Springbrook Forest Preserve, Naperville
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 15 participants. You are not registered unless you receive confirmation from the trip leader. Meet at the gravel parking lot on the east side of Plainfield-Naperville Road south of 75th Street. This will be a field trip to look for grassland and shrubland birds such as Eastern Meadowlark, Bobolink, Henslow's and Savannah Sparrows, Clay-colored Sparrow, Orchard Oriole, Yellow-breasted Chat, Willow Flycatcher, and Bell's Vireo. We will be going off-trail and walking in uneven terrain so wear appropriate footwear and long pants. Bring and use insect repellent - there are many ticks at this time of year […]
Greene Valley, Woodridge
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 20 participants. This morning trip will be more oriented for new birders, but experienced ones are welcome. We will walk at a leisurely pace to allow for all to see any birds. We will search for late migratory birds and summer residents. Meet at the Thunderbird Youth Camp Parking Lot. Go west on 79th about 1/2 mile, the entrance is on the south side of 79th Street, west of Greene Road in Naperville/Woodridge. Greene Valley Leader: Bonnie Graham, 630-204-8750, coye72112@gmail.com
James Pate Philip State Park and nearby areas, Bartlett
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 15 participants. Let’s meet at James Pate Philip State Park in the northwest corner of the county to look for nesting grassland, shrubland, and marshland birds. This preserve includes an area designated as an Illinois Nature Preserve, comprised of a Dwarf Bur-Reed Marsh. Please be prepared to walk almost 4 miles on flat turf and limestone trails, mostly without shade. Park in the main parking lot in front of the Visitor Center. Bring a sack lunch so we can eat there together afterwards. Depending on time, and scouting results, we could visit parts […]
Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve, Bartlett
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 15 participants. On this morning trip we will be searching for summer residents including sparrows, wrens, and marsh birds. Meet in the Pickerel Lake parking lot off Powis Road.Leader: Henry Meade. Please register with kathleenreeves22@yahoo.com.
Bird Sit at Herrick Lake, Wheaton
Pre-registration with the leader required, limit 10 participants. This is a field trip for anyone who finds the long walks of our regular field trips too difficult or who would just like a less vigorous birding experience, but still share the camaraderie of fellow birders. Bring your folding lawn chairs, binoculars, and field guides. We will be birding at the Herrick Lake West Shelter. Meet at the parking lot located on the east side Herrick Road south of Butterfield (Hwy 56). Drive all the way to the end of the parking lot, the shelter is on the right. The lot […]
Greene Valley Overlook,
Naperville/Bolingbrook
Pre-registration with the leader required, limit 20 participants. Meet at the second-highest point in DuPage County for grassland birds and lunch. At 11:15, we’ll gather and walk on grass around the parking lot and up to the glider hill in search of grassland birds. Bring your own lunch and a chair so we can eat together around 12 or 12:30 pm. RSVP so you can get a drink and dessert. The driveway to the overlook can be found on the west side of Greene Road, just south of the parking lot on the west side of Greene Rd. The overlook […]
Bird and Bike, Greene Valley and Whalon Lake, Bolingbrook/Naperville
Pre-registration required with the leader, limit 6 participants. We’ll start at the Greene Rd. parking lot and head east to the fluddle, and then bike south to Whalon Lake. Leader will have a scope in case we see shorebirds or waterfowl.Leader: Vicky Sroczynski, VSroczynski@comcast.net Questions? Call or text 630-297-9512.
McKee Marsh, Warrenville
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 10 participants. We hope to see summer residents, waterfowl, grassland birds, and raptors. Meet at the visitor parking lot on the north side of Mack Rd., located between Winfield Rd. and Rt. 59 in Warrenville. Most of our walk will be on limestone and earthen trails. Bring bug spray. If the temperature is higher than 89F at 7 am, we will cancel the trip (it is a long, hot walk in the open fields).Leaders: Steve and Kathy Mineck, kmineck@yahoo.com, (day of: 630-254-4077)
Danada Forest Preserve – West
Pre-registration required with the leader, limit 10 participants. This preserve (3S580 Naperville Rd, Wheaton, IL 60189) has open grasslands with a few ponds. We will look for grassland birds, shrubland birds, raptors, and some other possibilities in the ponds. Plan to walk 3 - 4 miles on limestone and uneven grass trails.Leader: Nancy Allured, nallured@comcast.net
Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve, Oak Brook
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 20 participants. This will be a walk for birders of all levels. We will walk along the Salt Creek in the lowland woods with good habitat for birds. Meet at the main parking lot on Spring Road in Oak Brook.Leaders: Andrew and Rebecca Steinmann, 708-533-6604, asteinmann@ameritech.net
Knoch Knolls Park, Naperville
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 15 participants. A bird walk to the DuPage River confluence, where the east and west branches meet. We’ll look for summer residents in the woods, fields, and on the water, so prepare for some sun, heat, and a few bugs! New birders welcome. Trails are mostly level and are grass/dirt, with some paved. Meet at the parking lot on 336 Knoch Knolls Rd., Naperville. Google Maps link.Leader: Steve Constantelos, 630-890-8956, steve.constantelos@gmail.com
Birding and Breakfast!
No pre-registration required. Join us for a bird walk and casual breakfast at Pratt’s Wayne Woods. Participants planning on joining the bird walk should meet at the furthest parking lot near the trailhead at 7:30 am. The breakfast will occur at the picnic shelter at 9:00 am. The club will provide fruit, bagels, donuts, juice, and coffee. You are invited to come for both the walk and breakfast or just join us for breakfast. All birders and potential birders are welcome! Pratt’s Wayne is located at Powis Road south of Stearns Road in Wayne (driving directions here). Meet at the […]
Wood Dale Reservoir
Pre-registration with the leader required, limit 12 participants. On this trip we will be exploring one of the premier shorebird spots in DuPage County. We will focus on finding and identifying migratory shorebirds such as Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers and both species of yellowlegs. There’s even the chance for something rarer like a Stilt or Baird’s Sandpiper. Please meet in the parking lot at the end of School St.Leader: Henry Meade kathleenreeves22@yahoo.com
McDowell Grove Forest Preserve, Naperville
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 15 participants. Meet at the main parking lot off of Raymond Rd in Naperville. Trip is looking for summer residents and maybe an early migrant. Wear appropriate footwear and clothing and bring insect repellent.Leader: Mark Freeburg, freebs59@sbcglobal.net
Greene Valley Shorebirds
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 10 participants. Meet at Greene Road parking lot. We will walk east to the 83rd Street Fluddle to look for shorebirds, birding on the way. Scopes recommended here–leader will have one. To prepare for fall shorebird migration (that begins mid-July or so, please consider enrolling in Cornell’s Shorebirds Class, and definitely review shorebird ID with Denis Kania’s mini-tutorials: “Yellowlegs and Similar Waders” and “Peeps” on the DBC YouTube channel. Some bushwacking on overgrown grass trails or thru tall grass is necessary here so please prepare for ticks and mosquitoes.Leader: Vicky Sroczynski, vsroczynski@comcast.net or […]
Lincoln Marsh, Wheaton
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 15 participants. Lincoln Marsh Natural Area is located just northwest of downtown Wheaton. From County Farm Road, go east on Harrison Street. Harrison ends in Lincoln Marsh’s parking lot. Two large marshes dominate the area. However, there is a large oak woodland, a small prairie, and two small ponds. A variety of birds, residents and migrants, associated with such habitats can be seen here. The trails at Lincoln Marsh are generally excellent, consisting mostly of wood chips and crushed limestone; boardwalks cross low areas, and there are two floating boardwalks and bird blinds. […]
Greene Valley Overlook, Naperville
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 15 participants. Drive up to the overlook parking lot south of 79th Street off Greene Rd and meet the hawk watch volunteers to scan the skies for raptors. Hawk ID handouts provided and discussed. Review buteos by watching the club’s Hawk Watch talk on YouTube. Please bring layers (it can be much colder up on the hill than at ground level,) and a hat for sun (no shade.) Bring lunch, extra water, and a lawn chair.Leader Vicky Sroczynski, RSVP to vsroczynski@comcast.net or text 630-297-9512
Bird Sit at Springbrook Prairie, Naperville
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 10 participants. This is a new spot! This field trip is for anyone who finds the long walks of our regular field trips too difficult or who would just like a less vigorous birding experience, but still share the camaraderie of fellow birders. Bring your folding lawn chairs, binoculars, and field guides. We will be birding at the small picnic shelter by the Model Airplane field parking lot off Plainfield-Naperville Rd on the east side of the park. The parking lot is located on the west side of Plainfield-Naperville Road . 05 mile […]
Greene Valley Forest Preserve, Naperville/Bolingbrook
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 15 participants. We’ll be looking for summer residents, avian youngsters, and early migrants as we explore the fields and woods along the Thunderbird Trail. New birders are welcome as we will take a fairly leisurely pace to see (and listen to) the birds and to answer questions. If conditions are good, we’ll do a little bonus walk at the end. The entrance is located on the south side of 79th Street, about 0.5 miles west of Greene Road. Meet in the parking lot at the south end of Thunderbird Road, aka “Greene Valley […]
Elsen’s Hill/West DuPage Woods, Winfield
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 15 participants.We will be looking for early fall migrants, especially warblers passing through on their way to their wintering grounds. Take Winfield Rd. to Gary’s Mill Rd. west to the preserve parking lot entrance on the north side of the road. Bring boots as needed for muddy trails.Leader Joe Suchecki, DBCsec2020@gmail.com
Springbrook Prairie, Naperville
Pre-registration with leader required, limit 15 participants.We will be searching for fall migrants. Meet at the gravel parking lot on the east side of Plainfield-Naperville Road about one-half mile south of 75th Street in Naperville.Leader: Joe Suchecki, DBCsec2020@gmail.com
McDowell Grove Forest Preserve, Naperville
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 10 participants.This morning trip will focus on woodland migrants passing through our area. This is a popular migrant hotspot in both spring and fall. If birds are on the move, we will be in a great location to view them. Meet in the first parking lot after entering the preserve. The entrance is at the intersection of Raymond Dr. and McDowell Rd. where there is a stoplight.Leader: Denis Kania, djkan36@gmail.com
Elsen’s Hill/West DuPage Woods, Winfield
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 15 participants.Elsen’s Hill is another great site for migrants, especially warblers passing through on their way to their wintering grounds. Take Winfield Rd. to Gary’s Mill Rd. west to the preserve parking lot entrance on the north side of the road. Bring boots as needed for muddy trails.Leader: Diann Bilderback, diann.bilderback@yahoo.com
McDowell Grove Forest Preserve, Naperville
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 10 participants.This morning trip will focus on woodland migrants passing through our area. This is a popular migrant hotspot in both spring and fall. If birds are on the move, we will be in a great location to view them. Meet in the first parking lot after entering the preserve. The entrance is at the intersection of Raymond Dr. and McDowell Rd. where there is a stoplight.Leader: Denis Kania, djkan36@gmail.com
Bird Sit at Pratt’s Wayne Woods, Powis Road, West Chicago
Pre-registration with the leader required, limit 10 participants. This is a field trip for anyone who finds the long walks of our regular field trips too difficult or who would just like a less vigorous birding experience, but still share the camaraderie of fellow birders. Bring your folding lawn chairs, binoculars, and field guides. We will meet in the first parking area by Pickerel Lake as you come into the park off Powis Road. NOTE: the entrance is on the WEST side of Powis Road north of Army Trail and south of Stearns Road. Be aware that when using GPS […]
Elsen’s Hill/West DuPage Woods, Winfield
On this trip we’ll be exploring Elsen’s Hill within West DuPage Woods in hopes of finding migrant songbirds, in particular warblers. Please meet in the parking lot off Gary’s Mill Rd.Leader: Henry Meade, Please register with kathleenreeves22@yahoo.com
McDowell Grove Forest Preserve, Naperville
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 15 participants. This morning trip will focus on woodland migrants passing through our area. Meet in the first parking lot after entering the preserve. The entrance is at the intersection of Raymond Dr. and McDowell Rd. where there is a stoplight.Leader: Joe Suchecki, DBCsec2020@gmail.com
Waterfall Glen Poverty Prairie, Darien
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 15 participants. Meet at the Lemont Rd. parking lot, south of I55 at 101st Street. We’ll start in the Kettle Pond Woods and walk to the prairie.Leader Vicky Sroczynski, RSVP to vsroczynski@comcast.net or text 630-297-9512
Seager Park, Naperville
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 15 participants. Meet at the main parking lot, 1163 Plank Rd. We will be in search of migrants, especially fall warblers and other woodland birds.Leader: Mark Freeburg, freebs59@sbcglobal.net
St. James Farm Forest Preserve, Warrenville
Pre-registration with the leader is required, limit 15 participants. This morning’s walk will take us through some prairie and woods. We’ll be looking for resident birds as well as early migratory birds. We’ll be walking approximately 2 miles on mostly easy terrain. We will meet in the parking lot off on Winfield Rd, just north of Butterfield Rd.Leader: Bonnie Graham, 630-204-8750, coye72112@gmail.com