*Indiana
*Statewide
*March 19, 1999
*INST9903.19
- Birds Mentioned [County in which they were seen]
Horned Grebe Henry County
Greater White-fronted Goose Laporte/Starke, Benton, Henry
Snow Goose Laporte/Starke, Benton, Henry
Ross' Goose Laporte/Starke Counties
Gadwall Henry County
American Wigeon Henry County
Northern Pintail Henry County
Green-winged Teal Henry County
Greater Scaup Henry County
Lesser Scaup Henry County
Oldsquaw Marion County
Hooded Merganser Henry County
Red-breasted Merganser Tippecanoe, Henry County
Common Merganser Henry County
Lesser Yellowlegs Morgan County
Common Snipe Henry, Morgan County
American Woodcock Marion County
Bald Eagle Marion, Morgan County
Northern Harrier Henry County
Northern Goshawk Porter County
Rough-legged Hawk St. Joseph, Morgan County
Sandhill Crane Morgan County
Long-eared Owl Fulton County
Short-eared Owl Laporte/Starke Counties
Eastern Phoebe Dubois County
Winter Wren Marion County
Golden-crowned Kinglet Dubois County
Fox Sparrow Marion County (and many others)
American Tree Sparrow (singing) Henry County
Eastern Meadowlark Henry County
- Transcript
hotline: Indiana Rare Bird Alert
date(s): March 19, 1999
number: (317)-259-0911
to report: (317)-259-0911 (Do not send reports by e-mail)
coverage: Indiana Statewide
compiled: March 19, 8:45 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 13, at 8:45 p.m. (EST).
Highlights include, a Ross' Goose at the Kankakee Fish and Wildlife area,
other birds seen include Greater White-fronted Geese, Northern Goshawk and
lots of waterfowl.
Laporte / Starke Counties:
--------------------------
On Thursday, March 18, a Ross' Goose was seen near the headquarters building
of the Kankakee Fish and Wildlife Area. The headquarters building is located
along Toto Road. The bird was seen Northwest of the building. It was seen
at about 5:00 p.m. CST, with 150 or more Snow Geese. Also on Thursday were
30 Greater White-fronted Geese, at this location, though they were not
mentioned by the birder that spotted the Ross' Goose. Nearby, an area has
been good for Raptors and Short-eared Owls. Go North of the river into
Laporte county, from the junction of county road 2100 South and 500 West,
take the dirt road EAST from the Refuge sign, until it turns back West,
about a mile South.
[Transcribers Note: These were the original directions, as reported.]
The last count was 6 Short-eared Owls.
Refer to Delorme atlas page 19, grid H-12.
The headquarters building is BELOW H-12, at the very margin of the map.
Porter County:
--------------
On Wednesday, March 17, a Northern Goshawk was seen at the Johnson Beach
Hawkwatch Site. The area can be reached by taking Waverly Road (just West
of Dunes State Park) to the National Lakeshore parking lot, and then walking
Southeast to the top of the dune. The bird was seen in that area, gaining
altitude, it circled a few times and then headed off to the Southwest.
Other birds seen that day included Bald Eagle and Northern Harrier.
If the Northern Goshawk is relocated, please report it to the hotline.
St. Joseph County:
------------------
In another area that is new to many birders, is the Red Hen Turf Farm, at
the intersection of Tamarack & Darden Roads. It is a couple of miles South
of the Michigan State line. There was a dark phase Rough-legged Hawk there.
The observer mentioned that this spot may be a great spot for migrating
shorebirds later on in the season.
Tippecanoe County:
------------------
On March 13, there were 175 Ring-billed Gulls flying past the parking lot
along the levee area in West Layfayette where birders meet to go on field
trips. This was a remarkable number. Also there were
3 Red-breasted Mergansers that flew by.
Benton County:
--------------
At the Pine Creek Gamebird area, there were 10 Greater White-fronted Geese
and 10 white-phase Snow Geese.
Fulton County:
--------------
We have a report of a Long-eared Owl in a pine tree in the town of
Rochester, Indiana. No further details regarding the location were
available.
We'll try to get a more specific location in the town of this bird.
Henry County:
-------------
At Summit Lake State Park, many birds were observed over the past weekend.
There was a field trip on Saturday and an individual spent much of Sunday
birding the area.
Highlights were 2 Greater White-fronted Geese that were seen on Saturday,
Sunday, and Monday. There were also 3 Snow Geese seen. The
Greater White-fronted Geese were Southwest of the intersection of county
roads 750 North and 500 East (the upper ponds area) on an arm of the lake.
There were also 4200 Mallards, 1900 Canada Geese, and good numbers of ducks
including 20 Gadwall, 16 Northern Pintail, 20 American Wigeon,
77 Green-winged Teal, 400 Lesser Scaup and 18 Greater Scaup. All three
mergansers were seen: 27 Hooded Mergansers, 2 Common Mergansers, and
4 Red-breasted Mergansers. Also a Horned Grebe was present. 3 Common Snipe
and a Northern Harrier were also seen.
There was also a large flock (50-100) of American Tree Sparrows that were
singing, as well as Eastern Meadowlarks.
Marion County:
--------------
At Eagle Creek Park, 2 Oldsquaw were seen on March 17. They were seen from
the Marina, located between the Marina and the coffer (sp?) dam area.
Also there has been a Bald Eagle working this area. A Winter Wren was seen
at the North end of "Warbler Alley" near the Nature Center. Many Fox
Sparrows
are being seen, not only here, but throughout the state.
An American Woodcock has been displaying in the area around Brookville Road,
near 465 and Shadeland.
Morgan County:
--------------
Along the Whiteriver floodplain area, near the town of Whitaker, off of state
road 67, near the Morgan County-Owen County line, there have been thousands
of waterfowl and hundreds of Sandhill Cranes on the ground resting.
Also seen: a Rough-legged Hawk, adult Bald Eagle, a Lesser Yellowlegs, and a
Common Snipe.
Dubois County:
--------------
At the Ferdinand State Forest, highlights included 3 Golden-crowned Kinglets
and 2 Eastern Phoebes. Many ducks were noted as well.
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 Kelly pkelly@iquest.net Kokomo, Indiana, USA http://members.iquest.net/~pkelly/ (My Place) http://www.indianaaudubon.org/ (Homepage of the Indiana Audubon Society)