BCN member Kane County Audubon (KCA) has been a chapter of the Illinois Audubon Society for more than 50 years. This active club has 200-plus members and a lively birding calendar designed to build interest in birds and birding, engage members with one another, and give back through citizen science.
Let’s go birding!
KCA leads field trips most every week of the year to some of the 50-plus forest preserves, parks, and farms in Kane County. In addition, they uniquely sponsor “rambles,” which are spontaneously scheduled trips within the Chicago region to take advantage of a rarity sighting, news of a weather-driven “fallout,” or other special occurrences. Once or twice a year, KCA organizes extended trips to more distant locales such as Arizona and even Alaska’s Pribilof Islands. In 2024, KCA has organized an excursion to Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.
Making new friends while learning about birds
KCA is known as one of the more sociable groups in the Chicagoland birding community. Monthly meetings are open to the public and preceded by a social dinner at a nearby sandwich shop. Meetings always feature a guest speaker and include snacks made by members, a roundup of key sightings in the past month, and a regular raffle of bird-related items to benefit KCA. Once a year, the club hosts a member photo-sharing night and potluck dinner.
“I think we've always emphasized the social aspect of our club, and the teaching aspect,” says KCA President John Sprovieri. “That's how my wife and I got involved--we attended a Saturday walk one day as total novices, and everyone was so welcoming and willing to share their knowledge with us. We had such a great time, and we learned so much, that we were hooked.”
Giving back is important too
KCA participates in several “citizen science” programs, including the Spring Bird Count, Christmas Bird Count, Great Backyard Bird Count, and the BCN Survey. They also participate in the continent-wide Swift Night Out program to monitor roosting sites of Chimney Swifts, which includes sponsoring two Chimney Swift Sits. Finally, KCA is educating the next generation of birders through sponsorship of the Junior Bird Feeder Challenge for kids aged three to five and a separate program for middle-school birders as well as a weekend birding program for high school students that was started by Bob Andrini.
Learn more about Kane County Audubon at https://kanecountyaudubon.org/welcome.htm
Top Photo: KCA field trip to Southern Illinois. Photo by Keith McMullen.