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 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.
BONUS: Stay after the walk for hot cider and donuts plus a discussion about the history and restoration of Pine Dunes Forest Preserve.
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.
Join us to view the new trails and boardwalks as well as do some light conservation work at Lake Forest Open Lands Association’s Carruthers Preserve (formerly 770 Westleigh), where Lake-Cook Chapter is in its fourth year of a collaborative project to help restore a property that used to be one of the last working farms in Lake Forest.
Activities will include planting a few shrubs and seedlings and doing some light seed collecting, followed by a walk and a demonstration of the Purple Martin nesting system.
Snacks and drinks will be provided.
To register, email Maureen Marsh at firefeats@hotmail.com or call 352-317-5130
Directions: From Rte 41, head west on Westleigh Rd. After the stop sign at Ridge Rd, take the first right on Stable Lane and park along curb.
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 over 50 years, most of his adult life, Dr. Stephen Kress worked to bring back extirpated Atlantic Puffins to their once established colonies of Eastern Egg Rock Island and other islands off the coast of Maine. Brenda Hente studied under Dr. Kress at Maine’s Audubon Camp during the summers of 2015, 2016 and 2017. In this presentation, Hente will describe the causes of this seabird’s disappearance, the struggles and obstacles that Dr. Kress faced while restoring Atlantic Puffin and other seabird colonies to where they once lived, and how this difficult task of seabird restoration is teaching others about successful seabird restoration and conservation efforts throughout the world.
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.
Email Newsletter
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.