The Birds are Back at Lake Renwick Heron Rookery in Plainfield

The Forest Preserve District of Will County’s twice-weekly bird viewing programs will resume May 3 at Lake Renwick Heron Rookery Nature Preserve in Plainfield.

Free “Lake Renwick Bird Viewing” sessions will be offered from 10-11 a.m. on Wednesdays and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. The viewing sessions are the only chance to get into the preserve through Aug. 15 while the site is closed to protect the nesting activities of the migratory birds that call the rookery home.

Birds that hang out at the rookery include: blue herons, great egrets, double-crested cormorants, endangered black-crowned night herons, American white pelicans and a resident pair of bald eagles, to name a few. Will County Audubon Society volunteers will be on hand at each viewing program to answer questions about the birds, as well as the preserve’s history. The viewing platform has spotting scopes and a limited number of binoculars are available.

In honor of International Migratory Bird Day, which can be celebrated any time birds are on the move, a special activity is planned and Bird Day handouts also will be provided during the program on Saturday, May 6.

The preserve is located on Renwick Road, east of Route 30. For more information on this program and other Forest Preserve District offerings, visit ReconnectWithNature.org.