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:

May 6 Program ZOOM

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.

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:

Badgerland Birding on YouTube

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:

Zoom for Badgerland Birding

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.

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).

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.

The National Audubon Society recently unveiled the Bird Migration Explorer, a new tool to help us learn more about the spectacular journeys they take. LCAS board member, Refugio Mariscal will walk us through the Bird Migration Explorer and examine what connects Lake County to faraway places like Corrientes, Argentina and Yapacani, Bolivia.

HYBRID EVENT

Presenter: Lisa Maeir
Northern Illinois is home to nearly twenty regularly occurring sparrows. Often overlooked as plain “little brown jobs” but with a little practice, one can easily tell one sparrow from another. This family of hardy birds can be found throughout the year in virtually any habitat. In this presentation, we will discuss the species of sparrows that occur in our region, where to find them, and how to tell them apart.

HYBRID EVENT

This presentation focuses on making plant choices with our native pollinators in mind. We will discuss our native bees, butterflies, wasps, and other pollinators that are under serious threat from a variety of stress factors causing an unceasing decline in their populations. Learn of our pollinators’ importance in our ecosystem and about the plants that attract them and why. Find out how a little effort on our part can go a long way for pollinators and our ecosystem while also providing you with beauty and enjoyment.