Indiana Dunes Birding Festival

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Indiana Dunes Birding Festival

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The Indiana Dunes Birding Festival is an annual event that showcases the abundance of migratory birds in the Indiana Dunes.

The Indiana Dunes Birding Festival is an event designed to celebrate the dunes area’s rich biodiversity and bird watching opportunities to create a positive impact on the economic, conservation, and environmental education for visitors and residents to the Indiana Dunes region. The Indiana Dunes Birding Festival is hosted by the Indiana Audubon Society. Visit their page at www.indianaaudubon.org.

10/23/2026

Some of our best afternoon talks come from people who started out in the audience.

The Indiana Dunes Birding Festival, hosted by Indiana Audubon, returns May 13-16, 2027, and we’re looking for presenters. Afternoon talks run one hour, Thursday through Saturday, at 1:30 or 3 p.m. Central at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center.

You don’t need to be a professional speaker, just someone with an hour’s worth of something you love about birds or nature.

➡️ Pitch your talk: bit.ly/idbfpresent27

Indiana Audubon is Indiana’s statewide bird conservation organization. The festival is held in partnership with Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana Dunes State Park, and Indiana Dunes Tourism.

10/21/2026

The warblers have headed south, but we’re still keeping late hours at the Dunes! 🦉

A few scenes from last week’s Saw-whets & S’mores with Indiana Audubon. There’s still time to join us at Duneside Shelter in Indiana Dunes State Park to learn about Northern Saw-whet Owls and how banding helps us understand their migration.

The programs are free, with registration required. Dress warmly, bring your questions, and enjoy an evening of owls and s’mores. Owl appearances depend on migration and weather, so our smallest guests don’t always RSVP!

See upcoming dates and register: https://dunesowlnet2026.eventbrite.com

All owl banding is conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey.

09/26/2026

🌙 Toot-toot-toot! Who’s ready for Northern Saw-whet Owl migration along the Indiana lakeshore?

Indiana Audubon operates two banding stations where people can see these tiny hunters up close, and one of them is at Indiana Dunes State Park in Chesterton. Programs run Oct. 16 through Nov. 8, depending on the location.

Get the details and sign up for a night out with us at Duneside Shelter. Learn more: bit.ly/4h3zUJ0

09/22/2026

Our 2026 Festival Bird of the Year is passing through Costa Rica on its way south!

This Cerulean Warbler was photographed at the Nest Nature Center by our friends at Lifer Nature Tours, a sponsor of the Indiana Dunes Birding Festival. After nesting in Indiana and across the eastern U.S., Ceruleans migrate through Central America toward their wintering range in northern South America.

A tiny traveler with a very big itinerary. One leg of your journey done! Watch Juan's full video at https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/665081042, as well as the complete checklist at https://ebird.org/checklist/S393736557

09/17/2026

💫 On Sunday, Sept. 13, a 12-hour lakewatch resulted in the sighting of jaegers, a Hudsonian Whimbrel, and a Red-necked Phalarope passing by. Here's what a marathon fall waterbird survey can yield at Miller Beach: https://bit.ly/4yGNQA0

For information on Indiana Audubon’s migration monitoring programs and weekly reports, go to indianaaudubon.org/lakemichigansurveys.

📷: Parasitic Jaeger at Miller Beach, photographed by Woody Goss.

09/10/2026

September marks the first “-ber” month, which means owl season is back!

🦉 🎨 We’re hosting a Northern Saw-whet Owl painting workshop in partnership with Chesterton Art Center and local artist-birder Jennifer Aitchison. Proceeds from the workshop support this fall’s Project Owlnet banding efforts in the Indiana Dunes.

Tickets cost $54.13 per person and all materials are included. Reserve your canvas now at owlnetworkshop.eventbrite.com.

Indiana Dunes
Duneland Chamber of Commerce
Indiana Dunes State Park

09/02/2026

A fun fall birding opportunity in Chesterton! Chesterton Feed & Garden Center is hosting a Fall Feeder Finches & Where to Find Them program on Saturday, September 12. A nice chance to brush up on feeder birds, fall finches, and what to watch for as migration season gets rolling. 🐦

Check their page for more info!

08/17/2026

Fall waterbird season is underway at Miller Beach, and the first trip report is already in. Shorebirds are moving now, and the bigger waterbirds are still ahead, and eventually the jaegers that make Miller Beach such a special place.

Check out the August eBird Project report of the season:
https://ebird.org/tripreport/561206

Then follow the season with Indiana Audubon’s new Miller Beach Migration Explorer and weekly updates:
https://indianaaudubon.org/2026/08/14/fall-waterbird-count-season-is-underway

The fall waterbird count season is officially underway at Miller Beach. Shorebirds have already been moving for a couple of weeks, but the bigger waterbirds are still on their way. Loons, grebes, ducks, gulls, and terns will build through the season, and eventually the jaegers will take over the con...

08/07/2026

Weekend Flash sale alert: many items in the IDBF online store are sharply discounted. Get them before they’re gone, and check the online store for current availability.

Check them out at https://inaudubon.square.site

08/03/2026

Did you know? Before it was the Longshore Tower, it was simply the Green Tower.

Today, this Indiana Dunes State Park landmark is one of the best birding spots in the country, with more than 3.4 million birds recorded since standardized counts began by Indiana Audubon in 2012.

But its story started with a very different purpose. Read more here: http://bit.ly/4w4RdPm

Address

1215 N STATE Road 49
Chesterton, IN
46304

Website

http://INDunesBirdingFestival.com/

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