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At the Warrenville Arbor Day event on April 25, Mike Warner talks with DBC members Jill and Brent Richardson. Photo courtesy of Diann Bilderback A variety of organizations reach out to the DuPage Birding Club in search of presentations and programs about birds. The Outreach Committee’s members try to fulfill as many requests as possible but find we are always in need of volunteers. You don’t have to be a birding expert or a polished public speaker to play a role in Outreach activities. Many activities are field trips where a second helpful person would improve the experience for participants. […]

The DBC Education Channel library has multiple titles in its collection that can help you refresh your warbler identification skills just in time for the May 10 Spring Bird Count and the busy migration season. Check them out! Yellow Female Warblers – Hooded Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, and Yellow Warbler females can be somewhat difficult to tell apart. You’ll find some useful tips in this tutorial.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpYh2FIdurY Thrushes – One tutorial will walk you through the finer points of visual identification and the other will help you to sort through the thrush vocalizations.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIuC2VcGAi8 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX9Po8ZiWBM Connecticut Warbler vs. Mourning Warbler

Many of us put up hummingbird feeders to attract these jeweled beauties to our yards in summer. But there are more natural ways to make your space attractive to hummingbirds, including planting the flowers they like to frequent, offering the right kind of water source, and limiting pesticide use. This article from the University of Illinois explains just what hummingbirds need to make your landscape a daily stop. https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2026-04-10-more-feeders-attracting-hummingbirds-your-landscape

Maria Ananieva is an artist and bird lover who recently showed off her talents at Gallery 200 in West Chicago. As a loyal DBC member she requested some of our membership brochures and bird checklists to be displayed at the entrance of her exhibit. Mike Warner stopped by the gallery recently and reported that Maria’s artwork was “wonderful!” He said he was impressed with the quality of her paintings and her interpretations of the birds in action. Her exhibit ended in April. If you’d like to see some of Maria’s work, you can visit the West Chicago Library or contact

We had a great turnout for the first DBC game day featuring Wingspan on April 11th! Twenty-four members played at five different tables. We enjoyed each other’s company while learning the rules and delighted in the game featuring factual bird cards from around the world, mini eggs and a feeder station that spat out dice. We are hoping to repeat this event in the upcoming months. Keep an eye on future issues of Drummings for further details. Photos courtesy of Stephanie Cullerton

Bird Cast is an amazing example of how modern technology can be used to benefit both birders and the birds themselves. During peak migration, there are enough birds in the air at once for them to show up on weather radar! For those of us who like looking at birds, this primarily serves as a heads up that the next day is likely to be good for birding. It is also used to help with conservation in various ways. If you want to get your own alerts directly, you can subscribe here. Otherwise, the main website is here. Check it out and

At our April 9 th meeting, Wally Levernier, Senior Ecologist at Fermilab, and Glenn Perricone, Fermi Bird Monitor, shared fascinating details concerning Fermilab’s continuing restoration and management of its many important ecosystems which began in 1975 and continues to preserve the area’s unique and vital biodiversity. To view the full presentation, visit https://youtu.be/LmmIDZl576w. During their talk, members learned about the preservation activities taking place in this 6,800-acre site in Batavia housing within its borders 2,600 acres which are wilderness areas open to the public. This acreage contains approximately 290 bird species within its five major habitats currently open to the

The DBC Book Club has selected Among Penguins: A Bird Man in Antarctica by Noah Strycker as their next read. From the publisher: “The year he graduated from college, 22-year-old Noah Strycker was dropped by helicopter in a remote Antarctic field camp with two bird scientists and a three months’ supply of frozen food. His subjects: more than a quarter million penguins.” This book chronicles his adventures. The discussion will take place starting at 7 PM on Tuesday, June 9th (location TBA). If you are interested in participating, please email Mike Warner at mwarner2543@gmail.com. 

Did you know DBC members can celebrate and show off their DBC pride with apparel and accessories delivered right to their door? Our club’s online store has just added new shirt designs and eco-friendly water bottles to its selection of items, all featuring our venerable, adorable Downy Woodpecker logo. The free shipping code is DBC-FREESHIP. It is not case sensitive and is valid until 6/30/26. Our shirts, outerwear, bags, and bottles make great holiday gifts for your bird-loving friends too. Get started with your shopping here: https://hyperstitch.com/category/clubs/dupage-birding-club/

Photo courtesy of Diann Bilderback The March 14th Fermilab Workday drew an impressive 25 participants, with DBC members, Fermilab ecologists, and Fermilab Natural Areas volunteers wielding loppers and handsaws to clear a shrubland section of east Fermilab of trees and invasive species. “We made GREAT progress on the restoration of the shrubland,” said organizer Denis Kania, “and it seemed like everyone had a good time as there was a lot of chatter and laughter while we worked.” The workday was part of a multiyear project to clear a 43-acre section of shrubland overrun by invasive plants like honeysuckle, buckthorn, black cherry, and others. To