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Celebrate Birdability Week Oct 20-26! 
See details about the great webinars on their website.

Wednesday Morning Birding
See details about our weekly field trips on the Field Trips page.


Save the Dates: PRAS Programs 2025-26
Join us for the great programs we have planned; save the dates & bring a friend!

Sep 9: Wendy VanDeWalle - 2023 Big Iowa Year
Oct 14: Stephanie Shepherd, Iowa DNR - Citizen Science
Nov 11: Jeremy Withers, ISU - Birding English: Exploring the History of Language Through 50 Birds
Dec: No meeting, but please join us for Christmas Bird Counts!
Jan 13: ZOOM only - Scott Harris - Raptor Quest: Chasing America's Raptors 
Feb 10: Dan Cohen - Iowa River Wildlife - See Links page for Dan's Substack.
Mar 10: Ken Heiar, Tom Moon, Bob Frenchick - Nature Photography
Apr 14: Terry VanDeWalle - Turtles of Iowa
May 12: Doug Harr, Iowa Audubon - Native Plants & Native Birds



From Birds to Bees: Wildlife Diversity Work in Iowa
Stephanie Shepherd, Iowa DNR Wildlife Diversity Biologist


The DNR's Wildlife Diversity Program has been a small but mighty program focused on non-game wildlife since the early 1980s. A lot has changed over the last 40 years but one thing that is still more important than ever is the partnership with Iowa nature enthusiasts to protect habitat for, educate neighbors about, and monitor Iowa's 1000s of non-game species. Stephanie's program will touch on some of the past work and progress of the Wildlife Diversity Program and cover more thoroughly current efforts, especially those that rely on help from all conservation partners. 

A native of Virginia, Stephanie received a BS in Biology from the University of Richmond in 1995. She has a Master of Science in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Iowa State University, performing a research project focused on the evaluation of restored prairies using the butterfly community as an index. In her 25-year career as a wildlifer, she’s worked primarily for state wildlife agencies in Virginia, Missouri, and is currently a biologist with the Iowa DNR’s Wildlife Diversity program where she has a variety of duties all related to conservation of Iowa’s non-game wildlife with a special interest in butterflies, bees and other pollinators.


Winner Buchanan Co.
Photo Contest

Congratulations to PRAS member
Al Sundt
 who won the
overall best photo award!

See Al's beautiful
photo of the
Yellow Salsify plant.





In the Sky - October 2025
"One people, one sky"
    - motto of Astronomers Without Borders

Climate Choices
By David Voigts
Recently, in less than a week, Texas, North Carolina, New Mexico, and Chicago, Illinois, all experienced 1-in-1000-year rainfall events. Really weird. Moreover, this was not the only weird thing happening. Ocean currents are being altered, animal migration patterns of many birds and the monarch butterfly are changing, food systems are being stressed, and the world was having the hottest summer in probably the last 100,000 years.

The National Academy of Sciences contends that this weirdness has a common link - a warming climate. In addition, they predict all will worsen if the climate gets warmer. In spite of these risks to people and ecosystems, the Trump administration is curtailing programs that address climate change.

If the administration is wrong, and effects of climate change do worsen, our children will inherit a world that is very different than what we have now. However, if they are correct that climate change is no big deal, but our efforts to address climate change continue, our children will also inherit a world that is very different. Skies will be cleaner, homes and factories will be powered by cheaper clean energy, ecosystems will be protected, and oceans will thrive. The choice is ours.


Oct 16th - Free webinar w/Doug Tallamy
Join Wild Ones for a free webinar, “Next Steps for Nature,” featuring the renowned Doug Tallamy. In this talk, Tallamy addresses common concerns on biodiversity, invasive species, native plants, and conservation strategies, providing practical guidance and motivation to restore nature in everyday spaces. Click here to register for this free online talk.


Midwest Crane Festivals in November
Check out these great opportunities to see cranes and join other "craniacs"!

Celebration of Cranes Nov 7-8, Sterling, Kansas - Thank you Lyle, PRAS member for telling us about this great opportunity. Anyone fancy a roadtrip to Kansas?! 

Great Midwest Crane Fest Nov 15-16, Baraboo, Wisconsin



Find an injured bird or animal? Call Black Hawk Wildlife Rehabilitation Project 319-939-4635
Note: As of Dec 2024 BHWRP is not accepting sick or injured waterfowl due to the avian influenza outbreak found in Iowa. Find other wildlife rehabilitators.

New to Birding?
Check out this great new brochure from Iowa Audubon that gives you all the information about enjoying the activity of watching birds!

Subscribe to our Online RedTail Newsletter
We've gone online now...check out the online RedTail Newsletter on the "Newsletters & Zoom" page and find archived newsletters. 

Song on a Wire - Wikimedia Commons
Bird Flight Patterns and Music Concert Program
You are now able to access the online concert video and curriculum (see link and password below-posted with permission by the copyright holder).
The link provides the full concert video and online curriculum with activities, lessons, extra musical performances, composer interviews and educational games. This resource will remain active through June 2022 (for one year), so utilize it for your programs, personal edification working with your children or grandchildren to teach them about music and birds!

Password:  BFPMC  (case sensitive)

 Subscribe to the PRAS YouTube Channel if you are interested in watching recordings of our past Zoom meetings for which we have permission to post for viewing.


Contribute to our Flickr Photo Stream
Go to this URL:   https://www.flickr.com/photos/prairierapidsaudubon/
Click "Login" 
The email address associated with PRAS's account is:   praudubon@gmail.com
Email praudubon@gmail.com to request password for email; we won't post it here online.
Save the UN and PWD so it is quick and easy the next time you upload photos.
Click the Upload icon (looks like cloud with an arrow) and follow prompts.
Here is Flick's help page for uploads.
Click the Photos link on the above navigation bar to see photos.

Find us on Facebook
We share information about field trips, local sightings, fun and interesting photos and stories about birds, nature, the environment, etc. on our Facebook page. Check it out and like us and "share" our posts. 
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