The Leaflet, March / April 2000

Off the Beaten Path by Jess Gwinn

Before we know it, the Monroe County Parks Department annual Birdathon will be upon us. For many years, Sassafras Audubon Society has been an active participant in this event. Previously, SAS has fielded an expert team while soliciting pledges from the membership for each bird seen by this team. Starting last year, SAS expanded upon this effort by fielding as many teams as there were willing participants. In addition, a silent auction and raffle were added as fundraising events. For added incentive, a potluck feast culminates the festivities the day after the count.

This year, SAS will continue this tradition with another silent auction and raffle with hopefully more and better prizes. We again will endorse as many teams as there are willing participants. If you have never participated in a Birdathon, why not make this year your first? They really are a lot of fun as you drive and walk around the area searching for as many species of birds as possible. Each team generally has a good mix of experience. However, with any count, keen eyes and ears are just as essential as experience. See the related article in this Leaflet for more information on how to participate, either on a team or through the auction or raffle.

In years past, all of the funds SAS raised through the Birdathon have gone to benefit research on neo-tropical migrants in the Hoosier National Forest and surrounding areas. This year, half of the proceeds will go to this research while the other half will hopefully go into an endowment created to provide various grants in the future.

SAS has also revamped our evening program schedule. Did I say schedule? In years past, our evening programs were scheduled at various times of various months and on different days of the week. Under the spirited leadership of our new Program Committee Chair, Steve Cotter, SAS will be sponsoring an evening program every month. This program will always be on the last Wednesday of the month at 7:00 PM in the Monroe County Public Library, Room 1C. Snacks and refreshments will be provided for those of you still uncommitted. Mark these days on your calendar and come share some great learning opportunities!

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2000 Birdathon is a Chance for Everyone to Participate! by Jerry Downs

Spring is just around the corner, so it is time to start thinking seriously about the annual Monroe County Parks and Recreation Birdathon on May 6th. Last year we had six teams in the field and saw a combined 179 different species. We hope to have at least the same amount of teams again this year, and see even more birds this year. Once again we will be having a raffle and a silent auction in conjunction with the Birdathon. Look for more information on these events in this issue of the Leaflet. As has been the case in the past, proceeds from the Birdathon will be used for the study of Neotropical migrants in the Hoosier National Forest, but this year we will split the money raised to supply funds for an endowment. So fill out a pledge sheet, call, or even e-mail your pledge in to help support us.

Raffle tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5. Please feel free to make copies of the ones below and go out and get your family and friends to buy some chances for our prizes. Mail the tickets and payment to Sassafras Audubon Society, P.O. Box 85, Bloomington, IN 47402. The drawing for the raffle will be held the day after the Birdathon at our annual potluck and wrap-up meeting. See below for a list of this year's great raffle prizes.

This year the silent auction will be held in conjunction with Monroe County Parks and Recreation's Earthfest on May 20; items will be on display during the preceding week at Bloomingfoods on East 3rd Street. Expect items similar to last year, including bird prints, photos, and a variety of other items!

We always are looking for more people to join us out in the field for the Birdathon. It's a really good opportunity to get out and be out of the house for a day doing something we all love. Don't be afraid that you're not experienced enough; we have participants of all skill levels. So if you are interested in being on a team, or even leading a team of your own, just contact Jerry Downs at 330-0498 (if there isn't an answer, just leave a message) or e-mail at jdowns@indiana.edu. Let us know that you want to be on a team - no one will be turned away - and we'll get the teams together.

Prizes for the 2000 Birdathon Raffle

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The 24th Annual Lake Monroe Christmas Bird Count: Another Wonderful Tally by Don Whitehead

The 24th Lake Monroe Christmas Bird Count (CBC) was held on December 18, 1999. Fifty-two intrepid individuals working in twelve teams succeeded in making it another memorable count day. Despite our pessimistic expectations, 99 species and 11,293 individuals were tallied. The species total ties for the fourth highest in count history. Our all-time high, 109, was achieved in 1997. The 99 species once again was the highest of any CBC in the state of Indiana - thus we have "won" the species sweepstakes for ten consecutive years. In fact our highest counts (99 twice, 100, 106, and 109) constitute the highest CBC tallies in Indiana history. Sullivan County has twice tallied 98 (including this year).

The highlight of the count was unquestionably the magnificent adult Glaucous Gull (the first for the Bloomington area) that was first spotted by Jim and Susan Hengeveld on December 17. Three different groups saw this bird on Count Day. It hung around and put on a show for many birders around the state until early January.

Other outstanding birds for the count included Northern Goshawk (second time for our count), Common Redpoll (second time), Franklin's Gull (third time), House Wren (third time), and Chipping Sparrow (third time).

In addition, a number of other very good birds were recorded for the day. These included Double-crested Cormorant, Wood Duck, Ruddy Duck, American Woodcock, Golden Eagle (two adults and one immature), Northern Saw-whet Owl, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Phoebe, Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, American Pipit, Yellow-rumped Warbler, and Evening Grosbeak.

We also tallied 30 Bald Eagles, including 16 adults and 14 immatures.

Three species were seen just before or after the count, but not on count day. These "Count Week" birds included Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, and Sandhill Crane. Amazingly, there were significant flights of Sandhills on both Friday and Sunday, but none were seen on count day!

In the 24 years of our CBC, we have now recorded 147 species and 205,579 individuals. This is a pretty remarkable species total for an inland area in the Midwest. Of further interest is the fact that in the span 1976-1986 our species totals ranged from 62-80; in the period 1987 to the present they ranged from 82-109 with ten counts of 90 species or more. This "improvement" is largely attributable to learning the habitats in our count circle better, covering the habitats more completely, and having more birders and teams in the field. There is no substitute for more teams with more eyes and ears working.

Once again the count ended with the spirit and body warming potluck hosted by Henry Wahl. Our thanks for Henry's wonderful contribution to the CBC.

In addition, I want to express my thanks to the many team leaders who stepped into the breech to run the count and organize the potluck when Betsy and I were called away due to my mother's death. I owe all of you a great deal. Many, many thanks.

Hope that we can count on all of you for next year - it will be THE BIG 25th! Let's make our 25th the best Lake Monroe CBC ever. You will be hearing from us.

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SAS Calendar for March / April 2000

All outings and programs are free and open to non-members.

Saturday - Sunday, March 25 - 26, 2000 "Greater Prairie Chicken Lek & Grassland Bird Outing"

We will leave the Bloomington area Saturday afternoon and return Sunday afternoon. We will head to Illinois to go to an active Greater Prairie-Chicken lek pre-dawn Sunday morning. In addition we will look for grassland species on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. For additional information, please contact leaders Susan and Jim Hengeveld at 988-1671 or e-mail jhengeve@indiana.edu.

Saturday, March 25, 2000 "Sycamore Land Trust Gardening and Landscaping Show"

The show will be held at the Bloomington Convention Center. See related article.

Wednesday, March 29, 2000 "March Program: Learn about the Sycamore Land Trust"

Come to the Monroe County Public Library, Meeting Room 1C at 7:00 to learn how SLT is working hard "to preserve our disappearing landscape." See related article.

Saturday, April 8, 2000 "Hawk Watch and Sandhill Cranes"

This will be an all day trip to see migrating hawks at the hawk watch site at Lake Michigan Dunes. We will leave early in the morning and hawk-watch until mid-late morning. We will then travel South to the Jasper -Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area to view the Sandhill Cranes before returning to Bloomington. This trip is by reservation only. Please contact trip leader Don Whitehead for more information, 339-1782.

Saturday, April 15, 2000 "Wildflowers of Greens Bluff Nature Preserve"

This will be an afternoon walk to enjoy the beauty of spring. Meet at 2:00 p.m. in the parking area in front of JoAnn Fabrics in the Highland Village Shopping area. For more information, call trip leader Sandy Belth 825-8353 or e-mail belthbirds@aol.com.

Friday - Sunday, April 28, 29, 30 "Brown County Wildflower Forays"

There will be numerous wildflower and bird outings offered this weekend. Contact Andrea at T.C. Steele State Memorial for hike times and locations, (812) 988-2785.

Saturday, April 29, 2000 "Spring Feeder Cleaning Fundraiser" 

To be held at Wild Birds Unlimited in Bloomington. See article below for details.

Saturday, May 6, 2000 "Birdathon"

Birding teams will scour the county looking for as many species as possible. Make your pledge now for however much you can. See related article.

Sunday, May 7, 2000 "Birdathon Potluck and Raffle"

Come meet the teams and fellow Audubon members at this special fundraising event (and find out who wins the condo stay!). Buy raffle tickets from any of the board members or Birdathon team members, or send in the tickets from this Leaflet for a chance to win. Location and time TBA.

Saturday May 13, 2000 "15th Annual May Day Bird Count"

Come help count spring migrants on this all day event held in Owen County. May Day Bird Counts differ from Christmas Bird Counts in that instead of a 15 mile diameter circle marking the boundary, county lines form the boundary. Birding highlight areas in Owen county include most of Cagel's Mill Lake (Cataract State Recreation area), a large section of the White River, all of McCormick's Creek State Park, the "Owen" part of Owen-Putnam State Forest, a reclaimed strip-mine area, and Greens Bluff Nature Preserve. For more information and to be place on a team, call Jeff and Sandy Belth, 825-8353, or e-mail belthbirds@aol.com.

Saturday, May 20, 2000 "Earthfest and Birdathon Silent Auction"

The theme for this year's Monroe County Parks and Recreation Earthfest is "For the Birds." Visit the SAS booth to bid on items for the Birdathon Silent Auction. View the items during the preceding week at Bloomingfoods on East 3rd Street. More details to come in the next Leaflet.

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Amos W. Butler Audubon Society Annual Meeting Saturday, March 11, 2000

Held at The Garrison, Ft. Benjamin Harrison, 6002 North Post Road, Indianapolis. Social hour with a beer-wine cash bar will begin at 6:00 p.m. and dinner will be at 7:00 p.m. The cost of the dinner is $24 per person ($26 at the door). The special guest speaker will be Greg Budney from the Library of Natural Sounds of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. His slide presentation, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" will give an introduction to communication in birds and other animals. Come and enjoy this presentation - you may never listen to birds in the same way again. For more information contact Alicia Craig-Lich at craiglicha@wbu.com or (317) 571-7100 ext. 121.

"Wings Over Muscatatuck"

The Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge 2nd Annual Migratory Bird Festival, May 13 and 14. There will be field trips to Jefferson Proving Ground (JPG) and the refuge's closed sanctuary on both Saturday and Sunday morning. The Saturday May 13th field trip to JPG will be limited (20-22 people) and will involve assisting the JPG staff with its annual May Day Count. Bill Zimmerman, the artist responsible for the wonderful illustrations in the Birds of Indiana will be at the bird festival on Saturday signing books and posters as well as assisting with bird hikes and programs. There will be other informative and educational programs including a photo contest (up to $300 in prizes). Contact Jason Lewis at Jason_Lewis@fws.gov or (812) 273-0783 for more information.

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Spring Feeder Cleaning Fundraiser, Saturday, April 29

Following the success of last fall's fundraiser, we are holding a spring cleaning. Sassafras Audubon Society will use high pressure hoses and steam to clean your wood, plastic, and metal birdfeeders at Wild Birds Unlimited of Bloomington on Saturday, April 29. Based on our learning experience with our inaugural cleaning last fall, we are doing things a little differently, so read on for details.

We reserve the right to refuse feeders that are too delicate to withstand the cleaning process. Also, we regretfully cannot accept hummingbird feeders.

Remember, cleaning your feeders will help prevent the spread of avian diseases such as salmonella and conjunctivitis. Give your birds a sanitary place to dine by having your feeders thoroughly steam cleaned! Keep in mind that steam cleaning will remove the build-up that has accumulated over the year, but it won't make your feeders look brand new.

To volunteer for the event or to request more information, call Ross Brittain at 333-2121.

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Sycamore Land Trust Gardening and Landscaping Show: a New Premier Community Event

On Saturday, March 25, the Sycamore Land Trust will host the Gardening and Landscaping Show in the Bloomington Convention Center. SLT hopes to make it an annual fundraiser and a noteworthy event for the entire community to enjoy.

The show's theme will be "Growing with Nature" and will include several components. A dozen or so presentations on topics such as "Landscaping for Wildlife," "Adding Water to Your Landscape," "Introduction to Organic Gardening," and "Landscaping with Native Plants" will give people a new way to view their landscaping activities.

The Kids Activities Area makes the event a family affair. There will be hands-on activities for kids of all ages to enjoy while learning about nature. Nonprofit groups such as the Hilltop Garden Center, the Master Gardener's Association, and the Center for Sustainable Living will present educational displays and information about their groups.

Commercial vendors of related products and services will be on hand to show their wares and discuss landscaping issues with attendees. These companies are supporting SLT by making the show possible.

The Computer Booth will have samples of software designed to help the home landscaper with tasks such as choosing the correct plants and creating landscape designs. The Video Booth will offer tips on home landscaping. Snacks will be available from Bloomingfoods. And there will be door prizes.

Mark the date on your calendar and tell your friends. There will be a $5 entrance fee that goes directly to the Sycamore Land Trust. Sassafras Audubon plans to have booth at the show, so be sure to stop by. For more information or to volunteer, call Sandy Belth at 825-8353.

March Program: Wednesday, March 29 "Learn About the Sycamore Land Trust"

See and hear how Sycamore Land Trust is working hard "to preserve our disappearing landscape". Hundreds of members in Monroe and other southern Indiana counties have helped SLT protect over 600 acres so far. Conservation easements protect some of these properties, however most of the parcels have been purchased or donated. The land trust movement is catching on around the country - this is the most permanent way to protect remaining natural areas. Please join us on Wednesday, March 29 in room 1-C of the Monroe County Public Library for an eye-opening look at Sycamore Land Trust.

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The Roadside Birders

Texas and the Gulf Coast

The Lone Star State is bigger than Alaska . . . not in actual square miles, but in diversity of plants, animals, terrain, food, and peoples. We started at Guadalupe Mountain National Park in West Texas. The trails here are the most rugged we've encountered - very rocky - we could barely bird because we had to watch every step we took. A fall here could be as nasty as one on the Acoma-Zuni Trail at El Malpais National Monument in New Mexico. However, we did enjoy the elk, deer, Brown Towhees, Scaled Quails, and most, the Phainopeplas.

From Guadalupe we headed south to the Rio Grande. Just north of Marfa, where Hoosier James Dean made his last film, we got a spectacular look at a Golden Eagle perched on an utility crossbar; tarantulas prowled the roadsides. We got into the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park late in the day, stayed overnight there, and nearly froze . . . but the night air was so clear that our Spacemaster scope clearly picked out the moons of Jupiter and the rings around Saturn. The next morning, after hiking to the Window and scoping Rock and Canyon Wrens, plus the Pyrrhuloxia, we headed to Rio Grande Village right on the riverġand warmer! This campground was not much warmer at night, but the birding was more fun. We got Inca Doves, Red-napped Sapsuckers, Golden-fronted Woodpeckers, Great Blues, Red-shafteds, and everyone's favorite: the Roadrunners. These stalkers have been fed by the campers and will approach within five feet. What beauties these are . . . and what killers! Little escapes their dagger-like bills, yet somehow, they are amusing. It must be their head-stretched-forward-tail-straight-back run that seems funny. But the end result is that they usually get what they pursue - Tyrannosaurus Rex of the sagebrush!

From Big Bend we headed south and east to Del Rio, Texas. From there on into south central Texas, we saw lots of Harris Hawks (our first since the Alberta Birds of Prey Center), Black Vultures, Caracaras, and Great-tailed Grackles. We also found two Great Horned Owls dead on the side of the road, apparently hit by vehicles earlier that morning. We considered bagging one for the local authorities, but after remembering what happened to those boys at Friendship, IN a few years ago, we decided we might end up being the ones bagged and quickly dropped the idea. Basically, we decided to heed the advice offered all over the state - "Don't Mess with Texas.

We spent a night at Choke Canyon State Park and had one of our best sights so far. This place is on a reservoir, and before leaving we decided to scope the White Pelicans, Caracaras, Harriers, Egrets, and others. We finished, left the water, and on a whim, decided to cruise an adjacent campground. Lucky us; on a gray, misty morning we found four birds that we never expected this far north: a group of Green Jays. Even in the poor light, they were unmistakable, and we were as thrilled as when we found the Whooper at Bosque.

The next night found us at Goose Island State Park in Rockport where we planned to establish our base camp for the assault on Aransas. Here we found numerous Terns, Oystercatchers, and hundreds of Black-bellied Whistling ducks that really do whistle as they fly. Aransas is 59,000 acres of coastal habitat. People come here for the Whoopers, but they are most commonly seen on the islands off shore. We just missed seeing a pair at Jones Lake; but if you must see them, take Captain Ted's Whooping Crane Tour boat out of Fulton Beach near Rockport. For $39.00 Ted will get you to the great birds; since we saw ours at Bosque, we elected to hike the short trails on the main part of the Refuge. We found the usual things here, but a first for us was the Common Moorhen. We also spent some time with a German birder here who really knew his stuff. He pointed out the White-eyed Vireo to us, but we barely saw it, so it must be classified as a "Whitehead" on our list.

We made two major birding stops in Louisiana. The first was the Sabine NWR, a 25,000 acre refuge on the Texas border, where fresh and salt water meet. Most of this area is accessible by boat only, but route 27 runs along the eastern border and we did a short hike that taught us why the Moorhen is called "Common."

East of Sabine lies Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge. We drove along the north side of the compound on route 82 to the headquarters where we were told that the only public use road was closed for the season, so we saw almost nothing here except more moorhens.

On into Mississippi, we stopped at Ocean Springs to visit the tiny Mississippi Sandhill Crane Wildlife Refuge. This place harbors one of the six subspecies of Sandhills. The group is small (100) and never migrates . . . except from the airport to the interstate to the farmers' fields, and the three small "units" set aside for them. We did our best to find these birds but were unsuccessful. They are like other Sandhills but are brown instead of gray.

Birding Texas and the Gulf Coast is surely a lifelong endeavor. We saw just a tiny fraction of what is here.

Next: Florida

The Roadside Birders, Candi and Steve Bailey.

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Volunteers Needed to Help Wildlife

The Monroe County Humane Association Wildlife Rehabilitation Program provides professional-quality care to injured and orphaned wildlife in Monroe County and the surrounding area, with the goal of releasing the animals back to the wild. Last year, the Wildlife Rehabilitation Program received over 1100 animals, ranging from small songbirds to turtles, squirrels, rabbits, hawks and owls. More than half of the animals received were songbirds. A large group of well-trained volunteers worked hard to provide the best medical care and housing for the animals, and returned 62% back to the wild.

One of the biggest challenges for 2000 is finding help for songbirds. At this time, we do not have enough volunteers to handle the many songbirds that will be admitted into our program. We have many positions available, such as caring for the animals in your home, fielding calls from the public, and supportive administrative work.

In addition, we are looking for individuals experienced with public speaking who would like to become wildlife educators. Volunteers will be trained to handle live non-releasable birds of prey for community outreach programs. Wildlife educators help support our education programs that focus on the conservation of habitat and wildlife diversities. The purpose of our education is to teach residents how to live in closer harmony with wildlife, how to better understand the natural environment we all share, and to gain insight and appreciation about animal ecologies and life histories.

If you would like to help with education, songbirds, or any other type of wildlife, please contact Danielle Michard at dmichard@juno.com or leave a message at 333-6242.

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Wanted!! Sponsors for Audubon Adventures for Kids!

As members of SAS, we have the potential to instill in our youth concern for environmental quality. You can help reach that potential by sponsoring the Audubon Adventures program for children in Bartholomew, Brown, Greene, Lawrence, Monroe, Morgan, and Owen Counties. Audubon Adventures is a wonderful environmental education resource for students in grades three through seven. Each Audubon Adventures kit includes a series of four newspapers, a video, and a teacher's activity guide.

The cost of an Audubon Adventures kit for one classroom is only $38 for the 2000 - 2001 school year. Both individuals and businesses may be sponsors. Please make this wonderful learning experience possible by sponsoring one or more classrooms. To be a sponsor, contact Kristina Lindborg by May 15.

Questions? Contact Kristina Lindborg at klindbor@indiana.edu or (812) 323-8233.

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National "Keep Your Cat Indoors Day 2000" Poster Competition - Call for Entries

The American Bird Conservancy announces a children's poster competition to promote the second "National Keep Your Cat Indoors Day". Cats Indoors Day will take place on May 13, 2000, and aims to educate cat owners that cats, birds and other wildlife benefit when cats are kept indoors. The competition is sponsored by Wild Bird Centers of America which is providing prizes including a bird friendly school yard for the winner's school.

Competition entries are due May 1 and prizes will be awarded to winners in the following age categories: Ages 6 - 7; 8 - 9; 10 - 12. Each poster must have the name, age, address and phone number of the entrant on the back, as well as the name, address and phone number of the school. Artwork should show a happy, safe, indoor cat. Winners will be announced by May 12 on American Bird Conservancy's Web site (www.abcbirds.org) where the winning poster will also be featured. The prizes awarded by Wild Bird Centers of America, Inc. include a $250 gift certificate which will go to the overall winner and another $250 gift certificate to the school, nature center, or other institution with which the child is associated. Wild Bird Centers will also assist the school or institution in establishing a schoolyard habitat for birds. The gift certificates can be redeemed either at www.wildbirdcenter.com or at any local Wild Bird Centers of America franchise store. Winners in the other age categories will each receive R.T. Chickadee bird feeder and nest box kits, a bird guide, and an R.T.Chickadee plush toy. The winner will also be publicized through a national press announcement.

Artwork must be on heavy white paper no larger than 18" x 24" and must be flexible. Posters should be mailed in a mailing tube and arrive no later than May 1 at:

American Bird Conservancy 1250 24th Street NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20037.

Entries cannot be returned.

Additional information on the poster competition and prizes can be obtained from Kim Hope, Wild Bird Centers, 301-229-9585.

Related web sites:

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