One word: gulls. North Point Marina is one of the best places to look for uncommon and rare gulls in Illinois. Species seen here regularly in winter include Glaucous Gull, Iceland Gull, Thayer’s Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Greater Black-backed Gull. California Gull has also been recorded here many times. Other gulls recorded here include Glaucous-winged, Slaty-backed, Mew, and Franklin’s. Other good birds seen here in recent years include Western Grebe and Cassin’s Sparrow.

Recently, the town of Winthrop Harbor opened the beach as a dog-training beach, with the purpose of keeping the gulls away. The result has been a drastic decrease in the number of gulls loafing here, but once the ice builds up in the harbors, the gulls congregate there.

View Illinois Birding Map in a larger map