The Leaflet: July/August 2006
Contents: (pdf version)- SAS May Adopt Goose Pond by Bob Dodd
- Can you Name this Bird?
- Leaflet Named Number Two Audubon Newsletter in Nation in Its Class
- Changes Coming to Little Africa?
- Editor’s Note: An Eventful Two Months
- July/August 2006 SAS CALENDAR
- SAS NEEDS YOU! by Bob Dodd
- President’s Note by John Lawrence
- Activist’s Corner by Jess A. Gwinn, Conservation Chair
- Bloomington Contingent Goes to Sea to See Pelagic Birds by Bob Kissel
- Breeding Bird Atlas Getting Twenty-year Update – Volunteers Needed by Bob Dodd
- You Can Help Fight the Invaders at Goose Pond on August 26 by Jess A. Gwinn
- Universal Mine IBA – Good Things from Old Mines by Bob Dodd
- Fish and Wildlife Partners Win Birdathon with 145 Species by Cathy Meyer
- Indiana Audubon Chapters
- Is the Ivory-billed Woodpecker Extinct After All? by Bob Dodd
SAS May Adopt Goose Pond by Bob Dodd
Should SAS adopt the Goose Pond Important Birding Area (IBA)? Our organization has had a special relationship to Goose Pond for the last few years. We contributed $2000 toward its purchase and have been recognized as a “private conservation partner”. The adoption question was a main item of consideration at the June 5 SAS Board of Directors meeting. The Board met with James Cole, director of the Audubon Society Indiana Important Birding Area Program, and Lee Sterrenburg, the Bloomington birder who is most knowledgeable about the Goose Pond/Beehunter Marsh area. If SAS decided to undertake the adoption they will be breaking new ground as no other organization has adopted an Indiana IBA. What does adopting an IBA consist of? That was the main question on Board member’s minds at the meeting. To a large degree this depends on what SAS wants to make it and what the management of the Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife area would like for us to do. Most likely an adoption would consist of five main aspects: 1. Habitat monitoring, 2. Work days to help preserve the environment, 3. Being advocates for the area, 4. Financial aid, and 5. Educating our members and the public about wildlife (especially birds).
Habitat monitoring would consist of keeping track of birds and other wildlife in the area and noting changes in distribution or abundance through time. This might also involve monitoring invasive plants and succession of the environment as plants encroach on the wetlands. Work Days might consist of removing invasive plants, removing plants that are encroaching on the wetlands, building paths or viewing platforms, and other work not being done as part of routine maintenance. All of our members will be invited to participate in these work days. Advocacy would involve contacting government officials (elected and appointed) to encourage their support of maintaining and developing the area. This might also involve contacting the media to keep this special area in the news. Financial Aid from our small group would be limited but could be very important in “filling the gaps” not covered by state or federal funding. Providing materials for viewing platforms and trails and supplies for our work days might be examples of the types of financial commitments SAS could make. Education has already begun with our SAS birding trips to the area. Work days and special events for the general public might also be important educational events that we could conduct at Goose Pond. This is only a sampling of possible ways that we could contribute by adopting Goose Pond.
The next step is to communicate directly with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, which manages Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area. If we can come to a mutually agreeable understanding of what our adoption would mean we could then make it official. If all goes well, the next issue of the Leaflet may announce that SAS has a new “baby”.
A related development is also in the news. A group of Green County residents and neighbors of Goose Pond are considering forming a group called “Friends of Goose Pond”. They will probably be involved in some of the same functions as our group such as work days, advocacy, and education. If a planned visitors center is built, they might staff it on a volunteer basis. We might undertake some joint activities. SAS board members are very pleased with the news that the Goose Pond neighbors are so enthusiastic about the developments that are taking place next door. When the restoration project was first announced it was not always met with enthusiasm by the locals. But recently some of the neighbors have joined us on our birding outings and reporting some of their birding finds to our members, especially Lee Sterrenburg and Dawn Hewitt.
Things are really looking bright at Goose Pond. Dark clouds at the moment are the invasive plants that are already moving into the newly restored area and the rapid succession of the plant community. We would also like to see more financial commitment by the state in maintaining the area which took many millions of dollars to purchase and restore.
Can You Name This Bird?
This is a test of your bird identification skills. Can you identify this bird without going to your field guide? If you cannot, feel free to use your guide. The answer is on page 7. (Photo by Jeff Hammond.)
click on photo to enlarge - Answer
Leaflet Named Number Two Audubon Newsletter in Nation in Its Class
The Leaflet placed second in the nation in newsletter excellence in the 2006 Audubon Biennial Newsletter Contest among chapters in the 550-800 member category. A total of 77 chapters participated from throughout the country in seven size categories.
Among the comments made by the judges were: “… plenty of birding articles to serve the birders in your membership.” “Meets, by including a wide variety of articles, the best interest of the club.” “ Very good design, with a catchy and effective name, and a lot of effort put into production.” “Visually very appealing…” [Thanks Brooke] “Good variety of articles from upcoming events to reports on past events to environmental/conservation discussion.” “… Attempts to reach non-members as well as members.” “ Activist’s corner a good idea – perhaps it could get more space.” [Thanks Jess] “The pictures contribute nicely.” [Thanks Susan and Jeff] “I enjoyed the Galapagos Island trip description and pictures …” [Thanks Nancy] “ Generally the newsletter contains very good writing with few errors in grammar/punctuation (this is rare, by the way.” [Thanks Joann] “Very nicely done.” We also received positive comments about the Important Birding Area articles and some other specific articles. [Indeed, thanks to the many people in SAS and FinePrint who have contributed to making the Leaflet a prize winner.]
Of course the comments were not 100% complimentary. All judges commented on the small font size of the type. One judge thought that we should have more pages or more frequent issues to compensate. Another judge did not like the “hands” on the calendar page.
Our readers are our most important judges. What do you think? Should we increase the font size or remove the hands? The editor would appreciate comments from our readership.
Changes Coming to Little Africa?
The Lake Lemon Conservancy District (LLCD) will begin dredging portions of Lake Lemon later this year. The lake has been filling with sediment since construction of the dam in the 1950s. As a result of silting, some property owners along the lake no longer have access or have restricted access to the lake. LLCD plans to dredge several thousand cubic feet of sediment, but what will they do with it? Part of it will be deposited on private land near the west end of the lake. The LLCD also is considering putting some of the sediment on the Little Africa Peninsula. That may sound like a tragedy at first thought, but it has the potential of being a positive change. Bloomington City Utilities, which owns the Little Africa property, has done little to maintain the site, hence it is losing the grassland habitat that was originally envisioned. If the LLCD takes over management of the property, this and other problems might be rectified. Proper reclamation of the sediment deposits could produce a very favorable environment for wildlife (e.g. see the article on Universal Mine in this issue). LLCD, which consists of property owners on the lake, has a vested interest in preserving the environment and is seeking input from environmental groups including SAS. Jim and Susan Hengeveld are in communication with LLCD and have been favorably impressed by their initial plans. The SAS Board is also monitoring the situation, and we hope to present more details in the next Leaflet.
Editor’s Note: An Eventful Two Months
Much has happened of concern to SAS during the two months since you received your last Leaflet, some of which are reported elsewhere in this issue. The Board of Directors has been considering adopting the Goose Pond Important Bird Area. Changes will be coming to Lake Lemon and Little Africa. We received the good news that the Leaflet was named #2 in the country for chapters in our size range. You will also notice a change in our membership application form, and if you check our website you will see some changes there as well (see the President’s note for details).
You may also be interested in knowing that the Birding Guide Task Force has been hard at work and we hope that before the end of the summer we will have a complete guide to birding in our area. You will probably be hearing a lot more about that in the next Leaflet. We think that the guide will be useful to our members and other area birders. It will also be especially valuable to visitors who are searching for good birding localities. A requirement of the national Audubon Society grant, which will pay most of the publication costs, is that all money received from sale of the guide go to a conservation project. The most likely candidate for that project is the Goose Pond IBA if SAS decides to adopt the area.
In the midst of all of this good news and positive developments we received some bad news. Our treasurer pointed out that Leaflet was way over budget for the year. The SAS Board has always been very supportive of the Leaflet, but if we don’t have the money to pay for it something has to be done. The best solution would be to have a big surge of new members (Friends of SAS) and lots of contributions to make up the shortfall. But more realistically, at least for the short term, we have to find a more practical solution. One solution would be to return to a four- or six-page format. Another solution would be to cut production costs. One of the major production costs is preparing the computer layout before printing. For many years FinePrint has done the layout. They do a great job, but obviously they must charge for that service. We are fortunate in SAS to have members who are more computer savvy than the editor and can prepare the layout. Terri Green, our former webmaster, is such a person, and she has agreed to take on this task. We estimate that this will save us nearly $1000 per year on our production costs. We are extremely grateful to Terri for agreeing to assume this responsibility. It is like finding a $1000 check in the mail designated for publication of the Leaflet! When you see Terri let her know that you appreciate her generosity.
JULY / AUGUST 2006 SAS CALENDAR
All outings and programs sponsored by SAS are free and open to non-members.
Watch our web site http://www.sassafrasaudubon.org and the Bloomington Birds list for announcements about other upcoming outings and activities.
Wednesday, July 26, 7:00 p.m.: Program to Be Announced, Room 1-B of the Monroe County Library
THERE WILL BE NO PROGRAM FOR JULY - but check out AUGUST's!
ALSO added is the Sept program!!
Saturday, August 5, 6:30 a.m.: Late Summer Birds of Beehunter Marsh
Join Lee Sterrenburg in this trip to Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area. No one knows these wetlands better than Lee. We will search Beehunter Marsh and Goose Pond for late summer, post-breeding birds and early shorebird migrants. This is a good time to find wandering Little Blue Herons and possibly Snowy Egrets as well as Sedge Wrens. There should still be a good selection of grassland sparrows and other breeding birds as well. Meet in the northeast corner of the Wal-Mart (not Sam’s club) parking lot on SR 45 on Bloomington's west side at 6:30 a.m. From there we will caravan to Goose Pond FWA and should return in the early afternoon. For more information, contact SAS at sas@sassafrasaudubon.org
Saturday, August 26, 8:00 a.m.: Goose Pond Work Day
SAS is sponsoring a work day to spray herbicide to eradicate invasive plants at the Goose Pond and Beehunter Marsh area. For more information see article on this event elsewhere in this Leaflet. We will meet on August 26, 2006 (backup day of September 9) at 8:00 a.m. at the Goose Pond office/barn on SR 59 three miles south of Linton. The office is on the left (south) side of the road after the first big bend in the highway. For further details contact SAS at sas@sassafrasaudubon.org
Wednesday, August 30, 7:00 p.m.: Presentation by David Daniels, Room 1-B of the Monroe County Library
David Daniels, SAS Board member and owner of the Bloomington WildBirds Unlimited store, will speak on Beginner’s Guide to Feeding Birds”. He will cover all aspects of feeding birds including different types of feeders, the types of seed and the birds they attract, pole systems, deterring undesirables (squirrels, raccoons, blackbirds, etc.), and feeding hummingbirds and bluebirds. He will also talk about providing water, shelter, and nesting opportunities. The event is free for all to attend; light refreshments will be served.
Saturday, September 2, 7:00 a.m.: Monroe County Wetland Birds
We will visit some of the wetlands around our area to look for shorebirds and early fall migrant birds. We will meet at 7:00 a.m. in the northeast corner of the K-mart parking lot on East Third Street in Bloomington. We will caravan to some hotspots around the county and return to town by noon or so. For more information, contact SAS at sas@sassafrasaudubon.org
Wednesday September 27th, 7:00pm: Return to the Wild. Monroe County Library in the Auditorum
MCPL Children's Services and the Sassafras Audubon Society present Brown County's Return to the Wild. Return to the Wild endeavors to rehabilitate injured or neglected wild animals to their natural homes. They will bring some animals and talk about efforts made on their behalf. The birds planned for the program include : Bald Eagle, Barn Owl, Harris' Hawk, American Kestrel, Augar Buzzard, and Pergrine falcon.
SAS NEEDS YOU!
by Bob Dodd
Uncle Sam and Coach Hep are not the only ones who need you. SAS needs members to volunteer for election to the Board of Directors. The formal election of officers and Board members takes place at the September meeting, before the regular program in the Monroe County Library (on September 27 this year). How do we secure new Board members? In most cases the current board discusses possible new members and asks these people if they are willing to serve. This method works reasonably well, but it means that the current Board is selecting its own replacement. This is probably not the best way to add “new blood” to the organization. There must be many people among our membership who would make excellent Board members, but the current Board does not know who you are! That is why we need you to volunteer.
I know from personal experience that this works. About two years ago the Leaflet contained a note that SAS was looking for a new editor. The job sounded like an interesting challenge to me so I volunteered. I surely came “out of the blue” as far as the SAS Board was concerned as I barely knew any of the Board members. It has been an enjoyable experience for me as it may also be for you. But you have to take the first step by letting one of the Board members know that you would be interested in serving. The Board has secured the minimum number of nominees for next year, but we would like to have as many as four additional members. We would especially like to have more women and student members. So if you are interested in wildlife, the natural environment, and conservation, this is your chance to contribute in a meaningful way. SAS NEEDS YOU!
President’s Note
by John Lawrence
The only constant is change, as the saying goes, and so it is with SAS. We are making a few important changes right now, and I would like to mention some of them. First, if you compare the membership form in this issue of the Leaflet with that in a previous issue, you will notice a significant revision. There is a new membership option, Friend of the Sassafras Audubon Society, which has replaced the chapter-only membership option. Do not worry, current chapter-only members, this name change will not affect you at all. As you will see, Friend of SAS includes chapter membership. So, why not stick with calling it chapter-only membership? As another saying goes, “what’s in a name”?
With the new Friend of SAS option, we are providing members of National Audubon a way to give renewable support to Sassafras Audubon’s local efforts. Although National members get automatic chapter membership in SAS, National’s support of SAS does not even cover our costs to produce and mail the Leaflet to you, as we are required to do as an Audubon chapter. So if you are a National Audubon member who enjoys Sassafras Audubon’s outings and events and want to support your local chapter, we invite you to become a Friend. That invitation just would not sound right if we still called it “chapter-only”!
Speaking of the costs of producing the Leaflet, an exciting change is taking place with this issue the way our newsletter is published. Board member candidate and former SAS webmaster Terri Greene took over the layout of this issue, so that we did not have to pay our printer to do the layout for us as we have in the past. While it is too early as I write this to say how it will all work, we hope that Terri will be able to do the layout from now on. If so, it will mean a significant reduction in our yearly printing costs. Terri and our editor, Bob Dodd, deserve great thanks for working on this money-saver for SAS.
Finally, a big change is in the works for the SAS website. Our webmaster, Susan Hengeveld, is not only working on updating the website’s contents, but she is also moving it to a new host where we will have more storage space and even our own domain name, sassafrasaudubon.org! While our old web host was very inexpensive, it also gave us very little storage, a mere four megabytes. As you computer users can imagine, we were quickly running out of room. But with our new host we will have plenty of storage for years to come, as well as a more professional domain name. And don’t worry about finding the new site; we are going to keep the old site active for a year to point you to the new one. Thanks, Susan, for all your hard work!
Activist’s Corner
by Jess A. Gwinn, Conservation Chair
At the SAS board of directors meeting on June 5, 2006, a motion was made and unanimously approved to sign on as a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the State of Indiana. The lawsuit specifically targets the deficiencies of the Environmental Impact Statement prepared by consultants contracted by the Indiana Department of Transportation for the extension of I-69 from Indianapolis to Evansville.
My wife and I moved to the Bloomington area in 1991. The topic of I-69 was just beginning to be addressed at that time. In our opinion the concept of a new terrain interstate through southwest Indiana was nonsense. We immediately engaged ourselves in the democratic process of fighting against what we believed to be a terribly destructive and wasteful pork barrel project. Little did we know that 15 years later we would still be fighting that battle. Fortunately there have been many other like-minded individuals along the way. Actually, 94% of the citizens who have participated in the process and commented have told INDOT not to build a new terrain highway or to use the common-sense route of I-70 to an upgraded US 41 south of Terre Haute. The common sense that seems so prevalent and pragmatic in this area does not seem to have pervaded the halls of INDOT or of the last several governors.
At every step along the way for planning and designing I-69 the flaws have been pointed out, only to be dismissed or ignored. The only recourse left with which to open deaf ears is through the legal system. Led by the Hoosier Environmental Council, a lawsuit has been prepared by the Environmental Law and Policy Center based in Chicago. This suit, point by point, shreds the justifications used by INDOT for this boondoggle highway. Being a federally funded project, INDOT was supposed to follow the guidelines mandated in the National Environmental Policy Act. The lawsuit very precisely explains how INDOT, in multiple instances, failed to adhere to the letter of the law.
SAS was also a plaintiff in a case won last year regarding the right of “Associational Standing”. The suit was precipitated when the Indiana Kentucky Electric Cooperative tried to get a new permit for their coal-fired generator along the Ohio River in southeastern Indiana. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management, the agency supposedly in charge of protecting our environment, gave them the permit. This permit was appealed by a couple of non-profit groups in southern Indiana on behalf of their affected members. IDEM and the utility contested the appeal on the grounds that the non-profits themselves were not impacted and only the affected members could appeal.
Long story made short, the judge in the case ruled that member organizations have the right to represent the interests of their members under the premise that individuals are not likely to pursue legal recourse because of the time and expense involved. This doctrine is known as “Associational Standing” and the case was the first in Indiana to affirm that member organizations have the right to represent the interests of individual members who may be harmed.
Unfortunately, with the political atmosphere here in Indiana so polluted (so to speak), redressing grievances through the legal process is one of the few tools left to us to seek justice. And SAS intends to use that tool to hammer out justice whenever we can.
Bloomington Contingent Goes to Sea to See Pelagic Birds
by Bob Kissel
Somewhat reminiscent of the 60's TV show Gilligin's Island, a group of SAS members and several others with Bloomington connections gathered in San Diego in late April for a four- day seabird trip aboard the "Searcher". David Daniels, Don and Betsy Whitehead, Ellie Baker from Indianapolis, Nancy Martin, Frank Prosser, Dan Cristol (IU doctoral grad in biology) from Virginia and his father Allan Cristol of Philadelphia, Jim and Susan Hengeveld, Susan's parents from Pennsylvania, George and Betsy Allan, and the author joined ten other birders, our four guides and the crew in search of seabirds, mammals, and fish in the deep, cold waters of the Pacific.
click on photo to enlarge
Bloomington contingent on pelagic birding trip: Standing (left to right) Bob Kissel, Nancy Martin, Don Whitehead, George Allan, Grank Prosser, Ellie Baker, David Daniels, Jim Hengeveld, Allan Cristol. Kneeling (left to right) Betsy Allan, Betsy Whitehead, Dan Cristol, Susan Hengeveld. (Photo by Susan Hengeveld.)
We left San Diego harbor around lunch on a Wednesday and charted a straight line NW course for the islands of Santa Catalina, Santa Cruz, and Santa Rosa. Most of the birders had done single day ocean trips but far fewer had gone on a multiple day trip. It was quite an adjustment going from the no motion environment of land to the constant motion of this 100' fishing boat. We ate (the food was excellent), slept (at least tried to), and showered (slowly) on the boat. I drew the line at shaving while onboard. With few exceptions, motion sickness was a quick reality for most of the birders. Many of us discovered with relief that the prescription Scopalamine skin patch is quite effective. After the first four-five hours, we didn't see land for the next four days, only the Pacific Ocean for 360 degrees to the horizon.
As we left San Diego harbor, we saw three species of Loon, a handful of Brandt's Cormorants, many terns and gulls, and around a zillion California Sea Lions. Farther into the Pacific we added hundreds of the common Pink-footed and Sooty Shearwaters, the expected Leach's and Black Storm-Petrels, and Red-necked Phalaropes. But the real objects of our trip were the birds of much deeper and colder water such as Flesh-footed Shearwater, Fork-tailed Storm Petrel, Black-footed Albatross, Long-tailed Jaeger, and Rhinoceros, Cassin's and Xantu's Murrelets. Without exception, we scanned endlessly for the rarer species of Laysan Albatross, Red-billed Tropicbird, and the ultimate prize of a Cook's or Murphy's (gadfly) Petrel. We had close looks at four of the surprisingly big Laysan Albatrosses in the 60 miles of ocean between Rodrigues Dome and the San Juan Seamount, roughly 200 miles off shore. Two Red-billed Tropicbirds were sitting on the water between the Cortes and 60 miles Banks for our viewing pleasure. To the disappointment of everyone, we had only the briefest look at the 15-mile horizon of a possible Murphy’s Petrel.
click on photo to enlarge
Laysan Albatross
The nighttime running lights on the boat lured a Leach's Storm Petrel and a Xantu's Murrelet to land, allowing for "in the hand" inspection of their features. As a testament to the "Searcher" being the only spot of refuge for land birds way off-course in the Pacific, we gave rest and food to a Golden-crowned Sparrow, Brewer's Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, a Townsend's Warbler, and several Yellow-rumped Warblers who "smartly" stayed on board until we reached land.
While our trip was primarily an offshore birding trip, marine mammals and fish received no less attention. We ooh'd and ah'd at Pacific White-sided and Risso's Dolphins, Dall's Porpoise's, Guadalupe Fur and Elephant Seals, and Mola Mola. The 19 Humpback Whales initially were quite impressive but paled in comparison to our later sightings of three Blue Whales, the largest mammal on earth. I am certain that when one very curious Blue Whale swam its 90+ feet directly under our boat everyone audibly sucked in their breath. After the trip the Allans saw a full-scale replica of a Blue Whale in the Aquarium of the Pacific and were unnerved at how little of the mass of the whale we saw from the surface!
Still feeling the effects of going from the constant motion of the boat to "terra firma", most of the Bloomington crew spent the day in San Diego County in a successful search for California Gnatcatcher, Sage Sparrow, Mountain Quail, Gray Vireo, and Wrentit. The Hengevelds added Mormon Metalmark and Sara Orangetip to their butterfly life list. David spent several additional days in SE California and found Black Swift, MacGillivray's Warbler, Burrowing Owl and Black-tailed Gnatcatcher. Nancy Martin's first birding trip to California netted her 50 life birds!
Our pelagic "cruise" memories of sea birds and mammals, scrumptious dinners at sea, and being with so many friends will last far longer than the time it took to lose the perception upon return to land of still being in motion on the Pacific Ocean.
Breeding Bird Atlas Getting Twenty-year Update – Volunteers Needed
by Bob Dodd
John Castrale, Indiana Nongame Biologist with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) described the Breeding Bird Atlas program at the May 31 meeting of SAS at the Monroe County Library. What birds call Indiana home to the extent of raising their families here? Twenty one years ago the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program of DNR sponsored a census of birds breeding within the state to answer that question. The program, which continued for five years (1985-1990), identified those bird species that various lines of evidence suggest breed within the state. The Indiana project was part of a larger program coordinated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to map breeding bird distribution throughout the country. The Indiana project involved some 600 volunteers including SAS members.
Twenty years have elapsed, and starting in 2005, the project is being repeated to determine what changes have occurred in distribution and abundance. Again several SAS members are involved with Mike Clarke serving as Monroe Country coordinator and the Hengevelds coordinating Brown County surveyors. The project is scheduled to continue until 2010 to make it comparable to the earlier five-year survey.
Covering the entire state of Indiana with a few hundred observers may seem like a daunting task, especially considering that surveyors are asked to make trips through their area approximately every week or so. The task is somewhat eased by selecting “priority blocks” which comprise one sixth of the total area of the state. Each volunteer surveys a block that is approximately 3 x 3.5 miles in area. The 647 blocks thus defined are evenly distributed throughout the state based on latitude/longitude coordinates. Each surveyor visits all habitat types in his or her area, preferably making visits at various times during the day, although early morning or evening is likely to be most productive. Some of the blocks are easier to survey than others. In areas where all property is in private ownership surveying must be done entirely from roads. Some of the areas are urban, limiting the variety of species encountered. Some areas may have much public land and may have varied habitat. This may be more enjoyable to survey but also more time consuming.
The most basic evidence recorded starts with simply which birds are present. But not all birds may be breeding in the area; some may just be “passing through”. So a number of different categories have been defined to determine if the species is breeding in the area starting with 1. Observed but no breeding evidence, 2. Possible breeding evidence, 3. Probable breeding evidence, and 4. Confirmed breeding evidence. Within each of those categories various types of evidence are defined, for example courtship behavior or birds visiting probable nest sites are both evidence of probable breeding.
The 600 volunteers in the 1985-1990 survey identified 158 species as breeding within the state (plus four likely breeders). Breeding species identified within a particular priority block varied from 12-109 with an average of 67. Among the most frequently identified breeders were American Robins and Song Sparrows. A few species showed a pattern of variation within the state, the most obvious being Black-capped Chickadees that breed only in the northernmost portion of the state and Carolina Chickadees that are restricted to the rest of the state.
Would you like to volunteer to help with the atlas? John Castrale said that more volunteers are needed and encourages those who are interested to contact him or our local coordinators. You do not have to be an outstanding birder to participate, but after five years of working with your priority block, chances are you will be much more proficient than when you started. If you would like to learn more about the project or see results of the 1985-1990 survey, check the web at http://www.indianaaudubon.org/atlas.htm.
You Can Help Fight the Invaders at Goose Pond on August 26
by Jess Gwinn
Phragmites is an alien species that is highly invasive in wetland areas, especially those such as at Goose Pond and Beehunter Marsh that have undergone recent restoration/disturbance. This species can grow up to six meters tall and forms monocultures that are impenetrable and not usable by most native plants and animals. Now is the time to nip the current infestations in the bud before they get out of hand. We will meet on August 26, 2006 (backup day of September 9) at 8:00 a.m. at the Goose Pond office/barn on SR 59 three miles south of Linton (on the left or south side of the road after the first big bend in the highway). After a safety and orientation meeting, groups will head out to begin spraying herbicide on the plant. The herbicide being used has a low toxicity, but all applicators should wear long-sleeve shirts, pants, gloves and glasses/goggles. They have a limited number of sprayers at the property so if you have a sprayer please bring it. Spraying can only be performed by adults over 18 years of age. Contact Jess Gwinn at 876-8623 or jagmo@bluemarble.net for further details.
Universal Mine IBA – Good Things from Old Mines
by Bob Dodd
As many of our members and friends know from past SAS trips, Universal Mine is one of the best places in Indiana to find grassland bird species. Universal owes its current habitat to reclamation of extensive strip mines in the area. A few years ago Peabody Energy won national and state awards for environmental stewardship with their multi-million dollar reclamation of the area. Thank you Peabody! Most of the 6500 acres of the area have been planted in non-native grasses, but the birds do not seem to mind. Research in this area shows that birds do just as well on the introduced vegetation as they do on native grasses. Much of the area is not actively farmed or grazed, another benefit especially to nesting birds. The area is entirely in private ownership so it can only be birded from the extensive county road system in the area. Another benefit of Universal to SAS members is that, although it is not just right next door, it can easily be birded on a day trip. Ideally that trip should begin very early so that the birder can be on the scene at dawn or shortly after when most birds are at peak activity. Our new SAS Birding Guide, which we plan to publish this summer, will include a detailed description of Universal Mine written by David Daniels.
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SAS birding group at Universal Mines
Although it was artificially created, Universal Mine is one of Indiana’s most contiguous grasslands. The extensive grasslands have encouraged nesting by many prairie specialists including Grasshopper Sparrow, Henslow’s Sparrow, Dickcissel, and Eastern Meadowlarks, all of which have been in decline statewide for the last 40 years. An advantage of the extensive grasslands and lack of forested area has been the paucity of Brown-headed Cowbirds. This has resulted in a very low rate of parasitization of nests of grassland specialists. Another bird of conservation concern found at Universal is the Upland Sandpiper, a spectacular bird observed by many SAS members on trips to the area. Other specialties for the area include Ring-necked Pheasants, Northern Bobwhite, Bobolink, Willow Flycatcher, Bell’s Vireo, and Blue Grosbeak. Northern Harrier, Rough-legged Hawk, and Short-eared Owls can be found in the winter. American and Least Bittern, King Rail, and many species of ducks and other waterfowl occur in season in the several small ponds and wetlands that are sprinkled across the area.
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Upland Sandpiper
The primary conservation concern at Universal is habitat loss or modification by expansion of grassland agricultural practices such as grazing and hay cutting. Some harvesting already occurs, but is not so extensive as to radically affect grassland birds. Limited grazing may help some species such as the Upland Sandpiper, but increased grazing and hay cutting will result in nest destruction or abandonment.
Universal Mine is located about 10 miles northwest of Terre Haute on the Illinois border, largely in Vermillion County. The best place to enter the area is from the intersection of U.S. Highway 150 and County Road 200W in the village of Shirkieville. Turn north of the flashing yellow light. Good birding begins soon after leaving the highway and continues north on 200W. At about 1.5 miles you will come to CR 1800S. Grassland birds are abundant in either direction on this road. You can drive north on either CR 200W or CR 230W (checking for birds along the way in the grasslands and ponds) until you reach CR 1630/1650S. This is another great road for grassland birds. Drive far enough west and you come to State Line Road. West of this road is Illinois (So don’t count birds you see here on your Indiana list!). Check out other roads in the area, but remember that this is private land so do not trespass off the roads.
Fish and Wildlife Partners Win Birdathon with 145 Species
by Cathy Meyer
The 2006 Monroe County Birdathon was held Saturday May 6, a beautiful spring day. There were 4 teams participating and the competition was fierce. The Fish and Wildlife Partners, representing U. S. and DNR Fish and Wildlife offices, found 145 species within the county during the 24 hour count. Team members included Gary Langell, Jeff Kiefer, Adam Phelps, and Jason Lewis. The Prothonotary Wanderers were close behind, with 141 species tallied. Teams compared notes at the annual tally potluck hosted by Henry Wahl, who stopped in with a bottle of wine to share. WildBirds Unlimited provided great prizes, and each participant received a t-shirt with the International Migratory Bird Day theme design.
A total of 164 species was located. There was an amazing variety of waterfowl present that day. They included Canada Goose, Wood Duck, Mallard, Gadwall, Blue-winged Teal, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Greater and Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser with young, Common Merganser, and Ruddy Duck. Other birds in wetland areas were notable, especially Yellow-crowned Night-Herons and American Bittern at Stillwater Marsh and a couple of Black Terns at Lake Lemon. Caspian Tern and Forster’s Tern were seen, along with Herring and Ring-billed Gulls. There was also a Marsh Wren, Soras, and several shorebirds, including Short-billed Dowitcher, yellowlegs, Solitary and Spotted Sandpiper, Killdeer, Semipalmated Plover, Least and Pectoral Sandpipers at Paynetown, Common Snipe, and Woodcock.
Raptors included the usual hawks and Bald Eagles, three owl species, Turkey Vultures, and Black Vulture near the Pointe. American Kestrels are always hard to find during the Birdathon and some teams struck out. Wild Turkeys and Bobwhites were heard. Both cuckoos were found. A few teams found Common Nighthawk and everyone found Whip-poor-wills and the now-expected Chuck-will’s-widow at Friendship Road. Flycatchers included the usual pewees, phoebes, and kingbirds, along with Acadian, Great Crested, Willow, and Least. The four breeding vireos were found, and all six swallows. One team found a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Migrant thrushes were scarce, with one Hermit, one Veery, and no Gray-cheeked found. Cedar Waxwings were more easily found than some years.
A nice variety of warblers was found, with the breeders in place and a few migrants, including a Magnolia, a Chestnut-sided, Blackburnian, Cape May, Bay-breasted, and Blackpoll. A Golden-winged Warbler was seen at Friendship Road. Both tanagers and both orioles and the Rose-breasted Grosbeak enlivened the day. Sparrows included a Lincoln’s and a lingering Dark-eyed Junco, along with White-crowned and White-throated. Some found Grasshopper, Henslow’s, and Savannah Sparrows. The Blue Grosbeak and Bobolinks had returned to Upper Woodall Road, but were hard to find.
The Monroe County Birdathon takes place the first Saturday in May each year and teams of 3-6 are welcome to participate. Each team collects pledges to support an environmental cause, such as SAS. It’s not too late to send in a donation to SAS. For Birdathon information, or for a complete listing of results, contact Cathy Meyer at cmeyer@co.monroe.in.us.
Indiana Audubon Chapters
Did you know that there are 12 Audubon chapters in Indiana? Not surprisingly the largest is the Amos Butler chapter in Indianapolis with 1721 nenbers. The smallest is the Potawatomi Chapter with 250 members. With 572 members (not including chapter only members) we are near the middle size-wise. In addition to the local chapters Indiana also has a state chapter, the Indiana Audubon Society. The local Indiana chapters are:
Amost W. Butler (Indianapolis)
South Bend-Elkhart
Evansville
Sassafras (Bloomington)
Wabash Valley (Terre Haute)
Knob and Valley (New Albany)
East Central Indiana (Muncie)
Tippecanoe (Warsaw area)
Stockbridge (Fort Wayne)
Sycamore (West Lafayette)
Dunes-Calument (Lake County area)
Potawatomi (LaPorte)
Is the Ivory-billed Woodpecker Extinct After All?
In a paper published in Science Magazine on March 17, David Sibley and three co-authors questioned the authenticity of the identification of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker in the video sequence that was cited as proof of its existence. After a detailed analysis of frames from the video, they conclude that the bird was likely a Pileated Woodpecker. They conclude that other evidence such as sound recordings and other sightings are not definitive. While urging continued searching and conservation efforts, they believe that evidence at hand is not sufficient to conclude that the ivory bill lives. A rebuttal from John Fitzpatrick, lead author of the 2005 paper giving evidence for the ivory bills existence, argues that the Sibley critique contains errors. So the debate goes on.
