The 2015 COS Team LaBagh Big Year -- Report #1

Quietly, and with little fanfare, before the Ivory Gull was even a thought forbirders in the Chicago area, a very special year-long event kicked off at LaBagh Woods. Chicago Ornithological Society (COS), in conjunction with a number of other conservation-minded partners, launched a fundraiser for the restoration of the understory at LaBagh in 2015 and beyond.

Conservation, Community, Field TripLindsay WilkesJanuary 23, 2015

COS Launches "Big Year" Fundraiser for LaBagh Woods

COS has launched its 2015 fundraiser for LaBagh Woods, located at Foster Avenue and Edens Expressway. LaBagh Woods is a critical habitat for migrating birds, but is not in good shape. Years of neglect have resulted in a significantly degraded habitat. Thanks to recent re-dedication by the Cook County Forest Preserve, volunteers have received a grant to remove the buckthorn and other invasive species that have overrun LaBagh. Unfortunately, the dollars aren’t there to purchase shrubs, trees and the fencing to protect new plantings from hungry deer.

This is where you come in!

Community, ConservationLindsay WilkesDecember 27, 2014

Looking for Hard Copies of Old COS Newsletters

We have collected hard copies of our newsletter, The Chicago Birder, from Volume 1 Issue 1 in 1989 through Volume 23 Issue 4 in 2010. Before turning over the complete set to the Chicago Academy of Sciences for permanent safekeeping, I am collecting a second set of newsletters for backup purposes and so they will be readily available to our members.

CommunityLindsay WilkesNovember 28, 2014

Join COS for the Lisle Arboretum Christmas Bird Count

Community, Field TripLindsay WilkesNovember 28, 2013

COS Co-Sponsoring Bird Art and Photography Exhibit to Benefit Illinois Audobon

COS is co-sponsoring a special exhibit of bird art and photography by Chicago-area artists. The exhibit will run August 15-29 at the Erehwon Mountain Outfitters store in suburban Bannockburn to raise conservation awareness.

All profits from the sale of the prints as well as select Erehwon products will be donated to the Illinois Audubon Society (www.illinoisaudubon.org), the state’s oldest private conservation organization.

Community, ProgramLindsay WilkesJuly 7, 2013

COS Promotes Urban Biodiversity Week - Walk led by Walter Marcisz

Program, CommunityLindsay WilkesApril 24, 2013

COS Supporting the Southern Illinois Birding Blitz

CommunityLindsay WilkesApril 13, 2013

First Phase of Historical Records Entry Project Complete

The first phase of our data entry project is essentially complete. Under the guidance of Walter Marcisz and with eBird assistance from Matthew Cvetas, 886 checklists dating from April 20, 1926 to October 13, 1979 were entered by COS members and friends.

CommunityLindsay WilkesMarch 10, 2013

COS Celebrates 2012 Centenary

CommunityLindsay WilkesJanuary 27, 2013

COS Centenary Dinner and Lisle Arboretum Christmas Bird Count on December 14

On Sunday, December 16, 2012 join one of the Chicagoland area’s most active Christmas Bird Counts. More than 75 people volunteer their time on a wintery Sunday to count birds from before dawn until dusk. The long day of counting birds is followed by a great Count Dinner that is free to all count participants as the culmination of the Chicago Ornithological Society’s centennial celebration.

Community, Field TripLindsay WilkesDecember 1, 2012

BCN's Redstart Connection Campaign Kicks Off

The Bird Conservation Network, of which COS is a member, is excited to announce a new enterprise. We have established the Redstart Connection Campaign to raise funds to help birds here in the Midwest and on their wintering grounds.

Conservation, CommunityLindsay WilkesNovember 5, 2012

Historical Records Project Underway - Help still needed!

Under the guidance of Walter Marcisz, nine dedicated folks gathered at the Bridgeport branch of the Chicago Public Library on September 8 and started entering into eBird historical records of bird observations we received from Doug Anderson. We had a follow-up gathering at the library on October 13th.

CommunityLindsay WilkesNovember 5, 2012

COS supporting teams for 2012 Cache River Nature Fest's Birding Blitz

At the Cache River Nature Fest Birding Blitz teams compete to see and hear the most species of birds in a 24-hour period, while raising money for conservation in southernmost Illinois. Teams can search for birds throughout the area of southernmost Illinois, from Jackson, Williamson, Saline, and Gallatin counties south through Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Alexander, Pulaski, and Massac counties.

CommunityLindsay WilkesApril 8, 2012

COS Celebrates Centennial with Illinois Young Birder Artwork

To help celebrate COS's 100 years as a Chicago area birding club, Lucas Haberkorn, age 11 years, and Nandu Dubey, age 14 years, members of the Illinois Young Birders club (IYB), created artwork for COS to use to promote its celebration.

CommunityLindsay WilkesFebruary 14, 2012

63rd Lisle Arboretum Christmas Bird Count Results

We had 82 species of birds on the count this year, the 63rd time the count"s been held. This is the third best species total for the Lisle-Arb count, trailing only the counts from Dec 2009 (89 species) and Dec 2006 (86 species).

Community, Field TripLindsay WilkesJanuary 30, 2012

COS Blog

This is where you come in!

COS is co-sponsoring a special exhibit of bird art and photography by Chicago-area artists. The exhibit will run August 15-29 at the Erehwon Mountain Outfitters store in suburban Bannockburn to raise conservation awareness.

All profits from the sale of the prints as well as select Erehwon products will be donated to the Illinois Audubon Society (www.illinoisaudubon.org), the state’s oldest private conservation organization.

The Bird Conservation Network, of which COS is a member, is excited to announce a new enterprise. We have established the Redstart Connection Campaign to raise funds to help birds here in the Midwest and on their wintering grounds.

To help celebrate COS's 100 years as a Chicago area birding club, Lucas Haberkorn, age 11 years, and Nandu Dubey, age 14 years, members of the Illinois Young Birders club (IYB), created artwork for COS to use to promote its celebration.

We had 82 species of birds on the count this year, the 63rd time the count"s been held. This is the third best species total for the Lisle-Arb count, trailing only the counts from Dec 2009 (89 species) and Dec 2006 (86 species).