Saturday, Sept. 4, 8:30 a.m.  Bird Walking the Beach.  We'll kick off our fall birding season with a relaxed outing along the Benton Harbor/St. Joseph waterfront. Meet at Jean Klock Park, just north of the pavilion where the open beach is visible from the parking area. From here we’ll walk the beach south to Tiscornia Park watching for lakeshore migrants such as shorebirds, terns and gulls along the way. At Tiscornia we’ll check the beach, walk out on the North Pier and enjoy a refreshment break before drivers are shuttled back to their cars at Klock Park.

Monday, Sept. 6, 7:30 a.m. Labor Day Waterbird Watch. An annual club event! Sometimes the best way to see migrants along the lakeshore is to just be patient and wait for them to come by. This morning we'll do just that at the New Buffalo Public Beach. The length of our visit will depend on the birding, but we'll plan on a few hours (to 9:30 a.m.) at least. Join us for the entire watch or stop by later if you wish. Meet at the New Buffalo Public Beach and bring a beach chair if you wish. Vehicle entry fee required.

Tuesday, Sept. 7, 9:00 a.m. September Tuesdays at Floral Lane. Beginning today and including  each Tuesday through September 28 we’ll meet at   Warren Dunes State Park in the Youth Camp parking area on  Floral Lane for a weekday bird walk. We’ll check edges of the campground and Floral Lane for migrant songbirds and make   forays into the dune forests on one or more trails as time and conditions permit. State Park entry fee may be required.

Sunday, Sept. 12, 8:30 a.m. From the Beach to the Brown Sanctuary. It's hard to resist the lure of the lakeshore, so we'll start on the beach at Tiscornia Park in St. Joseph. After birding the shore we'll head inland to Sarett Nature Center's Brown Sanctuary. Here we'll watch for migrants along the forest edges and check the marsh from the overlook platform. We’ll also check for warblers from Sarett’s tree top tower trail. Vehicle entry fee required at Tiscornia Park.

Saturday, Sept. 18, 9:00 a.m. ChikamingTownship Park& the Three Oaks Ponds. We’ll start today at the Chikaming Township Park & Preserve on Warren Woods Road. The woodland edges and old fields here are good locations for fall land bird migrants. After a walk here and a break for refreshments, we’ll make the short trip to the Three Oaks ponds to see what migrant shorebirds or waders are present. Meet by the interior picnic shelter at Chikaming.

Sunday, Sept. 26, 9:00 a.m. Warren Dunes State Park. Today we'll check the edges of the Youth Camp field, wider trails, and possibly even some of the open dunes of Warren Dunes State Park for late fall warblers, early sparrows and other land bird migrants. Meet at the Youth Camp parking area on Floral Lane.(1.5 miles north of the main park entrance.) State Park entry fee may be required.

Saturday, Oct. 2, 7:00 a.m. A Big City Birding Trip! For today’s outing we are tentatively planning a drive to downtown Chicago to enjoy a 150-yard row of bushes and trees on Montrose Point known to birders as the “Magic Hedge.” Because migrant birds, including many skulking species, are often easy to see here, it is one of the best known birding sites in the Chicago area. Afterwards we’ll work back towards New  Buffalo with birding stops as time permits. If interested in this outing, please contact Kip Miller at (269) 471-2617 by Sept. 29so we can plan logistics. There is no fee for the trip, but those not driving will be expected to generously compensate drivers for their efforts and gas expenses.

Tuesday, October 5, 9:00 a.m. Weekday Birding the Warren Dunes State Park South End. Beginning today and running through Tuesday, October 19 we’ll continue our weekly weekday birding at Warren Dunes State Park, but we’ll shift our focus to the south end of the park. Here we’ll start with a check of the lakeshore from the main beach area and then walk trails just to the south of the main campground, as well as some of the campground loop roads. Enter at the main park entrance and meet at the beach. State Park entry fee or sticker required.

Saturday, October 9, 9:00 a.m. Birding Jean Klock Park. Today we’ll start with a lake watch at Jean Klock Beach in Benton Harbor and then we’ll walk the park perimeter, checking shrubby areas, dune ridges and the  pond and wetland areas for other fall migrants. If winds are from the east, we’ll keep an eye overhead for migrant hawks as well! Meet in the north beach parking area.

For directions to any field trip location, please call (269) 471-2617.

To download a Berrien Birding Club membership form, click here.