McCormick Bird Sanctuary

I love discovering new stuff in Chicago.

Today while riding my bike south along the lakefront, just south of the McCormick Place, I discovered the McCormick Place Bird Sanctuary. I was a little tired, so I stopped, sat, watched and listened.

Part of Burnham Park, I would say this place is about 4 - 6 acres. It has woodland habitat, a stone birdbath, and what looked to me like a lot of natural prairie grasses that are undoubtedly not virgin but rather must have been planted by some wise, conscious people. A lot of birds migrate along our lakefront and this must be quite a spot for them.

There were signs of wildflowers coming up, and a wooden overlook with signage, great views and sort of sadly, a fence, but necessary presumably to keep people like me from disturbing the birds, because had there been no fence I would have locked the bike and ventured in for a walk.

I saw birds there I didn't recognize and was sorry I didn't know about this place, because I have a paperback Guide to Birds of East of the Rockies, and could have shoved it in my pocket.

Next time.

If you are up for a bike ride, this place is very peaceful. I was the only one there.

EDIT: I figured out today (5/24) that the prairie grass is planted above an underground parking lot that services the McCormick Place. Check out the vents in this picture, which are the clue:

http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=TtwhWwNSqDv64M2EnYZE8g

The Bird Sanctuary at McCormick Place combines style, function and a "green" mentality incredibly well. I've made this a running destination spot for my marathon training for a couple of reasons.

After running close to nine miles to get around here, through the Grand corridor from Ukrainian Village towards the tourist mecca known as Navy Pier, and then south along the cluster fuck known as the lake shore path- where sometimes riding or running along here is about as dangerous as trying to run or ride on Lake Shore Drive- it's great to get to a place where there's a nice, peaceful, quiet calm about it. Where you can catch glimpses of a dozen or so different species of birds all because this place was designed to attract those birds.

Humming birds, finches, gulls, sparrows, cardinals, swallows, geese, jays, monk parakeets... The list goes on and on.

But do you want to know one of the best parts about this for me?

The doors to McCormick Place on the southeast corner of the facility, right next to this bird sanctuary, are almost always open, and right inside are some of the cleanest public bathrooms you'll ever find, with a drinking fountain available and cool air to help with a little recovery before you continue on with the rest of your run.

You see- I share one thing in common with all of these birds hanging outside: our bladders are about the same size.