Overview
Join TNC staff for a morning of birding with two-time Cook County Birding “Big Year” champion Tarik Shahzad.
This event will be divided into two separate hikes, and participants are welcome to attend one or both portions of the day.
6:00–8:00 a.m.—The Ridge
Meet at the IL River Project Office and be ready to hike by 6:00 a.m. sharp. This portion of the hike is mildly strenuous and will cover uneven terrain.
9:00–11:00 a.m.—Public Use Area & Secret Spot
Meet at the lakeside observatory in the Public Use Area (PUA). We’ll begin with a short walk at the PUA before returning to vehicles and driving a few miles down the road to a second birding location.
How to Register
Participants are required to register by emailing emiquon@tnc.org with the following information:
• Name and contact information
• Number of people attending
• Whether any youth (under 18) will be joining
• Whether you will be attending the 6-8 a.m. hike on the ridge, the 9-11 a.m. hike at the PUA, or both.
Upon registering, you will receive a confirmation email with the exact meeting locations, maps, parking instructions and a list of what to bring.
Good to Bring
• Bug spray
• Binoculars
• Water
• Appropriate hiking footwear
More About Your Guide
Tarik Shahzad is a Chicago native with a lifelong love of nature. He is an environmental policy advocate with The Nature Conservancy’s Illinois chapter. In 2024 and 2025, Shahzad set out on Cook County Birding “Big Years,” with the goal of identifying as many unique species of birds as possible. In both back-to-back Big Years, he set new records of 294 species and 296 species, respectively. Learn more about Shahzad on page 6 of the spring/summer 2025 edition of The Nature of Illinois newsletter.
