This spring and summer, I have been enjoying the call of the grasshopper sparrow—a dry, insect-like buzz that tells me they are near. A friend recently informed me that this pretty little prairie bird has a second song—a rapid series of squeaks, chirp and trills that rise and fall for several…
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Nestled along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, the Indiana Dunes are a national treasure. The Indiana Dunes National Park and State Park offer something for everyone—hiking scenic trails, relaxing on beautiful beaches, immersing yourself in historical sites, and exploring diverse habitats for…
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Spring has sprung and that means our Kankakee Sands wetlands are teeming with activity. The Kankakee Sands Bird Viewing Area on the west side of US 41 is a particular fan favorite right now due to the wide-open wetland filled with glistening water and critters galore. One needn’t walk through a…
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The Indiana Dunes Birding Festival happens each May when migrating birds converge near the southern coast of Lake Michigan. Birders from across the country (and world!) travel to the Indiana Dunes for the event. While not out looking for birds, learning from experts, or attending festival social…
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If you're new to birding, there's no better place to start than the Indiana Dunes. With over 370 species of birds recorded in the area, the Dunes provides the perfect location to learn about the diversity of bird life and practice your beginning birding skills. When birds migrate around the eastern…
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October is loud and raucous on the Kankakee Sands prairie. It can also be dark and ominous. In the early morning, you can hear them long before you see them. Off in the distance is a lone tree or perhaps a small cluster of trees. Their branches beginning to tremble. Growing ever louder, a…
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On this chilly May morning, I’m bundling up for a pre-dawn excursion. With binoculars round my neck and bird book in hand, I meet up with other Kankakee Sands staff and volunteers for our annual Kankakee Sands Bird Survey in the bison pasture. We are looking and listening for all the birds that…
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Well, shucks, try as I might, I have not yet been successful in seeing a northern shrike at Kankakee Sands. Even though more than 450 beautiful bird species have been documented in Indiana over the years, this winter, I had my sights set on just one—the clever northern shrike. Classified as a…
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Nature isn’t always what it seems —a chatty little grasshopper sparrow taught me that. For the first ten or so years that I worked at the Kankakee Sands Nursery, I was always looking down, either at the native plants that I was planting into the soil or at the seeds that I was harvesting for our…
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The Upside-Down Bird With the Strange Song By: Alyssa Nyberg If you think saying the word “bobolink” is fun, you’d be right! Even more fun is seeing the bird itself. It’s the male bobolink ( Dolichonyx oryzivorus ) that will turn your mind upside down. Many birds, such as bluebirds or chickadees, are…
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