Calendar

Oct
1
Sun
Illinois Beach State Park – South Unit @ Illinois Beach State Park - Nature Center Lot
Oct 1 @ 7:15 am
Illinois Beach State Park - South Unit @ Illinois Beach State Park - Nature Center Lot | Zion | Illinois | United States

The South Unit boasts marsh, dune, swale, oak woods, beach and Lake Michigan in one location, offering exceptional opportunities for spotting a range of species.

Directions

From US-41, turn east on Wadsworth Rd., then drive 2 miles into the park to the Nature Center parking lot.

Leader: Beau Schaefer  (847) 337-3602 beauschaefer@yahoo.com

Oct
8
Sun
Daniel Wright Woods @ Daniel Wright Woods
Oct 8 @ 7:15 am
Daniel Wright Woods @ Daniel Wright Woods | Illinois | United States

Double-header Daniel Wright Woods/Half Day Forest Preserve trip at one of the best migrant traps in Lake County, thanks in part to the Des Plaines River.

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: Jerry Hampton 630-400-0755

Oct
14
Sat
Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve @ Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve
Oct 14 @ 7:30 am
Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve @ Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve | Lake Forest | Illinois | United States

Our annual mid-October trip to Middlefork Savanna can be a sparrow spectacle with special finds in previous years including Harris’ Sparrow, Purple Finch, Pine Siskins and more.

Directions:

From Rt. 60, take Rt. 43 north to Westmoreland Dr./Middlefork Dr. Turn left to the parking lot

Leader: Donna Kenski (847) 347-3474

Oct
22
Sun
Buffalo Creek Forest Preserve @ Buffalo Creek Forest Preserve
Oct 22 @ 7:30 am
Buffalo Creek Forest Preserve @ Buffalo Creek Forest Preserve | Long Grove | Illinois | United States

NEW! We’ll explore the trails and wetlands of one of Lake County’s newer preserves looking for both landbirds and waterfowl.

Leader: Jerry Hampton 630-400-0755

Directions:

Drive to the intersection of Lake Cook Rd. and N. Arlington Heights Rd. Turn north on Arlington Heights Rd., then west on Checker Rd. Park in the parking lot at 18163 Checker Rd. (This is the preserve’s east parking lot and larger than the one on the west.)

Nov
5
Sun
Rollins Savanna @ Rollins Savanna
Nov 5 @ 7:30 am
Rollins Savanna @ Rollins Savanna | Grayslake | Illinois | United States

Meet at Drury Lane parking lot on the north side of the preserve. We will walk out to the observation deck

Directions:

From I-94, exit Grand Ave. west to Rollins Rd., then left (west) on Rollins and south on Drury Lane .3 mile to parking lot on left.

Leader: Beau Schaefer 847-337-3602  beauschaefer@yahoo.com

Nov
18
Sat
Ducks on Lake Michigan #1 @ Gillson Park
Nov 18 @ 8:00 am
Ducks on Lake Michigan  #1 @ Gillson Park | Lake Forest | Illinois | United States

Multi-stop trip begins at Gillson Park in Wilmette and heads north with stops at Tower Road, Glencoe Beach overlook and more to look for migrating waterfowl. Bring scopes if you have them.

Directions:

From Sheridan Road turn east at Lake Avenue toward lake. Turn right on Overlook Drive and then into the parking lot of the Beach House.

Leader: Jeff Sanders 847 675 7172 — Field Trip DAY contact Rena Cohen 847 971 1107

Nov
24
Fri
Pine Dunes Forest Preserve @ Pine Dunes Forest Preserve
Nov 24 @ 7:30 am
Pine Dunes Forest Preserve @ Pine Dunes Forest Preserve | Antioch | Illinois | United States

The rolling topography of this preserve is filled with multiple wetlands, making it a magnet for migrating waterfowl. The large open space can also offer great views of migrating raptors, and surprise sightings last year at this time included 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

Learn more about Pine Dunes Forest Preserve (Lake County Forest Preserve)

 

Dec
9
Sat
Ducks on Lake Michigan #2 @ Openlands Lakeshore Preserve
Dec 9 @ 8:00 am
Ducks on Lake Michigan  #2 @ Openlands Lakeshore Preserve | Highland Park | Illinois | United States

Our second Lake Michigan ducky trip of the season will begin at Openlands Lakeshore Preserve and head north with multiple stops looking for newly arriving waterfowl. Bring scopes if you have them.

Directions:

From downtown Highwood, turn east on Walker Ave., then north on Patten Rd. to parking lot just south of the bridge. Unless signage specifies, parking on road is ok as well.

Leader: Josh Engel 224 213 2280

Feb
5
Mon
Winter in Southeast Arizona @ Portal and the Chiricahua Mountains, Sulphur Springs Valley, the Huachucas, and the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Corridor and Feb 10 Sonoran Desert extension
Feb 5 – Feb 9 all-day
Winter in Southeast Arizona @ Portal and the Chiricahua Mountains, Sulphur Springs Valley, the Huachucas, and the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Corridor and Feb 10 Sonoran Desert extension

Arizona, here we come! Led by a local birding tour company, this trip will cover Portal and the Chiricahua Mountains, Sulphur Springs Valley, the Huachucas, and the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Corridor, plus the Sonoran Desert on the optional Feb 10 extension.

Target birds include Mexican Chickadee, Rivoli’s Hummingbird, Blue-throated Mountain-gem, Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Elegant Trogon, Arizona Woodpecker, Whiskered Screech-Owl, Bendire’s and Crissal Thrashers, Black-chinned Sparrow, Painted Redstart, Vermilion Flycatcher and many others. The extension will add species such as Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Crissal Thrasher, Harris’s Hawk, Gilded Flicker and Rufous-winged Sparrow.

Email renabird3@gmail.com for itinerary and cost. Maximum 11 participants.  Lake Cook Chapter Member priority.

Apr
25
Thu
Southern Illinois in Spring @ Giant City State Park Lodge
Apr 25 – Apr 28 all-day
Southern Illinois in Spring @ Giant City State Park Lodge | Makanda | Illinois | United States

Join Lake/Cook and Red Hill Birding’s Adam Sell for a spring jaunt to southern Illinois. Migrants are at their peak in this area in late April, and most of the southern breeding specialties are already actively setting up territories. We’ll search for migrants that haven’t yet reached our area plus specialties like Chuck-wills-Widow, Prairie, Worm-eating, and Kentucky Warblers, Bell’s Vireo, Blue Grosbeak, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Fish Crow, and Loggerhead Shrike. Bonus: we will be staying at the Giant City State Park Lodge, where species like White-eyed Vireo, Worm-eating Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, and Red-shouldered Hawk can be right outside our door.

We’ll be traveling by one or two vans from the Chicago area, depending on participant numbers. Email renabird3@gmail.com for itinerary and cost. Maximum 15 participants. Member priority