*Indiana
*Statewide
*March 12, 1999
*INST9903.12
- Birds Mentioned [County in which they were seen]
Horned Grebe Henry
Greater White-fronted Goose Monroe, Greene
Mute Swan Wayne
Gadwall Henry
American Wigeon Henry
Blue-winged Teal Greene
Canvasback Henry, Wayne
Redhead Henry, Wayne
Ring-necked Duck Elkhart, Henry, Wayne
Greater Scaup Henry
Lesser Scaup Henry, Wayne
Harlequin Duck Lake
Black Scoter Porter
Bufflehead Elkhart
Common Goldeneye Elkhart, Henry
Hooded Merganser Henry
Red-breasted Merganser lakefront, Monroe
Common Merganser Elkhart
Ruddy Duck Henry, Monroe
Bald Eagle St. Joseph
Northern Harrier Henry, Greene, Sullivan
Red-sholdered Hawk Greene
Rough-legged Hawk Greene
Sandhill Crane Greene
Common Snipe Henry
Ring-billed Gull Monroe
Short-eared Owl Sullivan
Tree Swallow Dubois
Golden-crowned Kinglet Dubois
Yellow-rumped Warbler Monroe, Dubois
Pine Warbler Dubois
Lapland Longspur Greene
- Transcript
hotline: Indiana Rare Bird Alert
date(s): March 12, 1999
number: (317)-259-0911
to report: (317)-259-0911 (Do not send reports by e-mail)
coverage: Indiana Statewide
compiled: March 12, 9:00 p.m. (EST)
transcriber: Phil Kelly (pkelly@iquest.net)
Thank you for calling the Indiana Audubon Society Rare Bird Hotline. This
update is for Friday, March 12, at 9:00 p.m. (EST).
Highlights include, mostly waterfowl, a Harlequin Duck and a Black Scoter
along Lake Michigan, large numbers of waterfowl at Central Indiana lakes,
some Bald Eagles and a few other species.
Starting at the Lake Michigan Lakefront, on Sunday March 7, an extensive
search along the lakefront produced many waterfowl, including
450 Red-breasted Mergansers were seen, in total, from many sites, including
Wolf Lake, Hammond Marina, and the Port of Indiana.
Lake County:
------------
A Harlequin Duck was found at the Pastrick Marina, adjacent to Jeorse Park,
near Hammond, right at the lakefront. Directions: drive into the
Pastrick Marina, park by the yacht club and look along the rocky breakwall
that goes out toward the steel plant. (This bird was seen on
Sunday, March 7.)
Porter County:
--------------
At Beverly Shores, there was an Adult male Black Scoter, in with 8 other
Black Scoters, seen from the overlook that is West of the main overlook.
Both overlooks are near the West end of Beverly Shores, along Lake Michigan.
Normally the Black Scoters that are seen are either females or immature
males.
The adult male plummage is rarely seen in Indiana.
Elkhart County:
---------------
At the Goshen Dam, on the South side of the city of Goshen, along the West
side of SR 15. There were many different kinds of waterfowl there, including
130 Ring-necked Ducks, 4 Common Goldeneye, 2 Bufflehead, and
10 Common Mergansers.
St. Joseph County:
------------------
At Potato Creek State Park, on March 10, there were 2 Bald Eagles, perched
in a snag in the lake.
Henry County:
-------------
At Summit Lake State Park, the bird population has been enormous and
growing.
This week, with the lake mostly froze up, except for one small pocket near
the dam in the Southwest part of the reservoir. All of the waterfowl moved
to that one small pocket. Seen there: 1100+ Canada Geese, 1300 Mallards,
47 Gadwall, 35 American Wigeon, 99 Ruddy Ducks, 500+ Lesser Scaup,
2 Greater Scaup, 6 Common Goldeneye, 4 Redhead, 5 Canvasback,
25 Hooded Mergansers, 4 Horned Grebes, plus many other common species,
including 600 Ring-necked Ducks. Below the dam there were 4 Common Snipe
and 2 Northern Harriers, along the stream that comes out from the dam and
heads West. To reach this area, go outside the park. There were also
50-60 Killdeer on the roads in this area.
On Sunday 14 March, Spike Selig, a birder that frequents the Summit Lake
area, will be at the intersection of CR 750 North and 500 East at 6:00 AM.
He'll be driving a maroon truck and would like assistance in counting these
potentially record numbers of waterfowl. You may also contact
Spike at 317-549-3666.
Wayne County:
-------------
At Springwood Park in North, Richmond, Indiana, there was a collection of
waterfowl. To reach the park, take US 27 North from Richmond or South from
Winchester and then travel West from the first stoplight North of
Reed Memorial Hospital, on Waterfall Road. Just after you pass over the
stream with the waterfall on your left, turn RIGHT (North) into the park.
The shallow lake at the entrance is best for the waterfowl. On March 8,
there were 300 Ring-necked Ducks & 125 Lesser Scaup. On March 10, there was
a Mute Swan, 425 Ring-necked Ducks, 135 Lesser Scaup, as well as Canvasback,
and 55 Redheads.
At Middlefork Reservoir there were also large numbers of ducks.
Monroe County:
--------------
At Riddle Point, on Lake Lemon, on March 11, there were
2 Greater White-fronted Geese seen along with other waterfowl including
47 Ruddy Ducks, 68 Red-breasted Mergansers, and 65 Ring-billed Gulls.
On Sunday, March 7, there were 2 Yellow-rumped Warblers seen at the
Bloomington sewage lagoon.
Jackson / Jennings Counties:
----------------------------
At the Muscatatuck NWR, we heard that the Trumpeter Swans may have moved to
the Oxbow (near Lawrenceburg). We are awaiting confirmation of this.
Greene County:
--------------
On Sunday, March 7, South of Linton on Highway 59, where it makes a bend,
there is a flooded cornfield called "Goose Pond". There were
850 Sandhill Cranes, 2 Rough-legged Hawks, Lapland Longspurs,
3 Northern Harriers, and a Red-sholdered Hawk. The ponds there had
16 Greater White-fronted Geese, 650 Canada Geese, Blue-winged Teal, Mallard,
and many other ducks.
Sullivan County:
----------------
At the Dugger Unit (of Greene-Sullivan State Forest), there were
2 Short-eared Owls on the East-West road that goes between 350 East and
450 East. Also 2 Northern Harriers and many common ducks present.
Dubois County:
--------------
At the Ferdinand State Forest, on Sunday, March 7, 10 Tree Swallows and
4 singing Pine Warblers (early!). Also 6 Golden-crowned Kinglets,
Dark-eyed Juncos, 14 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 2 Wild Turkeys, and in the
water area, lots of waterfowl.
If you have any birds to report, please leave your name, telephone number,
and pertinent details about your sighting. We encourage you to go out and
look at the waterfowl, since excellent numbers of them are being reported.
[Transcriber's note: Reports are accepted only via telephone, at
317-259-0911]
-- Phil & Joanne Kelly pkelly@iquest.net Kokomo, Indiana, USA http://members.iquest.net/~pkelly/ (My Place) http://www.indianaaudubon.org/ (Homepage of the Indiana Audubon Society)