Image: The Longshore Tower at Indiana Dunes State Park behind a dune fence with a banner reading “Indiana Dunes Birding Festival – Welcome Birders!” during the 2025 festival. Photo by Brad Bumgardner.
BY BRAD BUMGARDNER
The Indiana Dunes Birding Festival can feel overwhelming the first time you look at the schedule. So many trips. So many leaders. So many early mornings. With nearly 200 field trips, presentations, and workshops in four days, overwhelming is an understatement. One of things I’ve learned is you don’t need perfect timing or insider status to have a great festival birding experience. As we migrate into our 12th annual event, I thought it would be valuable to offer some practical tips to land the trips that fill your interest and life list.
Dates to Know
For starters, it’s important to know that registration opens in waves, and it’s slightly more complex than at first glance. March 1 is the first registration date. This is when the full menu opens and when the highest demand trips fill fastest. Popular warbler walks, small-group outings, and specialty trips often fill quickly, sometimes within hours of registration opening. Some festivals sell early and premier packages that let you register sooner. We take a different approach: registration opens the same way for everyone. There is no add-on, no extra fee. If you are part of the Indiana Audubon birding community and use the same email address you use for your membership, you are in.
If a trip you want is full, put yourself on the waitlist. These open initially on March 3 at noon Central Time, to give everyone the same opportunity to join. Every year after the first two registration pushes, spots open as people adjust plans, change travel, or respond to weather. The waitlist moves more than people expect. Volunteers at the registration table in the Indiaa Dunes Visitor Center during the festival also maintain a list of current openings for trips each morning that you can inquire about.
Registration After the Initial Rush
The later registration date, March 3, opens remaining space after the initial rush. You will still find many excellent trips available. Here is a behind-the-scenes tip: We temporarily hold a small number of spots at the start so families and partners can register together during the initial rush when hundreds are registering at once. Once the dust settles, those spots are released on March 3. If a trip fills right away, it’s also worth another look.
Schedule Planning
Before registration opens, skim the schedule with intention. Each field trip listing includes details about pace, trip type, distance, expected surface terrain, and amenities. Look for icons and notes that flag accessibility, restroom availability, or family-friendly options. Those details are there to help you choose trips that match your style and comfort level. A little planning up front usually usually leads to a smoother and more enjoyable weekend. Sometimes the more casual birding ends up being a better experience, especially when it comes with good company and still turns up the uber-rarity.
One more tip that often gets overlooked: pay attention to who is leading the trip, not just the trip itself. Some of the Indiana Dunes Birding Festival guides are humble experts at their craft. They know the birds, but more importantly, they know how to connect what we are seeing to the bigger picture. Research, conservation, and education are Indiana Audubon’s cornerstones, and a great guide can turn a common bird or a quiet moment into something that sticks with you long after the weekend ends. Sometimes the spark comes from the person, not the life bird or the field trip.
Breathing Room
Lastly, don’t overbook yourself. This is a quiet rookie mistake. It is tempting to fill every time slot, but the best festival experiences often come from leaving breathing room. Migration changes daily. Someone mentions a fallout. A guide suggests a spontaneous stop. The Indiana Dunes in May are magic. This isyour opportunity to explore other sites on the Indiana Birding Trail, or visit one or several of the festival’s Business Alliance shops, such as Chesterton Feed and Garden Center. If your schedule is packed tight, you miss the serendipity.
A First-Timer Mindset
Ultimately, remember your first-time festival visit doesn’t have to be overwhelming. You’re not trying to do everything. Think of it like visiting Rome for the first time and trying to see every ancient ruin. Let the birds guide your way. You need good habitat, timing, and some good birding friends, and that will leave you excited to come back next year.
I hope registration goes smoothly for you on March 1, and the Indiana Audubon team looks forward to seeing you at the festival in May!
Did you know? Support from the Flora Richardson Foundation helps remove real barriers to participation, and their 2026 funding provides need-based registration scholarships, accessible birding trips and programs, and Youth and Family Birding Day programming.
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