EVENTS
All are welcome to attend our events! Our monthly programs run from September through May. Our events are usually free and open to the public (any exceptions would clearly noted).
Cancellation Policy: If the Dubuque County School District cancels classes on the day of our event, our program will also be cancelled. Any changes or cancellations will be posted here if possible, as well as on Facebook.
When we share an event sponsored by another organization, please check with the sponsor for details and up-to-date information.
Upcoming Events
9/5/24 © Ken Kiss
Pop-up Field Trip
Chimney Swift Watch!
Monday, 8/24/26
7:10 – 8:00 PM
(Rain Date: 8/31/26 at 7:00 PM)
Wartburg Theological Seminary
Dubuque, IA
View Map
Marty Corfman, President of the Dubuque Audubon Society, will host this birding event. Look for Marty at 7:10 PM with her camera, binoculars, and a bag chair behind Wartburg Seminary! Expect hundreds of Chimney Swifts to form their vortex and begin diving into their chimney roost as twilight fades, shortly after the sun dips below the horizon, at about 7:40. We recommend bringing binoculars, a bag chair, and bug spray. Marty will have a few extra pairs of binoculars.
Read Marty’s 2024 post on these birds at this location!
Iowa Audubon partners with US Army Corps of Engineers and Iowa City Bird Club
15th Annual Pelican Festival
Sunday, August 30, 2026
11 AM – 4 PM
Hawkeye Wildlife Area, 2564 Amana Road NW, Swisher, IA 52338
Attend this family-friendly event to enjoy and learn about our local migrating American White Pelicans. Get close-up looks at pelicans and other birds through our spotting scopes. Attend outdoor presentations on pelicans, raptors, and more. There will be exhibits by many conservation organizations and face painting for the kids. Portable toilet on site.
See the event flyer with program schedule and list of exhibitors, event map, and other details on the Iowa City Bird Club’s festival page!
Dubuque Audubon September Program
Iowa Audubon – the Voice for Iowa’s Birds
Thursday, 9/10/26
6:45 PM Social Time
7 – 8 PM Program
EB Lyons Interpretive Center
8991 Bellevue Heights Road
Dubuque, IA 52003
View Map
Doug Harr will speak about Iowa Audubon, which is an independent federation of eight National Audubon chapters (including Dubuque Audubon) and two independent bird clubs. Iowa Audubon was created in 2003 after National Audubon’s Iowa office at Saylorville Lake closed down. Iowa Audubon’s primary purpose now is helping fund projects for bird research, education, and habitat protection, plus connecting with all chapters, bird clubs, conservation agencies, and other conservation groups. This program will track its history, with examples of many kinds of projects it has helped with for more than 20 years.
Doug grew up in Minnesota, then attended South Dakota State University for BS & MS degrees in Wildlife Biology. He retired after 38 1/2 years with Iowa DNR where he served as a Wildlife Management Biologist in NW Iowa, then as Wildlife Diversity State Program Coordinator in DNR’s Des Moines HQ. Doug is currently president of Iowa Audubon, vice-president of Big Bluestem Audubon (Ames), and serves on the advisory board for National Audubon’s Upper Mississippi River regional office.
Dubuque Audubon October Program
Audubon Conservation – Grazing for Grassland Birds
Thursday, 10/8/26
6:45 PM Social Time
7 – 8 PM Program
EB Lyons Interpretive Center
8991 Bellevue Heights Road
Dubuque, IA 52003
View Map
Tucker Lutter, the new Iowa Conservation Manager for Audubon Upper Mississippi River, will discuss the introduction of the Audubon Conservation Ranching Program to Iowa. The program promotes regenerative grazing practices that help support grassland bird populations, which have declined by 43% across North America over the past 50 years.
Launched in Missouri in 2017, the Audubon Conservation Ranching Program has expanded to more than 4.5 million acres on 150+ ranches across the western United States. The program partners directly with farmers and ranchers to implement conservation-focused grazing practices while providing technical and financial assistance, as well as unique marketing opportunities that recognize their stewardship efforts.
During his presentation, Tucker will share how well-managed grazing can serve as an effective tool for improving grassland habitat and increasing grassland bird populations. He will also discuss the opportunities the Audubon Conservation Ranching Program offers producers who are interested in enhancing wildlife habitat while maintaining productive working lands.
Tucker grew up in the Loess Hills near Sioux City, Iowa, and has a B.S. in Anthropology from Franciscan University and a Masters of Natural Resources Management from North Dakota State University. After a few years of working in archaeology, Tucker decided to return to school for natural resources management after spending time on his in-laws’ farm in North Dakota and realizing how grazing and grassland bird conservation can go hand in hand. Previous to this position, Tucker was the Western Iowa Assistant Land Steward for The Nature Conservancy, helping to manage a bison herd and remnant prairies at Broken Kettle Grasslands and other preserves in western Iowa.
Dubuque Audubon November Program
Birds and Wildlife of Nebraska
Thursday, 11/12/26
6:45 PM Social Time
7 – 8 PM Program
EB Lyons Interpretive Center
8991 Bellevue Heights Road
Dubuque, IA 52003
View Map
Our speaker will be Ty Smedes, who some may remember from his “Voyage to the Bottom of the World” program in March. This time, we’ll learn about Nebraska, with Ty describing the program as follows:
Although a drive through Nebraska is sometimes referred to as “boring” or “uninteresting”, our neighboring state plays host to a wonderful variety of birds, and other wildlife. This presentation will introduce you to a stunning variety of Nebraska wildlife, which is unique because of its location “where East meets West”. Along with the scenic beauty of the sandhills, we’ll experience the Sandhill Crane Migration along the Platte River, and visit the waterfowl and wetland birds of The Rainwater Basin. We’ll also travel to a ranch, where we will enjoy Prairie Chickens displaying on an ancient lek, along with the amazing array of birds and mammals that call the Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge home. Along the way, we’ll also discuss viewing blinds, visitor centers, and locations to stay, for those nature-lovers who might want to visit!
Ty’s photos have been published by many major magazines and book publishers. He specializes in landscape, wildlife, and prairie wildflower images. As a freelance feature writer for the Iowa DNR’s Iowa Outdoors Magazine, he has written and photographed articles about many of the lesser-known birds, animals, and places in Iowa. Ty has taught nature photography classes and is as an experienced Photo-Tour leader, having led nature photography tours to Yellowstone & Teton parks, as well as the Eastern Sierras, and Africa. He has toured 4 South American Countries, and 8 African countries, along with Mongolia and West Papua, and Papua New Guinea. Information regarding Ty’s three books – “Capturing Iowa’s Seasons,” “The Return of Iowa’s Bald Eagles,” and “Iowa’s Wild Beauty” can be found on his website at www.smedesphoto.com. His best photo credits include the BBC, CNN, and Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom.