Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary — Attraction in Lake View Township

What a lovely way to spend a unseasonably warm day in January. (Don't get me started about global warming or climate change!) Having a son that is a bird enthusiast drew us to hang out for several hours wandering about and taking in all of the sites.

There is something to be said standing among the dunes and native grasses that once weren't found here and looking out onto the skyscrapers. It is a juxtaposition that is somehow soothing. To enjoy the bustle of the city only to be steps away from a sanctuary is settling to the soul.

I wish others were more appreciative and packed out what they brought in. It takes so little to give back to the environment and others. That being said we left only footprints in the appropriate spots.

While we didn't get an in person glimpse of the plover, we did watch mergansers dive in the chilly waters of Lake Michigan for a late lunch. They broke through the nearly mirrored top water with a pop. The buoyancy kicking in as their time under the water came to an end.

A fact we had the fortune to uncover was they are the world's fastest duck! Yes, the fastest! How is that for a casual day at Montrose Point? Life changing? Possibly.

Take into consideration the amount of people that meander by never noticing. Jogging, chatting with friends, taking selfies in the diminishing sunlight and maybe never knowing the miraculous duck in their midst...

Bird lovers, nature lover, anyone with a pulse should take a moment to explore a slice of paradise in the city we love. Not the city of angels but Chitown's very own Montrose Point Sanctuary! And grab a piece of trash or two, we'll all be...

The bird sanctuary at Montrose Point is a surprise, really.

Basically in the middle of city-life Chicago, with car traffic, air traffic, buildings, boats, et al, passing rather close to the place all the time, it could be hard to imagine this as a contemplative patch of environment; but that is exactly what it is.

As you walk into the naturally growing enclosure, so to speak, most of the noise seems to quietly dim away. There is actually a measure of silence in the middle of the area. In the center of the bird sanctuary, the ís a fairly large, more or less open area where paths converge, with trees, foliage, leaves and less grasses/weeds/wild flowers.

Pausing in this area, one can see a bit more of the birds one would expect to see, scouting around the natural debris for a little cuisine. Something else rustles among fallen leaves, and then a little chipmunk face peeks out, it's tiny body wiggling and working to and fro, to fill the storage for winter.

An interesting sight is the moss types and formation on tree trunks and branches here. The Great Artist even works on these canvases, creating patterns, chaos, minute ecosystems and miniature environments in the infinite universe. It's both stunning and captivating. It caught and held our attention for at least an hour before we realized that sunset approaches and its time to retreat to home.

What a great, recharging way to spend our Saturday afternoon...

The Montrose point bird sanctuary is quite impressive. The trees are now very mature and home to lots of birds and other animals. It feels like a respite from the city. It is literally at the end of Montrose speech and so you can go from playing on the sand and eating lunch through a five minute walk to the bird sanctuary.

They designed the walking pass in such that you can stay on a hard path throughout much of the sanctuary or you can take little past that go off either to the left or right and then come back to the main path in 50 to 75 feet. Each of those provide an interesting Viste of the beach, small habitats and the other areas of the sanctuary.

One of the paths lead you to a grassy area that surrounded by trees that made me feel like I was far away from the city.

Appropriate placed signage educate about birds and the environment and conservation. They aren’t overwhelming but fulfill their purpose quite well and are quite well done. In addition, the visitors that we have encountered while there are also quite interested in birds and conservation so it’s a great place to connect with people who have those interests and priorities at heart.

I also really appreciate that many of these past are handicap accessible so that it’s really a welcoming and inclusive place for everyone who wants to explore nature and birds...