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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.

Apr
14
Mon
Texas Hill Country and Big Bend
Apr 14 – Apr 23 all-day
Texas Hill Country and Big Bend

Texas Hill Country and Big Bend Led by Red Hill Birding

Texas Hill Country and Big Bend National Park are must-visit U.S. destinations for avid birders. Highlights include Golden-cheeked Warbler and Black-capped Vireo, two endangered migratory songbirds that breed exclusively in south central Texas; Colima Warbler, a montane species found nowhere else in the U.S.; and stunners like Painted Bunting, Painted Redstart, Lucifer Hummingbird, Greater Roadrunner and many more – plus the spectacle of millions of Mexican Free-tailed Bats leaving their roosting cave in a small town 90 minutes west of San Antonio in the evening.

Red Hill’s last trip here tallied 181 species, including the Elf Owl that was voted #1 bird of the trip. The lodge at Big Bend is scheduled to close for renovations at the end of the season, so this will be the last opportunity to make the trip for several years.

Email renabird3@gmail.com for a detailed itinerary and pricing. Space is limited; Lake/Cook members have priority.


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.

Jan
21
Tue
Birding 101 @ Zoom Presentation
Jan 21 @ 7:00 pm
Birding 101 @ Zoom Presentation

If you’re just getting into birding and trying to figure out where to go, when to go, what to bring, and how to identify the birds you see, this program will provide both direction and inspiration.  Matt Igleski, Executive Director, Chicago Bird Alliance, will discuss field guides, phone apps, weather patterns, bird identification, birding terminology, and other topics to equip you with a quick start guide to all things birding.

Feb
18
Tue
A Wing and A Prayer: The Race to Save Our Vanishing Birds with Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal @ Zoom Presentation
Feb 18 @ 7:00 pm
A Wing and A Prayer: The Race to Save Our Vanishing Birds with Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal @ Zoom Presentation

Three years ago, headlines delivered shocking news: nearly three billion birds in North America have vanished over the past fifty years. No species has been spared, from the most delicate jeweled hummingbirds to scrappy black crows, from a rainbow of warblers to common birds such as owls and sparrows. Veteran journalists Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal traveled more than 25,000 miles across the Americas to chronicle costly experiments, contentious politics, and new technologies being implemented to save birds at risk of extinction. Their new book, A Wing and a Prayer: The Race to Save Our Vanishing Birds, offers insight into encouraging breakthroughs that indicate there is still time to change course if we act quickly.

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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.