Leading Bird Walks: Indiana Dunes Workshop

Learn how to keep a bird walk moving smoothly and enjoyably for every participant. We meet at 9 a.m. CT inside the Conservation Center at Meadowbrook Nature Preserve for an interactive hour on planning, group dynamics, pacing, safety, and guiding tools. We'll spend the next 90-120 minutes outdoors, rotating into the lead and receiving real-time coaching, so you leave ready to guide bird walks for Indiana Audubon or your local parks.

Attentive guides notice how the group is feeling, keep encouragement flowing, and describe each bird so clearly that every pair of binoculars finds it. This workshop sharpens those skills through hands-on practice, and once you complete it you'll be eligible for Indiana Audubon leader stipends if you later lead your first outings with us as a new guide.

This free session, presented in partnership with Shirley Heinze Land Trust, is one of three statewide Leading Bird Walks workshops: Bloomington (July 20), Indiana Dunes (Aug. 16), and Indianapolis (Sept. 6). Choose the location that fits your schedule and grow your skills alongside first-time and advancing bird walk leaders.

Your instructor is Sarah Barnes, Indiana Dunes Project Owlnet Coordinator for Indiana Audubon. Sarah bands Northern Saw-whet Owls at the Dunes station each fall, guides field trips at the Indiana Dunes Birding Festival, and brings a field-biologist background that includes research on Dark-eyed Juncos in California and Mountain and Western Bluebirds in Montana. Her passion is helping people connect with birds through hands-on experiences.

The workshop is free, but registration is required and capped at 25 participants. If your plans change, please let us know so someone else can attend.

The Indiana Dunes workshop starts in Meadowbrook Nature Preserve's Conservation Center, which has level entry, accessible restrooms, and marked accessible parking. We will venture onto the preserve's flat to gently rolling natural-surface trails, choosing the route and pace on the day to suit the group. For additional trail details, contact Shirley Heinze Land Trust staff at 219-242-8558 or [email protected].

Email [email protected] or call 765-205-1255 with any questions about this event. If you require accommodations to participate, contact us as early as possible; while we may not be able to meet every request, we will make every reasonable effort to do so.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Meadowbrook Nature Preserve, 109 West 700 North, Valparaiso, United States