First Sign of Spring

American Robins are great birds. So are Red-winged Blackbirds. Ditto for American Woodcocks. Each of these species have fans who herald their return as a sign that spring is around the corner. That's perfectly acceptable and something I will not quibble with in the least. American Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds, and American Woodcocks are all species that migrate back to Indiana in February.

But, I think I have a new personal harbinger of spring and that is the Turkey Vulture. It too returns to Indiana in February. American Robins and Red-winged Blackbirds actually winter in Indiana in some numbers. Robins can be found in many bigger cities in most winters and Red-winged Blackbirds number in the tens, if not hundreds, of thousands in certain places in southwest Indiana. American Woodcock is a rare winter resident in mild winters but often returns in late January or February. However, for most people, they have to make a special trip to grassland habitat to hear and see a woodcock. It's not something you stumble upon in the big city if you are like me.

Being in Indianapolis, the 14th largest city in the nation, I am very likely to see American Robins all winter long. That's especially so now, compared to decades ago, since developers and homeowners have planted so many fruit-bearing ornamentals. I often tell people who want to find an American Robin in January for their annual list to visit an Indianapolis office park or a mall. Occasionally, I'll see a Red-winged Blackbird in winter in Indianapolis but they are not too common. But, if I drive a few hours to Greene or Sullivan Counties and explore agricultural and grassland habitat, I am certain to find the species in the thousands. A singing and displaying Red-winged Blackbird male is certainly a treat to behold in February as the birds move further north in Indiana. As stated previously, one who lives in Indianapolis needs to schedule a trip at dusk to go and find a woodcock.

While the Turkey Vulture winters in Indiana, it is such an uncommon species in most of the state that its return in February is noteworthy. Such was the case when I saw one in flight midway between Fort Harrison State Park and my home on the northeast side of Indy on February 11, 2011. "Wow, my first Marion County Turkey Vulture of the year", is the thought that came to mind as I saw the bird gliding to the north with occasional burst of wingbeats. Spring must really be around the corner with the vultures on the move. Vultures survive on dead things; be it deer entrails left by hunters, or as is typically seen, on various mammals killed by cars. Presumably, snow makes their finding carrion more difficult and they retreat southward during the heart of Indiana's winter.

I equate a Turkey Vulture's return to snow melt and warming temperatures. That happens to be the case in Indianapolis as I write this - finally a spell of temperatures approaching and even exceeding 40 degree F. Hallelujah! In the days ahead, more vultures will be seen. All will be Turkey Vultures; although I did have one flock of eight Black Vultures on Valentine's Day 2009. Turkey Vultures don't get a lot of respect because it is not a cute, cuddly species that people can ooh and ahh over. Most will agree that the bird is majestic. But, in a utilitarian, self-reliant sort of way. The red head, bereft of feathers, makes the otherwise blackish bird look odd. Of course, the featherless head allows it to feed on carrion without worrying about mussing its head feathers.

Possibly if Turkey Vultures were more visible at nest sites people would warm up to them more. But, the species chooses a nest site - be it a hollowed-out tree top, abandoned building, on top of other man-made structures, or underneath power line right of ways - that just doesn't allow for close looks by most of us. Arguably, a nestling Turkey Vulture is a cutey of furry white feathers and a black head. If the species built stick nests and were easily visible I think people would soften their otherwise indifferent stance about their presence. Like all bird species, a Turkey Vulture is a marvelous thing and I welcome their return each February. Their presence in the Indianapolis area is surely a sign that warmer temperatures are on their way.

Note: Photo of a Turkey Vulture in flight by Jim Sullivan.

Watching Eagles in Indiana

Thanks to the efforts of many individuals and organizations, the Bald Eagle population has significantly rebounded over the last few decades. Before recent efforts began, the last eagle nest record for Indiana was in 1897. In 2010, more than 100 pairs of Bald Eagles nested in Indiana. Even Marion County (Indianapolis) has at least three Bald Eagle nests. The increase in the Bald Eagle population also provides for a terrific opportunity to see a lot of them in Indiana during the winter.

A traditional viewing location for eagles is the West Union Bridge in Parke County. The eagles roost on private property along Sugar Creek. In the morning, around dawn, the birds fly from the roost, with most heading to the open water of the Wabash River and a power plant in Cayuga. If you are in position near the bridge, you can watch the eagles flying as they leave the roost. Numbers of individuals can change significantly from week to week depending primarily on weather conditions, both here in Indiana and further north. Depending on when you visit, the number of individuals could be in the single digits or as high as 70 birds.

The usual peak concentration of eagles is towards the end of January. In 2010, the Amos W. Butler field trip to this area produced a low 25 birds. Yes, I realize 25 eagles is amazing and we should appreciate seeing so many. But, compared to other years, 25 eagles is a low number. Our 2011 field trip was likely to see many more eagles based on recent reports from others. The goal was to see 70 Bald Eagles in a morning of birding Parke and Vermillion counties.

We left Avon, Indiana at 6:10am on January 23, 2011, and arrived at West Union Bridge at 7:30am. Others were already at the location and let us know that we missed two birds that had already flown over. We watched over the next 50 minutes and did our best to see every eagle that was making its way from the roost. At 8:20am, after 10 minutes of no eagle activity, we decided to move to our next destination. Fifty-two Bald Eagles had been spotted leaving the roost. An excellent number to start the day.

At our next location we tried for Golden Eagle but struck out and had to settle for an additional 8 Bald Eagles and viewing a eagle nest in the distance. The next two stops in Vermilion County produced more than a dozen Bald Eagles. Since some of these birds could have been birds that were seen leaving the nest, they were not counted for the day. The only two eagles in Vermilion County that were added to our morning's total were single birds at each of two nests. Trip participants were able to see one nest up close and even veteran eagle-watchers are awed by such an experience.

We plan on going back in January 2012. No matter how many eagles we see, it will be an amazing experience. Hope you might join us.

Photo is of a first-year Bald Eagle leaving the Parke County roost on January 23, 2011.

Wings Over Indy

Wings Over Indy Receives

TogetherGreen Innovation Grant Funding

We have exciting news to share! Amos W. Butler Audubon is the recipient of a TogetherGreen Innovation Grant from National Audubon and Toyota. Amos W. Butler Audubon, and its partners, through the Wings Over Indy project, will support critical habitat projects in Indianapolis for Chimney Swifts and Common Nighthawks. In addition, Indianapolis schoolchildren will receive hands-on conservation knowledge as part of the project.

Partners in Wings Over Indy include Indianapolis Public Schools, Indy Parks and Recreation, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Central Indiana Land Trust, Butler University, and Marian University. The broad coalition of partners will be installing gravel pads on the roofs of more than a dozen Indianapolis Public School sites and at several university or commercial buildings. Wings Over Indy will be constructing several Chimney Swift "towers" at area parks and other high-visibility locations to serve as nesting sites and to help promote education about the species. Both Common Nighthawk and Chimney Swift are urban birds that have adapted to man-made structures but which are experiencing population declines. The Innovation Grant will also provide the opportunity to offer hands-on conservation education to elementary students from Indianapolis Public Schools.

“We are excited to be working with a broad coalition of partners to benefit both birds and students,” said Amos W. Butler Audubon president, Don Gorney. “Wings Over Indy will be a win for two declining, urban bird species and a win for Indianapolis Public School students. Students will gain a deeper appreciation of birds and the environment, while realizing that they have the ability to make a difference through hands-on conservation efforts."

Wings Over Indy presents both a wonderful opportunity and a major undertaking for the organization. We will be relying on our partners and volunteers to achieve success. We will be asking for volunteers in the coming weeks. We hope to install the gravel pads and towers beginning in early spring 2011. Stay tuned! We'll have lots more information to share as the project progresses.

Common Nighthawk photo by Michael Brown; Chimney Swift photo by Shirley Needham

Rescuing a Bay-breasted Warbler

As I bent down to grab the bird hunkered in the corner, I noted the faint streaking on the back. That was about the only field mark visible in the dim lighting as the head was tucked and the bird was fairly lifeless. Yet, from loads of experience with many similar encounters, I knew the bird was alive since it was still on its feet. Dead birds don't huddle or squat. Blackpoll Warbler immediately came to mind and that was my identification despite the poor look in dim lighting at 6:30 in the morning. The bird was quickly scooped up and placed in a brown paper bag (actual bag shown in photo! Wow.) A simple brown paper bag makes transporting stunned and injured birds easy. Just place inside and crimp the top shut. If you do a good job of crimping, they can't get out. Of course, if the crimp job is not so good and you have a feisty American Redstart, you may have a bird loose in your car. I've had more than one loose bird in the car in the "early days" so I've learned to crimp better.

After cruising downtown Indianapolis for another hour and a half after finding the warbler on September 8, I finally turned my attention to the bird. It had begun trying to get out of the bag so I suspected things would turn out well. The bird went from bag to Reptarium, which is the brand name for a handy dandy mesh cage. I call it my flight cage since I use it to assess whether a bird is capable of flight and, therefore, can be released. If it fails the flight cage test, it will go to a rehabber for care and treatment.

In the light of day and once the bird was in the flight cage I corrected my identification as it was obviously a Bay-breasted Warbler. Probably a young female making its first migration south after hatching in the boreal forest of Canada this summer.

The warbler passed the flight test with flying colors (mostly bay, I think). It squawked and chortled when being handled prior to release. This bird had some fight. I took it from the cage into my wooded backyard and took a photo of the underside and observed how light gray the feet were. I wanted to take a photo of the upperside but I am not adept at rolling a bird in one hand and this bird was ready to go. So, it went. It flew to the neighbor's tree and from there who knows. I was just happy to rescue another bird. It's these instances that really emphasizes the importance of Lights Out Indy. If you are not familiar with the initiative, check out lightsoutindy.org. If you want to volunteer in some way, just shoot me an e-mail at dongorney AT yahoo.com. We'd be happy to have your help.

Goose Pond FWA Biodiversity Survey

Amos W. Butler Audubon Society (AWBAS) was a primary sponsor of the Goose Pond FWA Biodiversity Survey that was held July 16-17. Other primary sponsors were the Indiana Academy of Science and the Rivers Institute at Hanover College. The event brought together the state's leading scientists and naturalists to conduct a baseline assessment of the flora, fauna, and water quality of the 8,000 acre property. This was the first biological inventory of a state fish and wildlife property.

Besides providing financial resources, AWBAS played an important role in field activities. Member Barb Simpson was the one who initiated and organized the event, board member Bill Murphy was the snail-killing fly expert, President Don Gorney was team leader for butterflies and moths and assisted with birds, and Ross Brittain, Director of Bird Conservation for Indiana, assisted with butterflies and birds.

Lee Sterrenburg, the Goose Pond bird expert, served as team leader for birds and oversaw a team of about a dozen individuals. Lee is still waiting to confirm all of the sightings but has a tentative list of 123 species. The list includes Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Cattle Egret, King Rail, Black-necked Stilt and several other shorebirds, Black, Caspian, and Forster's Tern, Barn Owl, Acadian Flycatcher (first property record), and Black-billed Cuckoo. Don Gorney witnessed nesting evidence by a pair of Snowy Egrets on July 16; only the second time this has occurred in Indiana (first time was in 1996 in Gibson )County.

The butterfly count went extremely well with 48 species and 2,705 individuals observed on July 16. This is an impressive tally and was only possible because of the knowledgeable people who assisted. Helping oversee butterflies and moths was 14-year old Megan McCarty, who has had an interest in lepidoptery from a very early age (before she was five!). Megan oversaw the moth component of the survey and was working with university-based scientists into the late night.

There were experts on hand studying dragonflies and damselflies, beetles, other insects, mammals, herps, flora, mushrooms, fishes, mussels, water quality and sedimentation, and just about everything else.

Field work was tiring but fulfilling. The inventory catalogs what is on the property now and will be used for comparison when the survey is completed at some time in the future. The results, which will be published by the Indiana Academy of Science, will also help in managing the property.

Birdathon

The Amos W. Butler Audubon Birdathon has a rich 20+ year history of providing funding for activities that promote the welfare of the birds of Central Indiana. For example, we have donated more than $100,000 to the American Bird Conservancy to protect land in Panama and Colombia. The land is home to country endemics as well as to numerous neotropical migrants that breed in Indiana. We have also provided funding for habitat improvement at Marian University's Ecolab, helped fund a staff position for National Audubon Society here in Indiana, assisted with research on Northern Saw-whet Owls and Cerulean Warblers, and so much more.

The Birdathon is simply a marvelous effort by a dedicated team of volunteers. In 2010, we intend to fund: additional conservation easements near the Cerulean and Pauxi Paxi Reserves in Colombia (Pauxi Pauxi depicted in photo), habitat improvements at Marian University's EcoLab and Spades Park in Indianapolis, miscellaneous expenses for the Audubon Indiana office staffed by Ross Brittain, Ph.D., conservation planning efforts by Central Indiana Land Trust, and operating expenses for Lights Out Indy. Of course, in order for us to fund these grants, we need to raise the money.

In 2010, the Birdathon Committee was hoping that funds raised through donations and pledges would equal the almost $30,000 raised in 2009. However, as of June 24, the total raised is approximately $23,000. We are making one more attempt to raise an additional $5,000 so that all approved grant requests can be funded. We are calling on our members and friends to donate to the Birdathon, if you have not already done so, or to make an extra contribution if you have already donated. Your donation is greatly appreciated. Please send your check to: Donna McCarty, Amos W. Butler Audubon Society, 4832 Guion Road, Indianapolis, IN 46254.

We thank you and the birds of Central Indiana thank you.

Note: Photo is of the Pauxi Pauxi Reserve in Colombia. Pauxi Pauxi is the scientific name of the Northern Helmeted Curassow, an endangered species that lives in Colombia. The reserve supports the curassow as well as numerous neoptropical migrants such as Cerulean and Blackburnian Warblers. We have partnered with the American Bird Conservancy and ProAves in Colombia to assist with land protection in the area near Pauxi Pauxi and also the Cerulean Warbler Reserve.

Earth Day Indiana 2010

We spoke with many members and friends at Earth Day Indiana on Saturday, April 24. This was the 40th Earth Day celebration and number 20 for Indiana. The event was held at a new venue - White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis. Earth Day Indiana will be held at the same site through at least 2013. Several thousand people - and hundreds of dogs - attended the wonderful event. More than 130 exhibitors were present. There was something for everyone. Amos W. Butler Audubon provided pop-up binoculars at our booth. They were extremely popular! We also led a bird walk at 2pm and saw a number of species including a Canada Goose sitting on nest and atop several goslings, Northern Rough-winged Swallows at a nest cavity in the concrete retaining wall along the White River, Double-crested Cormorant, and a brief glimpse of a Red-tailed Hawk that is nesting at IUPUI. Earth Day Indiana 2010 was a wonderful event. Thanks to all who stopped by and said hello. We will be at the Hoosier Outdoor Experience on September 18-19 at Fort Harrison State Park. Stop by to get your pop-up binoculars!