Winter - Spring 2010 Birding Field Trips
 Saturday, February 20 -
From 8 AM to early PM
IOS Gull Frolic
Winthrop Harbor, Illinois
Hundreds of gulls and ducks “attend” the Illinois Ornithological Society’s (IOS) annual Gull Frolic, and you can warm up inside between viewings.
Guest Speaker at 11:00 AM: Mr. Alvaro Jaramillo - Slaty-backed Gull
Identification
The $10 registration fee will include:
 Breakfast with muffins, doughnuts, fruit, coffee and tea.
Lunch with the world famous Sea Gull Stew, Vegetarian Lasagna, pizza, a drink, salad, and a nice cookie for dessert.
Free coffee, tea and hot chocolate will be available all day.
Additionally the fee helps defray facility expenses with any surplus
going to the IOS Grant Program to benefit Illinois birds and birding.
Visit our Gull Frolic page for more information and complete directions.
 Sunday, March 28 at 8:00 AM
Loons of Lake County
Our annual search for migrating loons and other waterfowl will begin at the Gale Street Inn parking lot and proceed to other lakes in the area. Bring a spotting scope if you have one.
Directions:
From Rt. 22, take Rt. 83 north to Diamond Lake Rd., turn right, and drive ½ mile to the parking lot on the right.
Leader: Fred and Cheri Thompson 847-681-1356
 Saturday April 17 at 8:00 AM
Beginners Birding
Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve, Fort Sheridan
Bring your binoculars for a
Birding 101 lesson and walk at this site
just north of Highwood on Lake Michigan. This is a moderate walk along
some asphalt and bark trails. Mostly wheelchair accessible. Moderate
grade down path to lake. This walk is best enjoyed by children who are
old enough to use binoculars.
Directions:
Take Sheridan Rd. north of
Highwood to Old Elm Rd/Simonds Way, enter on Simonds Way, turn left on
Leonard Wood Drive North, then left on Gilgare Lane to parking area.
Leader: Sonny and Rena Cohen 847-831-0331
Friday - Sunday April 9 - 11
Prairie Chickens Close-up
Jackson County, Illinois
With your new-found knowledge about Prairie Chickens from our March 16 Program, get up-close looks from a blind in Jasper County in central Illinois. We will also bird the surrounding area looking for migrating land and shorebirds.
LIMIT 12 PEOPLE
Contact: Rena Cohen 847-831-0331
Sunday, April 25 at 8:00 AM
Birding at Fermilab
Peter Kasper, birding expert at Fermilab in Batavia, IL, will
introduce us to some of the over 250 species that he has sighted there in
both the public and private areas. The number of people and cars is
strictly limited, so pre-registration is required.
Contact: Rena
Cohen 847-831-0331.
Wednesday April 28 at 7:00 AM
Ryerson Woods
Riverwoods, Illinois
Spring is here – so are the early migrants! We expect to see some of the early arriving warblers. Our walk will be led by Nan Buckardt who is the Environmental Education Manager for the Lake County Forest Preserve
Directions:
From Deerfield Rd., turn north on Riverwoods Rd., and drive to the
Ryerson entrance on the left (west). Turn left (south) on first access road (yes, onto the forest road) and meet
in Brushwood parking lot by the old Ryerson home.
Please drive slow on access roads being alert for deer.
Leader: Nan Buckardt 847-968-3330
Sunday, May 2 at 7:00 AM
Independence Grove
Libertyville, Illinois
Search for early birds (literally) at this Lake County forest preserve.
Directions:
From U.S. 41, exit west at Buckley Rd. (Route 137) and drive 3.7 miles. Entrance is on north side of Buckley Rd. about a 1/2 mile east of Milwaukee Ave. (Route 21). Bear left and park near restrooms at north end. Mention Lake/Cook Audubon to avoid parking fees.
Leader: Adam Sell 847-910-7813
 Tuesday, May 11 at 7:00 AM
Daniel Wright Woods, Lincolnshire
Migration is peaking: big warbler day (we hope)! Local magnet for migrating songbirds and more.
Directions:
From Waukegan Rd.,
turn west on Everett Rd. in Lake Forest, drive to the end (St. Mary’s
Rd), and turn left (south) into the parking lot.
Leader: Mike Trahan 847-949-5589
Saturday May 15 at 7:30 AM
Montrose Harbor/"Magic Hedge" Chicago
Migrating warblers, sparrows, shorebirds and more stop at the Montrose
Point Bird Sanctuary on their way south. Warblers at eye level plus
lakefront birding magic at this must-see migration stop come see the
‘magic’ in the Hedge and on the lakefront.
Directions:
From
Lake Shore Drive take Montrose Ave. east, turn right (east) at the Bait
Shop (Montrose Harbor Drive), and park along the bend in the road.NOTE:
Parking fee $1/hour - pay with quarters or a credit card at fee box (no meters).
Leader: Nolan Lameka (847) 749-0610
![[ Yahoo! Maps ]](http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/mp/gr/mplogo.gif)
Map of Montrose and Simonds, Chicago, IL
Thursday, May 20 at 7:30 AM
Shaw Woods, Lake Forest
Start your day with a (bird)song!
Directions:
From Deerpath Rd, turn north on Green
Bay Rd., then left (west) on Laurel to its end at Hawkweed Lane.
LIMITED PARKING. Carpool if possible
Leader: Coral Ackerman 847-433-4367
Tuesday May 22
Skokie Lagoons
Northfield
A perennial favorite for warbler viewing.
Directions:
Meet at the Willow Rd. entrance just east of the Edens Expressway (the sign says Erickson Woods). From the north you should take Edens X-way south exiting at Tower Road. Turn left (south) on the Frontage road to Willow Road. Turn left (east) on Willow over the Edens to Erickson Woods entrance.
Leader: Joel Shoolin 847-835-3591
Sunday May 30 at 7:30 AM NEW!
Spring Bluff and Stateline Beach, Winthrop Harbor
All-in-one marsh, land and shoreline birding at this spot known for bitterns, rails and gulls.
Directions:
From I-94, exit at Route 173, turn right (east) and go to Sheridan Rd.
(Route 137). Turn left on Sheridan, then right on 7th Street. Park in
the lot south of the main harbor building at the end of 7th.
Leader: Tom Lally 773-844-3766
Saturday June 5 7:30AM
Rollins Savanna, Grayslake
Yellow-Headed Blackbirds, Sedge Wrens, Bobolinks, oh my! One of Lake County’s best spot for grassland and marsh birds, plus marsh and pond habitat. This is a popular field trip so our plan is to have our group separate into shorter ( 2-hour) and longer (4-hour) trips on site.
Directions:
From north suburbs, take I-94 north, merge onto I-120/Belvidere Rd., turn right (north) on Rt. 45, then left (west) on Washington. Entrance on Atkinson Rd. on right at traffic light.
Leaders: Donnie Dann 847-266-2222 and Beau Schaefer 847-265-9067
Past Field Trips
The following field trips for the 2009 - 2010 program year are now over.
Friday September 11 - Sunday September 13
Illinois Audubon Society Fall Gathering
Lake/Cook Chapter is hosting the annual statewide Fall Gathering of the Illinois Audubon Society, a weekend event including two programs and 18 field trips. All attendees must pay registration fee & pre-register for all events; no walk-ins can be accommodated.Details and registration form are at the IAS Fall Gathering page.
Saturday September 26 at 8:00 AM
Volo Bog, Ingleside
Volo Bog is the only “quaking” bog in Illinois.
The bog is a registered National Natural Landmark and a dedicated nature
preserve. Today, five plant communities
encircle a half-acre pond like a target. This is Lake Cook Audubon's first trip to Volo Bog. We will bird and tour this unique state natural area.
Directions:
From Route 120 (Belvidere Rd), drive west 13 miles to Highway 12. Turn right (north), drive 2 miles, turn left on Brandenburg Rd. and drive 1.25 miles to the park. Meet at Visitor Center. (Map)
Contact: Rena Cohen 847-831-0331
Saturday October 17 at 7:30 AM
Middlefork Savanna, Lake Forest
Help us look for migrating grassland birds and waterfowl in this ecologically important preserve. Part of the Lake County Forest Preserves, the approximately 600 acres of Middlefork Savanna is a beautiful tall grass savanna with the middle fork of the Chicago River running through it. The southern end of this parcel includes wetlands and forested area.
We will walk with this preserve’s steward, Denis Bohm, to look for
waterfowl, grassland birds and straggling migrating warblers. In previous years notable sightings have included Lincoln's Sparrows, Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes.
Learn more about birding Middlefork Savanna here.
Directions:
From Rt. 60, take Waukegan Road/Rt. 43 north to
the traffic light at Westmoreland Dr. and turn left onto Middlefork Dr.
Go to the end and turn left into the parking lot where the street turns
right onto Jensen
Dr.
Leader: Denis Bohm 847-235-2738
Saturday, October 24 at 8:00 AM
Whippoorwill Farm, Mettawa
 Seven acres of highly dense buckthorn is being transformed into an oak and hickory savanna harboring native flowers and grasses. See the progress being made to natively restore historic Whippoorwill Farm and enjoy the birdwalk and participate in the bird census.
This field trip is an onsite follow-up to our Tuesday, October 20 program where we will have learned about different approaches being explored to determine the best restoration process.
Directions:
The farm is located on the NW corner of Riverwoods Blvd. and Rt. 60.
Leader: Contact Roberta Morris 847-945-4188
 Sunday November 8 at 7:30 AM
Ducks on Lake Michigan,
Evanston
This
car tour along the lakefront through Chicago's North Shore reveals
arriving winter ducks and other waterfowl. Some land species will be
seen as well. We will follow the Lake Michigan lakefront starting at
Northwestern University in Evanston and heading north to Gillson Park,
Park Avenue Beach, Rosewood, Fort Sheridan and beyond as time permits
and interest remains. Bring spotting scopes and dress for wind coming
off the lake. Join or leave when you want. To locate the tour enroute,
call 847 971 1101.
Directions:
From
Sheridan Road in Evanston, go east on Lincoln St., turn south past the
Fitness Center, turn east (left) and drive almost to the end.
(Map)
Leader: Jeff Sanders 847-657-6431
Saturday November 14 at 8:00 AM NEW THIS YEAR
Paul Douglas Forest Preserve
Hoffman Estates
 This will be our Chapter's first trip here. But birders have long known Paul Douglas Forest Preserve for its grassland
birds. Located in the northwestern corner of Cook County in Hoffman
Estates, the 1,800-acre preserve has large stretches
of treeless territory for birds to breed, free from the danger of
hidden raptors. Explore this underbirded preserve for wintering and migrating grassland species and sparrows, waterfowl and hawks.
Directions:
From I-90 westbound, exit north on Roselle Rd. Turn left/west at Central Road, drive 1.5 miles and turn right/north into parking area labeled "Grassy Ridge Meadow." Mapquest Map
Saturday, January 9 at 9:30 AM
Birding from the Inside Out
Field Museum, Chicago
Ever wondered how birds fly? How the different shapes and sizes of
beaks, talons, wings and feathers help them adapt to their lifestyle? How
bird classifications are determined? Longtime birder Wayne Svoboda will
walk us through the Field Museum’s Bird Hall to illustrate bird
physiology and how it can hone our identification skills. Meet inside the Field Museum’s south entrance. Bring scopes for optional birding in adjacent
harbor afterward. ($15 parking in lot, carpool if possible. Museum admission is
free.)
Registration is required. There is a group limit. No walk-ins. : Contact Rena Cohen 847-831-0331
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