Upcoming Events and Important News for Members
Photo by Gil Patmore
Birds & Brews at Byway Brewing with co-sponsor Audubon Great Lakes - November 12, 2024 * See Events Tab for more information
"Subscribers" to National Audubon's magazine who live in Jasper & Newton County are now automatically included in our "territory" and they will be added to our email news list.
Photo by Gil Patmore
Birds & Brews at Byway Brewing with co-sponsor Audubon Great Lakes - November 12, 2024 * See Events Tab for more information
"Subscribers" to National Audubon's magazine who live in Jasper & Newton County are now automatically included in our "territory" and they will be added to our email news list.
Bird Walks
Walk |
Date(s) |
Time |
Location |
Short-eared Owls Watch |
Tuesday, December 10 |
4:00pm Central Time |
Reynolds Creek Gamebird Habitat Area, 1500N 600E, Parking lot |
Waterbirds & Late Fall Migrants (After walk lunch at nearby diner) |
Saturday, November 23 |
9:00am Central Time |
Great Marsh Trail - Indiana Dunes National Park, South Broadway, Beverly Shores |
Lake Watch for Migrating Waterfowl |
Saturday, December 7 Saturday, January 4 Saturday, February 1 Saturday, March 1 |
8:30 am Central Time |
Portage Lakefront & Riverwalk, Indiana Dunes National Park |
See our Events and Trips page to learn more
about any of our upcoming field trips, and to register!
about any of our upcoming field trips, and to register!
Monthly Program
Third Thursday each month (except June, July & December) November 21, 7:00pm Central Time Virtual on Zoom A Visit to the Shirley Heinze Land Trust Preserves and Propoerties Presented by Mari Patis, Shirley Heinze Land Trust ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ See our Upcoming Programs page to check dates and the Zoom link for upcoming virtual or in-person monthly programs. |
Other News
Saturday, June 15, 2024
Our annual summer bird walk to Kankakee Sands (Newton County) took place on Saturday, June 15, and as always, it was a success! Sixteen people joined walk leader Julie Bonnema, and found just over 40 species!
Highlights included great views of a Yellow-breasted Chat, Grasshopper Sparrow, Dickcissel, Northern Harrier, Northern Bobwhite, and multiple Indigo Buntings.
If you have never birded Kankakee Sands in the summer, you are missing out on a wonderful experience.
All photos courtesy of Julie Bonnema.
Our annual summer bird walk to Kankakee Sands (Newton County) took place on Saturday, June 15, and as always, it was a success! Sixteen people joined walk leader Julie Bonnema, and found just over 40 species!
Highlights included great views of a Yellow-breasted Chat, Grasshopper Sparrow, Dickcissel, Northern Harrier, Northern Bobwhite, and multiple Indigo Buntings.
If you have never birded Kankakee Sands in the summer, you are missing out on a wonderful experience.
All photos courtesy of Julie Bonnema.
Sunday, June 2, 2024
Our co-sponsored bird walk with the Indiana Dunes National Park was a very successful one on Sunday, June 2. Sixteen people joined walk leader, Julie Bonnema, at Cowles Bog in Porter County and found over 50 species! Highlights include Yellow-breasted Chat, 4 Virginia Rails, a singing Northern Waterthrush, and a Baltimore Oriole nest.
Thank you to Julie for leading the walk and thank you to Dan Barriball for the pictures.
Our co-sponsored bird walk with the Indiana Dunes National Park was a very successful one on Sunday, June 2. Sixteen people joined walk leader, Julie Bonnema, at Cowles Bog in Porter County and found over 50 species! Highlights include Yellow-breasted Chat, 4 Virginia Rails, a singing Northern Waterthrush, and a Baltimore Oriole nest.
Thank you to Julie for leading the walk and thank you to Dan Barriball for the pictures.
Saturday, June 1, 2024
A small group of birders joined Dan Barriball at the Indiana Dunes State Park for a bird walk on Saturday, June 1. The group had six species of warblers, including Prothonotary Warblers carrying food into their nest box. Other highlights include Wild Turkey, Red-shouldered Hawk, and a White-eyed Vireo.
A small group of birders joined Dan Barriball at the Indiana Dunes State Park for a bird walk on Saturday, June 1. The group had six species of warblers, including Prothonotary Warblers carrying food into their nest box. Other highlights include Wild Turkey, Red-shouldered Hawk, and a White-eyed Vireo.
TEAM BIRDATHON - Wednesday, May 22, 2024
**Updates:
8:30 pm UPDATE: As our Birdathon Team ends their day, their tentative total stands at 138 species. With all the birding that they did, they will need to double check their checklists to make sure they did not forget to add any species. A second trip to Grant Street Marsh to end the day added Bufflehead, Pied-billed Grebe, and an Osprey. Great job Kim, Cookie, Julie, and Brad!
7:10 pm UPDATE: Our Birdathon Team is at 134 species and is headed back north to spend sunset at Grant Street Marsh in Lake County. Recently at Willow Slough, the team picked up Northern Mockingbird, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, and Belted Kingfisher. Can they pick up six more species and hit 140?
6:25 pm UPDATE: Our Birdathon Team is now up to 129 species and is currently birding at Willow Slough in Newton County. Recent species from Kankakee Sands include Green-winged Teal, Vesper Sparrow, and Ring-necked Pheasant. What new species will be found at Willow Slough?
4:30 pm UPDATE: Our Birdathon Team is up to 124 species! They are currently at Kankakee Sands in Newton County and have recently picked up Lark Sparrow, Henslow's Sparrow, and Blue Grosbeak!
2:25 pm UPDATE: Our Birdathon Team is now up to 118 species! They just made a stop at Grant Street Marsh in Lake County and picked up the following shorebird species: Dunlin, White-rumped Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, Lesser Yellowlegs and Pectoral Sandpipers! Wow! They are now headed south to Kankakee Sands in Newton County.
9:59 am UPDATE: Our Birdathon Team is now up to 101 species!
Team Birdathon is seeking pledges and donations to help Dunes-Calumet Audubon continue its efforts for birding education, conservation, and research. Team members include Kim Ehn, Board President and Porter County Birder, Julie Bonnema, Board Field Trip Coordinator and Lake County Birder, Cookie Ferguson, Board Secretary and National Park Birder, and Brad Bumgardner, Past Board Website Coordinator and NWI Extreme Birder.
*Use the form under Conservation-Birdathon to make a pledge or one-time donation.
**Updates:
8:30 pm UPDATE: As our Birdathon Team ends their day, their tentative total stands at 138 species. With all the birding that they did, they will need to double check their checklists to make sure they did not forget to add any species. A second trip to Grant Street Marsh to end the day added Bufflehead, Pied-billed Grebe, and an Osprey. Great job Kim, Cookie, Julie, and Brad!
7:10 pm UPDATE: Our Birdathon Team is at 134 species and is headed back north to spend sunset at Grant Street Marsh in Lake County. Recently at Willow Slough, the team picked up Northern Mockingbird, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, and Belted Kingfisher. Can they pick up six more species and hit 140?
6:25 pm UPDATE: Our Birdathon Team is now up to 129 species and is currently birding at Willow Slough in Newton County. Recent species from Kankakee Sands include Green-winged Teal, Vesper Sparrow, and Ring-necked Pheasant. What new species will be found at Willow Slough?
4:30 pm UPDATE: Our Birdathon Team is up to 124 species! They are currently at Kankakee Sands in Newton County and have recently picked up Lark Sparrow, Henslow's Sparrow, and Blue Grosbeak!
2:25 pm UPDATE: Our Birdathon Team is now up to 118 species! They just made a stop at Grant Street Marsh in Lake County and picked up the following shorebird species: Dunlin, White-rumped Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, Lesser Yellowlegs and Pectoral Sandpipers! Wow! They are now headed south to Kankakee Sands in Newton County.
9:59 am UPDATE: Our Birdathon Team is now up to 101 species!
Team Birdathon is seeking pledges and donations to help Dunes-Calumet Audubon continue its efforts for birding education, conservation, and research. Team members include Kim Ehn, Board President and Porter County Birder, Julie Bonnema, Board Field Trip Coordinator and Lake County Birder, Cookie Ferguson, Board Secretary and National Park Birder, and Brad Bumgardner, Past Board Website Coordinator and NWI Extreme Birder.
*Use the form under Conservation-Birdathon to make a pledge or one-time donation.
Native Plant Sale Thursday - Sunday, May 16 - 19, 2024
Thank you to all of the Volunteers who helped at this event! It was held outside on the grounds of the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center, 1215 SR-49, Porter, as part of the Indiana Dunes Birding Festival. For a list of the plants we offered, see Plants for Birds under the Conservation tab.
Thank you to all of the Volunteers who helped at this event! It was held outside on the grounds of the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center, 1215 SR-49, Porter, as part of the Indiana Dunes Birding Festival. For a list of the plants we offered, see Plants for Birds under the Conservation tab.
Monday, May 6, 2024
Our President, Kim Ehn, joined members of Audubon Great Lakes and Indiana State Senator Dan Dernulc (R-Highland) at Hoosier Prairie Nature Preserve this past Monday (5/6) to discuss the importance of conservation and wetland protections.
Our President, Kim Ehn, joined members of Audubon Great Lakes and Indiana State Senator Dan Dernulc (R-Highland) at Hoosier Prairie Nature Preserve this past Monday (5/6) to discuss the importance of conservation and wetland protections.
Sunday, May 5, 2024
Eight people joined Michael Topp at Cowles Bog in Porter County yesterday (5/5) for our co-sponsored bird walk with the Indiana Dunes National Park. North winds kept warbler activity down, but the group heard both Soras and Virginia Rails.
Other highlights include White-crowned Sparrows, a Yellow-breasted Chat, and a group of Sandhill Cranes that flew in and landed.
Eight people joined Michael Topp at Cowles Bog in Porter County yesterday (5/5) for our co-sponsored bird walk with the Indiana Dunes National Park. North winds kept warbler activity down, but the group heard both Soras and Virginia Rails.
Other highlights include White-crowned Sparrows, a Yellow-breasted Chat, and a group of Sandhill Cranes that flew in and landed.
Saturday, May 4, 2024
Fourteen people joined Dan Barriball yesterday (5/4) for an extended bird walk at the Indiana Dunes State Park. The group started at the Wilson Shelter and took Trail 2 and then Trail 10 to get back; birding for over 4 hours! In total, 54 species were recorded with highlights being 14 species of warblers, 5 species of woodpeckers, and 4 active Great Blue Heron nests.
Thank you to Dan for leading the walk and a special thank you to Shawn Manner for supplying the photos.
Migration is definitely underway, so get out there and go birding!
Fourteen people joined Dan Barriball yesterday (5/4) for an extended bird walk at the Indiana Dunes State Park. The group started at the Wilson Shelter and took Trail 2 and then Trail 10 to get back; birding for over 4 hours! In total, 54 species were recorded with highlights being 14 species of warblers, 5 species of woodpeckers, and 4 active Great Blue Heron nests.
Thank you to Dan for leading the walk and a special thank you to Shawn Manner for supplying the photos.
Migration is definitely underway, so get out there and go birding!
Helping our Natural Resources
Join or Donate
Click HERE to learn about the benefits of becoming both a National Audubon and Chapter member.
Dunes-Calumet Audubon Society Chapter (only) memberships allows more funding to support local projects. |
Events and Activities
The Dunes-Calumet Chapter meets monthly for informative presentations. Bird Walks are led to sites that highlight the great diversity of bird-life found on the southern shore of Lake Michigan. Visit ACTIVITIES for more information and registration.
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Great Birding Opportunities
The diversity of birding sites in Porter and Lake Counties host more bird species than anywhere else in Indiana. Many birding sites are National Audubon recognized Important Bird Areas. Read more by visiting BIRDING SITES
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Shop for Dunes-Calumet Audubon Merchandise
FEATURED BIRDING SITEGibson Woods Nature Preserve
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OUR MAILING ADDRESS
Dunes-Calumet Audubon Society P.O. Box 36 Wheeler, IN 46393 |