserved for a very few select members who have gone above and beyond to support the Club over an extended period. Susan has served as Vice President, President, Past President, and Corresponding Secretary, representing at least five years on the Executive Committee. She was newsletter editor for 8 years and was part of the team that produced and distributed the print newsletter back in the day before electronic communications. Currently she oversees the Lending Library along with Jeff Smith and recently produced our 2022

The collection of decoys donated to the Club from the estate of fellow birder Craig Holderness earned the Club just over $2,000 at a two-day sale and silent auction hosted by the North American Decoy Collectors Show April 29-30, held at The Westin Hotel in Lombard. Many thanks to Joe Suchecki, who researched decoy pricing and had the collection evaluated, arranged for our exhibit at the decoy event, mustered the supporting team, and hosted our table. Other volunteers included Jane Barnett, Daphne Suchecki, Diann Bilderback, Steve Constantelos, Natalie McFaul, John Hebert, and Denis and Melissa Kania. Well done, team! All