Upcoming Outings

Birding outings occur monthly.

Please use the side navigation list for highlights of past outings

Ponca Christmas Bird Count (CBC)

sunday, december 14, 2025

ponca state park and surrounding area : 7:30 am - 4:00 (?)

The 21st annual Ponca State Park CBC will be held on Sunday, Dec. 14. The Count will be the centerpiece of the Park’s Winterfest event.

This count includes Ponca State Park, Powder Creek WMA and Buckskin Hills WMA as well as the Missouri River, its sandbars, backwaters and bluffs and can host over 60 species of birds. In the past, Greater Prairie Chicken, Black-legged Kittiwake, Golden Eagle, Prairie Falcon, Townsend’s Solitaire, Bohemian Waxwing and Mountain Bluebird have been found on the count.

Those interested in participating in this count should contact me with your plans and meet at Ponca State Park’s Resource Center at 7:30am.

The Park staff will both participate and provide a hot lunch at noon. There we will warm up, enjoy a hearty meal, compare notes and plan the afternoon’s effort.

Those interested in searching for owls before dawn, should contact me before the count.

Note: a park permit is required on cars entering the park.

 Contact Ponca State Park CBC Compiler:

Bill Huser at 712-574-3107 OR Billfhuser@gmail.com

Yankton (SD) Christmas Bird Count

sunday, december 14, 2025

yankton CBC: 4:30 am - 5:00 pm

The Yankton CBC is one of the oldest in the area starting in 1917 and only missing a few years since then. In previous years, participants counted 70-80 species of birds.

To participate contact the compiler, Roger Dietrich at 1947rogerd@gmail.com OR 605-660-6247.

Westfield (IA) Christmas Bird Count

Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Westfield CBC: 7:30 am - 5:00 pm

Join us for a fun day of birding at the northern terminus of the Loess Hills. The count circle is home to the largest remaining prairies in Iowa, including Broken Kettle Grasslands, which is home to wintering Golden Eagles, Red-shafted Northern Flickers, a herd of American Bison, and formerly Iowa's only breeding population of Black-billed Magpies.

We will meet at 7:30 AM at the Westfield Community Center (215 Linden St., Westfield, IA) before breaking out into birding groups.

We will meet back at the community center at 12:30 pm for a potluck lunch and again at 5 PM for the compilation.

The backup date for inclement weather is Thursday, December 18.

To sign up or if you have any questions, please contact Tucker Lutter at tucker.lutter@tnc.org or at (712) 560-6770. You can also sign up on Mobilize at https://www.mobilize.us/audubon-community.../event/856710/.

Note: Since we are having a potluck lunch, please plan to bring a main or side dish. Please let Tucker know what you plan on bringing so we can have a well-rounded selection of food.

Sioux City (IA) Christmas Bird Count

saturday, december 20, 2025

Feeder Watchers as well as car birders and bird walkers & hikers are welcome to participate. Keep track of the exact times, the length of time birded, the distance covered by foot and by car - important information for Jerry’s statistics. Coordinate your birding locations with Jerry Probst, the compiler - so that all areas within the birding “circle” in Iowa are birded for the final count. Jerry tabulates the final results after the sun goes down, around dinner time.

To participate and coordinate your birding efforts:

Contact the compiler, Jerry Probst at 712-490-8256.

Ida Grove Christmas Bird Count

sunday, december 21, 2025

8:00 am - 3:30 pm at the education center in moorehead park

The day starts with an early owl prowl! Contact Don if you are interested in joining this event.

Meet at the Education Center at Moorehead Park at 8 a.m. There will be with coffee & rolls. We then put the field groups together and heads out.

Meet back at the Education Center at 12 noon is Don’s “best ever Chili”!  Then teams will head back out in the fields counting birds. Some birdwatchers walk the timber areas of the park and river. Meet back at the Education Center around 3:00 pm to add the numbers of birds seen - for a recap count compilation. The day ends with Pie and ice cream.

Show & Go Outing

saturday, january 10, 2026

7:30 am - 2:00 pm

Meet at the Singing Hills Walmart, 3400 Singing Hills Blvd, at 7:30 am. We will caravan to locations where interesting bird sightings have been reported.

For more information, contact Bill Huser, Outings Coordinator, at 712-574-3107 or billfhuser@gmail.com.

Outing to Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo

saturday, february 14, 2026

We will meet at the Singing Hills Walmart to Caravan to the Zoo at 7:30 am.

Vist Henry Doorly Zoo on Valentine’s Day with your fellow birders, and enjoy the birds (and other creatures) featured inside the various exhibits and habitats.

The Zoo has an Admission Fee for entry. Rates and information on the Zoo can be found on their website.

Contact Bill Huser, Outings Coordinator, for more information, at 712-574-3107 or billfhuser@gmail.com.