Gillson Park
Gillson Park, Wilmette, Illinois
Update Spring 2021
Please visit this presentation I gave on May 19th for Go Green Willmette Birding Gillson 2021!
Lots of details about the various bird habitats in the park, plus resources for new birders - scroll down to the end for lots of reference links!
Spring Edition 2020
In previous years come May, I have had the pleasure of helping lead Sunday morning bird walks for Go Green Wilmette. This year we are keeping our distance from each other, so no bird walks are on the schedule, but that doesn't mean you can't experience spring migration. Since I'll miss leading bird walks during spring migration this year, I thought I would share the spots in Gillson Park that we would check out together, and some tips about birding. Anywhere you can see birds is a great place to bird. but I have particular areas I check due to habitat where birds can find food and cover. The bird info is very general, I focus more on where to look for the birds. See some of the resources below for great beginning birding information. As I can, I will update with more detail on sightings and species. Check out the map below!
Birding while socially distant is still fulfilling, whether you are out on your own, or staying a good distance from your birding buddies. Enjoy migration!
Please visit this presentation I gave on May 19th for Go Green Willmette Birding Gillson 2021!
Lots of details about the various bird habitats in the park, plus resources for new birders - scroll down to the end for lots of reference links!
Spring Edition 2020
In previous years come May, I have had the pleasure of helping lead Sunday morning bird walks for Go Green Wilmette. This year we are keeping our distance from each other, so no bird walks are on the schedule, but that doesn't mean you can't experience spring migration. Since I'll miss leading bird walks during spring migration this year, I thought I would share the spots in Gillson Park that we would check out together, and some tips about birding. Anywhere you can see birds is a great place to bird. but I have particular areas I check due to habitat where birds can find food and cover. The bird info is very general, I focus more on where to look for the birds. See some of the resources below for great beginning birding information. As I can, I will update with more detail on sightings and species. Check out the map below!
Birding while socially distant is still fulfilling, whether you are out on your own, or staying a good distance from your birding buddies. Enjoy migration!
Here a link to birds reported most recently in Gillson on Ebird.
Explore the map to get tips for a virtual bird walk:
- You can enlarge the map (upper right hand corner) to see details.
- Click on the blue pin icons in the map below for videos and info on various areas in the park. I will update as I can.
- The purple question mark icons have some great resources for planning your birding.
- The yellow star icons are recent sightings.
- Click to the left of the map title for a listing of site contents.
- Hint: on a phone, use two fingers to move the map to the area you would like to explore.
Spring Sparrows!
Sometimes known as "little brown birds," sparrow were an intimidating type of bird to try to identify for me. This great graphic from the ABA helps to cue in to what distinguishes one from another. Sparrows often forage on the ground or in low shrubs, so they can be easy to see and give your neck a rest from craning to look up high in the tree tops. And they are adorable. 4/27/20 - White-throated Sparrows are arriving and they are plentiful, charismatic and have a very recognizable song. They are a great sparrow to start with! |
This great graphic from BirdFace is helpful to tell apart the warblers that are beginning to arrive. (A few of these would be rare here, but we get many of these during spring migration at Gillson.)
Another great resource is the Warbler Guide, there is a book and an app.
Great Local Resources for Birding and Nature
Go Green Wilmette
Chicago Audubon Society
Chicago Ornithological Society
IBET
Chicago Bird Collision Monitors
Bird Friendly Chicago
Evanston North Shore Bird Club
Treekeepers