Guided Bird Walks
With the full reopening of the Evans Course this Spring, Canal Shores will resume holding bird walks on the golf course, located at 1030 Central St., Evanston, each Sunday morning from April 27 through May 25. The walks will start at 7:30 a.m.
On April 27, May11, and May 25, we will walk the north birding loop. We will meet by the 10th hole tee on Maple Ave, Wilmette, just west of the canal. There is four hours of free parking on Maple in that area.
On May 4, and 18, we will walk the south bird loop. We will meet by the 18th hole green on Lincoln St, Evanston, just east of the canal. There is four hours of free parking on Lincoln in that area.
Please dress for the weather, recognizing that the ground can be wet. Bring binoculars and, if you have one, a field guide.
So, we can properly plan for the walks, please register with Matt Rooney, matthewarooney@gmail.com, ahead of time. If you have any questions, please reach out to Matt.
We hope to see you on the course.
Information on Birding at Canal Shores
At Canal Shores, only about half of its 82 acres of green space is occupied by the actual golf course, allowing for complementary habitats that are attractive to birds, both migratory and residential. The property runs along the North Shore Sanitary Canal, which links the North Branch of the Chicago River to Lake Michigan at Gilson Park in Wilmette. Accordingly, we have many acres of wooded shoreline on the canal, in addition to small wetland and open meadow areas. Canal Shores runs somewhat parallel to the shore of Lake Michigan and, at its north end, is very close to the lake, making it a natural pathway for migratory birds. As of April 17, 2023, we have seen 189 species of birds on the property. Click here to see a List of Birds seen on Canal Shores. Local birdwatchers frequently post their current sightings and counts on eBird, a site maintained by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
The property offers many vistas for bird watching and we have designated two Birding Loops on the property. Maps outlining them can be reached by clicking the following links: South Birding Loop Map and North Birding Loop Map. For the North Loop, there is free parking on the south side of Maple Avenue in Wilmette for up to four hours. For the South Loop, there is free parking on the north side of Lincoln Street in Evanston also for up to 4 hours. Or, you can park in the golf course’s parking lot (1030 Central Street) and come into the Pro Shop to get a parking permit and pick up a birding map. The North Loop is about 1¾ miles long and the South Loop about 1¼ miles long.
Thanks to the hard work of our volunteer crew, the Lumberjacks and Lumberjills, a three-mile hiking trail now winds along both sides of the North Shore Channel, following the length of the Evans Course. This trail was created from a series of long-standing informal paths and is accessible from all five streets that cross the course, making it easy to access from multiple points.
The trail can be walked as a loop and offers great birding opportunities throughout. It’s narrow, about three feet wide in most places, so it’s best for solo birders or groups of two or three. One added benefit: the trail keeps you clear of golfers, offering a quieter experience with the birds.
Please note that this is a true hiking trail, not a casual walking path, and is used at your own risk.
Canal Shores is dedicated to golf, golf- and nature-related youth programs, ecology and community. As part of our Ecology and Community outreach effort, we organize bird watching walks in the Spring and the Fall of each year. Moreover, we would be happy to provide a free Introduction to birding tutorial at the course for interested groups. Birdwatchers also are encouraged to explore the course on their own as an interesting green space in an urban environment. We only ask that birders be sensitive to golfers and remember that golfers have the right of way. Birders should walk, as indicated on the Birding Loop Maps, in the opposite direction of play (the dashed line), so as to be visible to golfers and to only interfere with each group of golfers one time, instead of walking along with them. Click here for a Bird Identification Guide.
In the Spring and Summer of 2019, in connection with Living Habitat and with the support of volunteers from our community, we conducted a bird monitoring survey during which the activities of 137 species were observed. Click here to review the Bird Monitoring Report. We noted the important habitats for both migratory and residential species in the northern portion of the course, in order to preserve them to the extent possible as we conduct course maintenance. The information will also provide valuable input for any course improvements or renovation work.
Additionally, our consultant provided helpful suggestions on course operations and management to maintain the course as a bird-friendly environment. We hope to also conduct similar studies in the future on other sections of the course.
Please consult ebird.org, mentioned above, for recent sightings and an up-to-date list of birds seen on Canal Shores, which is list as a birding hot spot. We also ask that you add your sightings there to help us track of bird activity on the course.
Should you wish additional information about birding at Canal Shores, please reach out to Matt Rooney at matthewarooney@gmail.com.