Events & Outings
Program Meetings:
Current plans are for all LCAS program meetings to use the hybrid format, with Zoom and in-person attendance as options.
The in-person portion of meetings is held at Cook Memorial Library in downtown Libertyville. Children accompanied by an adult are welcome.
View recordings of past presentations on our YouTube page.
Bird & Nature Outings:
Unless noted otherwise, registration is mandatory for all outings (see included registration links). It helps us know how many participants to expect and allows for easier communication with you in case of potential changes. Be sure to check your email before heading out!
Bird Walk: Illinois Beach State Park South Unit
Warblers! Vireos! Sparrows!
Trip Leader: Donna Kenski (847) 347-3474
The Illinois Beach State Park is home to the first Illinois state nature preserve and is the only remaining beach ridge shoreline left in the state, with dunes and swales, sprawling marshes, forests of oak and vast arrays of animal life and vegetation. Our walk will first take us through low-growing oaks along the Dead River, so named as its outlet to Lake Michigan is often closed due to forming sand dunes, and then will continue along the beach and savanna areas. Early spring migrants such as palm warblers, black-throated greens and yellow-bellied sapsuckers should be seen but this lakefront location is often a site for unexpected rarities.
May Program Meeting: Birds & Buckthorn
Speaker: Ken Klick, Lake County Forest Preserve
Birds of a feather should NOT flock together in buckthorn.
Buckthorn covers more ground in northeastern Illinois than any other woody plant-- oak trees don’t come close! Buckthorn’s presence reduces plant and animal diversity by out-competing native species, causing long-lasting damage to the soil, and degrading the habitat quality for nearly all native species. Buckthorn’s dense thickets shade the ground from sunlight, making regeneration of oak trees, flowers, and grasses practically impossible. Ken’s program will focus on the impacts of invasive buckthorn on Lake County’s migratory and breeding bird populations and the forest preserve’s efforts to control this invasive plant while improving bird habitat.
Ken is a consummate naturalist, whose life-long interest (and career) touches upon all aspects of natural area management and the protection of its interconnecting web of plants, animals, geology, climate, and people. For 30 years Ken has been the project lead on thousands of acres of prairie, woodland, and wetland restoration projects throughout Lake County Forest Preserves’ 31,000 wonderful acres.
Join us in person at Cook Library. If you are unable to attend in person, join via Zoom at the link below:
Bird Walk: Beulah Park, Zion
Hidden Gem
Trip Leader: Donna Kenski (847) 347-3474
Have you ever visited this under-birded park? Think rolling hills used by mountain bikers on the weekend and lots of scrubby undergrowth. And that is great for birds! Our birding at this location last spring yielded multiple warbler species, especially ovenbirds and mourning warbler. Wild turkey are uncommon in Lake County but this section of the county seems to attract them. Acadian, yellow-bellied, olive-sided, least and great crested flycatchers were present along with veery, gray-cheeked, least, and Swainson’s thrushes.
On weekdays we will have most of the park to ourselves. This park only has 30 checklists for all time – Ryerson and Dan Wright can have that many on a single day in spring. Come enjoy a new location right in Lake County.
Bird Walk: Illinois Beach State Park, North Unit
Trip Leader: Nancy Tikalsky
Trip Coordinator: Donna Kenski (847) 347-3474
Join us at one of the best places in Lake County for the variety of warblers and other spring migrants. A lakeshore, wetlands, savanna and forest is inviting for both the birds and birders! The sandy soil supports clumps of wild lupines and many other wildflowers less common in Lake County.
This is World Migratory Bird Day and this will be sure to be the case at this premiere birding location. Parking information given in the registration form.
Bird Walk: Greenbelt Forest Preserve West
Birding by Ear in Spring
Trip Leaders: Doug Reitz & Charlotte Pavelka (847) 347-8416
An under-birded preserve with easy access for most Lake County residents. Our easy two mile loop will take us past several small ponds, through savanna and then through a more wooded area.
The area has wide trails and is more open which makes viewing somewhat easier. A special focus of this walk will be Birding by Ear. We will practice using Merlin to help us recognize some of the singing species as well as discuss mnemonics and tips to make remembering these songs easier. This is particularly good habitat for vireo species. We will practice listening to the difference in their calls and then observing them high in the treetops.
Bird Walk: Daniel Wright Forest Preserve
Improve your bird ID skills using your smartphone! Birding apps can boost your learning curve from beginner to expert quickly and save you the expense and weight of heavy field guide books not tailored to your specific location. Please set up your smartphone with the FREE Merlin Bird ID app and eBird app before our walk. Bring your phone and your binoculars, and we’ll learn and practice using the app to help you identify birds by sight and by sound. Beginners (and oldies) are welcome; no prior experience with birding or with Merlin or eBird are necessary. Even if you have used Merlin and eBird before, it’s a good opportunity to learn and practice their latest features.
Apps are especially helpful if you are traveling to new regions of the U.S. or the world as they focus on that location at that specific time of year. Your trip leaders will also discuss five or six other birding and nature apps that are great companions for your outdoor adventures that you may want to try.
The migrants will just be starting to arrive at Daniel Wright and you will be prepared for the big push in May. Early warblers, thrushes and flycatchers plus year-round residents will be present. Let’s go Birding!
Bird Lake County: Sedge Meadow Forest Preserve
Trip leaders: Doug Reitz & Charlotte Pavelka (847) 347-8416
Before this area became a forest preserve, it was farmed and mined for sand and gravel. Later it became a wetlands research project with the intent of providing flood control, improving water quality in the Des Plaines River, and improving wildlife habitat. The walk will begin and end at the parking area. It will be about a 3-mile walk. We will walk south on a gravel trail passing by four ponds, along the Des Plaines River, through wetlands, prairies and through an oak-hickory savanna. At Mill Creek will head east on the gravel trail along Mill Creek and cross the Des Plaines River where Mill Creek joins the river. Then we walk north through a wooded area that is often a warbler hotspot and then loop back to our vehicles.
Because of the diversity of the habitat, we may see migrating songbirds, ducks, shorebirds, and wading birds. In addition, we may see other animals such as turtles, muskrats, and beavers.
Planning on visiting on your own? Here’s the link to an area description and map.
Registration Link
Bird Walk: Independence Grove
CALLING ALL NEW BIRDERS! Have you been thinking that bird-watching might be a fun activity to try? This is your chance! Join us for a beginner bird walk at Independence Grove. This is a great opportunity to learn about the birds that live in our area and meet other birders who enjoy this wonderful hobby. No experience is necessary and binoculars will be available for loan to those who need them. All birders and bird lovers are welcome. Independence Grove is a picturesque preserve with a large lake, areas of reclaimed prairie and mature woodlands. It attracts a variety of waterfowl and songbirds during migration, which is just getting started.
Bird Walk: Rollins Savanna
Date: Saturday, April 6
Time: 7:00 am - 9:30
Trip Leader: Beau Schaefer (847) 337-3602
Join Beau as we look for likely plentiful waterfowl combined with some early sparrows, blackbirds, and lingering winter birds. Beau is the top birder in Lake County and can help you with some tricky ID tips, whether you are a newbie or an experienced birder.
April Program Meeting: 17-year Cicadas
The cicadas are coming! Learn about the different types of cicadas in Lake County and the unique, 17-year lifecycle of periodic cicadas. Explore the wild adaptations that have helped this cool critter survive throughout the decades during this indoor presentation.
Presenter Mark Hurly has been with the Lake County Forest Preserve District for over 34 years working as an Educator and Volunteer Coordinator. Originally from Wisconsin, he “grew up” on the Mississippi and earned his BS in Environmental Education from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
If you are unable to attend in person, use this ZOOM LINK to attend virtually.
Bird Lake County: Fox River Forest Preserve
Leaders: Doug Reitz and Charlotte Pavelka, (847) 347-8416.
Winter thaw is on (we hope!) and the waterfowl and eagles will be the first to return! Before the boats are in the water, this is a great location for birders and birders. Ducks, American pelicans and (possible) loon are likely and as a bonus, sometimes the birds are quite close and can be seen fairly easily just with binoculars. (We will have scopes available as needed.) Beginners are always welcome at our events ... an additional LCAS representative will be on hand to help especially for those new to birding.
In the harbor, we may see ducks such as Common Goldeneye, all three of the mergansers, buffleheads and scaup. Rarities such as long-tailed Duck, harlequin duck, snow goose and red-throated loons have all been seen this winter...perhaps we will see an uncommon species as well. We will begin at the Winthrop Harbor Yacht Club parking lot and then drive to Stateline Beach and the south end parking. We will also walk to see some land birds such as woodpeckers, blue birds and sparrows.
Join us after the walk (Optional) for coffee at Honey Hill Coffee in Wauconda. All can share news about birds coming to your feeders and other locations and ask your birding questions. We will share more about upcoming Lake County Audubon events.
Bird Walk: Chain O'Lakes State Park
Come join us for a walk along the Goldfinch Trail on the Fox River as the snow moves out of the county. We hope to see Bald Eagles, American White Pelicans and Trumpeter Swans as they move through Lake County from their wintering grounds. Teals, shovelers, wigeons, scaups and ring-necked ducks and coots should also be in abundance. Red-wing blackbirds and perhaps even a rusty will also be possibilities.
March Program Meeting: Badgerland Birding
Derek and Ryan Sallman from Badgerland Birding will highlight what the Wisconsin birding scene is like, which spots you should go to if you come visit, and the top species to find in the state. Additionally, they will talk a little bit about how they got into birding, why they started their company "Badgerland Birding", and what trends we might see in birds/birding in the future. You can check out their YouTube channel to see more about what they do:
Derek (28) and Ryan (32) Sallmann started birding after watching the movie "The Big Year", but were always interested in nature growing up. Their parents and grandparents helped foster this interest, and after learning more about the hobby of birding, they decided that they wanted to showcase birding for what it really is: A great adventure. They started their YouTube Channel "Badgerland Birding" in 2016 and it has grown over time, currently with around 30,000 subscribers, with videos from all over the United States and in other countries. In addition to making content on YouTube, they also do birding tours, talks, and presentations, including a yearly series of presentations and walks at the Conservancy For Healing and Heritage in Franklin, Wisconsin. Derek and Ryan want to keep expanding "Badgerland Birding" in order to reach more people and teach them about birds, birding, and conservation.
If you are unable to attend in person, join by Zoom using the link below:
World Wildlife Day
United Nations World Wildlife Day (WWD) is celebrated every year on 3 March to celebrate wild animals and plants. Every year, we recognize the unique roles and contributions of wildlife to people and the planet.
The WWD2024 Theme is Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation. Poster art by CHENG Hui Xin.
Bird Lake County: Waukegan Harbor
Leader: Matt Tobin, (847) 951-1483
Continue the inaugural Bird Lake County year with a trip to another popular winter destination for waterfowl! Waukegan Harbor is an attractive location for waterfowl to seek refuge and find food during the cold weather, and its proximity along Lake Michigan brings in many migrating waterfowl for a stopover. Numerous gulls often pack together on the harbor structures, while raptors such as Bald Eagles and American Kestrels may be observed hunting along the lakefront. The walk around the site generally allows for very good views of waterfowl within the harbor, but some birds can be observed farther out on Lake Michigan. Binoculars are fine for most of the close birds, but a scope is useful for more distant birds.
Birders of any experience are always welcome at our walks. Loaner pairs of binoculars will be available, and there will likely be a scope or two on hand. Please dress accordingly for the weather. Depending on how the walk at Waukegan Harbor goes, there may be an add-on trip to Bowen Park or Lyons Woods Forest Preserve, about a 5-minute drive north, to look for some woodland species. After the walk, feel free to join Audubon members at Bob and Anne's Restaurant in Waukegan for coffee and conversation.
Directions and parking instructions for the walk are included in the registration link below.
If you are unable to attend the walk and would like to visit Waukegan Harbor on your own during February, a location spotlight page and bird checklist are available to provide information for your trip.
Great Backyard Birdcount
Each February, for four days, the world comes together for the love of birds. Over these four days Audubon invites people to spend time in their favorite places watching and counting as many birds as they can find and reporting them to us. These observations help scientists better understand global bird populations before one of their annual migrations. For more information, visit Birdcount.org
A Rattle Tale: The Decline of the Eastern Massasauga in Lake and Cook Counties
Joe Cavataio, a Chicago naturalist, environmentalist, and herpetologist, will speak on the general biology of the eastern massasauga, as well as its tumultuous relationship with humans in a rapidly developing urban area. What lessons have we learned (or not learned) from eradication of massasauga?
Joe is an independent researcher, fascinated by the natural world but in particular how amphibians and reptiles persist in a human-dominated landscape. He is from Chicago but now lives with his family in West Chicago (DuPage Co).
Meeting starts at 7 pm at Cook Library in Libertyville, 413 N. Milwaukee Avenue. If you are not able to attend in person use this Zoom Link.
National Bird Feeding Month
Cupid isn’t the only winged object that people need to watch out for this month. In 1994, the United States Congress proclaimed February to be National Bird Feeding Month. Backyard bird feeding is enjoyed by over 41 million North Americans. And while February is National Wild Bird Feeding Month, with the right provisions, people can enjoy a wide variety of backyard birds all year long.
Get involved this month by doing the following:
Participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count
Add another feeder to your yard
Add water to your yard
Get a friend into birding
Enjoy the birds!
Bird Walk: North Point Marina Area
Kick off your year at this popular winter birding location! As inland water bodies (and sometimes even Lake Michigan) freeze up, this harbor generally continues to be a place of quiet refuge for waterfowl and gulls. And as a bonus, sometimes the birds are quite close and can be seen fairly easily just with binoculars.
Waukegan Harbor- Bird Walk
Waukegan Harbor draws a surprising number of ducks and other waterfowl throughout the winter, due to its protective breakwaters and sheltering docks. Interesting sparrows often lurk in the trees and shrubs bordering the harbor parking lots.
Fish Eating Raptors of Lake County: Bald Eagles & Ospreys
Holly Garvey is a naturalist, outdoor enthusiast, and volunteer environmental educator with the Lake County Forest Preserves. In pursuit of her MS in Wildlife Conservation and Management, she focused on predator-prey dynamics, ethical conservation, and human-wildlife conflict.
Birds & Art - Overnight Trip
Join us as we travel up to Wausau, Wisconsin, to the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum to view the 2023 Birds in Art Exhibit and do some birding along the way.
From Rainforest to Mallee: Birding Down Under in Australia & Tasmania
Australia has a unique variety of wildlife that lives in its wide ranging habitats from tall humid rainforest canopies to the low dry woodlands of the mallee. Cockatoos, fairywrens, lyrebirds, honeyeaters, koalas and wallabies are some of 262 birds and 18 mammals observed by Doug Reitz & Charlotte Pavelka in Australia and Tasmania in early 2023. We will share highlights from the 74 Australian bird families observed including the primitive Magpie Goose that is in a family of its own (monotypic).
Pine Dunes FP - Bird Walk
Pine Dunes is one of the newest forest preserves in the north central part of Lake County. Nestled in the rolling hills and savannas are several small ponds/wetland areas.
Cuba Marsh FP - Bird Walk
Travel to southwestern Lake County to visit this sprawling preserve with extensive wetlands and savanna to take in the fall colors. Green-winged teal, pintails, and shovelers are some of the ducks that may be found at this location in fall.
Fort Sheridan FP - Bird Walk
Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve, on the shore of Lake Michigan, is a great location for migrating warblers in wooded areas, sparrows in the extensive grasslands and migrating hawks soaring overhead. Sparrows are the real highlight with twenty species, including specialties like Nelson’s, Vesper and Harris being seen most years in October.
Big Sit - Middlefork Farm Nature Preserve
Join birdwatchers throughout the day at a scenic spot in Middlefork Savanna to count birds and enjoy some birding camaraderie. LCAS and Lake Forest Open Lands invite you to drop in and spend some time with us as we participate in the annual Big Sit sponsored by the New Haven Birding Club.
Changes in Illinois's Avifauna: A Records Committee Perspective
Presenter: Geoff Williamson. The status and distribution of birdlife in Illinois is always shifting, though generally quite slowly. In the last several decades, however, birders have seen instances of very rapid changes.
Young People's Family Concert - Animals in the Forest
Join us on October 1 at 4:00 pm at the Orin Trapp Auditorium in Waukegan for an innovative program featuring the talents of the Waukegan Symphony Orchestra and the premiere of Sharing Our Shore – Waukegan’s short film “Four Little Birds, One Extraordinary Journey.”
IL Beach State Park - North
Why do we love Illinois Beach in the fall? Noisy Yellow-bellied sapsuckers and Red-headed woodpeckers, soaring northern harriers and broad-winged hawks, twittering brown creepers and red-breasted nuthatches, four thrush species, kinglets, white-crowned, white-throated, fox and Lincoln’s sparrows and late fall warblers like Tennessee and Blackpolls.
Fall Warblers Walk - Daniel Wright Woods FP
Migration should be in full swing for this walk. Daniel Wright Woods is an easy gravel trail along the Des Plaines River and through oak-hickory forest, attracting plenty of migrants passing through.
Glacial Park Conservation Area – McHenry County
Travel to McHenry County for a great mix of both early migratory and resident birds in woodland, prairie and wetland habitats with over 100 species on eBird for September.
Spring Bluff Forest Preserve- Bird Walk
Shorebird migration should be at its peak in mid-August! It is fun as you never quite know what will turn up on any given day.
Nippersink Forest Preserve - Birdability
This is a special event designed especially for individuals with low mobility and/or other disabilities to enjoy birds and nature with others.
Rollins Savanna - Birds & Bikes
Learn tips from Beau Schaefer about both biking and birding in Lake County and find out why he is a champion for birding by bike.