Ideas for summer birding

(published 7-29-26)

This Loggerhead Shrike and its mate enjoyed nesting
success at Fermilab this summer. Photo by Chris George.

One of the best things about birding is that birds are everywhere. There’s always something to see. And as Yogi Berra once said, “You can observe a lot just by watching.”

The seasonality of birding, however, means that certain times of the year are better than others. It’s natural to feel a little let down when the daily excitement of spring migration winds down in early June.

July and August are typically a little slow. Songbirds are busy raising families. Most are quieter and harder to detect in the leafy trees. But never fear, excellent birding opportunities abound!

Here are some ideas to keep your bird on until fall migration revs up around Labor Day. You can do some of these things without even leaving home—another upside to birding.

 A Rufous Hummingbird perches on a Humm
Blossom feeder. Photo by Jackie Bowman.

Create a hummingbird haven. If you have hummingbirds visiting your garden or feeder, be thankful. Watch them all you can. Check your trees for a nest, too, although finding one is a longshot. The local Ruby-throated Hummingbird population gradually increases in summer as fledglings come of age. In fact, I find September to be the best month in terms of feeder activity. Be ready. Unless you have swarms of hummers, I recommend a low-capacity feeder that’s easy to clean. My favorite model is the 4-oz. Humm Blossom by Aspects. (Wild Birds Unlimited stores carry the same feeder marketed as the Mini High Perch.) Whatever feeder you choose, hang it in a shady spot, if possible, so the nectar stays fresh longer. Placing two feeders at least 20 feet apart can bring in more birds.

Go shorebirding. Fall migration is a longer, drawn-out process than spring migration. For some long-distance travelers it begins in July! I’m speaking of the shorebirds, including sandpipers, avocets, godwits, plovers, and assorted “peeps.” In late summer you’ll find them on beaches, sod farms, and fields where “fluddles” have formed.

This Red Knot visited Waukegan Beach in May,
Photo by Nat Carmichael.

The shores of Lake Michigan are a natural magnet, especially Chicago’s Montrose Point and Illinois Beach State Park in Lake County. In DuPage, Wood Dale/Itasca reservoir is a premier shorebird hotspot, along with the 83^rd Street wetland adjacent to Greene Valley Forest Preserve. Muirhead Springs in Kane County can also be productive. At the inland sites, birders scout for mudflats—prime feeding grounds for these birds with epic journeys ahead.

Pick an easy target. Shorebirds can be tricky to ID, but at least they are visible. Try pursuing other species that spend time in the open. In June I rode my bike to the sprawling ComEd facility in Lombard, to view nesting Monk Parakeets. I found a small group foraging on the ground and more birds at their nests. The Daily Herald recently featured the parakeets in a front-page story by Jake Griffin, which inspired my excursion.

One of the resident Monk Parakeets in Lombard. 
Photo by Mark Levesque.

The exotic birds are colonial nesters, making them easy to observe. Their green feathers, large size and loud voices also help!

The Purple Martin colony at Cantigny Golf in Wheaton is worth a stop, too. Catch them before they head south in early August.

Active rookeries of Great Blue Heron and Double-crested Cormorant are fascinating as well. In Chicago, you can observe a colony of Black-crowned Night Heron, a state-endangered species, on the grounds of Lincoln Park Zoo.

This summer, local birders have a special opportunity to view a rare visitor, Loggerhead Shrike, another endangered Illinois species. Fermilab in Batavia is hosting a nesting pair, first discovered in late March. Three fledglings were confirmed in June. The birds like to perch on the fence surrounding the bison pasture.

Find the birds of summer. Thankfully, not all birds go mute during the dog days. Take a walk in the woods, or along the edge of one, listening for Eastern Wood-Pewee, Indigo Bunting, Red-eyed Vireo, and Warbling Vireo. Try using Merlin, the free app, to help ID the birds you hear or to confirm your suspicions. Hopefully you’ll get eyes on the singers, too.

Hit the road. If you still have some gas money in your budget, consider a trip to the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, Wis. It’s well worth the 175-mile drive. Get details at savingcranes.org.

If you travel to ICF, add a stop at Horicon National Wildlife Refuge in Mayville. Nesting American White Pelicans should be there, and watch for Black-necked Stilt, Black Tern and Yellow-headed Blackbird.

Another bird-filled destination is Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, near Joliet. Bobolink and Dickcissel are almost a lock, and you could see Henslow’s Sparrow, Northern Mockingbird and Blue Grosbeak.

Migrating Common Nighthawks are a beloved August
spectacle for birders. Photo by Dave Irving.

Check the evening skies. Mid-August is one of my favorite times of the year, when we begin to see migrating Common Nighthawks during the last few hours of daylight. This species—not related to hawks—is an easy add to your yard list. Your driveway or any other spot with open sky above is all you need. Calm and clear conditions are best. The pointy-winged flyers will stream over through early September, sometimes in large groups. They’ll be gobbling insects to fuel their journeys to South America.

As if your summer to-do list isn’t long enough, here are a few more ideas:

• Visit the DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center (formerly Willowbrook) in Glen Ellyn. The newly upgraded campus is a vital community resource treating thousands of injured birds and animals every year. There’s a trail for birding, too.
• Read “Return of the Oystercatcher,” an uplifting new book by Scott Weidensaul.
• Watch “Listers” on YouTube, a humorous inside look at birding culture.

One more, if you get the chance: Take a child on a short bird walk. Treat it like a treasure hunt, perhaps with a goal of finding 10 kinds of birds. Start a list. You might just light a fire.  

Copyright 2026 by Jeff Reiter. All rights reserved.