Emiquon Guided Bird Hike
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🦅 Bird Hike – August 29th, 2026.
Join us for a morning of birding with leader Tarik Shahzad. Born and raised in Chicago, Tarik spent his childhood falling in love with nature at local parks and forest preserves. In 2023, Tarik joined The Nature Conservancy’s Illinois chapter as an environmental policy advocate. His role focuses conservation and climate policy analysis, lobbying, and education to external audiences. In 2024 and 2025, Tarik set out on a 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.
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 AM — The Ridge
Meet at the IL River Project Office and be ready to hike by 6:00 AM sharp. This portion of the hike is mildly strenuous and will cover uneven terrain.
Please bring:
• Bug spray
• Binoculars
• Water
• Appropriate hiking footwear
🌾 9:00–11:00 AM — Public Use Area & Secret Spot
Meet at the lakeside observatory in the Public Use Area. We’ll begin with a short walk there before returning to vehicles and driving a few miles down the road to a second birding location.
Participants are required to register by emailing [email protected] with the following information:
-Name & contact information
-Number of people attending
-Whether any youth (under 18) will be joining
-Whether you will be attending 6-8am on the ridge, 9-11am at 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.
Join us for a morning of birding with leader Tarik Shahzad. Born and raised in Chicago, Tarik spent his childhood falling in love with nature at local parks and forest preserves. In 2023, Tarik joined The Nature Conservancy’s Illinois chapter as an environmental policy advocate. His role focuses conservation and climate policy analysis, lobbying, and education to external audiences. In 2024 and 2025, Tarik set out on a 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.
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 AM — The Ridge
Meet at the IL River Project Office and be ready to hike by 6:00 AM sharp. This portion of the hike is mildly strenuous and will cover uneven terrain.
Please bring:
• Bug spray
• Binoculars
• Water
• Appropriate hiking footwear
🌾 9:00–11:00 AM — Public Use Area & Secret Spot
Meet at the lakeside observatory in the Public Use Area. We’ll begin with a short walk there before returning to vehicles and driving a few miles down the road to a second birding location.
Participants are required to register by emailing [email protected] with the following information:
-Name & contact information
-Number of people attending
-Whether any youth (under 18) will be joining
-Whether you will be attending 6-8am on the ridge, 9-11am at 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.
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Where is it happening?
Emiquon Nature Preserve, Havana, Illinois, United States
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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Host or PublisherThe Nature Conservancy in Illinois
