Here Today, Gone Tomorrow: Must-see Wildlife in April and May
Abbey White, Naturalist • April 15, 2018

"There is no description, no image in any book, that is capable of replacing the sight of real trees, and all the life to be found around them, in a real forest. Something emanates from those trees which speaks to the soul, something no book, no museum is capable of giving. "—Dr. Maria Montessori

We may have made it to April, but it certainly has not yet looked or felt like spring in the Midwest. Frigid temperatures, gloomy skies, and occasional snow provide ample incentive to stay indoors with a warm cup of tea, silently begrudging the cumbersome winter coats taking up space in the closet. While I can think of nothing better than reading a good book indoors on days like these, the naturalist in me is immediately reminded of why April is one of the best months of the year for revitalizing our connection with nature.



A plant that sprouts from leafy ground, bearing a cluster of white flowers with yellow centers.

Starting now and continuing into May, Lake County is host to two groups of unique, yet very temporary, wild visitors. The arrival of 1) spring ephemeral wildflowers and 2) migrating songbirds is truly a wonder to behold. Any day now, small wildflowers will begin carpeting the forest floor, and high above them, vibrantly-colored migrant birds, here from Mexico and South America, will dart amongst the tree branches as they continue on their journey north. All at once, an incredible diversity of wildlife and color springs into our neighborhood woodlands (pun intended!).

Much to my dismay, these wild visitors disappear almost as quickly as they arrive, within a few weeks. However, as with any nature activity, all you need is nice weather and the desire to go for a walk. So dust off those binoculars, grab your children, and head to the woods before the wildflowers and migrating birds are gone!


Whimsical Wildflowers


Walking into a forest, our natural inclination is to look eye level and above at the trees towering over us. However, in the same way that Maria Montessori championed the child’s development as a holistic endeavor (intellectually, emotionally, socially), we miss a large portion of the picture if we ignore the forest floor.

Amid the decaying leaf litter found there, highly specialized, fast-growing plants—collectively called spring ephemerals—make a grand entrance. In the brief window of time between the final snowmelt and before the trees produce a full canopy of leaves, ephemeral wildflowers take advantage of the sunlight hitting the forest floor. Seasoned opportunists, these wildflowers race to complete their entire life cycle before the tree leaves completely shade them out at the end of May.


Two of my favorite spring ephemerals are Bloodroot and Dutchman’s Breeches (pictured), both of which have unusual characteristics. Standing only 6 inches tall, these two plants bloom for a grand total of two weeks! If timed correctly in mid-to-late April, a walk through the forest will reward you and your children with a beautiful display of white flowers from these plants—a welcome contrast to the brown forest floor and a bold declaration of the start of spring.

A small red bird with black wings sitting on a thin branch.

Magical Migration


In a similarly rapid fashion, millions of birds travel north from Mexico and South America, through the United States, and on to Canada each year. For most areas of the United States, including Lake County, these migrants are only passing through for a few short weeks in April and May. Hundreds of neotropical songbirds, in particular, provide a magnificent display of reds, oranges, yellows, and blues. How many can you and your children spot?! The transcontinental voyages made by these birds each year are excellent examples of the interconnectedness of living organisms on Earth, a principal tenet of Montessori’s Cosmic Education. Sharing this knowledge and experience with your child would further reiterate the importance of a global perspective and encourage appreciation for a larger community of humans, plants, and animals.


Some of the birds you can expect to see on your outings are the Eastern Phoebe, White-crowned Sparrow, Cerulean Warbler, Scarlet Tanager (pictured), Indigo Bunting, Yellow-rumped Warbler, American Redstart, Magnolia Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, and Blackburnian Warbler (pictured), but this is certainly not an exhaustive list! Lucky for us, there are several natural areas in Lake County perfect for bird watching. I would recommend any of the Open Lands preserves, as well as Middlefork Savanna and Illinois Beach State Park to start, but don’t stop there! See where your exploration takes you...

A black and white small bird with a yellow head sittin on a small branch

Recommendations and Upcoming Events


  • ebird.org is a great resource for gathering information about which birds have been spotted in Lake County. Not only can you see posted observations by other birdwatchers to target your exploration of this area, but you can also create your own free account and keep track of the birds you and your children have seen. Scientists often use data from eBird to track long term trends in bird migrations. Data collected by the general public, also known as citizen science, is of great value to the field of ecology.


  • The climate in Lake County is very similar to that of Wisconsin, which is why I would recommend The Wildflowers of Wisconsin and the Great Lakes Region field guide for identifying plants in this area. The guide is small enough to carry with you on a walk, with useful information and helpful pictures.


  • Earth Day is right around the corner! Be sure to visit the Chicago Botanic Garden to celebrate! There will be lots of fun activities for kids and as an added bonus, McDonald Woods has a beautiful display of spring ephemeral plants.


  • Lake Forest Open Lands is also hosting a volunteer work day on Sunday, April 22 from 1-3 p.m. at Mellody Farm Nature Preserve for Earth Day. Participants can expect various hands-on restoration activities, such as pesky buckthorn removal, as well as nature hikes and a tree planting discussion.


  • Montrose Beach in Chicago is an international bird hotspot and one of the best places to go to see a diversity of birds throughout the year. Migrating birds tend to travel along Lake Michigan and the trees/shrubs right off the water provide them with insects, berries, and shelter!


  • If you are in the market for binoculars, there are several quality brands for any budget and for any experience level (including kids!). An important consideration is the magnification. For the recreational birder, I would recommend a magnification of 8x32. My personal binoculars are 8x32, and they are perfect for my birding passion!



Abbey White is a visiting naturalist at Forest Bluff School. With a master’s degree in Plant Biology and Conservation from Northwestern University, Abbey is providing our school community with information on starting gardens, fostering our prairie, and more about the natural world around us this spring. 

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Forest Bluff School graduates perform a song onstage at their high school talent show.

Montessori Graduates Shine in High School Talent Show

By Margaret J. Kelley • May 19, 2025
I attended the Lake Forest High School Talent Show for the first time in February (2025). I’d been interested in it for years—watching talented young people with the courage to perform before a crowd is one of my favorite things to do. But it wasn’t until this year, when a friend with a child in the talent show actually procured tickets for me that I finally got around to going. The show runs three nights in a row, and we attended the second night. I brought my own ten-year-old daughter who has a special interest in singing and performing with me. As we settled into our seats and watched the show begin to unfold, I was struck by three things, in quick succession. First was the positive, welcoming community that made up Lake Forest High School (LFHS). There were cheerful parents working the concession stand and selling raffle tickets. There were enthusiastic teenagers, gathering in groups and excitedly finding their seats. Second was the immense array of talent already apparent just a few acts in—The MC’s who entertained the audience with skits and banter between performances, the pit band who played a variety of songs during downtime, the entertaining short videos that interspersed the live performances, and, of course, the extraordinary talent of the participants themselves. We saw various bands, a pianist (“And hockey player!”, more than one person pointed out to me) whose fingers flew over the keys, two girls who tap danced across the stage to Hamilton, a young woman who belted out an opera song that almost took the roof off the school, and many other incredible feats of talent and courage. Third, and most personal for me, were the Montessori alumni I saw that night. They were scattered throughout the crowd, supporting their peers. I saw the dark french braid of a sophomore who I’d known in the Young Children’s Community at Forest Bluff School. I noticed the wide smile of one of the most cheerful Primary students I’d ever known, and I overheard the happy laughter of a confident sophomore who’d graduated from eighth grade and was now surrounded by new friends. But the Montessori alumni who struck me the most that night were the Forest Bluff graduates I saw on the stage, participating in the talent show itself. There were three young women—a sophomore assisting with the live production, a junior who performed as a drummer in two acts and the pit band, and a senior who performed in several acts and served as the stage director for the entire production. These students are all markedly different in their temperaments and talents, and were supporting the show in vastly different ways, but they were all integral to the performance. They were all contributing to the experience for hundreds of students, parents, and community members, sharing their work ethic, skills, and inborn strengths. Two questions began to form as I watched them work together to create this two and a half hour feat—How did Montessori play a part in what these students were able to do tonight? And—How was Montessori able to serve these different young women in ways that allowed them to find their roles in the same shared experience? Fortunately for me (and for you!)I know all three girls personally. I reached out to them individually and asked them if (in exchange for a coffee or tea of their choice) they’d be willing to sit down with me to tell me more about what they did for the show, what the experience was like for them, and what role Montessori had played in preparing them for this work. They all responded quickly and cheerfully—happy to discuss their experiences with the LFHS talent show and their Montessori education. 
Two adolescents canoe down a river with trees in the background

Montessori Adolescent Program FAQs

By Abbey Dickson & John Dickson • April 23, 2025
At Forest Bluff School, the Secondary Level is a two-year program for adolescents, in which they continue their self-formation through more rigorous academic study as well experiential learning that includes service and wilderness trips. The Secondary Level has all the hallmarks of a Montessori adolescent program, with a focus on independence, responsibility, self-directed learning, community and collaboration, and practical life skills.