2026 ENSBC Christmas Bird Count
The 2026 ENSBC Christmas Bird Count will be held on Saturday, December 26. John Leonard, compiler, will contact area leaders who will organize their groups for the field count. There will once again be an in-person countdown dinner at Libby Hill’s home in Evanston. John will also coordinate the backyard feeder counts, and sign-up sheets for that will be available by emailing him at
2027 Gull Frolic
The Gull Frolic is a unique winter event at Illinois’ premier gull-watching hotspot, North Point Marina. Bring your binoculars, scope and cold weather gear, and join birders outside of the yacht club to enjoy a close study of some of our harder-to-find winter species.
2027 Annual Gull Frolic
Winthrop Harbor
February 14, 2027
9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Spring Field Trips 2027
Field trips resume in March 2027, start watching for updates soon. Plan your own bird walks with our guide to Birding Sites under Resources.
Northwestern University North Campus)
We’ll start at the North End of Campus looking for migrants. We may explore the wooded area and the dunes near Lincoln Street, and then head south on campus.
Meet 7:30 a.m. at the end of Campus Drive. Turn east off of Sheridan Road at Lincoln Street and follow Campus Drive around the athletic building all the way to the end. Park at the farthest parking lot.
Leaders: Libby Hill and Sarah Flax
Canal Shore Bird Walk - North Loop
Join us to walk the golf course’s north birding loop. Everyone should bring binoculars and a field guide if they have one.
Meet at 7:30 a.m. on Maple Ave. in Wilmette, just west of the canal. There is free parking (4 hours) on the south side of the street.
Leader: Matthew Rooney
If you have any questions or if you plan to attend, please email matthewarooney@gmail.com.
Perkins Woods
Look for warblers and other migrants (and a great display of spring wildflowers). Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the corner of Ewing Avenue and Grant Street. Park along Ewing Avenue.
Leader: Chris Vice
Canal Shores Golf Course (South Loop)
Join us to walk the golf course’s south birding loop.
Meet on Lincoln St in Evanston, east of the canal. 7:30 a.m. each Sunday morning. Approximate duration 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Free street parking (4 hours)
Leader: Matthew Rooney
If you have any questions or if you plan to attend, please email matthewarooney@gmail.com.
Northwestern University (South Campus)
The NU campus has long been a stopover for migrants of all kinds headed south. Park on the lakeside of the upper deck of the south parking lot off Sheridan Rd. and Clark St., north of Clark St. beach.
Meet at 7:30 a.m. on the upper deck, lakeside.
Leaders: Libby Hill and Sarah Flax
Birds & Coffee at Jarvis Bird Sanctuary
Enjoy birding Friday mornings at Jarvis Bird Sanctuary from 7:30a.m.-9:30a.m. Park in the metered Waveland Parking Lot (map here: https://goo.gl/maps/ovFmu2P21ewTXiAF7) and meet on the viewing platform on the east side of the fenced-in bird sanctuary (map here: https://goo.gl/maps/fgSgGEx75wEP3X7M6).
Leaders: from Red Hill Birding/Josh Engel, will be on the platform from 7:30a.m.-9:30a.m., so you can come any time. Coffee and fixings are provided.
Perkins Woods
Look for fall warblers, thrushes, and other migrants.
Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the corner of Ewing Ave. and Grant St.
Leader: John Bates
Canal Shore Bird Walk - North Loop
Join us to walk the golf course’s north birding loop. Everyone should bring binoculars and a field guide if they have one.
Meet at 7:30 a.m. on Maple Ave. in Wilmette, just west of the canal. There is free parking (4 hours) on the south side of the street.
Leader: Matthew Rooney
If you have any questions or if you plan to attend, please email matthewarooney@gmail.com.
Birds & Coffee at Jarvis Bird Sanctuary
Enjoy birding Friday mornings at Jarvis Bird Sanctuary from 7:30a.m.-9:30a.m. Park in the metered Waveland Parking Lot (map here: https://goo.gl/maps/ovFmu2P21ewTXiAF7) and meet on the viewing platform on the east side of the fenced-in bird sanctuary (map here: https://goo.gl/maps/fgSgGEx75wEP3X7M6).
Leaders: from Red Hill Birding/Josh Engel, will be on the platform from 7:30a.m.-9:30a.m., so you can come any time. Coffee and fixings are provided.
Perkins Woods
Look for fall warblers, thrushes, and other migrants.
Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the corner of Ewing Ave. and Grant St.
Leader: John Bates
West Ridge Nature Park
We will look for fall warblers, other migrants, local raptors along the trails through this nearly 22 acres of restored woodlands, wetlands, and a pond. Meet 7:30 A.M. at the main park gate on the east side of Western Ave. (5801 N. Western Ave, where Ardmore dead-ends into Western). Free street parking on both sides of Western Avenue.
Leader: Scott Judd
Canal Shores Golf Course (South Loop)
Join us to walk the golf course’s south birding loop.
Meet on Lincoln St in Evanston, east of the canal. 7:30 a.m. each Sunday morning. Approximate duration 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Free street parking (4 hours)
Leader: Matthew Rooney
If you have any questions or if you plan to attend, please email matthewarooney@gmail.com.
Birds & Coffee at Jarvis Bird Sanctuary
Enjoy birding Friday mornings at Jarvis Bird Sanctuary from 7:30a.m.-9:30a.m. Park in the metered Waveland Parking Lot (map here: https://goo.gl/maps/ovFmu2P21ewTXiAF7) and meet on the viewing platform on the east side of the fenced-in bird sanctuary (map here: https://goo.gl/maps/fgSgGEx75wEP3X7M6).
Leaders: from Red Hill Birding/Josh Engel, will be on the platform from 7:30a.m.-9:30a.m., so you can come any time. Coffee and fixings are provided.
Perkins Woods
Look for fall warblers, thrushes, and other migrants.
Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the corner of Ewing Ave. and Grant St.
Leader: John Bates
Emily Oaks Nature Center and Oakton College
This thirteen-acre Emily Oaks savanna and nature center is an oasis full of native plants, grasses, oak trees, a two-acre pond, and trails. The Oakton College Campus native plantings and the area between Emily Oaks and the Campus are both great migrant traps.
Looking for warblers and other Fall migrants, we will start by birding outside the nature center and the area between the campus and the native garden on the campus.
Leader: John Bates.
Waukegan Beach
It’s hard to beat Waukegan Beach in September. Shorebirds are moving through in good numbers and migrant warblers begin to reach their peak. We will spend the morning birding the beach, swales, and wooded lots of the Waukegan Beach area. On the beach, we will be targeting migrant shorebirds, where a good morning could include Baird’s and Semipalmated Sandpipers, Sanderling, and others.
In previous years, more specialties have shown up including Whimbrel and Buff-breasted Sandpiper, so we will be ever-vigilant. In the swales, we will keep our eyes peeled for early waterfowl and lingering Least Bitterns which breed amongst the reeds. In the wooded lots and beachfront park, migrant warblers can be abundant on the right day, and we hope to find Blackpoll, Bay-breasted, Blackburnian, Wilson’s and Magnolia Warblers among the 20+ that could be present. We will be hiking the beach and wooded lots, which will total around 1-2 miles of walking at a birder’s pace.
The Leader will have a scope, but if you enjoy carrying your own, you are more than welcome to bring one. Hiking boots or sneakers are both appropriate for this walk,but please be prepared for walking on sand. Duration: ~3 hours
Meet at 7:30 a.m. , see pin: Location
Leader: Adam Sell
Registration is required and space is limited to 12 participants. Register
with vicecp@yahoo.com
Canal Shore Bird Walk - North Loop
Join us to walk the golf course’s north birding loop. Everyone should bring binoculars and a field guide if they have one.
Meet at 7:30 a.m. on Maple Ave. in Wilmette, just west of the canal. There is free parking (4 hours) on the south side of the street.
Leader: Matthew Rooney
If you have any questions or if you plan to attend, please email matthewarooney@gmail.com.
Tour the Clark Street Beach Bird Sanctuary
We are hosting tours on a few Saturday mornings for interested members of the community, monthly tours to be scheduled throughout the summer.
You will learn more about the history of the sanctuary but mostly, you will get to engage all of your senses and enjoy the beauty that this space has to offer humans and birds alike.
Groups will be limited in size to protect that space and allow for a positive experience.
Kids are welcome, though the pace of the tour may be better suited to adults.
Meet at 9:00am near beach house, at Clark Street Beach, 1811 Sheridan Road, Evanston.
Birds & Coffee at Jarvis Bird Sanctuary
Enjoy birding Friday mornings at Jarvis Bird Sanctuary from 7:30a.m.-9:30a.m. Park in the metered Waveland Parking Lot (map here: https://goo.gl/maps/ovFmu2P21ewTXiAF7) and meet on the viewing platform on the east side of the fenced-in bird sanctuary (map here: https://goo.gl/maps/fgSgGEx75wEP3X7M6).
Leaders: from Red Hill Birding/Josh Engel, will be on the platform from 7:30a.m.-9:30a.m., so you can come any time. Coffee and fixings are provided.
Perkins Woods
Look for fall warblers, thrushes, and other migrants.
Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the corner of Ewing Ave. and Grant St.
Leader: John Bates
Calumet Water Reclamation Treatment Plant Field Trip
The Calumet WRP has been a long-time favorite August field trip to look for migrating shorebirds plus other migrants in the ponds at the Plant.