Third Annual ILYB Symposium Recap

Young Birder Presentation

On Saturday, Oct 6th, nearly fifty people attended the third annual Illinois Young Birders Symposium to enjoy a day of birding, presentations by young birders and professionals, and art at the Edward L. Ryerson Conservation Area in Riverwoods, Illinois.

The day began with a field trip on the grounds of Ryerson Conservation Area where more than forty species were found by field trip leader – Josh Engel, keynote speaker – Jennie Duberstein, and several young birders. Highlights included a Blue-headed Vireo, a dozen Eastern Bluebirds, several sparrow species, and a Bay-breasted Warbler.

Back at the Ryerson Welcome Center, attendees were treated to presentations on youth birding camps, birds and their influence on human inventions, where to find birds in Lake County, and how to prevent window collisions.

The party then moved to the Brushwood Center, where several young birders featured their art work including photography, drawings, and paintings.

Young Birder Artwork

The Lake County Forest Preserves also showcased two both a Red-tailed Hawk and an Eastern Screech-owl.

After lunch, the attendees moved back to the Welcome Center, where they heard from more youth presenters on the topics of Sax-Zim Bog, iNaturalist, Birding in Peru and the western US, as well as Hog Island Bird Camp.

Finally, our keynote speaker, Jennie Duberstein, encouraged and challenged the young birders to consider how to make birds a permanent part of their lives.

All in all it was another successful young birder conference.