Birders and nature enthusiasts can take in what is billed as one of the greatest bird migration stopover sites in the Great Lakes thanks to a fest in Porter and Chesterton.
Indiana Audubon Society presents the fourth annual Indiana Dunes Birding Festival from May 17-20 at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Visitor Center in Porter and Indiana Dunes State Park in Chesterton.
“It’s four days of everything birds and a chance to showcase and see the amazing bird migration that occurs through Indiana Dunes,” said Brad Bumgardner, executive director of Indiana Audubon Society.
“There are an assortment of morning bird trips, whether by carpool or by van tour, taking people to some of the amazing areas and they’ll identify birds being seen.
“In the afternoon there’s a whole bunch of different presentations and workshops — everything from birding designation talks to tips on identifying different bird species as well as live birds of prey nearly every day that people can see and learn about up close.”
Greg Miller, who has birded in all 50 states and much of Canada, is the keynote speaker. He presents “DIY Big Year” from 5:30-9:30 p.m. May 19 at Duneland Falls Banquet & Meeting Center, 1100 N. Max Mochal Highway, Chesterton.
In 1998, Miller traveled 130,000 miles and saw more than 700 species of birds, an accomplishment featured in the book “The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession” by Mark Obmascik and dramatized in the comedic film “The Big Year.”
“If you’re not a bird watcher you may not be familiar with who Greg Miller is, but you certainly know who is portrayed by Jack Black in ‘The Big Year’ looking at adventures of different bird watchers. He had Greg Miller on the set with him as a birding consultant,” Bumgardner said.
Other presentations include “The Amazing Birds of the Indiana Dunes” by Ken Brock (May 17), “Experience Migration with the Warbler Guide!” by Jeff Canada (May 18), “A Year in the Lives of North American Owls” by Paul Bannick (May 19) and “The Folklore of Birds” by Evie Kirkwood (May 20).
These presentations are from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Indiana Dunes Visitor Center.
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Indiana Dunes Birding Festival also offers nighttime events.
“We have an assortment of evening activities. We’ve expanded on the number of evening bird adventures. We’ll take people out to see the evening birds,” Bumgardener, of Valparaiso, said.
“Really popular is our Birds and Brew event up at the Craft House in Chesterton (on May 18). It’s a social networking type of event as well as discounted food and drink and festival beer and cider.”
Other activities include discounted morning flights by Eagle Aircraft of Valparaiso over bird-watching areas; a bird calling competition; a Youth and Family Birding Day; and the month-long “Dune Birds in Art” exhibition, which opens at 6 p.m. May 16 at Indiana Dunes Visitor Center.
“The Indiana Dunes Birding Festival brings all of that together to become not only the largest birding festival in the Great Lakes, but easily the top birding festival in the entire Great Lakes or Midwest region over the course of the year,” Bumgardner said.
Certain tours offer extra amenities not covered in basic registration costs and may include a premium trip fee.
Indiana Dunes Birding Festival
When: May 17-20
Where: Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Visitor Center, 1215 N. Indiana 49, Porter, and Indiana Dunes State Park, 1600 N. 25 East, Chesterton
Cost: four-day registration for $62 adults or $49 ages 17 and younger; single-day registration for $35 adults or $25 youth; keynote presentation dinner for $26 adults or $20 youth
Information: 219-928-6905; www.indunesbirdingfestival.com
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune,