EVENTS
Our events are free and open to the public. Any exceptions would be clearly noted.
Dubuque Audubon February Gathering
Birds of a Feather Get-Together
Thursday, 2/13/25
7 – 8:30 PM
EB Lyons Interpretive Center
8991 Bellevue Heights Road
Dubuque, IA 52003
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Join us for a “Birds of a Feather Get-Together” social event. We’ll provide snacks and decaffeinated coffee. Water fountains are available. You are welcome to bring other beverages.
This will also be a great opportunity to share ideas for activities and programs, ask birding questions, and learn more about the Dubuque Audubon Society. You never know… there might even be door prizes! Hope to see you there!
SPECIAL PERFORMANCE TICKETED EVENT
Sponsored By:
Dubuque Audubon Society,
Dubuque County Conservation Society, &
Friends of Dubuque County Conservation Board
A Visit from Will Dilg
& Songs from Our Mighty Mississippi
Minnesota Opera baritone, American Cruise Lines actor, and “riverlorian” (river historian) Steven Marking brings to life the true and inspiring story of Will Dilg in a multi-media show you won’t soon forget. Will Dilg is the singular driving force behind the formation of the Izaak Walton League and the formation of our Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.
Date: Friday, February 28, 2025
Time: 7 – 9 PM (with 15 min. intermission)
Ticket Cost: $25 plus fees
General Admission (no reserved seating)
Tickets are on sale now.
Location: University of Dubuque Babka Theatre (Located in the Heritage Center)
2255 Bennett Street, Dubuque, IA 52001
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Farber Box Office: 563-585-SHOW
Box office hours: Weekdays 11am to 2pm
Farber Box Office
In A Visit from Will Dilg, Steven Marking plays environmental leader Will Dilg, sharing the story of grassroots activism that led to the protection of America’s first Fish and Wildlife Refuge. A civic engagement success story, the performance showcases the transformation that can happen when people work together for conservation and environmental protection for future generations. The 50-minute multimedia performance is followed by an interactive discussion by Riverlorian Steven Marking. After a 15-minute intermission, Steven will share songs and stories from another of his creations, Our Mighty Mississippi – from the Headwaters to the Gulf of Mexico.
A century ago, Will Dilg was the driving force behind our nation’s first successful large scale grassroots environmental movement. After Dilg’s only son drowned in the Mississippi River, he rose up from the depths of depression and mourning to become a tireless, fanatic firebrand – leading an extraordinary national crusade to form the Izaak Walton League and save a 261 mile stretch of Mississippi River Backwaters we now know as the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. While his life was cut short, his accomplishments are still legendary, and we all will benefit by hearing from him a century after this monumental achievement.
This show is a must-see performance if you treasure beautiful views of the Mississippi River backwaters, or if you enjoy birding, fishing, boating, or hunting in those fish and wildlife-rich backwaters. Because one hundred years ago all of that was about to go away as wetlands throughout the upper Mississippi were being drained to satisfy the insatiable demands of settlers for factories, farms and towns. In “A Visit from Will Dilg,” Steven Marking as Dilg recounts how he rallied the nation in two short years to stop what he called the “drainage crime of the century” and create the Upper Mississippi Refuge, protected 100 years ago, in 1924.
Steven Marking holds a Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance from the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, Maryland, and a Bachelor’s Degree from Viterbo University in his hometown of La Crosse, Wisconsin. He brings more than three decades of professional production and performance experience to his latest creation, A Visit From Will Dilg, and his ongoing masterpiece, Our Mighty Mississippi.
Sponsored By
Sponsored By
© Marty Corfman
Dubuque Audubon Annual Duck Waddle
Saturday, 3/8/25
(Traditionally the 2nd Saturday in March)
Green Island Wildlife Management Area
located in Jackson County, IA
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Join us on our annual trip to Green Island to observe migrating waterfowl! Green Island is one of Iowa’s largest wetland complexes and attracts thousands of ducks, geese, cranes, and other aquatic-based birds each March. Audubon guides will be on hand to help identify the numerous species. Binoculars are recommended. You may come and go as you choose.
Check back closer to the event for the specifics on the time and meeting location.
Normally the trip lasts most of the morning, and for those that wish, we end by having breakfast/lunch at a restaurant.
Dubuque Audubon March Program
Forest Management for Birds
Thursday, 3/13/25
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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Dr. Adam Janke of Iowa State University will speak about forest management for birds. Forest birds set the soundtrack of summer for many forest landowners and managers. Those summer-time serenades come from a wide variety of places within the forest: ranging from the tops of the canopy to the banks of a stream, and everywhere in between. In this presentation, we’ll explore the biology and ecology of the birds we share our forests with and explore how forest management practices can help ensure the soundtrack of summer keeps playing in your forest for years to come.
Adam Janke is an Associate Professor and extension wildlife specialist in the Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management at Iowa State University. His research and education focus on finding opportunity areas for wildlife habitat conservation in working Midwestern landscapes.
Dubuque Audubon April Program
Capturing Moments in Nature
Thursday, 4/10/25
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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Have you ever wondered how the wildlife photos you see in stores or magazines are taken and where they come from? The National Wildlife Refuge system is made up of wonderful places around our country that are often the sites for the pictures you see. In his program “Capturing Moments in Nature,” Stan Bousson will share photos that have been taken in many locations along the Mississippi River near his home in Illinois. Also included are photos taken at wildlife refuges and national parks from other areas of the country. He will discuss photographic equipment and techniques used to shoot those images and share information about where to look for wildlife you may want to observe or photograph.
I have always been interested in photography and wildlife. As a child growing up in Michigan, I gained an appreciation for nature. As an adult, I took whatever opportunities I could to take photos.
At the end of 2002, my wife and I retired. That allowed many hours of time to devote to nature photography. We have repeatedly traveled to several national parks and wildlife refuges to observe and take photos of a wide variety of animals and birds. Being retired also allowed for time to volunteer for U.S. Fish & Wildlife at several national wildlife refuges, including the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife & Fish Refuge. I also presented photo programs to local & National Audubon Society groups. Another activity that I have done is volunteer photography work for the Corps of Engineers and county conservation departments.
I have presented many photo programs to a variety of audiences and have won numerous awards in wildlife photo contests. In 2012, I was fortunate enough to have a photograph in National Geographic Magazine and also some video footage in a National Geographic TV program about Mississippi River wildlife.
Living near the Mississippi River has helped create a great interest in photographing bald eagles. Always looking for new types of photos of eagles, I developed ways to photograph baby eagles in their nest. The behavior of nesting eagles is very interesting to watch, even though success each year is not guaranteed.
Over the years, I have learned many aspects of the technical knowledge for photo equipment and computer hardware & software. This allows me to share my knowledge of taking photos of wildlife with any interested photographers.
© 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.
Read more about Dan
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.
Read about the benefits of being a Bird Friendly community
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
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.
Check back closer to the event for details.