News

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 […]

Costa Rica is a great country to visit either as a first-time tropical birder or a seasoned tropical veteran. Although it may be a small country, it has a lot to offer in terms of both environmental and species diversity. Presenter Denis Kania shares what he has learned in several trips to this birdy destination. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTWWJf_9ea4

In 1784, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart encountered a caged starling who sang an improvised version of the theme from his Piano Concerto no. 17 in G major. Captivated, Mozart purchased the bird, and for the next three years the starling lived with him, influencing his work and serving as his companion. Mozart’s Starling explores the fascinating and unlikely bond between one of the world’s great composers and this commonest of birds. Writer Lyanda Haupt intertwines her own experience with a rescued baby starling to explore the human-animal bond, the secret world of starlings, the nature of creative inspiration, and our place

On May 7, 21 DuPage Birding Club members trekked to Ohio and the famously birdy Magee Marsh area for what became a grand four-day adventure. They tallied 119 species, not only coveted warblers like Blackburnian, Kirtland’s, and Prothonotary warblers but also Least and American Bittern, Black-necked Stilt, Dunlin, nesting Osprey, and more! Over the four days, the group visited Magee Marsh, Howard Marsh, Metzger Marsh, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, and Oak Openings Preserve. To see photos from this adventure, visit Member Corner/Photo Gallery/.

A DBC tradition returns in 2025 with the DBC Auction to be held Thursday evening, October 9, at Cantigny Park. The last auction was 2019, just before the pandemic arrived and shut down in-person meetings and social gatherings.   The primary goal of the auction is to raise funds that can be put to use for programs like Outreach and to fund our generous Grants and Donations program, which typically funds $2,500-3,500 a year in  scholarships and conservation projects. A secondary goal is to have a boatload of fun bidding on birdy artwork, gift baskets, feeders and gear; to buy chances

Take an armchair birding tour of Ecuador in the first of our new Birding Adventures series, now live on the DBC Education Channel at: https://youtu.be/p6qQPFUaB7U  The series will feature a travelogue of trips that members have taken recently, including photos, details on logistics, guides, lodging and dining, and more to help you plan your own version of the trip. The initial Birding Adventure comes from Mike and Karen Warner, who spent 10 days birding in Ecuador this year. Plate-billed Toucan Photo by Mike Warner

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.

Hold the date and plan to participate in the 2025 Spring Bird Count (SBC) in DuPage County on Saturday, May 10. The SBC is held annually throughout Illinois around the first weekend in May and is intended to provide some information and data on early spring bird migration throughout Illinois. The SBC also is a great opportunity for birders of all skill levels to get out in the field and look for all those great and colorful spring migrants moving through northeastern Illinois. The DuPage Birding Club coordinates the spring count efforts in DuPage County, and last year we recorded

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,