Events

The Indiana Audubon will be hosting the inaugural Hummingbird Migration Celebration at Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary on Saturday, August 11.

Dedicated bird watchers worldwide have May 5 circled on their calendars, ready to do their part for Global Big Day in parks, forests, backyards, desert scrub, and every habitat imaginable. On that day, participants report their observations to the eBird website (ebird.org) run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
 

Birders are invited to join the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission for Northeast District Birding Day on May 15 at Davis Creek Wildlife Management Area.

The Huron House Bed and Breakfast in Oscoda, Michigan is hosting the first Tawas Point Migration event May 17-19. Guests can catch glimpses of a variety of birds, including the Kirtland’s Warbler. 

For birdwatchers, the not-to-miss event is the annual World Series of Birding, to be held Saturday, May 12. It’s a proud New Jersey exclusive. Birders – which can be a surprisingly competitive bunch – are now implementing the latest technologies. That includes the use of GPS and social media, fueled by smartphones and tablets, as well as WiFi hotspots that can reach into the densest New Jersey forests.

The Breakfast with the Birds Lecture Series offers the opportunity to learn all about birds with Adam DiNuovo, Shorebird Stewardship Program Manager for Audubon Florida and the office at Rookery Bay Research Reserve in Naples, Florida.

The Indiana Audubon Society is hosting its annual spring birding gathering at its Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary, outside Connersville, on May 5. 

Take a guided sunrise tour to watch sharp-tailed grouse on a lek April 7 in Boyd County,Nebraska. The Sharptails and Saddle Tales event will provide the public an opportunity to view the annual return of sharp-tailed grouse to their spring dancing grounds. A lek is an assembly area where grouse display their courtship behavior. The males extend their wings, stomp their feet and dance around the lek, and then suddenly stop – all to impress on-looking female grouse.

April 7 is the 15th Annual Prairie Chicken Day at the Kellerton Wildlife Management Area, in Ringgold County. Activities originate from the viewing platform on 300th Avenue, southwest of Kellerton.

Owl calls are a common sound effect in nighttime movie scenes, but have you ever heard the real thing in person? The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is hosting a “Listen to the Owls Night” on the evening of April 5.

Running from May 4-13, 2018, this year’s Biggest Week in American Birding will feature Women In Birding and Conservation and features an outstanding lineup of keynotes, workshops, field trips and much more. 

Due to high demand, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is offering another Beginner’s Birding class to help kick start birdwatching skills for new birdwatchers at Rockwoods Reservation on Saturday, March 24 from 10 a.m.-noon. The class is free and open to those ages 8 and up. All equipment needed, including bird guides and binoculars will be provided.

The Cape Fear Wildlife Expo celebrates its tenth anniversary this weekend at the Crown Complex in Fayetteville, North Carolina.  On Friday, March 16, Youth Day will celebrate the state’s rich and diverse natural resources and an opportunity for students of all ages to learn about applied science initiative and explore career opportunities with science professionals.

The American Birding Expo will return to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania, September 21 to 23, 2018. The event is a celebration of the birding lifestyle, and a global marketplace showcasing optics and other gear for birding, birding destinations around the world, ecotourism, ecolodges, and birding tour companies, festivals, nature artists, books, backyard bird feeding supplies, and more.

Celebrate the migration of birdlife through the Indiana Dunes region this May 17-20 at the fourth annual Indiana Dunes Birding Festival.  The festival is a partnership with the state’s major environmental groups highlighting the Indiana Dunes area’s rich biodiversity and bird watching opportunities to create a positive impact on the economic, conservation, and environmental education for visitors and residents of the Indiana Dunes region.  The event is being organized by the Indiana Audubon Society and includes both the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and Indiana Dunes State Park as site hosts.
 

New Jersey Audubon’s Cape May Bird Observatory 23rd Annual Optics sale Saturday and Sunday April 14 and 15 at New Jersey Audubon’s Center for Research and Education  is a golden opportunity for people to score the perfect optical equipment to up their game, as well as raise money for the overall mission of the non-profit organization. Dealers from the hottest brands will be available to help you make the right choice, helping give the biggest bang for the buck.

 Vultures are a well-known, but under-appreciated member of the bird world. Few people realize it, but these large, dark-colored birds that many people refer to as “buzzards” perform beneficial roles in nature. The Missouri Department of Conservation invites you to learn about these often-misunderstood birds on February 24 at its annual Vulture Venture program at MDC’s Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery on the west end of Lake Tanecomo near Branson.

On Saturday and Sunday, April 14 and 15, from 9-5 p.m., at New Jersey Audubon’s Center for Research and Education at 600 Route 47 North in Cape May Court House (Goshen), dealers from the hottest brands will be available to help you make the right choice, helping give the biggest bang for the buck. The event is ideal for people looking to buy a first pair of binoculars, upgrade to something a bit better, or finally purchase the scope of their dreams. In addition to new models, there will be discontinued models and gently used demo loaner or trade-in optics with savings of $1,000 or more on select items.

New guided day trips led by National Aviary ornithologist Robert Mulvihill will give participants the chance to see and learn about wild birds that winter, nest or pass through western Pennsylvania. Appropriate for all ages, the trips provide a wonderful opportunity to visit areas known to be excellent hot spots for viewing many stunning and beautiful species of wild birds.

Come and enjoy the Orlando Wetlands Festival on Saturday, February 17, 2018, from 9am-3pm at Fort Christmas Historical Park. Event co-sponsor, Orange Audubon Society, will lead guided bird-watching excursions. The Friends of the Orlando Wetlands will lead wetland exploration hikes and the Florida Native Plant Society will lead native plant identification hikes. Bring your camera and join guided photo hikes led by professional photographers. For those who like to sit and ride, guided bus tours will travel along the wetland berms, giving riders a chance to experience firsthand, Florida’s wild wetlands.