Events

Preregistration is required. This morning we will look for grassland birds, and check out the lake and the wooded areas. Meet at the parking lot on the east side of Naperville Rd. in Wheaton.Leader: Nancy Allured, register at: nallured@comcast.net

Preregistration required. Designated as an Audubon Important Bird Area, this is the largest forest preserve in DuPage County. We will be looking for summer residents, including wrens, sparrows and marsh birds. Meet at the Pickerel Lake parking lot off Powis Rd.Leader: Diann Bilderback, register at: diann.bilderback@yahoo.com

Registration closed. This field trip is full. Join another morning walk to the marsh for residents and possibly early migrating shorebirds. 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., located between Winfield Rd. and Rt. 59 in Warrenville.Leaders: Kathy and Steve Mineck

Preregistration required. This can be a birdy site for the summer! Uncommon target birds include: Pileated Woodpecker, Orchard Oriole and Wood Thrush. The walk is mainly on dirt and grass trails and there will also be paved portions. Wear protective clothing and boots for weather. We will meet at the corner of Brainard Ave and Jackson, south of 31st Street. Leader: Alan Seelye-James, 954-708-4804, alan_seelyejames@yahoo.com

Registration closed. The monthly Cantigny walk is migrating to adjacent St. James Farm due to park construction. Like Cantigny, St. James was once a McCormick family property. Meet in the main parking lot of St. James. Enter off Winfield Rd., just north of Butterfield. Leader: Jeff Reiter

Registration closed. This trip is full. York Woods, part of the Salt Creek Greenway Trail, is a small preserve on the east side of DuPage County. It is mostly wooded with an old oak stand and has some open and wet areas as well, which draw a variety of birds. New birders are very welcome. Meet at the east side parking lot off of Harger Rd. Directions: traveling south on York Rd., just past Roosevelt Rd., take the I-88 exit on the right (Harger Rd.) and turn right into the York Woods lot just before the interstate ramp. Leaders: Steve […]

Preregistration required. This morning trip, oriented toward 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 St. about 1/2 mile, the entrance is on south side of 79th St., west of Greene Rd. in Naperville/Woodridge. Leader: Bonnie Graham, 630-204-8750, coye72112@gmail.com

Preregistration required. This morning trip will focus on woodland migrants passing through our area. This is apopular migrant hotspot in both spring and fall. If birds are on the move, we will be in a great location to view them. Meet in the first parking lot after entering the preserve. The entrance is at the intersection of Raymond Dr. and McDowell Rd. where there is a stop light.Leader: Denis Kania, djkan36@gmail.com

Preregistration required. Elsen’s Hill is another great site for migrants, especially warblers passing through on their way to their wintering grounds. Take Winfield Rd. to Gary’s Mill Rd. west to the preserve parking lot entrance on the north side of the road. Bring boots as needed for muddy trails.Leader: Diann Bilderback, diann.bilderback@yahoo.com

Preregistration required. This morning trip will focus on woodland migrants passing through our area. This is a popular migrant hotspot in both spring and fall. If birds are on the move, we will be in a great location to view them. Meet in the first parking lot after entering the preserve. The entrance is at the intersection of Raymond Dr. and McDowell Rd. where there is a stop light.Leader: Denis Kania, djkan36@gmail.com

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