New to Birding?
Check out this great brochure on getting started in this wonderful activity.
Check out this great brochure on getting started in this wonderful activity.
Christmas Bird Count Is Back!
The nation's longest-running community science bird project, Christmas Bird Count (CBC), fuels Audubon's work throughout the year. Each community Christmas Bird Count happens on one calendar day between December 14 and January 5. The year 2025-2026 marks the 126th year of this annual community science event!
Here is information about the area Christmas Bird Counts:
Here is information about the area Christmas Bird Counts:
POSTPONED till Sunday, December 21st – Bremer County CBC - Species List - Map of Circle
We will meet at 7:00 am at the old Hy-Vee Food Store on Logan Avenue on U.S. Highway 63 in Waterloo and receive assignments and carpool and drive into the Count Circle from there. Some of us will meet at the Quick Star in Denver at about 7:15-7:30 am for those that do not want to drive into Waterloo to meet.
We will meet at PRAS Board member D. Siefkin's home at 12:00 pm noon for lunch. Email praudubon@gmail.com for more details. We will share our sightings to determine what bird species have been seen and which ones have been missed during the morning so we can put extra effort to find them in the afternoon. Please plan on counting until it gets too dark to count or count during the day as long as you can before having to leave your assigned area. Please count when you can and for as long as you can during the day (even if it is for only a few hours).
Thanks to the Siefkins for their hospitality and for feeding the PRAS CBC counters!
Tuesday, December 16 - Hardin County CBC - Species List
The Hardin County CBC is compiled by Mark Proescholdt; he may be contacted at 641-496-5219 to learn details about participating in this count.
Saturday, December 20 – Cedar Falls-Waterloo CBC - Species List - Map of Circle
New! Join us for our compilation & potluck supper @ 5 PM - See details below.
We will meet at 7:00 am at the Hy-Vee Food Store on University Avenue in Cedar Falls and receive assignments and carpool and drive into the Count Circle from there. We usually meet back at the Hy-Vee Food Store in Cedar Falls at 12:00 pm (Noon) for lunch and to see what bird species have been seen and which ones have been missed during the morning so we can put extra effort to find them in the afternoon. Please plan on counting until it gets too dark to count or count during the day as long as you can before having to leave your assigned area. Please count when you can and for as long as you can during the day (even if is for only a few hours.)
PRAS Christmas Bird Count Potluck Supper
Sat, Dec 20th - 5 PM
First Presbyterian Church Basement - 9th & Main, Cedar Falls
Join us for good food and conversation as we do our Christmas Bird Count compilation for the Waterloo-Cedar Falls CBC.
Bring a dish to share, table service for yourself & share time with other intrepid CBC counters! It is always a fun time and a great way to wrap up the year!
Information to record as you participate on Christmas Bird Counts:
1) Keep a list of the species and number of individuals you have seen for the day.
2) Number of hours (time you started and ended) you counted.
3) Number of miles (beginning and ending miles) you drove when you were counting in the count circle for each CBC that you participate in.
4) Send these numbers to Francis Moore, 336 Fairfield St, Waterloo, IA 50703-1628.
Contact Francis at 319-269-0741 or at superfoot99@msn.com if you have any questions.
Francis Moore, the CBC Count Coordinator, will assign an area to you so that there is not any double coverage and birds are not double counted. You must contact Francis @ 319-269-0741 or at superfoot99@msn.com if you want to participate without joining the group in the morning for the assignments.
Within the six counties served by PRAS, there will also be official CBC’s in Hardin, Buchanan, and Clayton Counties.
The Hardin County CBC is compiled by Mark Proescholdt; he may be contacted at 641-496-5219.
The other counts that you might be interested in helping with are Buchanan County CBC, NW Clayton CBC and SE Clayton CBC; these last three counts are compiled by Kelly McKay; he may be contacted at 309-235-4661.
Please contact Mark or Kelly if you are interested in helping with these other counts that are close to our area.
You may also check out the Iowa Ornithologists’ Union website to see the dates and compilers for CBC’s throughout the state if you are interested in participating in other Christmas Bird Counts (CBC’s).
PRAS Field Trip Locations
If we don't have a specific field trip scheduled, feel free to go and explore on your own at these locations that we typically visit during our group field trips. If you want to lead a field trip, email Craig and Kris Rash and we will help get the word out. We are always looking for people to share their favorite spots.
Beaver Valley Wetlands Refuge. West of Cedar Falls. Meet in parking lot off N. Union Road and Beaver Valley Road. No restroom facilities. GPS point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/b4dAQxd6LuD82xtV9
Big Woods Lake. Cedar Falls. Meet in the parking lot at the Big Woods Lake South Entrance. Pit toilets available. GPS point: https://goo.gl/maps/cAmP4Ex55jABkjKy9
Cedar Hills Sand Prairie. West of Cedar Falls. No restroom facilities .GPS point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/nZyoYCtG6s9UGwU26
Cedar Valley Nature Trail. Gilbertville. Meet at the depot west of Gilbertville off Washburn Road. Paved trails; restroom facilities at Gilbertville Depot, LaPorte City baseball park, & McFarlane Park. GPS point: https://goo.gl/maps/q9pSn2UEVw4zVAwP7
George Wyth State Park. Waterloo. Meet at the kiosk right inside the park entrance. Restroom facilities located within the park. GPS point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/EFQAQMsQ5DV1TiD49
Greenbelt Lake (aka Martin Lake). Waterloo. Meet in the parking lot off Martin Rd, which is off Highway 63. Some paved trails. No restroom facilities. GPS point: https://goo.gl/maps/fmJddNHJy7RAgjnC6
Hartman Reserve Lower Level. Cedar Falls. Drive to Lookout Park and access Park Drive. Continue to the lower level parking area. No restroom facilities at this location; go to Hartman's Nature Center. Here is the GPS point for the parking area: https://goo.gl/maps/ngamVSpBWuSTgvuh9
Hickory Hills. South of Waterloo on County Rd. V37 aka Dysart Road. Meet at the archery parking lot on the west side of Hickory Hills. Pit toilets by archery shelter. GPS point: https://goo.gl/maps/qTVUyG8sYhkkYJja6
Irvine Prairie. 1174 55th St. Dysart. Seasonal pit toilet available in summer. GPS point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/DoQSqHPyPr1jW83b6
McFarlane Park. East of LaPorte City. Park near the picnic shelter. Pit toilets by shelter; modern facilities at campground. GPS point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/npTWSe2cM7nq3sny6
Prairie Lakes. Cedar Falls Visitors Center. Cedar Falls. Meet at parking lot off Hudson Road. Paved trails; restrooms in visitor center; pit toilets also available. GPS point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/enkjhdCJNna7DQmn8
Riverview Recreation Area - Harold Getty Lake. Waterloo. At the stoplight follow Mitchell Street about 0.25 miles east of Highway 218 to the parking lot. Some paved trails. GPS point: https://goo.gl/maps/wcFiqZj8LbpHYbCeA
Robertson Bird Sanctuary. Waterloo. Pull into the parking lot on the left, it is located on south side of the road. No restroom facilities. GPS point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/zkvN5oaYzsTUVPg69
Sweet Marsh. Bremer County. No restroom facilities. GPS Point: Sweet Marsh South Entrance Parking Lot From Tripoli, IA go east for 2.1 miles on 7th Ave SE (Co Rd 93) which will turn into 165th St. Turn north onto the gravel Sweet Marsh access road that is immediately after the road for the trailhead for the Sweetwater Creek bike trail.
Washington Union Access. North of Cedar Falls at Cedar-Wapsi Road (C-57). Parking lot is located on the south side of the road just before crossing the Cedar River Bridge. No restroom facilities. GPS point: https://goo.gl/maps/m1bfb7SbtSbvWEZT7