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.
Archives: Events
The Preserve of Highland Park – Highland Park
NEW! A former golf course connected to the now-shuttered Highland Park Country Club, this preserve opened to the public in June 2022 and is rapidly becoming a popular north suburban birding destination. Mature trees, pond and wetland overlooks, a trail along the North Branch Chicago River watershed, and the adjacent Skokie River Woods property with a Great Blue Heron rookery provide a variety of bird-friendly habitats with easy walking and good possibilities for lingering migrants as well as resident species.
Directions: The preserve is accessed from the parking lot of the Recreation Center of Highland Park (1207 Park Avenue West), just east of Route 41. Meet in front of the Recreation Center building.
Leader: Josh Engel (224) 213-2280
Please register for The Preserve of Highland Park trip here so that we can get a head count and contact you in the event of a date change due to weather conditions.
Shorebirds by Day, Woodcocks by Night – Techny Basin Conservation Area and Air Station Prairie – Glenview
Techny Basin Conservation Are offers an easy paved walking/cycling path winding around the Techny Basin wetlands, providing opportunities for early landbird migrants along the trail as well as shorebirds when mudflat conditions are right. (One birder had nine shorebird species at the same time last year.) We’ll start at Techny at 4:30 pm, grab a quick dinner at Whole Foods, then head to Kent Fuller Air Station Prairie at 6:45 pm to be in place at dusk when American Woodcocks begin peenting and taking to the sky in their amazing aerial courting display.
Bring scopes if you have them for viewing the Techny Basin wetlands. Dress for possible ticks and wet conditions at Air Station Prairie (high socks, light-colored pants, boots).
Directions: Techny Basin Conservation Area is located south of Willow Road at 2050 Claire Ct. Driving west on Willow, turn left on Ravine Way, go 0.6 mile and turn left onto Claire Ct. at the JourneyCare sign (the street sign is blocked by a tree). Follow Claire Ct. south to the turnaround at the end and park in the gravel parking lot, leaving room for other vehicles. Air Station Prairie is a few minutes away at 2400 Compass Rd.
Leader: John Leonard 847-845-5563
Please register for the Shorebirds by Day, Woodcocks by Night field trip here so that we can get a head count and contact you in the event of a date change due to weather conditions.
Techny North/Techny Basin – Northbrook
It’s shorebird migration time, and the Techny Basin Conservation Area can have excellent shorebird habitat under the right conditions. We’ll begin at “Techny North” – located on the North branch of the Chicago River – which is among the best non-lake shorebird spots in the area. It also offers grassland habitat to the east, where species like Dickcissels nested this summer (thanks in part to initiatives by local birders to prevent mowing during the breeding season), and a view of the Willowhill Golf Course to the west that can yield raptors and other species.
After birding Techny North, we’ll drive five minutes to the second Techny Basin area – just south of Willow Road – to look for other shorebirds and landbirds.
Join us for coffee/breakfast afterward.
Scopes are helpful to view the shorebirds – please bring scopes if you have them.
Directions: Drive west on Willow Road past Waukegan Road and turn right (north) at the light at Pinstripes, which is Founders Drive. Turn left at the Sheraton Chicago Northbrook and park in the farthest west lo t overlooking the basin.
Leader: Kerry Swift 847-323-6878
Please register at https://forms.gle/Szjp17Vsf8NB9ADB8 so we can get a head count and contact you in the event of a date change due to weather conditions.
Birding, Native Seed Nursery Tour and Breakfast
Join us for a triple-header morning (your choice of one, two or all three events): a 7 am birding field trip at Rollins Savanna, a 9 am tour of the Lake County Forest Preserve Native Seed Nursery located on the Rollins property, and a 10 am breakfast nearby.
Registration required – see below.
7 am: Meet at Rollins Savanna’s Washington Street parking lot for a bird walk led by Beau Schaefer.
9-10 am: We’ll have a guided 9-10 am tour of the Native Seed Nursery, which includes a greenhouse, seed processing facility and nursery grounds, with a 5-acre mix of woodland, wetland and prairie plants located just outside the greenhouse. Rare and hard-to-collect seeds of different native species are grown there and used to restore native habitat throughout the forest preserves.
10:15 am: Breakfast at a nearby restaurant.
Email renabird3@gmail.com to register, and please specify which activities you will be participating in (field trip, seed nursery tour, breakfast). Limit 25 people with priority to Lake/Cook members.
Directions: From US 41/Skokie Highway, exit west on Washington Street and drive 6.8 miles to the Rollins Savanna entrance at 19876 W Washington. Turn right into the preserve and park in the lot. (Do NOT go to the Drury Lane entrance.)
Lyons Woods – Waukegan
The trails in this Lake County Forest Preserve move from pine grove to prairie to oak woodland, providing varied habitat that makes it an ideal location to look for spring migrants as well as birds that will stay to nest like Blue-winged Warblers. One eBird checklist from the same time last year counted 59 species including 17 types of warblers.
Directions: The entrance to Lyons Woods is located at the corner of Blanchard and Sheridan Roads, north of Bowen Park and south of York House Road.
Leader: Donna Kenski 847-347-3474
Please register for the Lyons Woods field trip here so that we can get a head count and contact you in the event of a date change due to weather conditions.
Oak Openings Nature Preserve – Grayslake
NEW! Oak Openings Nature Preserve is a Libertyville Township-managed open space in Grayslake that is becoming one of the newest birding hotspots in Lake County. The recent removal of drain tiles has created a broad vista of grassland/prairie, and water management has produced a series of small linked ponds – all offering excellent habitat for migrants, waterfowl and resident birds. This is the first fall since the resculpting of the landscape, and we’ll explore the preserve on an easy grass trail that connects to a gravel trail.
Directions: The preserve is located on Route 45 between Route 137/Peterson Rd and Route 120/Belvidere Rd. Access the parking lot from northbound Route 45 north of Peterson Rd.
Leaders: Wanda Supanich (224) 433-1675 and Susan Lamberts
Please register for the Oak Openings trip here so that we can get a head count and contact you in the event of a date change due to weather conditions.
Liberty Prairie Nature Preserve – Libertyville
NEW! This small natural area connects Independence Grove with Oak Openings. It packs a lot of different habitats into a short 2-2.5 mile walk, including rolling prairie, woods, creek and pond habitats, providing opportunities for a wide range of birdlife.
Directions: Take Route 41 north to Buckley Rd./Route 137. Turn west and drive 5.6 miles to Butterfield Rd. Turn right on Butterfield (NOT left, ignore the arrow on the street sign) and park on Castleton Rd near the trail head. There is a portable toilet on the property or use the restrooms at the McDonalds on Peterson Rd before arriving.
Leader: Wanda Supanich 224-433-1675
Illinois Beach State Park North Unit and Whip-poor-wills – Winthrop Harbor
We’ll bird the IBSP North Unit trail heading south from the “fisherman’s parking lot” at North Point Marina, then wind up near the parking lot shortly after 8 pm to be in place when the Whip-poor-wills begin chanting their endless whip-poor-will breeding call at dusk. Sunset is at 8:24 pm so be prepared to stay until 8:45-9 pm.
Directions: From Sheridan Road/Route 137 turn east on 7th Street. Follow 7th street toward the North Point Marina. At the stop sign, turn right and then, almost immediately, turn right into the fisherman’s parking lot.
Leader: Nancy Tikalsky 773-655-0269
Chain O Lakes State Park – Spring Grove
Our closest state park is a multi-habitat migrant trap that has recorded nearly 250 species, including over 80 in one outing in late May in 2023.
Directions: From I-94 tollway, exit IL-173/Rosecrans Rd, turn left on Rosecrans, drive 13 mi, turn left on Wilmot Rd.. then left into park. Meet at the pull-out/overlook on the right side of the entrance road.
Leader: Beau Schaefer 847-337-3602
Illinois Beach State Park North Unit – Winthrop Harbor
Great spot for lingering and late migrants, including star skulkers like Mourning and Connecticut Warblers.
Directions: From Sheridan Road/Route 137 turn east on 7th Street. Follow 7th street toward the North Point Marina. At the stop sign, turn right and then, almost immediately, turn right into the fisherman’s parking lot.
Leader: Beau Schaefer 847-337-3602
The Grove – Glenview
This National Historic Landmark spans 150 acres of oak-hickory savanna and wetland pools that provide an oasis for spring migrants.
Directions: The Grove is located at 1421 Milwaukee Avenue, south of Lake Street and north of Abt Electronics). Enter the property and drive to the last (easternmost) parking lot adjacent to the Redfield Estate.
Leaders: Ed and Rebecca Rice 847-420-0734
Openlands Lakeshore Preserve at Fort Sheridan – Highwood
Now part of the Lake County Forest Preserves and reopened in 2023 after several years of being closed to the public, this 72-acre site along the shoreline of Lake Michigan is one of the few publicly accessible ravines and blufftop ecosystems in the area and a great stopover for migrants on the way to their breeding grounds.
Directions: The preserve is located at 24256 North Patten Rd. From downtown Highwood, turn east on Walker Ave., then north on Patten Rd. to the parking lot just south of the bridge. The lot is small. You can also park on street. Observe street signs, if any.
Leader: Nancy Tikalsky 773-655-0269
Wadsworth Canoe Launch / Sedge Meadow Forest Preserve – Wadsworth
The trail beginning at the Des Plaines River canoe launch loops through woodland, savanna and wetland habitats that can be filled with a wide variety of bird species. One previous chapter walk here even yielded a Brewster’s Warbler, a hybrid Blue-winged and Golden-winged Warbler that is rarely reported in the Chicago area.
Directions: Preserve is on Wadsworth Rd., just east of US 41. Park at the Canoe Launch entrance.
Leader: Donna Kenski 847-347-3474
Ryerson Conservation Area – Riverwoods
This hotspot along the Des Plaines River corridor is a great migrant trap that can be filled with fall warblers, lingering flycatchers and other landbirds winging their way south at this time of year. Resident Pileated and Red-headed Woodpeckers and Barred and Great-horned Owls are other possible highlights at this site, which is both an Illinois Nature Preserve indicating its ecologically high-quality land and a Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Directions: From Deerfield Rd., turn north on Riverwoods Rd., drive to Ryerson entrance. Enter preserve and follow the signs to Brushwood Visitors Center. Meet in the Brushwood parking lot. NOTE: The gates open at 6:30 am.
Leader: Beau Schaefer (847) 337-3602
Please register for the Ryerson trip here so that we can get a head count and contact you in the event of a date change due to weather conditions.