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Big Birding Day
September 18 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
We are thrilled to partner with Dunes-Calumet Audubon Society to offer 5 Bird Walks at our nature preserves in Lake & Porter County as part of our Birding Big Day, an annual fall bird count on our preserves.
Pre-register is required via this link: https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSf…/viewform
All participants will meet their birding leader at each site’s parking lot. Check below for times and descriptions. Most bird walks will run 2-3 hours, depending on travel and habitat.
Participant numbers are limited due to parking lot sizes. Please bring binoculars, insect repellant, and water.
1. Ivanhoe South Nature Preserve (Lake County) with Matt Kalwasinski. Meet at 9:00 am. Limit: 6 people (3 cars max). Trail is 0.6 miles among a dune and swale landscape.
2. Gordon & Faith Greiner Nature Preserve & Bur Oak Woods Nature Preserve (Lake County) -Fast Paced birding with Julie Bonnema & Matt Igleski. Meet at 7:00 am at Greiner Nature Preserve. Limit: 4 people (2 cars max). 1st area is black oak savannah & tallgrass prairie and 2nd area is savannah & woods.
3. Cressmoor Prairie Nature Preserve (Lake County) with Kim Ehn. Meet at 9:00 am. Limit: 6 people (3 cars max). Trail is 0.78 miles through tallgrass prairie.
4. Dale B. Engquist Nature Preserve (Porter County) with Libby Keyes. Meet at 9:00 am. Limit: 12 (6 cars max). Trail is approx. 2 miles through upland forest and restored meadow.
5. Meadowbrook Nature Preserve (Porter County) with Jim Haniford (SHLT). Meet at 9:00 am. Limit 12 (6 cars max). Trails within the Valparaiso Moraine feature woods, seasonal wetlands, and restored meadows.