Next Field Trips
Join us on our next bird watching field trip. Unless otherwise noted, there is no charge for participation. Some trips may require prior registration or are prioritized for Lake Cook Audubon members. This will be noted in the field trip description.
The trails in this Lake County Forest Preserve move from pine grove to prairie to oak woodland, providing diverse habitats for migrants as well as resident birds. Species seen here at this time last year range from a few late warblers and thrushes to Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, assorted sparrows on the way to their wintering grounds, and even Tufted Titmouse not typically seen in our area.
Directions: The preserve is located at 10200 Blanchard, Waukegan. The entrance is on Blanchard Road, just west of Sheridan Road, north of Bowen Prak and south of Yorkhouse Road.
Leaders: Wanda Supanich 224-433-1675 and Susan Lamberts
Please register for Lyons Woods -Waukegan here so that we can get a head count and contact you in the event of a date change due to weather conditions.
The rolling topography of this preserve is filled with multiple wetlands, making it a magnet for migrating waterfowl and reclusive marsh residents like Wilson’s Snipe. The large open space can also offer great views of migrating raptors, and special late October sightings over the last few years have included Purple Finch, American Pipit, Snow Bunting and Northern Saw-whet Owl.
Directions: From US-41 N, exit west on IL-173, drive 1.5 miles to Hunt Club Rd., turn north. Preserve is on the east side. We will meet in the main lot.
Leader: Nancy Tikalsky 773-655-0269
Please register for Pine Dunes Forest Preserve here so that we can get a head count and contact you in the event of a date change due to weather conditions.
Next Programs
Our programs are open to the public and free. Most are offered at Heller Nature Center in Highland Park. Some may be presented on Zoom. This will be noted in the program description. Many past-programs can now be viewed on YouTube here.
Our program year 2024-2025 is in development and programs are being published when set up.
For decades, no one knew what waterbirds could be found offshore in Lake Michigan beyond the reach of spotting scopes in the fall and winter. Leaders of the Wisconsin-based Lake Michigan Bird Observatory decided to find out, both to gain insights into offshore bird habitats and to help prevent any future wind turbine projects from being placed in key foraging sites. A team conducted offshore and nearshore waterfowl surveys in a twin-engine aircraft for five years, flying parallel transects between the shoreline and 15 kilometers from shore in rectangular survey blocks from Door County to the IL/WI state line. The surveys detected thousands of waterfowl, including over 25,000 Long-tailed Ducks on a single day. Bill Mueller, a driving force behind the survey and now the observatory’s Director Emeritus, will join us to discuss the findings and their importance for waterfowl conservation.
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Who We Are
We are a gathering of people who enjoy bird watching and studying birds and wildlife. We welcome people of all ages and skills to join us on our field trips, programs and other events. Most of our monthly programs are bird-oriented, but we also address environmental and natural history topics.
The Illinois Audubon Society is the state’s oldest conservation organization that functions as a land trust to protect and enhance Illinois’ unique habitats and to educate the public about them. Organized in 1897, Illinois Audubon is not affiliated with the National Audubon Society.