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Photo: Gull Frolic IOS with Sponsor Lake-Cook Chapter IAS Illinois
Bufflehead in Winthrop Harbor Illinois February 10, 2007

Illinois Ornithological Society (IOS) Gull Frolic
Winthrop Harbor, Lake County, Illinois
Saturday, February 20, 2010
8 AM - Early PM

The annual Gull Frolic is produced by the Illinois Ornithological Society with support from local bird and environmental organizations including the Lake/Cook Chapter of Illinois Audubon Society. It is held at the Winthrop Harbor Yacht Club in Winthrop Harbor, Illinois on Lake Michigan. There is a small participation fee  to attend and includes plenty of goodies such as:
  • All you can eat buffet (coffee & pastry in the AM, lunch in the PM)
  • Displays from local environmental organizations & sponsors
  • Educational seminars
  • Access to Yacht Club for warmth & bathroom breaks
  • Birding experts to help with bird identification
  • Access to Winthrop Harbor and the birds
This event is sociable, friendly, entertaining and educational. A variety of gulls and other waterfowl typically make their appearance weather, of course, dependent.

This event is for birding enthusiasts of all stripes. It is usually cold & windy outside and warm and dry inside. It is not typically attended by families with young children.

This year the $10 registration fee will include:

Guest Speaker 9:30 AM or11:30 AM: Mr. Alvaro Jaramillo -
Slaty-backed Gull Identification


Mr. Alvaro Jaramillo is a Field Guides Chile specialist guide. He lives in Half Moon Bay, California.

Also:

checkBreakfast with muffins, doughnuts, fruit, coffee and tea.

checkLunch with the world famous Sea Gull Stew, Vegetarian Lasagna, pizza, a drink, salad, and a nice cookie for dessert. (Following Al Jaramillo's presentation)

checkCoffee, tea and hot chocolate will be available all day.

Additionally the fee helps defray facility expenses. Any surplus goes to the IOS Grant Program to benefit Illinois birds and birding.

Directions:

To reach the Winthrop Harbor Yacht Club take the I-94 toll road north toward Milwaukee. Exit at Route 173. Turn right (east) and go to  Sheridan Road (Rt. 137). Turn left (north) and proceed to 7th Street. Turn right (east) on 7th  Street and follow the North Point Marina signs to the yacht club. DO NOT SPEED on 7th Street! It is actively patrolled by the Winthrop Harbor police.


A Typical Day at the IOS Gull Frolic

Indeed it was a gull frolic (and ducks as well) on this beautiful bright sunny and cold Saturday on Lake Michigan in Lake County, Illinois.  Temperatures in the teens were irrelevant as birders enjoyed a variety of wintering waterfowl on calm seas with little wind and the respite of a cozy yacht club only steps away.  Orange capped IOS members with water fowl expertise shouted out sightings and interpreted the indistinguishable field marks as indications of second year or third year Thayer's Gulls or what have you.

No one was left behind and most saw something entirely new or reasonably rare. Not surprisingly, the event was a magnet for frequent birders from around Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana.

The day's bird list might look something like this:

Canada Goose             Mallard American                Black Duck
Redhead                        Ring-necked Duck              Greater Scaup
Common Goldeneye   Bufflehead                            Hooded Merganser
Ruddy Duck                   Bald Eagle                            American Coot
Ring-billed Gull             Great Black-backed Gull   Glaucous Gull
Iceland Gull                   Thayer's Gull                        Herring Gull

The Lake-Cook Audubon Chapter of I.A.S.  together with many local area birding and environmental groups, municipalities and several individuals help to sponsor this annual event.  You can visit the IOS website here. Special thanks to the volunteers who always are responsible for making great events like this happen.

View detail gull pictures taken at the Gull Frolic including identification at this web page published by IOS member Geoff Williamson

Content & Images Copyright 2006 - 2010 Lake Cook Chapter of the Illinois Audubon Society - Site Map