Ray Franzen Bird Sanctuary — Attraction in Addison Township

I love this place and was happy to see it's open again. When I tried to visit earlier this year it was closed. I didn't know it at the time, but it was because they were adding more boardwalks to the sanctuary, including connecting one area that used to be a dead end and making it a new loop. I saw a migrating Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker there today, and have seen other woodpeckers there on previous visits. Definitely worth a trip especially during spring and fall bird migration. There is a free dog park adjacent to the sanctuary plus restrooms and a...

The Bird Sanctuary was very well thought out. Much of it is on a raised wooden boardwalk. It is an easy .3 mile walk. I could hear birds, but unfortunately, I didn't see any.

There was a dirt path that went off into a wooded area, and I could see trash further out into the woods. That was disappointing, but not part of the official walking path.

The Itasca Park District uses the area for other programs, including a haunted Halloween trail, and the Annual .5K Beer...

Just found out this place existed and had to check it out. Very peaceful short walking path. Liked the signs with information about birds, especially how many laps it would take on the trail to equal migration distance for...