As is typical for this time of year, a single good night of migration can catch things up, and bring millions of birds in just a few hours of darkness. In fact, the tower has seen a staggering 28 new species just this week. Migration is clearly in full swing. Eastern Kingbird by Michael Topp … Continue reading May Day Mayhem
Whew. That was rough. Early April brought nearly an entire week of cold north winds and little movement. After such a great March start, it has been nice to see some warm sunshine and south winds. We've now had 4 days of conditions to add to the fresh April eBird Report. By April 10, we're … Continue reading Ant Eaters Unite
144,178 That is the total of bird species identified during the month of March from the Indiana Dunes Longshore Tower. That's a good total considering we haven't been out there much lately. In fact, 2 out of 3 flights counted last month occurred in the first 12 days of the month. Spring totals from the … Continue reading 144,178
Many birders are surprised to learn about the Dunes Longshore Flight for the very first time. The experience is not one of typical birding. You don't pull out your checklist and slowly record species as you stroll down a path. In a small way, experiencing the morning flight from atop the Longshore Tower is a … Continue reading What is the Dunes Longshore Morning Flight?
On March 6, 2012, a gathering of birders captivated by what was newly termed the "longshore flight" convened atop the dune, gazing out over Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes State Park. Positioned near the remnants of the former "green tower," they observed logged 36 species on a cold March morning that quickly heated with strong … Continue reading New Season, New Start
It was a pretty decent day to start the season off. It was clear and cold, much of the morning was below freezing, and the wind was coming from the East-Southeast. There was a movement of Sandhill Cranes totaling 2,052. Raptors included Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered & Red-tailed Hawks, & American Kestrel. A flock … Continue reading First official count day of the season.
The 2018 Longshore Flight Survey is set to begin soon! This year marks the 6th year of counting atop the old "Green Tower" site at Indiana Dunes State Park. Thus far we have identified 1.2 million birds as they migrate north and out of Indiana. For the first five years we were lucky to have … Continue reading Spring Training
After a weekend of north winds, the longshore survey at Indiana Dunes State Park has been ready for action again. Monday brought virtually no flight, as winds remained north overnight, just shifting to east and then southeast during the day. Which led today and tomorrow and the best chance for some major influx of birds … Continue reading FISH CROW!
Happy Easter. No longshore flight officially is taking place today due to the holiday. However, Saturday, April 15th brought a very warm day to the dunes and is worth reporting. Overnight spotty storms and south winds created a warm wind at dawn that increased through the day. Like a good Saturday does, a contingent of … Continue reading Butter Butt Influx
Today, Friday April 14 saw the return of another moderate flight of birds over the dunes. Though winds were east overnight, they quickly turned southeast after dawn, which served to facilitate some migration today. The icterid flight was lower than has been seen in recent weeks, but when combined with the overall diversity of birds, it … Continue reading A Good Friday Count!
Indiana Dunes Migration Birding 