![[SeMissourian.com]](http://gcdailyworld.com/images/nameplate.png)
|
|
Fog/Mist ~ High: 59°F ~ Low: 37°F |
|
Exciting things at Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area
Posted Saturday, July 26, 2008, at 9:43 AM<< Previous | Read comments | Respond | Email link | Next >>
Exciting things continue to happen at Goose Pond. Species that have not been seen here in many years are returning and in some cases nesting on the property.
Lee Sterrenburg is at Goose Pond cataloging these returning birds, said that during the last month that the fall shorebird migration is underway with; 6 Short-Billed Dowitchers on July 8th and 64 Lesser Yellowlegs on July 13th being observed. Breeding season shorebird counts have been impressive; 28 Black-Necked Stilts, 3 Wilson's Snipes and 9 Wilson's Phalaropes on July 8th. On July 8th Matt Bregeweg found an active Gadwall nest with a female setting on 8 eggs and Lee Sterrenburg photographed the nest. This is the first Gadwall nest in the history of Indiana ornithology dating back to the 1870's. Apparently there are 4 individual Gadwalls on the property. Other rare ducks for the season have been; 1 Northern Pintail, 3 Green-Winged Teal, 1 male Ruddy Duck and 1 Black-Belled Whistling Duck. The normal range of the Black-Bellied Whistling Duck is the Lower Rio Grand Valley and southward. Lee also said that an other big avian event of the last month was the sighting of a White Ibis the normal summer range is coastal Virginia through Louisiana and inland away from the coast from South Carolina southward to Florida. The White Ibis at Goose Pond was far from its normal range. Sightings of the American Bittern continue. The post-breeding season dispersal of Great Egrets is underway with a new high count for the currant summer of 23. I would like to offer my thanks to Lee for all of his outstanding work at Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area locating and cataloging these rare birds. The roadwork has started on highway 59 to raise the roadbed and widen it to provide observation pull-offs which brings us that much closer to completion of the restoration project at Goose Pond. Having Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area in our own back yard makes Greene County an exciting place to be an outdoor enthusiast. Reminder that there is a few days left in the Friends of Goose Pond photo contest, you can send your photos to. Comments Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] |
Hot topics An Outdoor Life Style(0 ~ 10:21 AM, Nov 19)
Outdoors Events
In the last few weeks
Outdoor Activities
Natures Beautiful Abundance
|
![[Feed icon]](http://gcdailyworld.com/images/icons/feed-icon-14x14.png){kind=icon}
Pictures please.
Black-bellied Whistling Duck http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBir...
Short-billed Dowitcher
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBir...
Lesser Yellowlegs
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBir...
Black-necked Stilt
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBir...
Wilson's Snipe
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBir...
Gadwall
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBir...
White Ibis
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBir...
Wilson's Phalarope
http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/Infocenter/...
Thank you.
This year was my first bird watching. As a novice, I had no idea what most of the birds were I was seeing at the Goosepond and Beehunter.
One of the neatest things I did was to come home and look up what I saw on the internet by typing in the bird's colors, size, wetlands, and any other descriptive terms.
I had almost as much fun searching as I did seeing them.
If you are interested in birding, there are several books you might want to pick up. The National Audubon Society Field Guide to Birds -- Eastern Region (photographs); or Peterson's Field GUide (illustrations); or Sibley's Field Guide (illustrations).
If you want to identify the birds in your back yard, there is a simple field guide called Birds of Indiana field guide by Stan Tekiela.
Happy Birding!
This year was my first bird watching. As a novice, I had no idea what most of the birds were I was seeing at the Goosepond and Beehunter.
One of the neatest things I did was to come home and look up what I saw on the internet by typing in the bird's colors, size, wetlands, and any other descriptive terms.
I had almost as much fun searching as I did seeing them.
If you are interested in birding, there are several books you might want to pick up. The National Audubon Society Field Guide to Birds -- Eastern Region (photographs); or Peterson's Field GUide (illustrations); or Sibley's Field Guide (illustrations).
If you want to identify the birds in your back yard, there is a simple field guide called Birds of Indiana field guide by Stan Tekiela.
Happy Birding!
Sharon Sorenson reported in her Evansville newspaper column last week that the sandhill cranes are returning in greater numbers to Goose Pond. Is there a telephone number I can call for an update on their migration in 2010, or can I be notified via e-mail?
Kenya,
From my experiences at Goosepond, the Sandhill Cranes begin arriving in the cornfields all along Baseline Road beginning in early to mid February. They are very large birds and when they are here, you cannot miss them. They are tall, grey with a bit of red on the crown of their heads and they are very vocal.
Most of the flocks left mid March. They are only here for a short time to feed and rest for their long flight.
There were many also located at Goosepond in most of the units. I saw them in units 11S, 12, 13, and in the cornfields near the road leading to Wampler and Greene Sullivan Forrest. They are beautiful and graceful birds and we are so lucky to have them!