Big Bluestem Audubon Society

10/19/2026

Big Bluestem Audubon held a bird walk this past weekend at Dakins Lake Park in Zearing, IA.

Thank you to all who attended! We couldn't have asked for a nicer day to have a bird walk. Dakins Lake has plenty of habitats to look for birds in. We explored the hills around the lake, the timber trails, the prairie and the wetland areas. The star of the bird walk was undoubtedly an American Bittern, who we observed walking and hunting in the wetland ponds.

Species and Count:
Canada Goose x 78
Ring-necked Pheasant x 1
American Coot x 1
Killdeer x 12
American Bittern 1
Great Blue Heron x 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk x 2
Belted Kingfisher x 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker x 1
Hairy Woodpecker x 1
Blue Jay x 25
White-breasted Nuthatch x 1
European Starling x 21
Cedar Waxwing x 10
American Goldfinch x 12
Fox Sparrow x 1
Dark-eyed Junco x 8
White-throated Sparrow x 13
Song Sparrow x 8
Swamp Sparrow x 1
Red-winged Blackbird 24
Common Grackle 39

See the full checklist for additional information and media:
https://f.mtr.cool/y1cnbl84d6

All photos were taken during the bird walk by Tyler Morrison.

10/15/2026

We have an updated speaker tonight as Ty is not able to join us. Dr. Nancy Franz will be speaking tonight at 6:30 om at the Ames Public Library.

Nancy served 33 years with Cooperative Extension in five states. She worked with all of Extension’s program areas in a variety of positions but engaged most deeply with 4-H Youth Development and program evaluation. She retired from ISU Extension and Outreach in 2014. She holds degrees in environmental studies, outdoor education and recreation, and education. These days you can find her hiking, biking, skiing, snowshoeing, birding, botanizing, volunteering, traveling, gardening, reading, and savoring dark chocolate.

10/15/2026

🐦 Big Bluestem Audubon Society meets tonight!
NOTICE:
Ty Smedes has had to cancel his presentation due to health issues. But we now have another speaker graciously agreeing to step in at the last minute. Here is the information about the program and speaker tonight:

Program: Southeast Arizona Sky Island: Birds, Blooms, Trails, and Canyons.

Speaker: Dr. Nancy Franz, ISU Prof. Emeritus School of Education

Nancy served 33 years with Cooperative Extension in five states. She worked with all of Extension’s program areas in a variety of positions but engaged most deeply with 4-H Youth Development and program evaluation. She retired from ISU Extension and Outreach in 2014. She holds degrees in environmental studies, outdoor education and recreation, and education. These days you can find her hiking, biking, skiing, snowshoeing, birding, botanizing, volunteering, traveling, gardening, reading, and savoring dark chocolate.

⏰ 6:30 PM
📍 Ames Public Library

Everyone is welcome! 🌿

10/14/2026

REMINDER: BBAS will host a Bird Walk on Saturday, October 17th at Dakins Lake Park in Zearing IA. The walk will be lead by Tyler Morrison.

Date: 10/17/2026
Time: 8:00AM
Address: Dakins Lake Park, 70613 130th Street, Zearing, IA 50278
Meeting Location: The group will meet at the main shelter near the boat ramp before the walk begins.

Dakins Lake includes remnant and restored prairie, successional timber, trails, and 20 acres of open water in two lakes. The 103-acre park offers hiking, camping, fishing, picnicking, bird watching, geocaching, and a natural playscape.

Monthly bird walks are free and open to the public.
Participants will meet the group at the designated meeting location unless an alternate meeting place is announced to facilitate carpooling.
Unless it is stated otherwise, the walk will generally end sometime between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM, depending on interest and success in finding birds.
Bird walks will usually involve some hiking, often away from hardened surfaces and in less-than-ideal conditions. Please come prepared with appropriate dress and footwear.

10/13/2026

🪶 Join Big Bluestem Audubon Society for Loon Magic with Ty Smedes!

📅 Thursday, October 15
⏰ 6:30 PM
📍 Ames Public Library

Come discover the fascinating world of loons. Everyone is welcome!

10/05/2026

Sharing is caring!

About 400-600M birds are predicted to migrate across the U.S. each night this weekend!

Lights at night can be very disorienting to birds during their long fall migration. To help prevent deadly bird collisions, turn off or dim unnecessary lights!

Graphic: CornellLab, BirdCast

About 400-600M birds are predicted to migrate across the U.S. each night this weekend!

Lights at night can be very disorienting to birds during their long fall migration. To help prevent deadly bird collisions, turn off or dim unnecessary lights!

Graphic: CornellLab, BirdCast

10/01/2026

There’s something magical about the haunting call of a loon echoing across a quiet lake…

Come discover that magic with the Big Bluestem Audubon Society!

Join us for a special evening with Ty Smedes as he presents “Loon Magic,” sharing stories, insights, and a closer look at one of North America’s most captivating and iconic birds.

📅 Thursday, October 15
⏰ 6:30 PM
📍 Ames Public Library
🎤 Speaker: Ty Smedes
🌊 Topic: Loon Magic

Whether you’re an experienced birder, photographer, nature lover, or simply someone who has stopped to listen to the unforgettable call of a loon, this program is for you.

Bring a friend and join us for an evening celebrating the beauty and mystery of these remarkable birds. 🐦

Everyone is welcome!

09/17/2026

REMINDER: Our first meeting of the season is TONIGHT at the Ames Public Library. The meeting will begin at 6:30 PM, with the speaker's program to start at approximately 7 PM. Here's is the program name and our speaker's background:

Program: MY BIRDING TRIP TO FLORIDA

Speaker: Dr. Xiaoqing Wu is Professor Emeritus of Meteorology at Iowa State Univ., serving from 2002 to 2025. He received his M.S. from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, in 1986 and his Ph.D. in Meteorology from UCLA in 1992. From 1993 to 2002, he conducted postdoctoral research and served as a research scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Dr. Wu’s 46-year career in meteorology has focused on cloud–environment interactions and climate modeling. His research combines observational, diagnostic, and theoretical approaches. He developed a parameterization scheme for convective momentum transport that was incorporated into U.S. climate models and, with colleagues, developed a cloud-resolving model that has become an important tool for climate research involving cloud processes.

We hope to see you there!

📸: Dicksissel, Dakins Lake Park (Tyler Morrison)

09/16/2026

Hello birders! We hope everyone had a great summer! This is a reminder that our first BBAS meeting for this fall season will be held at the Ames Public Library on Thursday evening, Sept. 17th. The meeting will begin at 6:30 PM, with the speaker's program to start at approximately 7 PM. Here's is the program name and our speaker's background:

Program: MY BIRDING TRIP TO FLORIDA

Speaker: Dr. Xiaoqing Wu is Professor Emeritus of Meteorology at Iowa State Univ., serving from 2002 to 2025. He received his M.S. from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, in 1986 and his Ph.D. in Meteorology from UCLA in 1992. From 1993 to 2002, he conducted postdoctoral research and served as a research scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Dr. Wu’s 46-year career in meteorology has focused on cloud–environment interactions and climate modeling. His research combines observational, diagnostic, and theoretical approaches. He developed a parameterization scheme for convective momentum transport that was incorporated into U.S. climate models and, with colleagues, developed a cloud-resolving model that has become an important tool for climate research involving cloud processes.

We hope to see you there!

📸: Dicksissel, Dakins Lake Park (Tyler Morrison)

05/29/2026

❤️