When you live at Springbank of Plainfield, you are surrounded by beauty. Running near the community is the DuPage River, which hugs the Avery Preserve and Lake Renwick, a 200-acre lake and surrounding protected wetland habitat. Just 3 miles from Springbank in the heart of the Lake Renwick Preserve is a gorgeous place—the Lake Renwick Heron Rookery Nature Preserve. 

Lake Renwick Heron Rookery Nature Preserve contains a 200-acre lake with islands used for nesting by herons, egrets, and cormorants. Structures have been built on islands within the lake where the birds can nest. During breeding season (March1-August 15), thousands of birds flock to the area and can be viewed only during scheduled free guided events, such as migratory bird hikes, photography bird hikes, and the exciting bird viewing events. You’ll discover how the birds build their nests, see the young as they grow, and learn how Lake Renwick came to be a rookery. It’s quite the site!

Follow them on Facebook for gorgeous photos and updates throughout the year.

Check out this WGN Video about the rookery:

Also within the Lake Renwick Preserve, you can access Copley Nature Park, which has a gazebo with mounted scopes for viewing all of the birds the preserve attracts, and Turtle Lake, which offers tons of opportunities for outdoor recreation including a 3.35 mile paved trail for biking, walking, running, or skiing and snowshoeing in the winter, as well as shoreline fishing for bass, catfish, or more (with catch and release encouraged).

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Photo credit: Amanda Olszewski