Congratulations to the Will County Audubon Society!
The Will County Audubon was recently awarded the 2009 Outstanding Team or Group award for volunteer work at Lake Renwick. The award was presented at the Will County Forest Preserve's Volunteer Program Recognition Banquet on April 24, 2009.
IAS on Facebook
IAS now has a Facebook page available here.
Thanks to Sonny Cohen from the Lake-Cook Chapter, IAS now has a presence on Facebook. If you already have or register for a free Facebook account, you can post comments, add additional events and otherwise control the content on this IAS Facebook page. |
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Illinois Audubon Society Fall Gathering September 11-13
Bird Lake County Including the Lakefront.
Why wait for the fall migrants to come to you? Spend a weekend birding along Lake Michigan as well as inland in many Lake County forest preserves at the fall IAS meeting September 11-13 hosted by Lake/Cook Chapter – the northernmost IAS outpost and the first stop in Illinois for our feathered friends heading south to their wintering grounds. Find out more...
Wanted! Your photos.
We are looking for photos taken by WCAS members (in digital format) for our web page. Pictures of birds, WCAS field trips, outings, and other activities would be appreciated. Please be sure to include your name for photo credit and a brief description of the image. Check our Gallery section for recent updates.
Bird Sightings
Don't forget to check out the latest bird sightings and send your own as well.
Are you interested in learning more about birds and birding in and around Will County? Would you like to meet others that enjoy birding? Join us at one of our upcoming activities and find out what the Will County Audubon Society is all about. We hope to see you there! |
| Hummingbird Festival
Saturday Aug 29, 2009
Camp Sagawau Forest Preserve
Lemont, IL | 
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Plan now to attend the Hummingbird Festival to be held at Camp Sagawau Forest Preserve (Cook County) from 9:00 AM to noon.
Directions: Located 100 yards east of the corner of Rt. 83 and Archer Avenue, Lemont, Illinois. (630) 257-2045
A list of additional Hummingbird Festivals around the state are available here.
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 2009-2010 Field Trips Posted.
See the activities page for the updated list of WCAS Saturday field trips and start planning now to join us for an upcoming trip.
Lake Renwick Heron Rookery
The Lake Renwick Heron Rookery located in Plainfield, IL affords an excellent opportunity to observe colonial nesting species such as Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Black-crowned Night Herons and others. Many members from the Will County Audubon Society volunteer at Lake Renwick.
During the breeding season, the preserve is closed to the public March-mid-August, except for public bird viewing programs which are offered May 1 - August 15 every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m.
Spotting scopes are available to provide visitors with a bird's eye view of the herons and egrets nest building, feeding and caring for their young, and searching for food. Plan a trip to visit the Lake Renwick Rookery!
Bluebird Monitoring at Lake Renwick Nature Preserve
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Established in 2003, the trail at Lake Renwick consists of 12 boxes placed in pairs, thus attracting nesting Bluebirds to one box while leaving the other box for use by Tree Swallows. It is sponsored by Will County Chapter of the Illinois Audubon Society and the Forest Preserve District of Will County.
Monitors include Carrie Rock, Ruth Meyer and Bernie Twait.
The disappearance of dead trees and wooden fence posts, along with increased competition from Starlings and House Sparrows, and the increased use of pesticides, have led to the Bluebirds current rarity. Fortunately, Bluebirds will use artificial nesting boxes. That is where volunteers enjoy monitoring Bluebird boxes as an effort to help increase the Bluebird population. |
Photo by Joel Craig
Lake Renwick Bluebird Nestbox Results
Year | Results | 2003 | not counted | 2004 | 9 fledged | 2005 | 4 fledged | 2006 | 8 fledged | 2007 | 0 fledged ( cold spring and Bluebirds went south to nest. Tree Swallows used most of boxes) | 2008 | 4 fledged |
Watch the Forest Preserve District of Will County web site for information on the Bluebird program, dates to visit the boxes, and to learn how they are doing.
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