openlands

1. www.openlands.org

2. Lakeshore Preserve in Winter, by Manuel Diaz www.manueldiazphotography.com

3. A Review of the Preserve… 77 acres in size Over a mile of shoreline and bluff 3 ravines

4. What do you remember?

5. Lakeshore Preserve History Fort Sheridan Barracks c. 1910

6. Lakeshore Preserve Overview • 77 acres in size • 3 ravines – Bartlett, Schenck, and Van Horne • A mile of lakeshore bluff/beach • Home to state endangered and threatened plant species • Part of the Lake Michigan migratory bird flyway • Rare and unique ecosystems Wild geranium blooming in Bartlett Ravine

7. Why Restore This Landscape? • Six state-listed endangered and threatened plant species are found here • Much of Bartlett Ravine and the northern lake bluff is considered to be of significant ecological value • Remnants of shrubby prairie that once typified this area of the Lake Michigan shore can still be found on the bluffs • Restoring the land provides habitat for birds as they migrate along Lake Michigan Cerulean warbler Common Juniper (T) Buffalo Berry (E) Sea Rocket (T) Seaside Spurge (E)

11. Why Is the Preserve Important? • It is one of the last remaining ravine and bluff ecosystems in the greater Chicago region • We don’t know much about these ecosystems, so here we can learn about how they work and how they can be restored • It helps protect habitat for endangered and threatened plant species • It provides habitat for many species of birds, mammals, and insects • It is open to the public and is free for everyone to enjoy

12. Removing Invasive Species Invasive Lyme Grass (above) threatens native Marram Grass (below)

13. Removing Invasive Species Before (note how shady it is) After (note how sunny it is)

14. Exposing the Ground to Sunlight

15. Prescribed Fire: A Management Tool Using prescribed fire as a management tool…

17. Bartlett Ravine after the burn…

18. …and just a few months later.

20. Planting methods: 1) Seeding mix in Hydro-mulch, 2) Sedge plugs

21. White Trout-Lily

22. Solomon’s Seal

23. Large-Flowered Bellwort White Trillium

24. Bloodroot

25. Endangered & Threatened Species On or near the bluffs: • Common Juniper (T) • Buffaloberry (E) • Golden Sedge (T)

26. Endangered & Threatened Species On the lakeshore: • Seaside Spurge (E) • Marram Grass (E) • Sea Rocket (T)

27. Birds of the North Shore Ravines, Lakeshore and Savannas Special thanks to Jason Hilkovitch for assembling these slides. All photos and identification information are from the Cornell’s School of Ornithology, “All About Birds” website. www.allaboutbirds.org

28. Bald Eagle Adult Description • Very large raptor. • Adults unmistakable with brown body and white head and tail. • Bill large and hooked. • Long broad wings held flat while soaring.

29. Peregrine Falcon Adult Description • Large falcon, medium-sized hawk. • Black mustache mark on face. • Long pointed wings.

30. Red-headed Woodpecker Adult Description • Medium-sized woodpecker. • Bright red hood. • White chest.

31. Red-bellied Woodpecker Adult Description • A sleek, round-headed small woodpecker. • Often appears pale overall (black-and-white striped back and red cap and nape). • Look for white patches near the wingtips as this bird flies.

32. Cooper’s Hawk Adult Description • A medium-sized hawk with broad, rounded wings and a very long tail. • Head often appears large, the shoulders broad, and the tail rounded. • Adults are steely blue-gray above with warm reddish bars on the under parts and thick dark bands on the tail.

33. Swainson’s Thrush Adult Description • Medium-sized thrush. • Back olive-brown. • Dark spots on chest. • Distinct buffy eyering and buffy face.

34. Red-eyed Vireo Adult Description • Small drab bird. • Back olive-green, whiter underneath. • Crown gray to blue-gray. • Eyebrow white with black stripe through the eye. • Eyes dark red.

35. Eastern Wood-Pewee Adult Description • Medium-sized flycatcher. • Grayish olive above. • Pale below, with darker wash on breast and sides. • Whitish wingbars. • No eyering or only a faint one.

36. Eastern Bluebird Adult Description • Small thrush with a big, rounded head, large eye, plump body, and alert posture. • Wings are long, tail and legs are fairly short. • The bill is short and straight. • Male Eastern Bluebirds are vivid, deep blue above and rusty or brick-red on the throat and breast. Blue in birds always depends on the light, and males often look plain gray-brown from a distance.

37. Baltimore Oriole Adult Description • Medium-sized songbird. • Male brilliant orange with black head .

38. Brown Thrasher Adult Description • Large long-tailed songbird. • Upperparts bright rufous. • Underparts white or buff. with black streaking.

39. Common Yellowthroat Adult Description • Small songbird. • Plain olive green back, wings, and tail. • Yellow throat and upper chest. • Male has distinctive black mask.

40. Eastern Meadowlark Adult Description • Medium-sized stocky songbird with a short tail. • Throat, chest, and belly yellow. • Black "V" across chest. • Back brown and streaked. • Outer tail feathers white.

41. Bobolink Adult Description • Medium-sized songbird. • Short, pointed tail. • Short conical bill. • Breeding male black below, white on back. • Female and non-breeding male yellowish brown with bold black stripes on head and back.

42. Common Tern Adult Description • Medium-sized tern. • White with black cap. • Tail long and deeply forked. • Wings white with dark tips.

43. Red-breasted Merganser Adult Description • Large, thin diving duck. • Long, thin, orange to red-orange bill. • Shaggy crest on back of head. • White patches in wing visible in flight. • Male with gray sides, dark reddish chest, white neck, and iridescent green head.

44. For more information on birds… Contact your local Audubon chapter http://www.lakecookaudubon.org/ or http://www.audubon.org/