Events

This event has been canceled due to severe weather forecast. Open house, no registration required. Butterfly Hill, 1 S 151 Winfield Rd., Wheaton.This event, in partnership with Cantigny, reprises last year’s Big Sit event. The format is open house, no registration is required. However, due to COVID-19, masks will berequired and social distancing will be strongly encouraged. Participants should bring a folding chair, sunscreen and snacks. Bottled water will be provided. The parking fee is waived for birders arriving before 11 am. For more information go to:https://cantigny.org/

Preregistration required. Join us on a morning walk to the marsh for residents and migrating shorebirds. Bring a spotting scope if you have one. Most of our walk will be on preserve limestone andearthen trails; wear appropriate shoes and clothing. Meet at the visitor parking lot on the north side of Mack Rd., located between Winfield Rd. and Rt. 59 in Warrenville.Leader: Kyle Wicktor, 708-506-5186

Registration closed. This idyllic suburban preserve is a pocket wilderness, especially suitable for new birders. It has an old maple forest, a vestige of Downers Grove history, which is now mixed with many other species. St. Joseph's Creek lies on the north end. We will look for resident and migrating woodland birds. Meet at the main parking lot off Maple Avenue.Leader: Kathy Mineck

Preregistration required. This morning trip, oriented toward early fall, late summer birds, is  especially designed for new birders and will be at a leisurely pace to  provide as much time as desired to look at each bird and to answer questions on equipment or bird identification. Meet at the Thunderbird Youth Camp Parking Lot. Go west on 79th about 1/2 mile, the entrance is  on south side of 79th Street, west of Greene Road in Naperville/Woodridge.   Leader: Bonnie Graham, 630-204-8750, bgraham@dupagebirding.org 

Registration closed. Join Joe Suchecki for our annual club fall trip to locate Neslon's and LeConte's sparrows at Springbrook Prairie. We also will be looking for other late migrant species of the wetlands and grasslands. This trip requires we go off-trail through uneven terrain, so this is not for those who want/need to stay on wide, flat groomed trails. The vegetation and footing will likely be wet as we walk along the edge of wetlands looking for the sparrows, so rubber boots are recommended. Meet at the Model Aircraft Field Parking Lot on the west side of Plainfield-Naperville Road south […]

Preregistration required. Between 1979 and 1992 more than 100 parcels of land were assembled to form the core of this park. Today it is one of the most accessible natural areas in DuPage County, having wood chip trails and a floating boardwalk. The focus of the trip will be observing resident birds and fall migrants. Directions: The entrance to Lincoln Marsh is on the west side of the park, at the corner of Harrison St. and Pierce Ave. From County Farm Rd., turn east on Harrison St. and proceed one mile to the parking lot. Be prepared for wet trail […]

Registration closed. Explore the woodlands of this preserve looking for woodpeckers, nuthatches, and other fall and winter birds. We will also check out the open spaces for grassland birds and the skies for migrating raptors. Be prepared for some dirt trail, possibly muddy if wet. Meet at the parking lot off Winfield Road.Leader: Nancy Allured, nallured@comcast.net

Keep this date open for the 2020 Zoom Birders Breakfast. Like everything else, the Birders Breakfast is going to be a little different this year. We are going to do a ZOOM breakfast complete with food, birding and other really fun stuff! Check October Drummings for further details.

Preregistration required. This is a morning trip over gravel and earthen trails. We continue to visit this site year-round because it has multiple habitats that attract birds. Let’s meet at Lyman Woods parking lot. Trails could be muddy. We strongly recommend wearing boots and suitable clothing. Leader: Joan Campbell, Cell: 630-337-2605 peachjmc@gmail.com

Preregistration required. Join us on a morning walk to the marsh for falls migrants, including shorebirds and waterfowl. Bring a spotting scope if you have one. Most of our walk will be on preserve limestone and earthen trails; wear appropriate shoes and clothing. Meet at the visitor parking lot on the north side of Mack Rd., be prepared for some dirt trail, possibly muddy if wet. Located between Winfield Rd. and Rt. 59 in Warrenville.Leader: Kyle Wiktor, 708-506-5186

Preregistration is required. Join us in our morning search for winter birds in the former domain of the McCormick’s. This 600-acre preserve has woodlands, prairies and wetlands with 3.5 miles of trails. The entrance is on Winfield Rd. just north of Butterfield Rd. Meet at the horse statue. Please note that this trip will be cancelled in case of inclement weather.Leaders: Bob and Jean Spitzer, bobspitzer1@msn.com, 630-790-4842

Cancelled. We’ll look for waterfowl, gulls and others at the Centennial Trail Borrow Pit and ponds, Lemont Quarries, and Saganashkee Slough. Depending on conditions and sightings, other stops may include Sag Quarries, Long John Slough, and Maple Lake.  Meet at the Lemont Rd. parking lot of Waterfall Glen (at the portable toilet). We will then caravan to the Borrow Pit. The trip will be canceled if waterfowl are scarce or the weather is poor. Directions to Waterfall Glen: drive south on I55 on Lemont Rd. to 101st St., and turn left at the stoplight into the parking lot. Please register […]

Registration closed. Join us on another morning walk to the marsh. Bring a spotting scope if you have one. Most of our walk will be on preserve limestone and earthen trails; please wear appropriate shoes and clothing. Meet at the visitor parking lot on the north side of Mack Rd., located between Winfield Rd. and Rt. 59 in Warrenville.Leaders: Kathy and Steve Mineck, kmineck@yahoo.com, 630-254-4077

Preregistration is required. Join another morning walk at the marsh to check out resident and winter birds, at one of  DuPage County’s premier birding spots. Bring a spotting scope if you have one. Meet at  the visitor parking lot on the north side of Mack Rd., located between Winfield Rd. and  Rt. 59 in Warrenville. Most of our walk will be on limestone and earthen trails; wear appropriate shoes and warm clothing.  Leader: Kyle Wiktor, 708-506-5186 

Pre-registration is required. Join Joe Suchecki at Springbrook Prairie in Naperville to look for Short-eared Owls.  Short-eared Owls frequently winter at Springbrook Prairie and can be seen as they  come out to hunt over the preserve at dusk. Meet at the Model Aircraft Field Parking Lot  on Plainfield-Naperville Rd., south of 75th St. in Naperville. We will walk a short distance off-trail to wait for the owls to appear. Dress very warmly since we will be  standing in one place as the sun goes down. Note that the owls are generally pretty far  away and often appear just as the light […]

Pre-registration is required. Join Joe Suchecki at Springbrook Prairie in Naperville to look for Short-eared Owls.  Short-eared Owls frequently winter at Springbrook Prairie and can be seen as they  come out to hunt over the preserve at dusk. Meet at the Model Aircraft Field Parking Lot  on Plainfield-Naperville Rd., south of 75th St. in Naperville. We will walk a short distance off-trail to wait for the owls to appear. Dress very warmly since we will be  standing in one place as the sun goes down. Note that the owls are generally pretty far away and often appear just as the light is […]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s count will be quite a bit different than year’s past. First, there will be no countdown dinner this year, as it’s unclear that open dining will be possible or advisable. In addition, we will have a Zoom countdown instead of an in-person countdown. Details are still being worked out, but the countdown will likely be a scaled down version of our typical program. If you counted in the last year or two, each area captain will reach out regarding count details, as Audubon is advising that no carpooling, large group meet-ups or counting […]

Birders of all skill levels are welcome on the Lisle-Arboretum CBC. The Chicago Ornithological Society (www.chicagobirder.org) sponsors this count where sub-teams are assigned to various locations. A map of the circle is on this webpage: http://geoffwilliamson.info/lislecbc/lisle_files/circle.htm. Even if you cannot go out in the field, there is another way to contribute: DBC members who live in the count circle can participate as a "feederwatcher." For details and signup: Contact: Carl Giometti, chicagiometti@gmail.com

Since we will have more than one leader on this walk, the 10 person limit will not apply on this walk only. Gather at the north end of the main parking lot (near the Troll and Car).  We plan to sample a variety of bird locations. We will split into several groups to look for birds across the Arboretum. We can rendezvous back at the parking lot to compare our sightings. Bob and Jean Spitzer will produce an integrated bird list for sharing by email. We want to exit before the Arboretum prepares for the evening lights.  Note: Preregistration with the trip […]

Registration closed. We will be looking for winter residents, with nearly 3 miles of the nationally designated Danada-Herrick Regional Trail winding through prairie, woodland and marsh habitats. Dress for the cold. The main entrance is on Naperville Rd., 1 mile south of Butterfield Road. Leader: Pat Sterbling  pesterbling@gmail.com 630-235-5001

This site remains one of DuPage County’s premier birding spots. Walk around the marsh with us to check out winter birds. Meet at the visitor parking lot on the north side of Mack Road (Mack is south of Roosevelt and north of Butterfield), located between Winfield Road and Rte. 59 in Warrenville. Leaders: Joan Campbell peachjmc@gmail.com 630-337-2605

Registration closed. This will be a walk looking for winter birds. We will walk along the Salt Creek in the lowland woods with good habitat for birds and possibly ducks. Meet at the main parking lot on Spring Rd. in Oak Brook. Leader: Nancy Allured

This trip has been canceled due to extreme cold.  Join Bob Fisher and check various locations for raptors, gulls, waterfowl and owls. Meet at theMcDonalds in Coal City at the SE corner of Hwy 113 and Broadway. Dress warmly since we will likely be standing in one exposed location as the sun sets. Trip may be canceled in the event of bad weather. Leader: Bob Fisher

Pre-registration required, limit 10. You must call or text Kyle to request a spot.  He will reply to let you know if you are confirmed, or if you have been placed on a waiting list.  Only 10 people are allowed on each walk and that includes the leader.  Do not show up if you are not confirmed.  Unfortunately, due to Covid restrictions, no additional participants beyond 9 people will be allowed to join the event. If for some reason you are confirmed and then realize you cannot attend, please notify Kyle ASAP so that he can add someone from the waiting […]

Pre-registration required, limit 10. Currently the grounds are open from 8 am to 4pm. Nature Center exhibit buildings remain closed. Drinking fountains are not available; please bring your own water.  Please dress warm and in layers. We will walk mostly on natural trails, so hiking boots with solid treads are advised.  We can expect to see Woodpeckers, Chickadees, Nuthatch, Sparrows, Juncos, and Waterfowl. Face masks and social distancing are required. You must pre-register with the Leader. The walk will be approximately 2 ½ to 3 hours. The Little Red Schoolhouse address is 9800 Willow Springs Rd, Willow Springs 60480  Directions:  From LaGrange, […]

Pre-registration required, limit 10. Norris Woods is an Illinois Nature Preserve in St. Charles along the Fox River. We will hike along the river utilizing the bike trail that heads north through St. Charles Park District property as well as Kane County Forest Preserve property. We'll be searching for early woodland migrants as well as anything that might be moving along the river. To reach Norris Woods starting from the intersection of Route 64 and Route 25 head north on Route 25. In .9 miles turn left on Johnor Avenue which is right after the Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Johnor Avenue will […]

Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 10. Greene Valley Forest Preserve is known for its Woodcock displays, which begin shortly after sunset.  Join us this spring on one of our walks. Meet at the west entrance parking lot: west on 79th St.  from Greene Rd., then Thunderbird Rd. south, approximately ½ mile to the campground entrance.  The walk will NOT be cancelled due to weather.  Leader: Jeff Smith, jsmith@dupagebirding.org

Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 10. Waterfowl, cranes, eagles and pelicans will be sought on this all day trip exploring spots along the Mississippi, both in Illinois and Iowa. In addition to the river, Lost Mound will be visited to search for Western Meadowlark and Northern Mockingbird.  We will caravan from the western suburbs. Meeting time and location to be determined.  Leader: Jeff Chapman, jchapman@dupagebirding.org

Pre-registration is with the leader is required, limit 10. We’ll be looking for late Winter birds, early Spring birds, and everything in between. Meet in the parking lot in front of Lyman Woods Interpretive Center, located one block east of Highland Avenue on 31st Street. Boots are HIGHLY recommended. Leader: Joan Campbell, 630-337-2605, jcampbell@dupagebirding.org

Pre-registration is required, limit 10. This location is an Audubon “Important Bird Area.” Loons, grebes, and other waterfowl are targeted on this trip. Meet at McGinnis Slough, on the west side of LaGrange Rd. (US45), approximately 1⁄2 mile south of 131st St. Contact Bob Fisher to register. Finding waterfowl is associated with open water conditions. Bob will monitor conditions and may change the starting location in order to see more birds; so, ADVANCE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS! This trip might extend past the noon hour. Wear appropriate clothing.  Leader: Bob  Fisher, 630-985-2956,  bfisher@dupagebirding.org