Explore the North Shore

The Illinois Young Birders will explore the North Shore on January 20, 2019. We will start with an “early bird special” by owling at Bowen Park, Lyons Woods, and Illinois Beach State Park South Unit, starting at 6:00 a.m. We will meet in the Bowen Park Theatre parking lot, check the ravine for Eastern Screech Owl and possibly other owl species, and then move on to Lyons Woods for a quick stroll into the conifers. Finally, we will drive into the South Unit of Illinois Beach State Park where we’ll hop out around the Youth Campground area (a good area during the CBC).

For the birders who will not be joining us for the early shift, we will meet at around 7:45 a.m. at North Point Marina near the yacht club parking area. We will scan for gulls and waterfowl from two points in this area and then begin moving south along the shore. As always, we’ll play it by ear, but the general idea would be to drive to the North Unit of Illinois Beach State Park, then Shiloh Park then possibly back to the South Unit and Lyons Woods, and Waukegan Beach. As we get closer to the event, some other locations may be considered.

I will create a group text for everyone who is signed up for the event, which allows us to keep up with each other in real time. Looking forward to seeing everyone!

Steve Bayer

Hopeful Species Sightings Include:

• Scoters
• Sea ducks
• Gulls
• Northern Shrike
• Eastern Screech Owl
• Great Horned Owl
• Northern Saw-whet Owl (??? with fingers crossed)