*Indiana
*Statewide
*March 25, 1999
*INST9903.25
- Birds Mentioned [County in which they were seen]
Common Loon Henry, Monroe
Horned Grebe Monroe
Turkey Vulture Henry
Greater White-fronted Goose Laporte/Starke, Benton
Snow Goose Laporte/Starke, Henry
Ross's Goose Laporte/Starke
Gadwall Henry
American Wigeon Franklin
Northern Shoveler Henry
Green-winged Teal Franklin
Canvasback Henry
Redhead Henry
Greater Scaup Jackson/Jennings
Bufflehead Henry
Red-breasted Merganser Monroe
Common Merganser Monroe
Ruddy Duck Henry
Bald Eagle Monroe, Jackson/Jennings
Red-shouldered Hawk Porter
Rough-legged Hawk Laporte/Starke
Golden Eagle Jackson/Jennings
Peregrine Falcon Laporte/Starke
Sandhill Crane Porter, Benton
American Golden Plover ? Franklin
Greater Yellowlegs Laporte/Starke
Lesser Yellowlegs Laporte/Starke, Morgan
Pectoral Sandpiper Laporte/Starke, Monroe, Franklin
Common Snipe Morgan, Franklin
American Woodcock Henry
Bonaparte's Gull Monroe
Lesser Black-backed Gull Laporte
Great Black-backed Gull Laporte
Eastern Phoebe MANY
Tree Swallow MANY (larger bodies of water)
American Pipit Laporte, Franklin
Chipping Sparrow Knox
LeConte's Sparrow Jackson/Jennings
Fox Sparrow Monroe
Lapland Longspurs Laporte/Starke
- Transcript
hotline: Indiana Rare Bird Alert
date(s): March 25, 1999
number: (317)-259-0911
to report: (317)-259-0911 (Do not send reports by e-mail)
coverage: Indiana Statewide
compiled: March 25, 9:45 p.m. (EST)
transcriber: Phil Kelly (pkelly@iquest.net)
Thank you for calling the Indiana Audubon Society's Rare Bird Hotline. This
update is for Thurday, March 25, at 9:45 p.m. (EST).
Highlights include, a Ross' Goose in Starke County, LeConte's Sparrow seen in
Jackson County, Lesser and Great Black-backed Gulls seen in Laporte County,
several locations for Greater White-fronted Geese, several shorebirds,
both Bald and Golden Eagles, several Common Loons and lots of ducks.
Laporte / Starke Counties:
--------------------------
The Ross's Goose reported last week is still being seen behind the
headquarters building of the Kankakee Fish and Wildlife Area. It was seen
in that location on Saturday, March 20. We have another report, that the
bird may have been seen at another location nearby, in Laporte County,
across the river. This location is near the intersection of County Roads
500 West and 2100 South. It was with Snow Geese when behind the headquarters
building, on Toto Road. It may have moved to the new location on March 23.
A field trip, on Saturday March 20, also reported 3 Greater White-fronted
Geese
and 49 Snow Geese. Also noted were 2 Pectoral Sandpipers, Lesser and
Greater Yellowlegs. North of the headquarters building in the fields with
corn stubble, there were several hundred Lapland Longspurs. Near the
intersections of County Roads 2200 South and 600 West in Laporte county there
were 6 Greater White-fronted Geese. Also at 2100 South and between 500 West
and 600 West there were 8 Rough-legged Hawks.
At Michigan City there were 2 Peregrine Falcons seen, also
300 Ring-billed Gulls and 50 Herring Gulls, as well as the third year
Lesser Black-backed Gull. There were 2 Great Black-backed Gulls and an
American Pipit as a fly-by.
Porter County:
--------------
At the Johnson Beach Hawkwatch Site, in a period of 2 hours on Saturday
March 20, there were a total of 60 hawks seen. The highlight being
22 Red-shouldered Hawks. 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. Also seen were
105 Sandhill Cranes, and an Eastern Phoebe.
Benton County:
--------------
At the Pine Creek Gamebird area, lots of ducks and expected birds were seen.
There were 2 Greater White-fronted Geese, 2 Tree Swallows, and
6 Sandhill Cranes.
Eastern Phoebes have been reported from throughout the state, reported by
many birders in various habitats. Individual reports are too numerous to
mention. Also Tree Swallows are being seen at most bodies of water.
Henry County:
-------------
At Summit Lake State Park, over last weekend there were 127 Ruddy Ducks along
with a white-morph Snow Goose, along with an American Woodcock. In addition,
a Turkey Vulture was reported (one of the first seen there this year).
Also waterfowl including 40-50 Buffleheads, 3 Redheads, 20 Gadwalls,
24 Northern Shovelers, 26 Canvasbacks, and a Common Loon, as well as many,
many Tree Swallows.
Morgan County:
--------------
A Lesser Yellowlegs and 20 Common Snipe were present in the wet fields along
Windall Road [spelling?]. To reach this area take State Road 67 South of
Martinsville, through the town of Paragon, to the town of Whitaker. Take
Windall Road, East and South, and follow the road approximately 1 mile--check
out the farm pond, the first group of trees past the pond is the site where
the yellowlegs was seen. The Common Snipe were seen 15 feet from the road.
Knox County:
------------
The first Chipping Sparrow that we have a report of was seen in Vincennes.
Monroe County:
--------------
In the Lake Monroe area, at Paynetown, there were 18 Common Loons seen on
March 22. At Stillwater Marsh, there werw 125 Tree Swallows seen on March 23,
along with good numbers of ducks and 16 Bonapartes Gulls, also several
Ring-billed Gulls.
Also in Monroe County, at Stillwater, there was a Pectoral Sandpiper seen on
the 24th. At Lake Lemon there were 143 Red-breasted Mergansers on the 24th
along with 2 Bald Eagles. Also at Lake Lemon, earlier on the 22nd, there was
a Bald Eagle seen as well as 13 Horned Grebes, along with a Fox Sparrow at a
feeder. The merganser numbers are changing a little, though it may be to
them
not always being visible at that location. There were 6 Common Mergansers
seen, along with 63 Red-breasted's earlier this week, as well as an
Eastern Phoebe.
Jackson/Jennings County:
------------------------
LeConte's Sparrows were seen at Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge on
Saturday, March 20. The location was the Endicott Marsh, which is on the
West side of the loop road (auto road), in the tall grasses along the
roadside,
just North of Endicott Trail. One was seen at 7:50 AM, half-way between the
ponds and the trail head. Three other birds were seen (and the first joined
them), little further to the South. Also seen were 75 other species,
including
a male Greater Scaup, 2 immature Bald Eagles and an immature Golden Eagle.
All these were seen at the waterfowl sanctuary.
Franklin County:
----------------
There were 75 Green-winged Teal, 2170 Mallards, 70 American Wigeon, and lots
of other ducks, seen at a place called the Bath Wetlands. In Franklin
County,
there are some poorly drained swails in the agricultural lands near Bath.
This area has been really good for waterfowl, lately. The location is in
Northeastern Franklin County, Delorme Atlas page 47, grid E-11. The best
wetland runs from just East of Old Bath, which is West of the town of Bath,
where it crosses Bath road to the South and West, crossing Dare Road, South
of
Old Bath, and then crossing Hetrick Road, just west of it's intersection with
Dare Road. There was a possible report that there may have been
American Golden Plovers present. On March 24th, there were also
23 Pectoral Sandpipers, 91 Common Snipe, and an American Pipit.
There are many reports coming in from all the reservoirs, the area just
mentioned is near the Brookville Reservoir. So, you might want to check
for the Hooded Mergansers, Common Loons that are being seen there, as
well as American Coots and Pied-billed Grebes.
Warrick County:
---------------
Our last report comes from far South in Indiana, a Pine Warbler was seen at
Scales Lake, as well as an Eastern Phoebe.
--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)