IOS Summer Field Trip Series: Birds and Baristas!

Every Thursday in June and July in locations around Lake County, IL

Join expert Lake County field trip leader Beau Schaefer for weekly bird walks in fantastic locations, followed by a stop for a fresh cup of coffee at local coffee houses around the county this summer.

Beau will meet people at the birding locations and times indicated on the schedule. 
Bird Walk and Coffee Shop Schedule

No registration necessary. Just show up at the time and location indicated for the Birding Location and join Beau and the group. 

If you have questions, please email  beauschaefer@yahoo.com.

Please provide your own water, sunscreen, and insect repellant.

We look forward to seeing you in the field!

February 18th, 2023

Start Time – 9:30 a.m.

Gull Frolic is a unique winter event at Illinois’ premier gull-watching hotspot, North Point Marina. Bring your binoculars, scope, and cold weather gear to join birders outside the yacht club for a close study of some of our harder-to-find winter gull species, including Iceland (Thayer’s and Kumlien’s), Glaucous, Great Black-backed, and Lesser Black-backed Gulls!  An assortment of waterfowl are also typically in attendance, such scoters, goldeneye, and other diving ducks, along with the occasional raptor, owl, or winter finch. IOS volunteers will be available to help answer questions along the “boardwalk”.

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21st Annual Gull FrolicRead More »

February 19th, 2022

Start Time – 9:30 a.m.

Back in 2022! 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 to join birders outside the yacht club for a close study of some of our harder-to-find winter gull species, including Iceland (Thayer’s and Kumlien’s), Glaucous, Great Black-backed, and Lesser Black-backed Gulls!  An assortment of waterfowl are also typically in attendance, such scoters, goldeneye, and other diving ducks, along with the occasional raptor, owl, or winter finch. IOS volunteers will be available to help answer questions along the “boardwalk”.

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20th Annual Gull FrolicRead More »

February 15th 2020

Start Time – 9:30 a.m.

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 close study of some of our harder-to-find winter species such as Iceland (Thayer’s Iceland and Kumlien’s Iceland) and Glaucous Gulls!  A variety of waterfowl typically make an appearance too (scoters and other diving ducks), along with the occasional raptor, owl, or winter finch. Birders wearing bright orange hats will be available to help answer questions along the “boardwalk”.

19th Annual Gull FrolicRead More »

IOS is pleased to announce this year’s Carlyle Lake Pelagic Field Trip to be held, Saturday, September 22, 2018. This trip includes the popular three-hour pelagic aboard comfortable pontoon boats.

As in past years, we’ll meet at McDonald’s off IL 127 in Carlyle at 6:30 AM. This is a full-day field trip, ending around 7:30 PM. We’ll begin with a scan of the lake from Dam West Beach before heading to Eldon Hazlet State Park to search for migrant songbirds. We’ll bird the Hazlet area all morning before breaking for lunch. Lunch will be fast food or bring your own. We’ll gather at the Dam West picnic area where we’ll be able to search for more birds from the excellent shade provided.

After lunch, depending on water levels, we’ll search for shorebirds and waders,  likely visiting Whitetail and James Hawn Access areas.

The boat trip begins at 3:30 PM from Dam West Marina. The late afternoon/early evening hours can be excellent for feeding gulls, terns and others. We hope to find SABINE’S GULL which has eluded us on the past three field trips! It’s also possible to tally RED and RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, EARED and PIED-BILLED GREBES, five or six Gull species and potentially any of the three JAEGER species!

Bring plenty of water, snacks, sunscreen, bug spray, mud boots and your hat.

Those planning on staying Saturday night may wish to join us for a group dinner at a nearby restaurant. Recommended hotels are available in Carlyle, Greenville, Salem and Vandalia.

There is a fee associated with this field trip to cover the costs of pontoon rental, gasoline, and other expenses. The fee is $30 for existing IOS members and $50 for non-IOS members. The $50 fee for non-members includes the field trip registration and a one-year IOS membership and benefits, including four issues of the Meadowlark, A Journal of Illinois Birds, a quarterly publication of IOS.

This field trip is limited to 32 participants with IOS members receiving first priority. Trip registration and payment shall be made through the Pay Pal using the form below (credit cards accepted). This trip is very popular and will fill up fast. IOS will not make refunds but will allow substitutes if you sign up for the trip and cannot attend. It will be your responsibility to notify the trip leader of your substitute. If you cannot provide a substitute, the trip leader will take the 1st name on the waiting list.

If you have any questions about the trip, feel free to contact the trip leader, Keith McMullen or by phone +1-618-560-9450.

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IOS is coordinating a winter field trip to Sax-Zim Bog! For those of you that have not been following their Facebook page, many of the targeted species are being seen there this winter.

Sax-Zim Bog is about 300 square miles of not only bog, but aspen uplands, rivers, lakes, meadows, farms and even a couple towns! It is not just a giant bog, but rather a “magic mix” of habitats that boreal birds love. The Sax-Zim Bog is prime habitat for bog specialists such as Great Gray Owl, Black-backed Woodpecker, Boreal Chickadee, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and Connecticut Warbler. Bobcat, Lynx, Pine Marten, Fisher also use this habitat. Mature bogs are also important wintering habitat for Great Gray Owl, Northern Hawk Owl, White-winged Crossbill, Pine Grosbeak, Common Redpoll and Hoary Redpoll.

You won’t want to miss this opportunity to explore this amazing habitat with a two-day guided trip from a local birding expert. Finding the many wonderful birds of this area can, at times, be difficult due to weather or a lack of area knowledge. Acquiring a local guide will provide you with your best opportunity to capture a glimpse of these magnificent creatures. …

Winter Birds at Sax-Zim Bog Field Trip – Feb. 2 & 3 2018Read More »

It is with great excitement that IOS announces an international trip to the tropical forests of Panama!  IOS will be traveling down to Panama June 26th – July 5th, 2018 (Click Here for Itinerary).  IOS is partnering with Josh Engel and his new tour company, Red Hill Birding, for what is going to be a trip that delights birders whether it’s your first trip to the tropics or your tenth (Register here).  

We will be staying in the Canopy Family’s now famous eco-lodges, the Canopy Tower in the central lowlands, and the Canopy Lodge in the foothills of El Valle de Antón.  Due to the varied habitats we will visit, 260+ species can be expected, including members of some the most dynamic Neotropical families, like motmots, puffbirds, manakins, cotingas, antbirds, toucans, and many, many more!  Oh, and over 20 species of hummingbird are possible!  

A post-trip extension (July 5th – July 11th, 2018) will have us traveling to the Canopy Camp, the Canopy Family’s newest location in the heart of Eastern Panama’s Darién Province!  Here, we will enjoy a new host of birds, including many that are endemic to Panama or the Chocó biological region.  It is at the Canopy Camp where we have the greatest chance of seeing a Harpy Eagle.  We will devote an entire day to searching for Panama’s national bird!  

This is an exclusive IOS members trip, and we look forward to seeing many of you in wonderful Panama next summer!  

See the full itinerary, cost, and trip details HERE.

If you would like to register for the trip or have any other questions, you may contact Red Hill Birding and register HERE.

Join us for our annual LOONAPALOONZA with veteran “Loon Ranger,” David B. Johnson, as we travel in style on a mini-coach bus in search of migrating loons on the glacial lakes of Lake and McHenry Counties. Fee is $30/person. Space is limited to 24 participants.

REGISTER FOR LOONAPALOONZA 2017!