DUBUQUE AUDUBON

Welcome!

Anyone interested in birdwatching, nature, or the quality of the environment is welcome to become a member of the Dubuque Audubon Society.

Our tri-state region is a great place for birds, and one of the great things about birds is that you can enjoy them at all levels of involvement. You may be surprised how many different species we have in the area at different times of year and how quickly you can begin to identify many of them once you start looking. (Binoculars help!) Any time of year is a great time to be a birder, and we hope you’ll join us!

Our Mission

The mission of the Dubuque Audubon Society is to provide educational opportunities to the people of the tri-state area and to preserve the natural habitat of birds and other wildlife.

Dan Cohen
Green Heron
© Dan Cohen

Dubuque Audubon May Program

Bird Friendly Iowa

Thursday, 5/8/25
6:45 PM Social/Sharing Time
7 – 8 PM Program

EB Lyons Interpretive Center
8991 Bellevue Heights Road
Dubuque, IA 52003
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Dan Cohen will give a presentation on the Bird Friendly Iowa (BFI) program, and he’ll include a few photos and experiences from his work on rivers in Dubuque County. Dan retired about a year ago from the Buchanan County Conservation Board after 38 years working in the field as a Naturalist (15 years) and the Executive Director (23 years).

Through BFI, communities (cities or counties) apply to be designated as Bird Friendly. To be successful, they need to communicate how their community is addressing three areas that are important to birds and peoples’ enjoyment of birds:

  • Protecting, restoring & enhancing bird habitat
  • Reducing threats to birds
  • Educating & engaging people in birding & conservation

 

To learn more about Bird Friendly Iowa, and the larger Bird City Network, visit https://birdcity.org/iowa.

Dan retired about a year ago from the Buchanan County Conservation Board after 38 years working in the field as a Naturalist (15 years) and the Executive Director (23 years). He now works as a consultant, and during the past few years he has been doing a lot of work with the Iowa DNR Water Trails program, doing river reconnaissance work that includes paddling, photography, writing, and more.

He has done quite a bit of work on rivers in Dubuque County, including North Fork Maquoketa, Catfish Creek, Lytle Creek, and the Mississippi River from Dubuque to Massey Marina.

Communities that are designated benefit in many ways.  These communities:

  • Are part of a local and international community of cities, towns, counties, and campuses that value birds and are working to protect them.  
  • Are publicly promoted through signage, local websites on the Bird City Network site, and media like news stories and press releases. 
  • Are tourism friendly and worthy of visiting with representation on the Bird City Network tourism map.   
  • Provide enhanced quality of life for residents and visitors by supporting habitat for birds that improves water and air quality, educational and recreational opportunities, property values, and more.
  • Show support for agriculture through free rodent and insect pest reduction from birds.
  • Help protect infrastructure by supporting habitat that reduces flooding and erosion.
  • Receive access to program support like printed materials and professional consultations about bird conservation. 
  • Can use BFI membership to leverage grant dollars
  • Demonstrate the importance of valuing and protecting our natural resources, including birds!

What Comes with Your Bird Friendly Community Recognition?

Bird Friendly Iowa celebrates your initial recognition as an official Bird Friendly Community by providing you with:

  • Two street signs with the Bird Friendly Iowa emblem;
  • An all-weather Bird Friendly Iowa flag that can be flown at a prominent civic location;
  • A recognition certificate suitable for display at the municipal center;
  • A special page on Bird Friendly Iowa’s website devoted to your community’s bird conservation and education achievements for birds and other wildlife;
  • An electronic Bird Friendly Iowa logo/emblem that can be used on appropriate municipal web sites and printed materials, as well as the web sites of partner organizations and local businesses; and
  • Press releases to appropriate media.
Dan Cohen
Green Heron
© Dan Cohen

Dubuque Audubon Annual Spring Species Count

Saturday, 5/10/25
(Traditionally the Saturday before Mother’s Day)

Join us for our annual fun day of spring birding! You’re welcome to spend as much or as little time as you like. We’ll meet up for a potluck picnic at the end of the day. This event is free, and no birding experience is required. Audubon guides will be on hand to help you identify species. Binoculars are recommended, and we will have a couple pairs available for use at the Mines of Spain location.

Start Option #1 – Julien Dubuque Monument: Arrive as early as 6 AM for birding around the monument, but be sure to arrive in the monument parking lot by 8 AM* if you want to continue to other locations. After 8 AM, we’re no longer guaranteed to be in the monument area. We’ll likely start on some trails at Mines of Spain, and we’ll drive between locations. 

Start Option 2 – Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens: Meet at 7 AM* at the Visitor Center. We’ll bird in the morning for as long as we like. Then those who want to continue will have the option of moving to another location. 

Birding leaders will be in communication, with some groups possibly meeting up for lunch. Some may continue birding into the afternoon, where the destinations are determined as we go.

* If you cannot arrive at one of the scheduled start times, you may make other arrangements by emailing AudubonDubuque@gmail.com no later than noon on the day before.

At 5 PM, we‘ll gather at Swiss Valley Park (not to be confused with Swiss Valley Nature Center) for a potluck picnic at the Sycamore Pavilion. We’ll provide brats and hotdogs, and we’ll tabulate the birding results. To help with our planning, please give us your brat and/or hot dog counts no later than noon on the day before. 

Optionally bring a dish to pass and/or table service, but neither are required. Bottled water will be provided. If you birded with us for part of the day, we’d be glad to have you return for the picnic! 

Start Option #1
Julien Dubuque Monument
1810 Monument Dr
Dubuque, IA 52003
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Start Option #2
Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens
3800 Arboretum Dr
Dubuque, IA 52001
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Potluck Picnic
Swiss Valley Park
Sycamore Pavilion
(not to be confused with Swiss Valley Nature Center)
13069 Swiss Valley Rd
Peosta, IA 52068
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Sponsors: Dubuque & Jackson County Conservation
Saturday, 5/10/25
Birding Hike @ Prairie Creek Recreation Area (Maquoketa, IA)

Registration is requested but not required.
Dubuque County Conservation Calendar
Jackson
County Conservation Events

Calendar of Events

We hold monthly meetings from September through May, with programs on a variety of topics related to nature and the environment.

We also hold an annual Christmas bird count, an annual Duck Waddle at Green Island (traditionally the 2nd Saturday in March), and an annual spring species count (traditionally the Saturday before Mother’s Day), and we offer additional field trips throughout the year.  

You can tailor your birding to your interest and activity level, and all levels of experience are welcome.

Latest Newsletter

Spring 2025

News of Interest

Most Recent YouTube Video

Red Crossbill (female)
Peosta, IA

Recent Blog Posts

If you provide an email address when joining or renewing, you will automatically be placed on our regular email list. As an experiment in 2025, we are going to try creating a separate email list for those who would like more group birding opportunities.

Read more on our “More Birding” Email Sign-up page.

Roadside Snow Cone Show!

eBird

eBird isn’t just a way for you to keep track of the birds you see; it’s a great resource for finding birds you’ve never seen.

Try out the links below to explore Dubuque County in eBird.

Learn about eBird on our Resources page.