ABAS Event Calendar
Featured Events
For the Love of Birds: How Birds Played into the History of Valentine’s Day – CANCELED
Holliday Park Nature Center 6363 Spring Mill Road, Indianapolis, IN, United StatesThis event is CANCELED. Join Jessica Helmbold, ABAS Education Chair, for her presentation on birds and Valentine's Day. Who created Valentine’s Day and when and why did they choose to incorporate birds? Learn about the history of this popular holiday and the role birds played in making it what it is today.
Great Backyard Bird Count Caravan – FULL
Flowing Well Park 5100 E 116th St, Carmel, IN, United Statesjoin Chuck Anderson, ABAS Field Trip chair and President, as he leads you to three local parks in conjunction with the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) worldwide event. At each park, we will record the species and number of all birds seen and submit that list to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology via eBird. To get more information on the GBBC, go to birdcount.org. The field trip is free but limited to 10 participants, and registration is required.
Woodcock Walk – Carmel West Park
West Park 2700 W 116th St, Carmel, IN, United StatesJoin Chuck Anderson, ABAS President, for a trip to West Park in Carmel. Listen for the “peenting” sounds of a male woodcock as it attempts to court a female during the mating season. Watch the male perform an aerial display and listen to the sound of its twittering wings as it tries to attract a female. Registration is not required.
Sax-Zim Bog Winter Adventure
Holliday Park Nature Center 6363 Spring Mill Road, Indianapolis, IN, United StatesJoin Indiana birder and outstanding photographer, Shari McCollough, as she relates her experiences leading birding adventures to Sax-Zim Bog, north of Duluth, MN, in the middle of winter. Sax-Zim Bog is THE place to see northern owl species, specialty woodpeckers, and finches in winter. There were many days that the temperatures never rose above zero degrees and the winds were savage, but the birding was fantastic.
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.
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 to start.
Celery Bog Nature Area – FULL
Celery Bog Nature Area 1620 Lindberg Rd, West Lafayette, IN, United StatesJoin ABAS President and Field Trip Chair Chuck Anderson for a field trip to Celery Bog Nature Area. This will be a great opportunity to view early migrating waterfowl and year-round resident birds.
An Indiana Big Year
Holliday Park Nature Center 6363 Spring Mill Road, Indianapolis, IN, United StatesJoin presenters Laurie Voss and Jeremiah Oden as they share their stories as they relate to taking part in an Indiana Birding Big Year in 2021. Hear about all the planning required, miles driven, chasing rarities, and their most noteworthy sightings and memorable disappointments.
Beers with Birders – Canceled
Sun King Carmel 351 Monon Blvd, Carmel, IN, United StatesJoin ABAS for an evening at the Sun King Carmel. We will meet to collectively share our birding experiences and adventures at this informal gathering. This event is open to the public. Please email info@amosbutleraudubon.org if you plan to join us so we can be aware of how many people will be attending.
Lye Creek Prairie Burn
Lye Creek Prairie Burn 240 East County Road 650 North, Cherry Grove, IN, United StatesJoin Laurie Voss, ABAS Recording Secretary and experienced bird hike leader, on a field trip to the Lye Creek Prairie Burn, aka “The Burn”, in search of migrating Smith’s Longspurs and spring migrants. The Burn is located in Montgomery County and is the most reliable place for viewing Smith’s Longspurs in Indiana.
Atterbury FWA
Atterbury FWA Pisgah Lake South Parking Area Mausferry Rd, Franklin, IN, United StatesJoin ABAS Education Chair Jessica Helmbold as she leads you around Atterbury and Driftwood Fish & Wildlife Areas (FWAs) in Edinburgh, IN in search of spring migrants such as warblers and waterfowl.
McCormick’s Creek State Park – Canceled
McCormick's Creek State Park 250 McCormick Creek Park Rd, Spencer, IN, United StatesJoin Will Schaust, Eagle Creek Ornithology Center Manager and experienced bird hike leader, at 8:00 am at the Canyon Inn where restrooms are available. We’ll head out from there in search of warblers and other spring migrants.
Morgan-Monroe State Forest Field Trip
Morgan-Monroe State Forest - Bryant Creek Shelter Bryanis Road, Bloomington, IN, United StatesJoin experienced field trip leader and expert birder Scott Enochs for a morning of birding at Morgan-Monroe State Forest. The state forest possesses a crucial habitat for the breeding of forest-dependent bird species. Birds that nest there include Cerulean, Worm-eating, Kentucky, Hooded and Prothonotary Warblers, and Wood Thrush to name a few. That field trip is limited to 12 participants and registration is required.
Birding Adventures in Southeast Arizona
Holliday Park Nature Center 6363 Spring Mill Road, Indianapolis, IN, United StatesJoin Mike Timmons, an outstanding birder, and photographer, as he shares his photos and experiences from previous birding adventures to Southeast Arizona.
Eagle Creek Park Warblers & Migrants – FULL
Eagle Creek Park Marina 7602 Walnut Point Rd, Indianapolis, IN, United StatesJoin birders extraordinaire Lisa and Randy Vanderbilt as we look for migrating Spring warblers. We’ll bird the marina along the road leading to the marina, as well as the open area and trails near the parking lot. The field trip is limited to 12 participants and registration is required.
Fountain Square Swift Watch – FULL
Rooftop Garden at Fountain Square Theatre Building 1111 Prospect St, Indianapolis, IN, United StatesJoin ABAS Education Chair and Indy Park Naturalist Jessica Helmbold for bites, drinks, and Chimney Swifts. Mingle with ABAS members while observing an active swift colony, plus Common Nighthawks. Registration is required.
Fall Warblers & Migrants – Strawtown Koteewi Park
Strawtown Koteewi Park 12308 Strawtown Avenue, Noblesville, IN, United StatesJoin local birder and ABAS field trip leader, Terry Ballenger, as we look for migrating fall warblers and local resident birds in the 800-acre park. We’ll meet at the Taylor Center of Natural History building parking lot. There is no fee for the field trip. However, it is limited to 12 participants, and registration is required.
Birding the Rio Grande Valley
Holliday Park Nature Center 6363 Spring Mill Road, Indianapolis, IN, United StatesJoin well respected birder and Indiana Audubon Society birding tour leader Mark Welter as he relates his experiences and shares his photos from his Spring, 2022 birding adventure to the Rio Grande Valley.
Teter Retreat and Organic Farm Field Trip
Teter Retreat & Organic Farm 10980 East 221st Street, Noblesville, IN, United StatesJoin Chuck Anderson, ABAS President and Field Trip Chair, as he leads a field trip to Teter Retreat in search of warblers, other fall migrants and resident birds. Mowed trails wind through woodlands, prairies, and along the White River. Registration is required.
Nature’s Myths: Fact or Fiction?
Holliday Park Nature Center 6363 Spring Mill Road, Indianapolis, IN, United StatesOwls cannot swivel their eyes and must turn their head to see objects not directly in front of them. Bulls are enraged by the color red. Fact or fiction? Join Amanda Smith, Hamilton County Parks Superintendent of Natural Resources and Education, to find out the answers.