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Waukegan Lakefront

Due to its remarkable mix of habitats, including a deep water harbor, sandy beach, pocket woodlands, and marsh and dune habitat along Lake Michigan, this urban lakeshore location has recorded sightings of more than 310 bird species. The harbor can be viewed from the canoe launch or by walking several hundred yards out along Government Pier, making it an outstanding location for migrating waterfowl and wintering ducks and gulls when inland lakes freeze. During winter, birds also gather near the small river outlet by the south pier.

The beach and adjacent marsh provide excellent habitat for a wide variety of species. Walking north along the shoreline often reveals Marsh and Sedge Wrens, Common Yellowthroats, and at times nesting Black crowned Night Herons. Great Egrets, herons, and other wetland birds are regularly observed here as well. The area is also well known for shorebirds, including sandpipers, plovers, willets, and occasionally Purple Sandpipers. Endangered Great Lakes Piping Plovers have nested just north of this site, and migrating birds continue to stop along the shoreline each year.

Caspian Terns are commonly seen during summer, while spring migration can bring impressive numbers of Forster’s and Common Terns, creating a spectacular scene of sound, motion, and swirling flight along the lakeshore. The small stands of trees near the parking area act as excellent migrant traps during spring and fall migration, with an impressive 32 species of warblers recorded.

Visitors can also enjoy a self guided nature walk available in both English and Spanish. Self-Guided Walk for General Public.

Location. Waukegan (Northeast Lake County)
Best Time of Year:   Year-round
Key Species:   Migrating ducks, shorebirds, warblers/vireos, possible Snowy Owls, Peregrine Falcon, Piping Plover, bitterns.
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Please note that there is a parking fee for the beach area on summer weekends

Illinois Beach State Park and North Point Marina

Spanning 4,162 acres and nearly six miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, Illinois Beach State Park protects the last remaining undeveloped stretch of natural lakefront in Illinois and serves as one of the finest examples of the globally rare Lake Plain ecosystem. Shaped over thousands of years by the movement of Lake Michigan, the park’s mosaic of dunes, swales, wetlands, prairies, savannas, marshes, and woodlands supports extraordinary biodiversity and offers visitors a chance to experience a landscape unlike anywhere else in the state.

The park includes a marina, campground, swimming beach, and the Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Illinois’ first dedicated nature preserve and a designated Ramsar Wetland of International Importance. Illinois Beach State Park is often recognized as having more plant diversity than any location in Illinois, with more than 650 plant species and at least 40 endangered or threatened plant and animal species. Fourteen distinct natural community types occur within the park, including habitats that support rare orchids, prickly pear cactus, and a remarkable variety of migratory and nesting birds.

Designated as an Important Bird Area, the park is a premier destination for birding throughout the year. Wetland habitats attract species such as Sora Rails, American Bitterns, and Sandhill Cranes, while Great Horned Owls, Red tailed Hawks, and Northern Harriers are regularly observed hunting over open areas. Much of the shoreline has also been designated as federally protected critical habitat for the endangered Great Lakes Piping Plover.

The Dead River Trail in the South Unit is especially productive during spring migration, when warblers, thrushes, vireos, flycatchers, and other songbirds concentrate in the lakeside woodlands. Summer evenings can bring the haunting calls of Eastern Whip poor wills, while autumn draws large movements of migrating raptors. One of the Midwest’s premier hawk watches operates from the North Unit near 17th Street, where thousands of hawks, falcons, eagles, and other birds of prey can be seen moving south along the lakefront.

Winter offers its own spectacle, with rafts of diving ducks gathering on Lake Michigan and large numbers of gulls congregating around nearby harbors. North Point Marina also hosts the annual Illinois Ornithological Society Gull Frolic, attracting birders from across the region in search of winter gull specialties.

An eight mile pea gravel trail connects the South Unit Nature Center with the North Unit Marina, creating an exceptional birding by bike experience with cool lake breezes, sweeping dune views, and access to some of the most ecologically significant habitat in the Great Lakes region.

Location: Zion (Northeast Lake County)
Best Time of Year: Year-round
Key Species: Migrating fall raptors, spring passerines, migrating shorebirds, wintering ducks.
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Ryerson Conservation Area Lake County Forest Preserve

Ryerson Conservation Area is a 552 acre preserve known for its exceptionally high quality bottomland forest, scenic ravines, prairie openings, and peaceful stretches along the Des Plaines River. Often considered one of the finest woodland birding locations in Lake County, the preserve offers more than 6.5 miles of trails that wind through towering oaks, maples, basswoods, and floodplain forest rich with spring wildflowers and bird song.

The preserve is especially celebrated during spring migration, when waves of warblers, vireos, thrushes, flycatchers, tanagers, orioles, and other neotropical migrants move through the forest canopy. On peak migration mornings, the woods can feel alive with movement and sound, making Ryerson one of the top migrant traps in northeastern Illinois. Scarlet Tanagers, Rose breasted Grosbeaks, Wood Thrushes, Veeries, and more than 20 species of warblers are regularly observed during migration season.

The preserve also supports a wide variety of year round resident birds and wildlife. Pileated Woodpeckers are frequently heard calling through the forest, while Barred Owls nest in mature woodlands near the river corridor. The Des Plaines River and adjacent wetlands attract herons, kingfishers, waterfowl, and migrating sparrows, while the prairie areas provide habitat for pollinators, native plants, and grassland birds.

In addition to its ecological value, Ryerson offers a rich cultural and educational experience. The preserve includes both a nature center and the nearby Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, which frequently features nature inspired art exhibitions, conservation programming, poetry, music, and environmental education events. Restrooms are available at both the welcome center and Brushwood Center, making the preserve especially welcoming for families and visitors planning longer walks.

Whether you are searching for spring migrants, listening for owls on a quiet winter afternoon, admiring wildflowers along the trails, or simply enjoying the peaceful beauty of the forest, Ryerson Conservation Area offers one of the most immersive nature experiences in the region.

Location: Riverwoods (Southeast Lake County)
Best Time of Year: Spring, Fall
Key Species: Spring & Fall Migrants, Warblers, vireos, flycatchers, Pileated & Red-headed Woodpeckers, Barred & Great Horned Owls
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Daniel Wright Woods Lake County Forest Preserve

Captain Daniel Wright Woods Forest Preserve is one of the largest and most ecologically important forest preserves in Lake County, protecting more than 1,200 acres of prairie, wetland, savanna, and woodland habitat along the Des Plaines River corridor. With over seven miles of trails, the preserve offers outstanding opportunities for birding, wildlife observation, photography, and peaceful walks through expansive natural landscapes.

The preserve is especially valued for its extensive prairie and wetland restoration areas, which provide critical habitat for breeding and migrating birds. Open grasslands and marshes attract Sandhill Cranes, Eastern Meadowlarks, Bobolinks, Sedge Wrens, Marsh Wrens, sparrows, swallows, and a variety of raptors hunting over the fields. Seasonal wetlands can be especially productive during migration, drawing shorebirds, herons, egrets, waterfowl, and other wetland species.

The preserve is also an excellent destination for butterflies, dragonflies, and native prairie wildflowers. Large, carefully maintained prairie plantings burst with color throughout the summer and support an impressive diversity of pollinators. Wide trails and open views make the preserve especially enjoyable for visitors seeking a quieter, immersive prairie experience.

The preserve connects to the larger Des Plaines River Trail system, allowing for extended hikes and bike rides through one of the most significant natural corridors in northeastern Illinois.

Location: Mettawa (Southeast Lake County)
Best Time of Year: Spring, Fall
Key Species: Spring & Fall Migrants, Warblers, vireos, flycatchers, pileated & red-headed woodpeckers, Barred & Great Horned Owls
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Rollins Savanna Lake County Forest Preserve

Rollins Savanna Forest Preserve spans more than 1,200 acres and features over seven miles of trails through one of the most significant prairie and wetland complexes in Lake County. Large expanses of restored prairie, marsh, savanna, and shallow wetlands provide critical habitat for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife throughout the year. The preserve is especially valued for its grassland bird populations, with species such as Sandhill Cranes, Eastern Meadowlarks, Bobolinks, Sedge Wrens, Marsh Wrens, and a variety of sparrows regularly observed during migration and the breeding season. Raptors frequently hunt over the open landscape, and the preserve is also an excellent location for butterflies, dragonflies, and native prairie wildflowers. Well maintained trails and wide open views make Rollins Savanna an outstanding destination for birding, photography, and peaceful nature walks in every season.

Location:  Grayslake (Central Lake County)
Best Time of Year:   Summer, Fall
Key Species:   Bobolinks, meadowlarks, Sedge & Marsh wrens, Henslow’s & other sparrows, marsh birds, Sandhill Cranes, migrating ducks & swans in fall, possible Short-eared Owls in winter.
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Sedge Meadows Lake County Forest Preserve

Sedge Meadow Forest Preserve protects restored wetlands, floodplain forest, and river edge habitat along both sides of the Des Plaines River, creating one of the best spring migration hotspots in northern Lake County. The preserve’s rich mix of woodlands, wet thickets, and open wetland habitat attracts impressive numbers of warblers, vireos, flycatchers, thrushes, orioles, and other migrating passerines each spring.

For birders looking for a productive stop without a long hike, the canoe launch off Wadsworth Road on the east side of the river is especially rewarding. During peak migration, visitors can often observe ten or more warbler species within a short quarter mile walk, and at times excellent birding can be enjoyed directly from the parking area itself. The combination of river corridor habitat, mature trees, and sheltered wetlands creates ideal resting and feeding habitat for exhausted migrants traveling north along the Lake Michigan flyway.

The preserve is particularly enjoyable in the early morning, when bird song fills the forest canopy and colorful migrants move through the trees at eye level. In addition to spring migration, Sedge Meadow offers peaceful year round hiking opportunities and excellent habitat for wetland birds, woodpeckers, herons, frogs, butterflies, and native wildflowers.

Location: Wadsworth (North Central Lake County)
Best Time of Year: Spring, early Summer
Key Species: Spring warblers, vireos, orioles, tanagers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, flycatchers
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Independence Grove Lake County Forest Preserve

Independence Grove Forest Preserve combines recreation, scenic beauty, and surprisingly productive birding opportunities along one of the most accessible sections of the Des Plaines River corridor. While the preserve is well known for its trails, boating, concerts, and family activities, the deep water lake created from a former rock quarry has also become an outstanding stopover site for migrating waterbirds.

During spring and fall migration, the lake regularly attracts grebes, loons, mergansers, scaup, scoters, goldeneyes, and a wide variety of ducks, often at remarkably close viewing distances. Red necked Grebes, Horned Grebes, Common Loons, Red breasted Mergansers, and other diving birds can sometimes be observed directly from the shoreline paths or observation areas, making Independence Grove one of the better inland locations in Lake County for waterbird migration.

The preserve features a scenic three mile paved loop around the lake, as well as a quieter 0.7 mile trail around the north bay where marsh birds, swallows, herons, kingfishers, and migrating songbirds are often found. Connections across the Des Plaines River link the preserve to the Casey Trail and the larger Des Plaines River Trail system to both the north and south, creating excellent opportunities for birding by bike during spring and summer.

Wooded sections along the river corridor can also be productive during migration, while prairie plantings and shoreline habitat attract butterflies, dragonflies, and native pollinators throughout the warmer months.

Location: Libertyville (Central Lake County) 
Best Time of Year: Spring, Summer, Fall
Key Species: Ducks, grebes, loons, geese in spring and fall, Indigo Buntings, meadowlarks, sparrows, and wrens in summer.
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