All posts by Adam Sell

Lake County

Crawford Road

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Crawford Road is one of the most reliable spots in Lake County to find breeding Vesper Sparrows.  The breeding Vespers are best accessed from Millburn Rd.  Drive north on Crawford until the you begin to notice agricultural fields with sporadic trees.  This is where most of the birds are singing.    This is an unfinished road.  Past the intersection of Kelly Rd., Crawford can become hard to access for cars with low a chassis.  It can be done, but use caution, especially after a rain.

At the intersection of Crawford and Kelly Rd. one can find a few breeding warblers, including Blue-winged Warbler and Ovenbird.  Listen for Wild Turkey at this intersection, which is another tough find for Lake County.  A White-eyed Vireo was reported at this location during July 2013.  Beyond this intersection, the road continues North until you reach IL 173.  This area has both private and forest preserve land.  In the fields, look for Bobolinks and Grasshopper Sparrow.  The oak woods hold regular breeding species, including Orchard Oriole and Eastern Screech-Owl.

Lake County

Waukegan Beach

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Nestled amongst an archaic industrial backdrop, Waukegan Beach is one of the premier lakefront birding sites in Lake County.  Historically, this site has hosted quite a few state rarities, including Tricolored Heron, Arctic Tern, and Mountain Bluebird.  In the fall and winter months, the northernmost pier has been the most reliable spot in the state to find a Purple Sandpiper.  It almost strictly a migratory bird stopover site, with very few notable breeders.  The summer months are dominated by beach goers, and unless you get there early, a fee to enter the beach.  Birding Waukegan can be broken into several categories: beach, dunes, park, harbor.

The beach proper is best birded by heading north on the shoreline from the northern pier.  The half mile stretch of beach to Greenwood Ave is a great place in the spring and summer to pick up migrating shorebirds.  In April, it is a great spot for Piping Plovers.  Other notable shorebirds seen in fall/spring migration include Baird’s Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Dunlin, Willet, American Avocet, Marbled Godwit, Semipalmated Plover, Black-bellied Plover, American Golden-Plover, and Red Knot.  In spring, terns are easily seen flying over the lake with both Common and Forster’s being numerous.  Also, Bonaparte’s Gulls are readily seen in season while walking the beach, though not in their previous numbers.

As mentioned earlier, the piers are, with luck, a great spot to find Purple Sandpiper.  In migration, Ruddy Turnstones are seen almost annually on the piers, too.  In winter, this has been a historical site to find Harlequin Duck.  Off the piers (northern or “Government” Pier) on a fall day with stiff NE winds, is a great place for lake watching.  All three scoter species have been found alongside Long-tailed Ducks and the other common divers.

The dunes adjacent to the beach are a great place to hike during migration.  Any part of the dunes near water can kick up Nelson’s and Le Conte’s Sparrows.  An early morning hike can include hunting Northern Harriers and flushed Short-eared Owls.  Swarms of swallows course over the marshland, with all the regular occurring species seen in good numbers.  The fall of 2012 included a November sighting of Cave Swallow.  Scrubbier habitat near the beach parking lot can hold large quantities of migrating passerines on any spring/fall day.  Always worth checking this area.

The park just west of the swimming beach, locally known as the “Magic Pines,” can be migrant trap.  Notable species seen during migration include Northern Mockingbird, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Canada Warbler, Mourning Warbler, and Clay-colored Sparrow.  Almost any migratory passerine can be found here on the right day.  Like most lakefront sites, this can also be a great place to see high counts for a species.

The harbor is the place to look for ducks that enjoy sheltered waters.  During migration and winter, look for Horned Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Hooded Merganser, Wood Duck, Gadwall, Bufflehead and Common Goldeneye.  To bird the harbor, it is best to walk along Government Pier, parking in the marina parking lot.  It’s always worth scanning from the end of government pier.  Most recently, a Western/Clark’s Grebe was spotted there.  Snowy Owls have been found on the harbor docks in winter, as well as on the end of the piers in good years.  As the harbor freezes over, gulls congregate in small/medium numbers.  Despite not having the highest individual counts, the seven “regular” species have been seen.


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Lake County

Independence Grove

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This forest preserve is one of the most popular in the county, and the main focus for both birders and the general public is the 115 acre lake.  During migration, this is a great place to check for waterfowl.  Common Loon are expected in spring, as well as the common diving ducks, including occasional Greater Scaup.  Red-necked Grebe has been spotted here during fall migration.

The trail around the lake has restored prairie vegetation and secondary growth/edge habitat.  Purple Martins can be seen every breeding season in the conspicuous housing made for them.  The trail usually holds the common edge habitat breeders.  The north side of the preserve has a parking lot where you can connect to the Des Plaines River Trail.  On a good day during spring/fall migration, these trees can be loaded with passerine migrants.

The swimming beach should be checked for gulls.  Lesser Black-backed Gulls have been found here frequently in winter.

In the winter, Rough-legged Hawks have been seen on the western edge of the preserve, as well as Northern Shrike.  Closer to the visitor center are some native plantings that have hosted Common Redpoll in season.


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Lake County

Almond Marsh

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Located in Northern Lake County, Almond Marsh is an active heron colony and is a part of the Lake County Forest Preserve District. In spring and summer, roosting birds include Great Blue Heron, Double-crested Cormorant, and the only reliable spot to find Black-crowned Night Heron in Lake County throughout the summer months.   Post-breeding wanderers are also a highlight and something to look for at Almond Marsh in season.  Records have included Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron and Neotropic Cormorant.

Besides the rookery, the main attraction is the open water.  During migration, one can find Horned Grebe, American Black Duck, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead and Ruddy Duck.  Breeding waterfowl seen here include Pied-billed Grebe, Wood Duck, Mallard, Blue-winged Teal and Hooded Merganser.   Other marsh breeders include Green Heron, Sora, and Virginia Rail.  By the entrance gate there can be Woodcocks “peenting” in early spring.   In past years, this has been a reliable spot for Yellow-headed Blackbird and Red-headed Woodpecker.  Common Gallinule is also a sporadic breeder.  Both Red-tailed Hawk and Cooper’s Hawk have bred on the preserve, as well as Great Horned Owls.

The oaks surrounding the marsh are a good place to look for spring migrants as they begin to bud, and most regular migrants have been seen.


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Lake County

Lake County Fairgrounds

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Though discovered years before, 2012 has seen a rise in interest in the Lake County Fairgrounds as a birding destination.  With close proximity to a dump, it is easy to see what makes this spot stand out in the winter months.

The fairgrounds main parking lot is becoming a good destination for winter gulling in Lake County and one of the only reliable Lake County spots outside of Winthrop Harbor that hosts a wide range of species in the winter.  As per usual, the dominant species in the parking lot are Herring Gull and Ring-billed Gull.  Scattered amongst these species, there have been records of Lesser Black-backed Gull, Thayer’s Gull, Iceland (Kumlien’s) Gull, and California Gull.

Just north of the parking lot is a small ponds that many of the gulls travel to for preening and water.  This pond in April had a beautiful pair of juvenile Bonaparte’s Gulls that spent the better part of a week feeding there.  Besides the gulls, this pond can hold significant amounts of waterfowl.  Recorded so far have been, Canada Goose, Cackling Goose, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, Hooded Merganser, Wood Duck, and American Wigeon.

In summer, the pond dried significantly, revealing decent mud flats.  Large numbers of Great Egret and Great Blue Heron congregated in late summer and shorebirds seen during fall migration included Lesser Yellowlegs, Greater Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, and Spotted Sandpiper.  Sora’s have been heard and seen in the cattails.

The gravel parking lot to the west of the pond had summering Horned Larks.  In winter, flocks of American Tree Sparrow are common, and on rare occasions, Snow Bunting have been seen and heard.  The fairgrounds is also an easy spot to pick up American Kestrel, as a resident pair has been seen here for more than a year.

NOTE: It’s important to know that gull congregations are only great when the water at the pond adjacent to the parking lot is OPEN. If it is frozen, the gulls WON’T congregate in any significant number. The gulls need open water for bathing and preening. This most likely designates this as a great gulling spot early and late in the season.


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