2027 Indiana Dunes Birding Festival Premier Registration (for 2)

Be among the first to secure your perfect festival experience with this exclusive early-access registration package for IDBF 2027! This package guarantees:

🕒 Registration 48 hours before anyone else, ensuring first pick of ALL field trips and sessions-including high-demand van tours and specialty outings (including pre-fest!)
🎟️ Basic 4-Day Festival Registration for 2 people
2 tickets to the Keynote Dinner
2 passes to Birds & Brews

Whether you're chasing spring migrants or savoring craft brews with fellow birders, this VIP-level package gives you front-row access to one of the Midwest's premier birding festival.

Burgers and Backyard Birding Experience

This is what happens when backyard birding meets a good burger.

Start with a $50 Red Robin gift card, because even the most dedicated birder needs to refuel. Then head home and keep the show going with a Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder, complete with camera, 1080P HD video, and AI-powered species identification covering over 6,000 birds.

It is like having a trail cam for your feeder, except the subjects are chickadees, cardinals, and the occasional surprise guest. Watch visits in real time, review footage later, and finally answer the question of "what just flew through?" without guessing.

Best of the Flyway Festivals: Two Premier Birding Festivals

Experience two of the Midwest standout birding festivals with this paired package that spans fall migration in Chicago and spring migration along Lake Michigan.

Start in September 2026 at the Chicago Urban Birding Festival, where you'll enjoy:

• 2 Basic Registration Tickets
• 2 Birds and Brews Registrations
• 2 Keynote Dinner Registrations
• Festival Swag

Then Continue the adventure in May 2027 Indiana Dunes Birding Festival, one of the largest in the country, including:

• 2 Basic Registration Tickets
• 2 Birds and Brews Registrations
• 2 Keynote Dinner Registrations
• Festival Swag

This package offers a full spectrum birding experience the best of both migrations.

Birds & Botany in central IN with Roger Hedge

Join Roger Hedge for a private guided Birds and Botany field experience for up to four guests in central Indiana. A retired Natural Heritage Program ecologist with the Indiana DNR Division of Nature Preserves and a long-time Indiana Audubon member, Roger brings decades of experience in plant and bird inventories, along with a calm and welcoming field style .

This curated outing will explore one or more botanically rich natural areas in central or west central Indiana, with potential locations including Pine Hills Nature Preserve, Turkey Run, Portland Arch, Green's Bluff, Fisher Oak Savanna, and other standout sites already noted in the auction file . Along the way, Roger will connect birdlife, wildflowers, trees, habitats, and the natural history that ties them together. It is a great experience for birders, native plant lovers, and anyone who enjoys learning a landscape from someone who truly knows it.

Valid for up to four people on a date and at a location mutually agreed upon with Roger Hedge through May 31, 2027. Lodging and transportation are not included.

Fall Birding in the Dunes with Cookie Ferguson & Kim Ehn

Spend a half-day (4-hour) fall migration adventure through the Indiana Dunes region with not one, but two exceptional expert guides - Cookie Ferguson, Indiana Audubon Board Director and National Park Service Ranger, and Kim Ehn, President of the Dunes-Calumet Audubon Society. Together, they will lead 2-4 birders through the premier hotspots of Lake, Porter, or LaPorte Counties in search of everything winging its way south.

With Cookie's unmatched knowledge of the landscape as an NPS Ranger and Kim's lifelong passion for connecting people with the birds of Northwest Indiana, you'll experience fall migration through the dunes like never before.

Have a favorite patch you'd love to include? Cookie and Kim are happy to customize the route to match your birding dreams.

The outing will begin bright and early at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center on a mutually agreed upon morning in September or October 2026.

The Sparrow Master's Tour: Private Tour of Lye Creek Prairie Burn w/ Shari McCollough

Get an up-close look at one of nature's most overlooked wonders - sparrows! - with this exclusive private birding tour at Lye Creek Prairie Burn, one of Indiana's premier birding destinations. You and up to three guests will spend two hours in the field with Shari McCollough, Indiana's go-to sparrow expert and talented bird photographer known to many from Chicken People.

Shari has an extraordinary eye for finding and identifying sparrow species that most birders walk right past, and she'll share the tips and tricks that make these "little brown birds" anything but boring. Whether you want to sharpen your ID skills, learn how to photograph birds in the field, or simply enjoy a beautiful prairie setting with an expert guide, this tour delivers an experience you can't get anywhere else.

Valid for one year from the date of purchase. Date and time to be coordinated directly with Shari McCollough.

Terra Listens Station - Bring Birdsong to Life in Your Backyard

Experience the magic of birdsong like never before with the Terra Station-an innovative backyard listening device that streams crystal-clear audio of nearby birds directly to your phone, headphones, or speakers via WiFi.

Blu Series, wifi and MOTUS antennas (which pick up tagged birds, animals, and even butterflies flying overhead) are included inside the Terra Station, and additional antennas can be added to boost range.

Durable and weatherproof, the Terra Station is designed for year-round outdoor use.

Learn more: www.terralistens.com

This laser carved Prothonotary warbler box, designed and handmade by Paul Laboviz, can also be used by Tree Swallows, House Wrens, Eastern Bluebirds, White-breasted Nuthatches, Chickadees, and of course, your neighborhood House Sparrow.

BirdBuddy Smart Bird Bath Pro

Bring your backyard to life - and your phone. The BirdBuddy Smart Bird Bath Pro pairs a beautifully designed bird bath with an AI-powered camera that automatically identifies visiting species, captures photos and videos, and sends them straight to your phone. The companion app teaches you everything about your visitors - songs, migration patterns, behavior, and more - covering up to 13,000 species. A perfect gift for the birder who wants to deepen their connection with nature right from home.

Hummingbird Watching Kit - 2 Hummingbird Feeders and Vibrant Hummingbirds Puzzle

A perfect pair for hummingbird lovers. Hang the feeders and watch the magic happen in your own backyard - then bring the beauty indoors with a vibrant hummingbird puzzle that's as satisfying to complete as it is to display. A delightful bundle for anyone who can't get enough of these tiny, dazzling birds.

Private Birding with Sound Recording Workshop with Whitney Yoerger

Enjoy a three-hour private immersion into the world of bird sounds led by Whitney Yoerger, Indiana Audubon's Communications and Outreach Manager.

This guided session will introduce you to deep listening for birding and tune your ears to ambient sounds through amplified listening equipment. You'll also learn how to record bird sounds using Whitney's own recording equipment. Whitney became interested in bird recording in 2017 and has since developed a quiet birding practice centered on nature's wonderful harmonies.

For up to 4 people. Book within 1 year, summer is recommended.

Vortex Bantam HD 6.5×32 Binoculars

The perfect pair to spark a lifelong love of birding. The Vortex Bantam HD delivers exceptional clarity, color fidelity, and edge-to-edge sharpness in a compact, lightweight package that's easy to carry all day. Don't let the "youth" label fool you - birders of all ages have fallen for these, and they make an especially great travel companion. Backed by Vortex's legendary lifetime warranty.

Birds & Botany, From the Dunes to the Kankakee

Discover the remarkable variety of northwest Indiana through a guided Birds and Botany experience in one of the most ecologically rich parts of the state. From the Lake Michigan dunes to the Kankakee River corridor, this private 1 to 2 hour morning outing offers a chance to explore a landscape shaped by striking habitat diversity, including oak savanna, grasslands, wetlands, and woodlands. The winning bidder will enjoy an expert guided experience focused on the birds, native plants, and seasonal highlights that make this region so special.

Matt Beatty is the Kankakee Regional Ecologist with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and brings deep knowledge of the birds, plants, and diverse habitats of northwest Indiana

Location will be arranged with the donor within northwest Indiana, including Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Jasper, Newton, Starke, and Pulaski counties.

Wild Birds Unlimited Backyard Feeding Station

Turn your backyard into a birding hotspot. This complete setup from Wild Birds Unlimited includes an Advanced Pole System with base and hanging arm, a seed cylinder feeder and a charming owl-shaped Seed Cylinder - everything you need to start attracting and enjoying birds right outside your window. Quality gear from the brand birders trust most.

Dunes Project Owlnet: Behind the Scenes for 4 People

Step into the world of nocturnal migration with a private, behind-the-scenes owl banding experience at Indiana Dunes.

This exclusive opportunity gives up to four people a rare look at Project Owlnet research in action. You'll join our team in the field during Northern Saw-whet Owl banding season, getting an up-close look at the science, the process, and the magic of these tiny nighttime migrants.

What's included:

• Private owl banding experience for up to four people
• Behind-the-scenes access to a working banding station
• One oversized blanket
• Four Project Owlnet t-shirts
• Project stickers

This experience is valid during the 2025 fall owl banding season, typically mid-October through mid-November. Weekday visits will be scheduled directly with Indiana Audubon based on weather conditions and owl activity. Select Friday and Saturday nights may also be available, where your group will participate as featured guests during scheduled public banding evenings. All dates are weather dependent and will be coordinated in advance. Witness Northern Saw-whet Owls up close and experience a side of conservation most people never see.

Blue Paisley Gazebo Birdfeeder

Add a touch of charm and color to your backyard with this Bird Feeder. Designed with an eye-catching pattern and classic gazebo shape, it's as decorative as it is functional-inviting a variety of songbirds to stop by and stay awhile.

-Dimensions: 11.3"H x 11.5"W x 11.5"D

-Weight: 1.75lb

-Capacity: 3.3 qts.

-Channeled base with drainage holes directs water for better drainage to keep seed fresher longer.

Vortex Diamondback HD 10x42 binoculars

Whether you're scanning treetops for warblers or tracking raptors on the wing, the Vortex Diamondback HD 10x42 binoculars deliver stunning clarity, color fidelity, and durability in the field. With a wide field of view and high-definition optics, these rugged, all-purpose binoculars are a favorite among birders and outdoor enthusiasts alike.

Lightweight, waterproof, and backed by Vortex's legendary lifetime warranty, this is gear you can count on-for migration season and beyond.

-HD optical system for sharp, bright views
-Fogproof and waterproof
-Rubber armor for a secure, shockproof grip
-Includes case, neck strap, and lens covers