DUBUQUE AUDUBON
© Marty Corfman
Lock and Dam 13, Fulton, IL
4/30/24
© Marty Corfman
Lock and Dam 13, Fulton, IL
4/30/24
© Marty Corfman
Mines of Spain SRA
4/8/24
© Ken Kiss
5/6/22
© Mary Leigh
Mines of Spain SRA
5/10/22
© Tony Moline
© Marty Corfman
Dubuque County
4/25/19
Deere Dike Park
4/7/23
© Mary Leigh
Deere Dike Park
4/11/23
© Mary Leigh
Deere Dike Park
4/11/23
© Tony Moline
© Tony Moline
© Ken Kiss
4/13/16
© Mary Leigh
Peosta, IA
4/18/23
© Ken Kiss
5/13/20
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.
Next Upcoming Event
Dubuque Audubon Annual Spring Species Count
Saturday, 5/11/24
View Map for Initial Location
View Map for Potluck Picnic
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. (For those who might want to plan ahead for other years, we traditionally hold this event on the Saturday before Mother’s 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.
Arrive as early as 6 AM for birding around the Julien Dubuque 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. Some may opt to go out to lunch and continue birding into the afternoon, where the destination will be determined as we go.
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, either by filling out a Contact Us form or by sending an email to AudubonDubuqueWeb@gmail.com. If you birded with us for part of the day, we’d be glad to have you return for the picnic! Optionally bring a dish to pass and/or table service, but neither are required! Bottled water will be provided.
* If you cannot arrive by 8 AM, you may make other arrangements by filling out a Contact Us form or by emailing AudubonDubuqueWeb@gmail.com no later than noon on the day before.
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 trip to Green Island, and an annual spring species count, 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
Recently Completed Projects
MOST RECENT FIRST
Cleanup #2 at 16th Street Retention Basin
On Sunday, April 21, 2024, 13 members of the Dubuque Audubon Society and volunteers from the public worked for over two hours to remove 28 bags of garbage from the 16th Street Retention Basin, but a large amount of garbage remains.
This area is a valuable resource for local and migrating waterfowl. A large amount of garbage accumulates there, as littering along the Bee Branch Area gets into the waterway. The DAS appeals to the community to do better to secure garbage in trash cans provided all along the Bee Branch. Let’s do better together!
Tree Planting at Mines of Spain SRA
On Sunday, April 14, 2024, Dubuque Audubon volunteers planted 16 Eastern White Pines and 20 Chokecherry trees at Mines of Spain State Recreation Area. These trees were purchased from the Iowa DNR State Forest Nursery through Audubon member donations. These native trees will provide important nesting locations and food sources for a variety of birds and other wildlife once they mature!
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.
