Nature Photography in the Chicago Area: Part 2
Midwest flyway…it’s for the birds and for people
In my first article, I tempted you with the prospect that nature and landscape photography opportunities exist and are possibly even a reason to visit the Chicagoland area. Well, did you know that millions of birds fly through this area every spring and fall? And that hundreds of species of birds make their homes in the area? Could birds be a good reason to visit the Chicago area? Here are some reasons and places to consider birding in the area.
Known as the Mississippi flyway, thousands of birds from about 325 species, travel each spring and fall from central Canada to the Gulf of Mexico and even further south. They migrate looking for food, safe roosting areas and nesting locations. Illinois is smack dab in the middle of that flight path. According to Audubon, nearly half of the bird species and up to forty percent of the waterfowl of North America spend part of their lives in the Mississippi Flyway.
So where should you go to look for birds when you come to Chicago? First off, if you want to stay downtown and not venture into the burbs, I’d head to the Magic Hedge. More specifically, the Magic Hedge is in Lincoln Park and is part of the Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary.
The Magic Hedge is a 150-yard stretch of shrubs and trees that attracts over 300 species of birds during the year. It was built by the Army in the mid-20th century to screen barracks from public view. What started with an invasive species (honeysuckle) hedge has been managed over the years with the introduction of bird-friendly native shrubs. There is also a butterfly meadow at the site. An ADA-accessible trail was built in 2021, allowing a wider range of people to explore this important birding destination.
In the winter, snowy owls can hang out all along the Lake Michigan shoreline, as well as farther south and west to the farmlands of central Illinois and even around golf courses in the suburbs. I like to drive the farm fields west of DeKalb, IL and often see owls in the fields, usually quite far away. However, one day, I got really lucky and managed to capture this one winging its way past my car.
Another species that is becoming quite a common visitor in the suburbs is the sandhill crane. The first three images were made at Illinois Beach State Park, Zion, IL. I made the last image in the parking lot of a high school in Bartlett, IL. This guy/gal hung around all spring, I sure hope he finally found some companionship.
Bald eagles are making a comeback from near extinction in the mid-20th century and you can find nesting locations near water all over this suburbs. This pair happened to nest in Mooseheart, IL. This nest and tree, however, were taken down in 2022 when authorities deemed the tree unsafe.
I saw this black-crowned night heron fishing along Salt Creek at the Old Grauve Mill site in Fullersburg Woods, part of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. It hung around for a few days and didn’t seem to mind folks watching him/her fish. When I came back a week later, it had moved on.
While you would expect the usual robins and starlings in the suburbs, I’ve witnessed and managed to capture images of a variety of songbird species just walking around my neighborhood and watching carefully at local city parks.
When you look, you can find all sort of birds in almost every habitat. It helps to bring a friend with a good pair of binoculars to spot birds with you. I know of avid birders who work downtown Chicago and go birding on their lunch time each day, its a popular pastime.
I used both a 70–300mm f/4–5.6 and a 100–400mm f/4–5.6 lens to make all of these images, all handheld. It just takes some patience and a bit of perseverance and you can find birds, even rare birds, all over the Chicagoland area.
Hope to see you out there soon.
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