Field trips depart from the Dodge Street Hy-Vee in Iowa City unless otherwise noted. Meet in the southwest corner of the parking lot. Please contact the leader in advance if you plan to meet the group at the trip destination. Many of our trips are accessible to people with disabilities; for more information please contact the trip leader. Meetings are held at the Grant Wood AEA Southern Facility, 200 Holiday Road in Coralville, generally at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month.

April 17, Tuesday, 7 p.m. Beginning Birder Course at Kent Park CEC: “Approaches to Learning Birdsong” by Jerry White. Free to members. Call Brad Freidhof at 645-1011 to register.
April 19, Thursday, 7 p.m. Meeting. Special location: Kent Park Conservation Education Center. “Costa Rica: Images from a Green Land” by Linda and Robert Scarth.
April 24, Tuesday, 7 p.m. Beginning Birder Course at Kent Park CEC: “Birds of Hickory Hill Park and Waterworks Park in Iowa City” by Jim Scheib. Free to members. Call Brad Freidhof at 645-1011 to register.
April 27, Friday, 6 p.m. Night Sounds Field Trip. Visit local areas to listen for American Woodcock, Wilson’s Snipe, frogs, owls, and anything else that calls at night. Bruce Gardner and Karen Disbrow, 430-0315.
April 28, Saturday, 8 a.m. - Noon. Field Trip for Kids ages 7-12, to be accompanied by an adult. Meet at the Kent Park CEC. Rick Hollis, 665-3141.
April 29, Sunday, 7 a.m. Otter Creek Marsh in Tama County for cranes, bitterns, rails, Yellow-headed Blackbirds, and other marsh birds. Diana Pesek, 560-8393.
April 30 - May 18, Weekdays, 6:30 a.m. Hickory Hill Park Warbler Walks. Meet at the north parking lot at the end of Conklin Lane, off Dodge Street. Daily sightings will be posted on our web site
May 1, Tuesday, 7 p.m. Beginning Birder Course at Kent Park CEC: “Warbler Identification and Shorebird Review” by Karen Disbrow. Free to members. Call Brad Freidhof at 645-1011 to register.
May 5, Saturday, Macbride Raptor Center Field Trip, Jim Scheib 337-5206. Meet Karen Disbrow at Dodge St. Hy-Vee at 7:30 a.m.or Jim Scheib at the Raptor Center parking area at 8:00 a.m.
May 5, Saturday, 8 a.m. - Noon. Field Trip for Kids ages 7-12, to be accompanied by an adult. Meet at the Kent Park CEC.
Rick Hollis, 665-3141.
May 6, Sunday, 8 a.m. Hickory Hill Park for warblers and other spring migrants. BEGINNING BIRDER TRIP.
Karen Disbrow, 430-0315
May 12, Saturday. Spring Migration Count. We will work in teams to count as many birds as possible in Johnson County. To participate, call Chris Caster at 339-8343.
May 18-May 20, Friday-Sunday. Iowa Ornithologists’ Union Spring Meeting in Iowa City, hosted by the Iowa City Bird Club. Visit www.iowabirds.org for more information and to register.
June 2, Saturday, 6:30 a.m. Breeding Bird Atlas Trip to Squire Point. Barb Beaumont, 626-6227.
June 3, Sunday, 6:30 a.m. Breeding Bird Atlas Trip. Bruce Gardner, 643-2575.
June 9, Saturday, 6:30 a.m. Breeding Bird Atlas Trip. Chris Edwards, 430-4732.
June 16, Saturday, 6:30 a.m. Indiangrass Hills in Iowa County for grassland birds such as Henslow’s Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Sedge Wren, and Bobolink. Mark Brown, 358-8765.
June 23, Saturday, 6:30 a.m. Breeding Bird Atlas Trip to Cedar County. Jerry Denning, (563) 732-2666.
June 24, Sunday, 6:30 a.m. Breeding Bird Atlas Trip to Cedar County. Bruce Gardner, 643-2575.
June 30, Saturday, 6:30 a.m. Breeding Bird Atlas Trip to Ben Rowold’s family farm in Clinton County. Ben Rowold, 330-9655.
July 1, Sunday, 6:30 a.m. Breeding Bird Atlas Trip. Chris Caster, 339-8343.
July 6-8, Friday-Sunday. Iowa Breeding Bird Atlas Blockbusting Weekend, covering Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Muscatine, and Washington counties. Kickoff meeting at 6 p.m. Friday at the Kent Park CEC. Trips depart from N. Dodge Hy-Vee at 6:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information visit http://bba.iowabirds.org or email bbacoordinator@iowabirds.org.
July 14, Saturday, 9 a.m. Annual Butterfly Count sponsored by the North American Butterfly Association. We will visit Kent Park, Lake Macbride, and other areas. To participate, contact Chris Edwards at 430-4732.
July 15, Sunday, 6:30 a.m. Breeding Bird Atlas Trip to southern Johnson County. Karen Disbrow, 430-0315.
July 20-22, Iowa Breeding Bird Atlas Blockbusting Weekend: the Upper Mississippi River blufflands and tributaries (Dubuque area, including Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Jackson, and Jones counties). For more information visit http://bba.iowabirds.org or email bbacoordinator@iowabirds.org.
July 28, Saturday, 8 a.m. – Noon. Turkey Vulture Festival, East Overlook of Coralville Dam. Contacts Terry Escher, Army Corp of Engineers, and Karen Disbrow, 430-0315.
July 28, Saturday, 8 p.m. Moth Night-lighting Program and Demonstration at Sugar Bottom Recreation Area Campground, in conjunction with National Moth Week. Karen Disbrow, 430-0315.
August 5, Sunday, 7:30 a.m. Hawkeye Wildlife Area or other local areas for shorebirds and other early fall migrants. Chris Caster, 339-8343.
August 24-26, Friday-Sunday. Iowa Ornithologists’ Union Fall Meeting in Marshalltown. Visit www.iowabirds.org for more information.

Other Dates of Note

May 12, Saturday. Spring Migration Count. We will work in teams to count as many birds as possible in Johnson County. To participate, call Chris Caster at 339-8343.
May 18-May 20, Friday-Sunday. Iowa Ornithologists’ Union Spring Meeting in Iowa City, hosted by the Iowa City Bird Club. Visit www.iowabirds.org for more information and to register.

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Introduction to Birding Course
March 20 – May 1, 2012 at Kent Park
The Iowa City Bird Club and the Johnson County Conservation Department are offering a 7-week Introduction to Birding Course at the Conservation Education Center in Kent Park. There will be seven Tuesday evening sessions along with six weekend field trips to area birding hot spots, plus two field trips for kids ages 7-12.
Tuesday evening sessions are $5 for adults and free for children accompanied by an adult. Iowa City Bird Club members receive free admission (a one-year membership is $15 per household or $10 for students). Participants may attend all seven sessions or pick one or more to attend. Classes can hold 30, and advanced registration is requested – please call Brad Freidhof at 645-1011 by noon of the Tuesday session. Handouts and refreshments will be provided. Come to class early and bird the loop path near the Conservation Education Center.
Weekend field trips are free. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Bring binoculars to all field trips; if you don’t have a pair let us know in advance and loaners can be arranged. If you have a spotting scope, you are welcome to bring it. Club members will have several scopes available on those field trips requiring one. All field trips will depart from the Dodge Street Hy-Vee in Iowa City unless otherwise noted – meet in the SW corner of the parking lot. For more information on field trips, call Karen Disbrow at 339-1017.
Tuesday, March 20, 7 p.m. BASICS OF BIRDING I by Rick Hollis. This will include field identification of birds, field guides, and equipment that every birdwatcher needs, or might someday need.
Sunday March 25, 8 a.m. Field Trip to CONE MARSH. Located about 25 miles SE of Iowa City, Cone Marsh is an excellent place to view migrating ducks, geese, and other water birds. Wear boots for walking in wet areas, and bring a spotting scope if you have one. Meet at the Fin & Feather parking lot.
Tuesday, March 27, 7 p.m. BASICS OF BIRDING II by Rick Hollis. Continuation of first session topics.
Saturday, March 31, 8 a.m. Field Trip to KENT PARK near Tiffin. We will explore the trails in Kent Park looking for migrating songbirds and resident woodland birds. Meet at the CEC in Kent Park.
Tuesday, April 3, 7 p.m. WHERE TO BIRD IN JOHNSON COUNTY by Rick Hollis. Well known, lesser known and secret places to watch birds and study nature in and around Johnson County.
Saturday, April 7, 8 a.m. Field Trip to HAWKEYE WILDLIFE AREA near North Liberty. We expect to see ducks, geese, American White Pelicans, and other early spring migrants. Wear boots for walking in wet areas.
Tuesday, April 10, 7 p.m. BACKYARD AND FEEDER BIRDS by James Scheib. This Session will cover the birds found in our area’s backyards during the year, and what types of feeders and food to use to attract them.
Sunday, April 15, 8 a.m. Field Trip to MACBRIDE NATURE-RECREATION AREA. Visit the Raptor Center, observe birds up close from the bird blind, and hike the nearby trails. Meet at the Macbride Raptor Center parking lot.
Tuesday, April 17, 7 p.m. Approaches to Learning Birdsongs by Jerry White
Tuesday, April 24, 7 p.m. BIRDS OF HICKORY HILL PARK AND WATERWORKS PARK IN IOWA CITY by Jim Scheib. Learn the variety of birds that are found throughout the year at these nearby parks..
Friday, April 27, 6 p.m. NIGHT SOUNDS Field Trip. Local areas for American Woodcock, Wilson’s Snipe, frogs, owls, and anything else that calls at night.
Saturday, April 28, 8 a.m. - Noon. Field Trip for Kids age 7-12 with Rick Hollis. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Meet at the CEC in Kent Park.
Tuesday, May 1, 7 p.m. WARBLER IDENTIFICATION AND SHOREBIRD REVIEW by Karen Disbrow. Warblers are coming! Warblers are among our most colorful birds. Compare and contrast similar warblers.
Saturday, May 5, 8 a.m. - Noon. Field Trip for Kids age 7-12 with Rick Hollis. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Meet at the CEC in Kent Park.
Sunday, May 6, 8 a.m. Field Trip to HICKORY HILL PARK. This park is a great place to view warblers and other migrating songbirds.