In September, the Chicago Bird Report found a Hudsonian Godwit at Big Marsh Park, on Chicago’s south side!
Host Sujud Ottmen talks to local birders about this rare and beautiful shore bird, and the habitat required to support more diverse birds.
Save Bell Bowl Prairie - Your Help Needed
On Discovering the Birding Journal of George Carrington Mason
Speaking of Nature: Review of J. Drew Lanham's Sparrow Envy, A Field Guide to Birds and Lesser Beasts and American Birds, A Literary Companion
2021 Birdseed Sale
Safe Spaces Increase Access to Nature for LGBTQIA+ Communities
“Maybe one day affinity spaces won’t be necessary, but right now, there’s healing and trust-building that needs to be done for our communities, and other communities who have been left out of conservation planning and engagement.” CAS Board member and Out in Nature founder Forrest Cortes writes about the importance of creating safe spaces for affinity groups in conservation and birding.
Bird Friendly Chicago - Moving Forward for Birds
Chicago Bird Report - August
Check out our new video series identifying awesome birds you can find in the Chicago area - Chicago Bird Report. Often we travel to unusual under-birded areas to locate and explain hard-to-find birds. Here’s our second episode, where we traveled to Park 566, along Lake Michigan on the far south side of Chicago.
Volunteers Needed - Share and grow your Instagram skills
Chicago Audubon needs your Instagram passion!
We’ve grown our IG audience to nearly 3,000 in 2 years, but we need (volunteer) help to keep growing! Are you a talented communicator? Do you love bird photography and telling local conservation stories?
You don’t need to be a photographer or an expert birder, but a knowledge of Instagram - posts, stories and videos, along with an eye for design, and expertise in communications is important. And time - we need volunteers who can donate at least 1-2 hours a week.
Bird Monitors Needed along Chicago River - at River and Ronan Parks and Park 538
Help CAS track the results of a future bird habitat installation at River Park. This year we are collecting baseline and comparison data at River Park, Ronan Park and Park 538 (Chicago River north and south of Bryn Mawr and the North Shore Channel south of Touhy). Anyone who can identify migrating birds to family or species can join this survey.
Chicago Bird Report - July
Check out our new video series identifying awesome birds you can find in the Chicago area - Chicago Bird Report. Often we travel to unusual under-birded areas to locate and explain hard-to-find birds. Here’s our first episode, where we traveled to Orland Park, behind a Costco parking lot - we call it the Orland Costco Slough.
Action Alert: Comment on Kankakee Refuge due August 13
The USFW is seeking comments on a draft visioning document for the Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area in Kankakee and Iroquois counties, Illinois. Please take 5 minutes to express your support for the Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area. A simple email and affirmation of your support is all that is required. Send your email in support to: R3Planning@fws.gov (subject line “Kankakee NWR LPP Comment”).
New Designs in Our Store!
Check out 2 new designs, beautiful illustrations of a Pileated Woodpecker and 4 Warblers, by L. Hisako Nakashima.
You can purchase these awesome designs in a variety of formats - t-shirts, mugs, face masks, stickers - even stretched canvases - in our Threadless print-to-order shop, along with all of our other beautiful designs.
Techny Basin North: Saving Birds from the Mower
Bird conservation has many challenges but habitat loss is the single largest cause of bird population declines. CAS President Judy Pollock describes the complicated battle to preserve and create habitat for migrating birds in Techny Basin, saving many nesting birds from mowing this privately controlled land.
Learning to Love Flies, a Review of Super Fly by Jonathon Balcombe
A Conversation with Jonathan Meiburg
Notes from a Casual Birder: On Migration
Bookkeeper - Office Manager position available
Bird Safe Buildings Bill Passes Illinois House/Senate, Now on Governor Pritzker's Desk
Important news for birds! The Bird Safe Buildings bill will require that state buildings use a reduced or protected amount of glass and bird-friendly design features along with reduced and shielded lighting practices for the prevention of bird collisions.
Once enacted, the bill will apply to future state building construction or major renovations of existing buildings.
Appreciation & Reflection on the Growth of the Chicago BIPOC Birding Community
CAS Board member Daniela Herrera reflects on her participation in Bird Walk Leader Training.
“The goal of the program was to engage and prepare Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) to lead bird walks in their communities. It is no secret that the birding community has historically been predominantly white. Chicago Audubon Society and its partners wanted to equip BIPOC birders with the tools and skills needed to lead bird walks.”