Chicago BIPOC Birders is a grassroots community that hosts gatherings for BIPOC Birders across Chicago.

Join Chicago BIPOC Birders for a visit to the Bird Banding Station at Big Marsh Park on Friday, August 1st at 7AM. No prior experience with birding is required. This is a beginner friendly event and organization. Families are also welcome to join (children do not need to RSVP). Binoculars are optional and will be available for loan. Bring your own foldable chair or seat so you are comfortable throughout the event.

Questions? Please email bipocbirderschicago@gmail.com.

Getting There: Big Marsh Park is a 299-acre park in the South Deering Community Area on the southeast side of the city. It is part of an area commonly known as the Calumet Area Reserve. Once an active industrial property, the site was acquired by the Park District in 2011 and opened to the public in 2016. There is a bird bangin MAPS station (Monitoring Avian Productivity & Survivorship), which deploys a standardized bird banding protocol for studying breeding birds located at Big Marsh.

We will be meeting in front of the Environmental Center: https://maps.app.goo.gl/1Ey7cKupzzCCPatTA and navigate to the Banding Station about 10 minutes or .5 miles down the trail together. There is a free parking located in front of the environmental center at Big Marsh Park. Unfortunately due to the previously industrial nature of this site it is not very transit accessible. However, if you live nearby you may be able to bike here, there are bike racks available to lock your bike. If you would like to arrange a carpool please join our slack and put a message in the #meetups channel.

Accessibility & Terrain: The terrain is a mix of paved and crushed gravel paths all relatively flat, some rocks or plant debris is expected. Particpants should bring a seat with them if they may need one while at the station. Indoor bathrooms are available beginning at 10am, portable bathrooms likely available but not always reliable. Noise should be pretty quite once we reach the banding station which is about a mile from the main road that has moderate traffic noise.

Dress: Please dress in comfortable weather appropriate clothing and layers, Big Marsh is often windier due to lack of tree cover. August can be hot so please bear this in mind with your choice of clothing. Bring a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated.

In the case of icclement weather August 2nd is the rain date.

Bird Banding Station Outing with Chicago BIPOC Birders