Scroll down the page to find upcoming programs, field trips and special events.

January 14 - Dr. Brian Peer will present "Cowbirds vs Hosts: Who Wins?". Dr. Peer is Associate Professor of Biology at Western Illinois University. His field of study is in the interactions between avian bird parasites and their hosts.

February 11 - Linda Boardsen will show a film, "Opposable Chums: Guts & Glory at the World Series of Birding" by Jason Kessler. The film features interviews with David Sibley, Kenn Kaufman and Peter Dunne.

March 11 - Jon Stravers, Driftless Area Coordinator for National Audubon's Mississippi River Initiative, will present a program on his current monitoring projects on Red-Shouldered Hawks and Cerulean Warblers. He will also discuss his upcoming book on Gladys Black and play some music.

April 8 - Billy Reiter-Marolf, coordinator of the Iowa Breeding Bird Atlas, will discuss the current status of the Atlas and summerize findings so far. He is a graduate of the University of Wyoming and the Art Institute of Chicago. This five year project is collecting information on the current ranges of Iowa’s breeding birds. Answers to many of the questions asked about the Breedng Bird Atlas may be found in the Frequently Asked Questions page of the Iowa Breeding Bird Atlas site.

May 13 - Kurt Burnham, President of the High Arctic Institute, will present a program on the birds of Greenland. The High Arctic Institute is a non-profit organization based in Orion, Illinois. Kurt Burnham has studied Peregrine Falcons and Gyrfalcons intensively, and has spent the last 17 summers doing work in Greenland. Visit them on the web at www.higharctic.org.

September 9 - Iowa's Water and Land Legacy, a coalition of over 110 conservation organizations, sportsmen, community leaders and business people, will present information about the upcoming Constitutional Amendment to secure a firm source of Iowa funding for the environment, natural resources and recreation. The amendment will be on the November ballot.

October 14 - Larry Stone, co-author with Jon Stravers of a new book, "Gladys Black: The Legacy of Iowa's Bird Lady", will talk about the book and about the life of Gladys Black. Gladys was a fierce advocate for birds and their habitats.

February 20, Saturday - Wildcat Den State Park. Meet at Marquette Street Landing, Davenport, at 8:00 a.m. *

March 20, Saturday - Cone Marsh, Louisa County between the Iowa and Cedar Rivers for waterfowl and a variety of wetland-dwelling birds. Meet at Marquette Street Landing, Davenport at 7:00 a.m. for this half-day trip. If the marsh is flooded an alternate destination will be determined. *

April 11, Sunday - North along the Mississippi River including Eagle Point Park, Bulger's Hollow, Sabula, Spring Lake, Thompson Causeway and Lock and Dam 13. Meet at Casey's in Princeton, Iowa at 7:00 a.m. An all-day trip so bring a lunch.

May 8, Saturday - Illinois Spring Bird Count. Join us in this annual survey of spring birds in our area. We need counters for field parties and feeder watchers in both Rock Island and Mercer Counties. Each field party covers a section of the county, tallying all birds identified by sight or call, from dawn to dusk. Feeder watchers can watch their feeders, cover their yard, or canvas the neighborhood, as much as they want.  Generally urban areas are poorly covered so their efforts are greatly appreciated. The Spring count usually takes place near the peak of warbler migration and provides a great opportunity to see a variety of birds. Contact Tim Murphy to participate: evenings (309) 764-9779, days (309) 558-3721 or email molinemurphy@sbcglobal.net.

June 6, Sunday - Mississippi Palisades State Park. Meet at Casey’s in Princeton at 7:00 a.m., arriving at the park about 8:00. If you’re travelling up the Illinois side of the river, meet at the park about 8:00 a.m. After birding the park, we’ll bird Lost Mound and the Upper Mississippi Refuge areas south of Savannah and Lock and Dam 13. The Iowa part will cross back into Iowa on the south bridge at Clinton. This field trip will run into the afternoon, so pack a lunch.

July 11, Sunday - Work morning at Lyndon-Agnew Prairie. We will remove invasive plants from this prairie plot near Lyndon, Illinois. The plot runs parallel to Interstate 88. Meet at the Anchor Do-It Center, 1505 1st Street, Silvis, at 7:00 a.m. for a half-day trip. Long sleeves, long pants, water, sunscreen and insect repellent are recommended. Bring a lopper and/or a spade if you can. Contact Tim Murphy (309) 764-9779 or (309) 716-4575 for more information. See the get involved page for more about the Lyndon-Agnew Prairie.

August 21, Saturday - Field trip to Credit Island Park and Nahant Marsh in Davenport. Meet at Credit Island by the tank at 7:00 a.m. for a half-day trip, but it may be shorter or longer depending on heat and humidity. If time and weather permits, Sunderbruch Park, Fairmount Cemetery and Schuetzenpark may be added to the agenda.

September 5, Sunday - Field trip to Wildcat Den State Park in Muscatine County. A half-day trip concentrating on migrating songbirds. Meet at the Marquette Street Landing, Davenport, at 7:00 a.m.

January 8-10, Friday-Sunday - Bald Eagle Days, Quad Cities Expo Center, Rock Island. Friday, 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Quad City Audubon Society will again have an information booth at the Expo Center. The QCAS has supported and participated in Bald Eagle Days since its inception. Each year, many of our members generously donate their time to help spread the message about QCAS by helping to man our booth. The booth will have information about the Quad City Audubon Society. So we need volunteers to help run the booth. We will also lead bus trips on Saturday and Sunday for viewing bald eagles along the Mississippi River at various spots, including Lock & Dam 15 where dozens of eagles are often seen. Spotting scopes will be provided. Buses will leave at 11:30, 12:45, 2:00 and 3:15 from the Expo Center. Please contact Brent Langley at (309) 799-7192 or langleyart@mchsi.com to volunteer to help at our booth or the bus tours.

January 16-17, Saturday-Sunday - Bald Eagle watching at the Figge Art Museum. Scopes will be set up in the museum to watch eagles from the comfort of the indoors. Cocoa and cookies will be served. Viewing from 12:00 - 3:00 both Saturday and Sunday in the Arts Café in the Winter Garden located between the 2nd and 3rd floors.

February 12-15, Friday-Monday - The Great Backyard Bird Count. Participate in one of the biggest citizen science projects of its kind. Count birds in your yard, parks and neighborhood. Novices as well as experts are welcome. Spend as little as 15 minutes on one or more of the 4-day event counting birds, then submit your results online. For more information visit www.birdcount.org, contact National Audubon at www.citizen-science@audubon.org (215) 355-9588 ext.16, or contact the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at www.gbbc@cornell.edu (800) 843-2473.

March 24, Wednesday - Kenny Salwey, author of "Tales of a River Rat: Adventures Along the Wild Mississippi" and coauthor of "The Last River Rat: Kenny Salwey's Life in the Wild" will be at the Capitol Theatre, 330 W. 3rd Street, Davenport, at 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Salwey will be available for storytelling and a meet and greet. View the Emmy-winning documentary about Salwey's life at the Capitol Teatre. Tickets are available for $5.00 at the Capitol Theatre box office, 311 Ripley Street, Davenport, (563) 326-8820. Proceeds go to Friends of Nahant Marsh.

April 30 - May 2, Friday-Sunday - The Iowa Ornithologist's Union Spring Meeting will be held in Bettendorf. All meeting activities will take place at the Ramada Inn in Bettendorf. Dr. Brian Peer will be the keynote speaker. He is Associate Professor of Biology at Western Illinois University. His field of study is in the interactions between avian bird parasites and their hosts. Potential field trip locations include Wildcat Den State Park, Credit Island, Nahant Marsh, Wapsi River Environmental Education Center, Sherman Park, Lost Creek Wildlife Area, Rock Creek State Park, Princeton Marsh, and Lock and Dams 13, 14, 15, and 16 on the Mississippi River. Some trips may also include areas in Illinois. In addition, there will be a special limited opportunity to visit Big Sand Mound Nature Preserve near Muscatine. Monsanto and MidAmerican Energy own and manage this 510 acre property along the Mississippi River. Because access to this unique site is restricted, there will be a single Saturday field trip which will be limited to fifteen people (sorry, this field trip has been filled). For more information visit the Iowa Ornithologist's Union IOU Meeting page.

May 22, Saturday - Bird Banding Demonstration, Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge, 10728 County Road X-61, Wapello, Iowa, 7:00-11:00 a.m. Mark your calendars and bring your field guides. To celebrate the wonder of migration, the refuge is hosting a bird banding demonstration. Learn about birds that migrate through the area. Get a rare, up-close perspective of birds in the hand. Learn what information scientists gather about birds in the wild. Contact the refuge at (319)523-6982 for more information or to inquire about volunteer opportunities for this program. The program will be cancelled in the event of rain.

Now through October - Butterfly Count Program by the North American Butterfly Association. In its 36th year, the program censuses butterflies throughtout the continent by conducting counts in 15 mile diameter circles. Counts are available in our area. They help scientists monitor the distribution and success of butterflies across North America. To learn more about the Butterfly Count Program and the North American Butterfly Association, visit their website at www.naba.org.

An archive of monthly membership meetings, field trips and special events from past years can be viewed here: Calendar Archives