Winnemac Park Prairie Notes

Two brand-new-to-us discoveries today in Prairie #3, the one closest to the playground!

Canadian Honewort
Limestone Meadow Sedge

Looking for something special to do tomorrow morning, Sunday, May 24?? Several spots still available.

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Sunday, May 24, 2026
THE WONDERS OF WINNEMAC: OUR WILDFLOWERS

Tessa Groll (, WPAC Secretary) will lead a holiday-weekend walk through the park, where the focus will fall upon Winnemac's wonderful array of wildflowers. Learn more about the beauty in bloom and what is growing between the fence posts during this Sunday morning stroll.

Please wear comfortable shoes and dress according to the day's weather. If you have binoculars, you are encouraged to bring them as we may be able to sneak in a bit of birdwatching and tree identification.

REGISTER HERE.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-wonders-of-winnemac-our-wildflowers-tickets-1989349366507?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

📅 Sunday, May 24, 2026
⌚ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM CST

The Wonders of Winnemac: Our Wildflowers Join Tessa on Memorial Day weekend to learn more about Winnemac's wonderful array of Wildflowers!

It’s going to be a great year for Blue False Indigo this year! However no sign of the new Cream False Indigo seeds that were scattered post burn this year - native plants usually spend more energy growing down than up the first few years so they can establish strong roots.

Here they come!!! Canadian Anemone loves Winnemac Park’s natural areas. Some sections have just started to bloom, but soon the whole park will be awash in these beautiful dainty white flowers. And because anemone does so well in our park, our natural areas committee recently shared nearly 100 plants (via the Chicago Park District stewardship program) with other Chicago parks including Marquette Park, Columbus Park and Leone Beach (in their woodlands section)! Fingers crossed that they are as happy there as they are in Winnemac Park! 

Some yellow flowers are more welcome here than others! While we are delighted to see all of the native Golden Alexander flowering throughout our prairies, we will be removing the yellow watercress (mustard) at our next workday because it is an invasive that crowds out more desirable plants. 

🌿💭 How long have you loved Winnemac Park?

The Winnemac Park Advisory Council is a proud partner of the Chicago Parks Foundation, known for touting “a little green goes a long way.” We could not agree more, and there is no better time to give back to Lincoln Square’s beautiful green space, as we are just a few months away from our signature event Winnemac Fourth for All (WFFA). This free event brings our community together to celebrate America’s birthday with family activities, an all-star baseball game, a disc golf course/competition, food trucks, sports demonstrations, and vendors for our neighbors to enjoy throughout the day. Once the sun settles, we welcome Full Moon Jam to our lawns for a fire-fueled spectacle that allows us to enjoy the holiday amidst the flames.

Of course, this event is not all the WPAC is responsible for bringing to our community throughout the year. Whether it be providing s’mores to support a September campfire event, helping our prairies grow by funding seed and wildflower purchases, or helping us offer activities at WFFA and throughout the year, your dollar has the ability to make a lasting impression in our neighborhood.

So, how long have you loved Winnemac Park? Whether it be 25 years or 25 days, this is the time to give back to a space that continually (and freely) keeps on giving, by supporting the council that loves it too. From all of us here on the WPAC, we truly appreciate your consideration and support!

🌳 winnemacpac.org/donate-1

Our light purple wild geraniums are starting to bloom now, primarily in the western end of Winnemac Park near prairie #3. Last year, they inspired this painting which was subsequently selected for an art show featuring native Midwest plants at the Ryerson Conservation Area and Welcome Center’s Brushwood Center

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Why civic involvement (volunteering at your park, for instance!) is so important!

“Engagement does not require perfection, nor does it require having all the answers. We certainly do not. But we do know this: The joy and meaning that come from contributing to a place you love are real and enduring. Choosing to stay and be involved is not only good for Chicago; it also is deeply rewarding for those who do it.”

Chicago 2050: Penny Pritzker and Bryan Traubert on the importance of Chicagoans’ civic life We want to make the case to current and future leaders that choosing a place — and choosing to invest in it — matters deeply.

If you’ve spent much time in the natural areas of Winnemac Park in May or June, you may have been buzzed by red-winged blackbirds defending their their tiny nests hidden in the dense grass, just 6-12 inches off the ground.

We know that can be a startling experience so this year, we’re trying to give folks a heads up about some of the nests that are very close to pathways (though obviously we can’t flag all the nests!!)

While the males are black with brightly colored bands on their wings, the females are simply dappled brown. If either one zooms past you or even ruffles your hair, please respect their request for privacy and just keep moving!!!

**Lights Out Alert**

The migration highway will be directly overhead on Thursday night. This should bring us our first massive migration night over Indiana, Michigan and Ohio this season. While we have had some good migration nights in recent weeks, we have not had a night in the 5-10+ million range for Indiana, Michigan and Ohio yet. We may hit that threshold tonight, but Thursday night should be the biggest night of the week. The first warblers are now starting to arrive. A lot of Baltimore Orioles are returning to the area, and hummingbirds are migrating during the daylight hours. This lights out map is produced by Purdue University with data from BirdCast. Their message is that you can help keep birds safe on their migration by limiting outdoor light pollution. This especially the case over the next few nights.