ABAS Event Calendar
Field Trips
Bird Photography Walk at Eagle Creek
Eagle Creek Park Ornithology Center 6515 Delong Road, Indianapolis, IN, United StatesJoin Amy Hodson on a walk at Eagle Creek Park to photograph birds. All levels of photography are welcome, especially beginners! Don’t have camera gear quite yet, but still want to learn? This will be a great opportunity to learn about the basics of bird photography.The group will meet at the Ornithology Center to practice shooting at the feeders. We will then head into the park to see what lingering spring migrants and resident nesting birds we can find!Registration is required. Please RSVP for this event by emailing info@amosbutleraudubon.org. Although there is no fee for this walk, park entrance fees apply.
Kankakee Sands Sparrow Field Trip
Meet at Dick's Sporting Goods 6030 West 86th Street, Indianapolis, IN, United StatesJoin Mark Welter as he leads you on a trip to Kankakee Sands in search of breeding sparrows. Kankakee Sands is a birder’s paradise for nesting prairie species. The 7,000+ acres are actively being restored to a natural prairie habitat under the protection of The Nature Conservancy. Targets for the trip will include Song, Field, Vesper, Henslow’s, Grasshopper, and Lark Sparrows. We will seek out additional species known to nest at Kankakee Sands such as Orchard Oriole and Blue Grosbeak. Meet at 6:00 am at the Dick’s Sporting Goods located at 6030 West 86th Street and carpool to Kankakee Sands. The majority of this trip will be done birding by car and walking will be minimal. Participants can expect to return to Indy around 3:00 pm. Contact Mark at shooter2_indy@yahoo.com if you have any questions.
Bird Photography Walk at Eagle Creek
Eagle Creek Park Ornithology Center 6515 Delong Road, Indianapolis, IN, United StatesJoin Amy Hodson on a walk at Eagle Creek Park to photograph birds. All levels of photography are welcome, especially beginners! Don’t have camera gear quite yet, but still want to learn? This will be a great opportunity to learn about the basics of bird photography.The group will meet at the Ornithology Center to practice shooting at the feeders. We will then head into the park to see what lingering spring migrants and resident nesting birds we can find!Registration is required. Please RSVP for this event by emailing info@amosbutleraudubon.org. Although there is no fee for this walk, park entrance fees apply.
Fall Sparrow Field Trip at Lebanon Business Park
Lebanon Business Park - Meet at Dick's Sporting Goods 6030 West 86th St, Indianapolis, IN, United StatesJoin Scott Enochs as he leads you on a field trip to a local hotspot in search of resident and migratory sparrows. Our target sparrows will be Song, Field, Swamp, Lincoln’s, Vesper, White-throated, White-crowned, Nelson’s and LeConte’s. Due to parking limitations, group size will be limited to 12 participants.
CILTI Hike at the Fred and Dorothy Meyer Nature Preserve
CILTI Fred and Dorothy Nature Preserve 2600 N Old State Rd 67, Martinsville, IN, United StatesJoin the Central Indiana Land Trust (CILTI) for a fall hike at the Fred and Dorothy Meyer Preserve. This is a moderately difficult hike with some slopes and steep areas. The hike should present a beautiful sneak peek of fall colors in this Morgan County forest. This hike will be led by CILTI’s Stewardship Manager, Jamison Hutchins. The trail is considered moderate and appropriate for hikers who can handle some steep hills. Space is limited for this hike, so please register.
Fall Birding at Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge
Muscatatuck NWR 12985 East US Highway 50, Seymour, IN, United StatesJoin ABAS Education Chair, Jessica Helmbold, for a day of celebrating the best of fall. Enjoy southern Indiana fall colors, fall waterfowl migration, and delicious hot fall beverages along with snacks and lunch at the picturesque Stream Cliff Farm Farm Winery in Commiskey, Indiana. Registration is requested by emailing Jessica at jh_beagle@hotmail.com. Please indicate if you plan to join us for lunch so we can make reservations at the restaurant. For those interested in carpooling, we will be meeting at 7:30 am at the Wal-Mart at County Line and Emerson. It's exit 101 off I-65. If you'd like to meet us at the refuge we'll be there between 8:30 am and 9:00 am.
CILTI Hike at Portland Arch
Portland Arch Nature Preserve 1332-1598 W Scout Camp Rd, Covington, IN, United StatesWalk off your turkey and stuffing with Central Indiana Land Trust (CILTI) as Executive Director Cliff Chapman leads us on a Black Friday hike through this stunning Fountain County nature preserve. Owned and managed by the Indiana Division of Nature Preserves, Portland Arch features a dramatic sandstone gorge, a lovely creek, and several different habitats: forest, open prairie, spring-seep wetlands, and savannas. This is a rugged hike with some challenging terrain. Participants should wear sturdy shoes for hiking. Conditions may be muddy or wet. Space is limited for this hike, so please register. Register at CILTI’s event page. Contact CILTI at info@conservingindiana.org for any questions, or to be put on the waiting list if spaces are full.
CILTI Hike at Meltzer Woods
CILTI Meltzer Woods Nature Preserve 1522 South County Road 600 East, Shelbyville, IN, United StatesJoin the Central Indiana Land Trust (CILTI) for a guided hike through the always compelling Meltzer Woods. CILTI’s Executive Director, Cliff Chapman, will lead us in exploring winter ecology in this beautiful old-growth forest. Meltzer Woods is located near Shelbyville and is a short 45-minute drive from Indianapolis. Space is limited for this hike, so please register. Register at CILTI’s event page.
Bird Photography Walk at Eagle Creek
Eagle Creek Park Ornithology Center 6515 Delong Road, Indianapolis, IN, United StatesJoin Amy Hodson on a walk at Eagle Creek Park to photograph birds. All levels of photography are welcome, especially beginners! Don’t have camera gear quite yet, but still want to learn? This will be a great opportunity to learn about the basics of bird photography.The group will meet at the Ornithology Center to practice shooting at the feeders. We will then head into the park to see what lingering spring migrants and resident nesting birds we can find!Registration is required. Please RSVP for this event by emailing info@amosbutleraudubon.org. Although there is no fee for this walk, park entrance fees apply.
Celery Bog Nature Area Field Trip
Celery Bog Nature Area 1620 Lindberg Rd, West Lafayette, IN, United StatesJoin new ABAS Field Trip Chair Chuck Anderson for a field trip to Celery Bog Nature Area near West Lafayette. This will be a great opportunity to view waterfowl and year-round resident birds. Target birds are Redhead and Canvasback ducks with a possibility of spotting a Long-tailed Duck. Snow Goose and Greater White-fronted Goose also frequent the bog. We'll meet at 8:00 am at the Marathon gas station located at the I65 exit #175 Lafayette/Delphi and caravan from there. The trip is limited to 12 participants and registration is required.
Bird Photography Walk at Eagle Creek
Eagle Creek Park Ornithology Center 6515 Delong Road, Indianapolis, IN, United StatesJoin Amy Hodson on a walk at Eagle Creek Park to photograph birds. All levels of photography are welcome, especially beginners! Don’t have camera gear quite yet, but still want to learn? This will be a great opportunity to learn about the basics of bird photography.The group will meet at the Ornithology Center to practice shooting at the feeders. We will then head into the park to see what lingering spring migrants and resident nesting birds we can find!Registration is required. Please RSVP for this event by emailing info@amosbutleraudubon.org. Although there is no fee for this walk, park entrance fees apply.
Winter Lakefront Field Trip
Meet at Menards in Lebanon 402 Sam Ralston Rd, Lebanon, IN, United StatesJoin birders extraordinaire Lisa and Randy Vanderbilt as they lead you in search of wintering gulls, waterfowl and any vagrants that may be in the area at the Indiana Lake Michigan lakeshore. We will meet at the Menards off I65 exit #140 in Lebanon at 6:30 am and caravan/carpool to the lakefront. We will spend the morning and early afternoon visiting various sites around the Indiana lakeshore. Little time will be spent hiking, though some hiking terrain would be considered moderate to rugged. Make sure you dress appropriately for the weather conditions, Most of the time will be spent traveling to as many sites as possible to scan the lake. There will be a break for lunch in the Gary/Chesterton area. The event is free and open to the public. Registration is not required but appreciated.
Woodcock Walk – Daubenspeck Community Nature Park
Daubenspeck Nature Park 8900 Ditch Rd, Indianapolis, IN, United StatesJoin ABAS Board member Brian Cunningham for an evening walk at Daubenspeck Community Nature Park (DCNP), a great spot to view displaying American Woodcocks. Woodcocks have a very acrobatic mating display that they perform at dusk known as the sky dance. While waiting for woodcocks, we will check the prairie and nearby woods for birds that may be going to roost in the park for the evening.
Canceled – Woodcock Walk – Strawtown Koteewi Park
Strawtown Koteewi Park 12308 Strawtown Avenue, Noblesville, IN, United StatesUnusual, weird, romantic, and unique are all words used to describe the American Woodcock. Come experience this rite of spring for yourself as male woodcocks perform their aerial courtship displays for the females in the prairie at dusk! An indoor presentation will take place inside the Taylor Center at 7:30 pm for those interested in knowing more about the life history of this bird. Those interested in seeing the aerial display should meet the group inside the Taylor Center and will be led by a Naturalist from Hamilton County Park starting at about 8:00 pm.
Canceled – Smith’s Longspur Field Trip – Lye Creek Prairie Burn
Lye Creek Prairie Burn – Meet at Denny's in Lebanon 1524 West South Street, Lebanon, IN, United StatesJoin Shari McCollough, Indiana Audubon Society Membership Chair, and host Clint Murray on a field trip to the Lye Creek Prairie Burn (aka “The Burn”) in search of migrating Smith’s Longspurs. The Burn is located in Montgomery County and is the most reliable place for viewing Smith’s Longspurs in Indiana, as the property is managed specifically for them. While in the area, we will also seek out any raptors, waterfowl, and shorebirds that may be present. Registration is required.
Spring – Migrant Field Trip – Morgan and Monroe Counties
Meet at Walmart in Camby 8191 Upland Bend, Camby, IN, United StatesJoin Scott Enochs on a trip to various spots in Morgan and Monroe Counties. The hike will target migrating warblers, vireos, tanagers, and flycatchers. More specifically, this trip will target Kentucky, Hooded, and Worm-eating Warblers. The trip will consist of various terrains which could include steep hillsides, so appropriate footwear should be considered. We will meet at 6:30 am at the Walmart in Camby. Registration is requested
Fall Warblers – Strawtown Koteewi Park
Strawtown Koteewi Park 12308 Strawtown Avenue, Noblesville, IN, United StatesPossible Travel Detour – Click into the post for details. Join well-respected birder and field trip leader Terry Ballenger as we look for migrating fall warblers as well as local resident birds in this 800-acre park. The fall migration should be well underway and we should expect to see several species of warblers. We’ll meet at the Taylor Center of Natural History building parking lot at 8:30 am and bird on foot from there. Masks will be required for the majority of the hike. There may be times when we can spread out and get a quick break from the masks.
Fall Birding at Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge
Muscatatuck NWR 12985 East US Highway 50, Seymour, IN, United StatesJoin ABAS Education Chair Jessica Helmbold for a day of celebrating the best of fall. Southern Indiana fall colors, fall waterfowl migration, and lunch after the outing. Duck migration should be well underway and many species are expected to be present in the refuge. Meet at the Muscatatuck Visitors Center. Lunch will be at a local eatery with the location to be determined. There will be no fee for the field trip and it's open to the public. Registration is not required but greatly appreciated. Masks will be required for the majority of the hike. There may be times when we can spread out and get a quick break from the masks.
Celery Bog Nature Area Field Trip (Full)
Celery Bog Nature Area 1620 Lindberg Rd, West Lafayette, IN, United StatesRegistration is full. Join ABAS Field Trip Chair Chuck Anderson for a field trip to Celery Bog Nature Area. This will be a great opportunity to view waterfowl and year-round resident birds. Target birds are waterfowl, including Northern Pintail, Redhead, and Canvasback ducks, with a possibility of spotting a Long-tailed Duck. Snow Goose and Greater White-fronted Goose also frequent the bog. There is no fee for the field trip. However, it is limited to 12 participants, and registration is required. Masks will likely be required for most of the trip. There may be times when we can spread out and take a break from the masks.
Sandhill Cranes at Jasper-Pulaski
Jasper-Pulaski FWA Headqaurters 5822 Fish & Wildlife Lane, MedaryvilleJoin ABAS Field Trip Chair, Chuck Anderson, for a trip to Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area (FWA). This will be a great opportunity to view thousands of Sandhill Cranes as they congregate in Goose Pasture before returning to the roosting marshes. There’s always a possibility of spotting a Whooping Crane among the Sandhills. We’ll meet at 4:00 pm at the Sandhill Crane Observation Platform parking lot located on County Rd 1650W, 1 mile past the park’s headquarters entrance. Follow the very visible signage. Bring binoculars and spotting scope if you have one. The trip is limited to 10 participants, and registration is required. Masks will likely be required during most of the viewing as this is a very popular location for observing the cranes.