Nancy Allured

DBC’s Summer/Fall ’25 Photo Contest is now open and inviting pictures of birds taken between June 1, 2025, and November 30, 2025. All photos are welcome: amateur, funny, imperfect, high-quality. The “story behind the shot” is taken into account when judging. The judges want this to be a fun contest so no categories have been predefined – every entry has a chance to win! The contest is open to DBC members only. If you would like to look at past DBC Photo Contest winners and review how to enter your photos click here.  

ATTENTION DBC Volunteers: We’re celebrating YOU at the DBC Volunteer Luncheon October 18 at St. James Farm! The DBC Board would like to acknowledge all of our volunteers at a casual luncheon on October 18 at St. James Farm. The event will begin at 10:00 a.m. with a short birding walk followed by lunch at 11:30 a.m. Click here to RSVP by October 15. The event is for everyone who has volunteered in any capacity on behalf of the club in the last year. This includes Board Members, Committee members, field trip leaders, outreach volunteers, newsletter and website contributors, event coordinators,

  The DBC Auction, our first in six years, will be held on October 9 at the DuPage County Historical Museum in Wheaton, 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Auction Donations are Rolling In The DBC Auction, our first since 2019, will be held at the DuPage County Historical Museum in Wheaton. Its purpose is to raise funds for club operations and our grants and donations program—and to provide a fun social event for members and friends of the club. Auction Highlights Mark your calendar NOW because you don’t want to miss this event. Here’s a preview of some of the 60 or

The DBC Auction, our first in six years, will be held at the DuPage County Historical Museum in Wheaton on October 9, 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Auction Backstory: An Overview A little back story for newer club members: in the past the auction was held every two years, but COVID put a wrench in that and our last auction was in 2019. Its purpose is to raise funds for club operations and our grants and donations program—and to provide a fun social event for members and friends of the club. Auctioneers Denis Kania and Jeff Chapman will auction 50-60 items donated

Jeff Reiter’s popular Daily Herald column Words on Birds celebrated DBC’s 40th birthday too! Jeff interviewed founders and presidents in the club’s long history to explore the club’s keys to success. It turns out the “secret sauce” has many ingredients, from bylaws that build in change at the leadership level to a philosophy that celebrates birding for all and a large base of volunteers that deliver programs, field trips, and more. Read this month’s Words on Birds in the Daily Herald or view the column here. For pictures from the club’s 40th birthday party on June 14, visit the Member

The DBC Book Club’s next read is Kingbird Highway: The Biggest Year in the Life of an Extreme Birder, the much-praised account by Kenn Kaufman of his yearlong “Big Year” adventure as a teenager exploring America in the ‘70s. A unique coming of age story, the memoir recounts how the “thrill of the chase” evolved into a quest to connect with nature on a deeper level. The book club will meet June 10. For details on the meeting, contact Mike Warner at mwarner2543@gmail.com.

The DuPage Birding Club’s annual Members’ Night will be held on Thursday, March 13, in person and via Zoom. All DuPage Birding Club photographers are invited to share their favorite bird photos and stories with fellow members. The photos can be from anywhere, and any level of photographic expertise is invited! Presenters will have the option of presenting in person or remotely via Zoom. Each presentation will be limited to 10 minutes, so please be selective and limit yourself to something you can cover in that window (typically 10-15 images is a good guideline). We will have time for up

If the Christmas Bird Count was just too cold and daunting for you, February 14-17 offers a more agreeable opportunity and a second chance to get involved in Community Science. The Great Backyard Bird Count, sponsored by Cornell Labs and Birds Canada, invites you to sit back with a hot cup of Joe in your snuggly slippers and count the birds you see in your own backyard. Over the four days of the count, spend at least 15 minutes on one day to record what you see  happening out your window. Share your Merlin Bird ID(s), eBird checklist(s), or photos,

On December 14, 2024, 85 birders and 2 feeder watchers counted every bird they could see and hear within the 15-mile circle during the 49th Fermi-Batavia CBC. Seventy-nine species were observed in the count, below our 10-year average. We had high counts for Ring-necked Duck (50) and Lesser Scaup (7). Everyone gathered for dinner and cheered the exciting countdown “reveal” of the results led by compiler Jeff Chapman. Thank you to all the area captains and counters in making this year another successful count! View full list of bird count.

Closed since the pandemic began in 2020, Fermilab Natural Areas are now reopened for birding. This includes the trails and lakes around the Red Barn, the Prairie near Wilson Hall, and the Bison herd along the main road into Fermilab. Admittance requires a Real ID or passport. Here’s a link to access guidelines and available birding locations: https://fermilabbirds.com/wildlife/access.shtml For the inside scoop on birding Fermilab, check out the DuPage Hotspot page: https://dupagebirding.org/dupage-hotspots/ In addition, the Fermilab Natural Areas team has launched a Facebook page. Follow them for up-to-date information on sightings: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568595275271