Sand Bluff Bird Observatory | Located at Colored Sands Forest Preserve

UPCOMING EVENTS & PROGRAMS

Evening With The Owls at Sand Bluff Bird Observatory

Oct 20 @ 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm

Please join us for an educational program about owls during the peak Saw-whet Owl migration in October. Learn about the research Sand Bluff and other scientists are conducting about owl ecology and behavior. Experience the[...]

October 26 (Friday)

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Evening With The Owls at Sand Bluff Bird Observatory

Oct 26 @ 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm

November 17 (Saturday)

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Net Rolling at Sand Bluff Bird Observatory

Nov 17 @ 8:00 am – 11:00 am

We will be rolling the mist nets we use to capture the wild migratory birds for storage during the winter. We will also be winterizing the station. No experience is necessary to help us close[...]

October – November 2018 Oct – Nov 2018

NEWS FROM SAND BLUFF

The Sand Bluff Birder Newsletter – Aug 2018

Have you noticed how the sounds of the birds have changed? Gone are the declarations of territory and desires for a mate, replaced with the adolescent chicks begging for food and discussions about migration. After the frenetic energy of spring, now is the time to...

Birdfest 2018 Set for May 12-13

Birdfest 2018 will be May 12 and 13. We will have live bird banding, nature hikes, kids activities, presentations from Illinois Young Birders, a food tend, gift shop, silent auction and more! Learn about wild migrating birds, bird research, conservation biology, and...

Brewster’s Warbler: a hybrid warbler captured and tagged

And Whoosh! The migrating birds return! A strong south wind sent many beautiful birds into our area these last few days. Today our volunteers were able to capture this beautiful Brewster's Warbler: a hybrid warbler (a golden winged warbler and a blue warbler made at...

We visited a week ago. My daughter was fortunate enough to release a blue winged warbler after it was banded. She is still talking about it as well as other birds she sees. The work done at the observatory is life changing in a very positive way. Keep up the great work.

Carly S.

Sand Bluff Bird Observatiory is my favorite place to hike and go bird watching anytime of the year. I especially love the banding station where you can see volunteers band many different species of birds. Some are rarely seen in the wild. Like Owls and whippoorwills. Banding starts in March and continues through the summer and fall and ends sometime in November.

Marie P.