SATURDAY OCTOBER 17th

Ornithology Center open 10:00 am – 5:00 pm 

10:00 am – 5:00 pm         Activities, Crafts, & Tables at the Ornithology Center

Owl pellet dissections, crafts, games, scavenger hunts, concessions, vendor tables, silent auction display, and more will be set up at the Ornithology Center during festival open hours (moved indoors if raining). Visit our raptor ambassadors in their enclosures, learn about owls, try the migration obstacle course (ages 6-12), and explore our exhibits. Come in costume and get a free piece of candy or small prize! 

~Live animal programs: touching or holding of our Animal Ambassadors will NOT be permitted.

10:00 am – 12:00 pm       Feminist Bird Club Morning Bird Hike

“The Feminist Birding Club is for LGBTQ+, disabled folks, BIPOC & women with chapters across the so-called US, Canada & Europe.”  Join the Feminist Bird Club of Indianapolis for a 2-mile hike around the Coffer Dam. Rain or shine. All genders, ages, and levels of experience are welcome.

Trail: 2 miles, moderate, north half of the loop is accessible, but the south half is not

10am – 10:30 am             Owl Trainer Chat~

Have you ever wondered how the Ornithology Center trains their Avian Ambassadors? Learn about animal behavior and contemporary training methods from OC Manager Jenna McElroy while she feeds our two owl ambassadors, Obi the Barn Owl and Minerva the Great Horned Owl, in their enclosures.

10:30 am – 11:00 am        Pigeon Playtime~ (late admission not allowed)

Come learn about our Rock Pigeon Ambassador, Albert, who is usually behind-the-scenes here at the Ornithology Center. You will get to learn about pigeons while Albert flies and explores freely around the classroom (playtime for him!). Albert may choose to land on you during the program, his trainers will be there to facilitate safety, photo-ops, and education. However, Albert does NOT like being touched so direct touching or petting is not allowed. Inside the OC classroom, limited to the first 25 participants.  

11:00 am – 5:00 pm         Campfire

Enjoy a calming, fall campfire experience amongst the bustle of Owl Fest! Hot dogs and s’mores supplies will be available for purchase at the Eagle Creek Park Foundation concession stand during this time and roasting sticks will be available around a campfire. You are also welcome to bring your own food to cook or enjoy around the campfire! 

11:00 am – 12:00 pm       Not So Spooky Animals~

Bats and skunks, spiders and snakes! Meet some of the Earth Discovery Center’s “spooky” Animal Ambassadors and prepare to be…unafraid. Outside at the Ornithology Center’s outdoor classroom, weather permitting.   

12:00 – 12:30 pm            Storytime & Trot

Join Naturalist Kristin Bingham for storytime and then a trot. We will start at the OC, read a story at the Outdoor Classroom (weather permitting), and then take a short trot outside to explore. Designed for ages 2-6 and their caregiver, but all ages welcome.

12:30 – 1:00 pm              Fall Leaf Owl Craft

Come by the Ornithology Center Outdoor Classroom to pick up a bag, then go for a stroll to collect leaves that you will bring back to make an owl craft! All ages welcome. (Inside if raining.)

1:00 – 5:00 pm                Face Painting

Fly on by to our artist Tiphanny’s booth, to make your face-painting dreams a reality! Free, but donations/tips accepted.

1:00 – 2:30 pm                Lilly Lake Ridge Hike

Join the Nawrocki family for a bird hike from the Ornithology Center around Lilly Lake, south along the ridge to the Floating Wetlands (Fisherman’s Cove), and then back north to the building. This trail has scenic views of the water, a variety of birding habitats, and of course, fall leaves! Binoculars provided.

Trail: moderate, 1.5-2 miles 

2:30 – 3:00 pm                Raptor Feeding Time~

Watch one of the naturalists feed the birds of prey in their enclosures at the Ornithology Center. They eat quickly so don’t be late! 

3:00 – 4:00 pm                Big Trees & Owl Habitat Hike

Eagle Creek Park is home to trees that were living before colonizers arrived in the 1800s! During this hike, you will explore a forest containing champion-size trees of several species and their connected family groves. This forest ecosystem near the Ornithology Center has experienced less disturbance historically than other areas in the park, preserving important habitat for owls. Led by Eagle Creek Park Volunteer Marty Risch. Trail: 1 mile, easy, fairly accessible.

4:00 – 4:30 pm                Conservation Success Stories~

Back in the mid-1900s, Bald Eagles and Peregrine Falcons were in serious trouble—a chemical called DDT was thinning their eggshells, and their numbers were crashing. DDT was finally banned in 1972. Today, these birds, and their populations, are soaring again! Join OC Assistant Manager, Donna, for a discussion about Bald Eagle & Peregrine Falcon conservation, featuring both Carson the eagle & Freyja the falcon!

5:00 – 5:15 pm                Owls vs. Vultures ~

Owls and vultures have so many unique adaptations! See our vulture and owl ambassadors in their aviaries and learn about what makes them so different. We will have skulls and feathers for you to compare and will also be giving the vultures their end-of-day food enrichment!

SUNDAY OCTOBER 18th

Ornithology Center open 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm           Activities, Crafts, & Tables at the Ornithology Center

Owl pellet dissections, crafts, games, scavenger hunts, concessions, vendor tables, silent auction display, and more will be set up at the Ornithology Center during festival open hours (moved indoors if raining). Visit our raptor ambassadors in their enclosures, learn about owls, try the migration obstacle course (ages 6-12), and explore our exhibits. Come in costume and get a free piece of candy or small prize! 

~Live animal programs: touching or holding of our Animal Ambassadors will NOT be permitted. 

9:00 – 11:00 am              Bird Alliance of Central Indiana Sunday Morning Bird Hike

Join a group of new and experienced birders for a brisk morning bird walk! Meets every Sunday morning at 9:00 am, led by the Bird Alliance of Central Indiana (formerly known as the Amos Butler Audubon Society), rain or shine.

Trail: various, depending on the group size and preference.

10:00 am – 11:30 am        Intro to Wildlife Track & Sign

Pre-registration required at indyparks.org – program #39888, cost $10/participant (gate admission included) (ages 10+)

Join OC Assistant Manager Donna (Level II Certified Cybertracker North America) for a family-friendly introduction to finding, identifying, and interpreting wildlife track & sign. We will hike to the north end of the park from the Ornithology Center, looking for birds and evidence of wildlife, stopping to unravel wildlife mysteries along the way. No experience needed, although a small notebook, writing utensil, and measuring device may be useful for sketching/photographing what we find.

Trail: 2-2.5 miles, easy, flat, but may be muddy/wet. Crouching/bending over to look at on-ground evidence may be difficult for those with mobility considerations.

11:30 – 11:45 am            Owl Hike to Lilly Lake (from the Ornithology Center)

Planning to watch Mark Booth’s Owl Program at 12:00 pm at Lilly Lake? You can either park around Lilly Lake or at the Ornithology Center! If you are at the Ornithology Center around 12:30, we will be hiking over to Lilly Lake as a group with binoculars to enjoy the fall leaves and birds we see along the trail.

Trail: 0.5 miles, easy, fairly accessible 

12:00 – 1:00 pm              Live Owls with Mark Booth (Take Flight!) *at the Lilly Lake Shelter: 6358 Eagle Creek Pkwy

One of our most popular Owl Fest programs! Local falconer and wildlife educator, Mark Booth, will teach you all about the amazing nocturnal adaptations of owls, with a little help from his live owl coworkers. 

1:00 – 2:00 pm                Barn Owl Blitz Field Game *at the Lilly Lake Shelter: 6358 Eagle Creek Pkwy

One of our most popular Owl Fest programs! Local falconer and wildlife educator, Mark Booth, will teach you all about the amazing nocturnal adaptations of owls, with a little help from his live owl coworkers.

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm          Face Painting

Fly on by to our artist Tiphanny’s booth, to make your face-painting dreams a reality! Free, but donations/tips accepted. 

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm           Campfire

Enjoy a calming, fall campfire experience amongst the bustle of Owl Fest! Hot dogs and s’mores supplies will be available for purchase at the Eagle Creek Park Foundation concession stand during this time and roasting sticks will be available around a campfire. You are also welcome to bring your own food to cook or enjoy around the campfire! 

1:00 pm – 1:30 pm           Pigeon Playtime~ (late admission not allowed)

Come learn about our Rock Pigeon Ambassador, Albert, who is usually behind-the-scenes here at the Ornithology Center. You will get to learn about pigeons while Albert flies and explores freely around the classroom (playtime for him!). Albert may choose to land on you during the program, his trainers will be there to facilitate safety, photo-ops, and education. However, Albert does NOT like pets so direct touching will not be allowed. Inside the OC classroom, limited to the first 25 participants.  

2:00 pm – 3:30 pm           Fall Migrant Hike: Coffer Dam

Join Ornithologist, Aidan Rominger on a birding hike around the bird sanctuary in search of fall bird species within the park! We will target a variety of gulls, shorebirds, pelicans, warblers, and more! This is a great opportunity for beginner birders to get hands on identification experience in the field with an experienced birder. The majority of the program will be hiking so dress accordingly for the weather. Binoculars will be provided to those that need them!

Trail: 2 miles, moderate 

2:30 pm – 3:00 pm           Meet a Raptor~

Meet Freyja, the Peregrine Falcon ambassador! Learn about Freyja and the peregrine conservation success story from her trainer and park volunteer, Donna McCarty. (Outside unless bad weather. If moved indoors, it will be limited to the first 15 people.) 

3:30 pm – 4:00 pm          Owl Feeding Time~

Learn about the owls of Indiana and watch one of the naturalists feed our two Owl Ambassadors, Obi the Barn Owl and Minerva the Great Horned Owl, in their enclosures at the Ornithology Center. They eat quickly so don’t be late!

4:00 pm – 4:30 pm           Eagle Enrichment~

Watch one of the raptor trainers at the Ornithology Center give a food enrichment box to our Bald Eagle Ambassador, Carson! Learn about his rescue story, eagle conservation, and fun facts about raptors. (Outside rain or shine.)

5:00 pm – 5:15 pm           Not So Scary Scavengers~

Scavengers, such as vultures, get a bad rap, but they’re really nature’s immune system! You might also be surprised to learn that Bald Eagles, while known for their amazing fishing ability, also regularly scavenge for food. Come watch Matilda the Turkey Vulture and Beaker the Black Vulture get their end-of-day food enrichment and learn about how scavengers are important for healthy ecosystems!