Herons, Loons, Grebes, Ducks, Towhees- Oh my!

By Matthias Benko

Matthias (on-scope) with other IYB's checking out a Ruddy Duck!

Yesterday, The IYBC took an amazing field trip to the Heron Rookery in Hamilton County. All who participated in the event are now experts on Great Blue Herons.  A few facts about herons include that they have something called nuptial plumes connected to their head during breeding season (February-July), there is almost no way to tell males and females apart, and they nest in trees! That’s kind of counterintuitive  right? I thought wading birds nest on ground near water.  I was totally wrong. However, besides seeing tons of Great Blue Herons and their nests, we saw much more. There was a Common Loon that flew over the place where we met.  Among the Loon, we also saw the following (brace yourselves, there is a lot): European Starlings, American Robins, Eastern Bluebirds,  a Pileated Woodpecker, a pair of Wood Ducks, a male American Kestrel, a female Northern Flicker, and a male Eastern Towhee (a new bird for me, I had only seen a female twice before.) Then, after someone had guessed the “secret duck” for a field guide, we decided to head off on another adventure.

IYB's on 3-23-13!!  Matthias (left)

The Star of the Show!  A Great Blue Heron.  Photo by Ceth Williams

The Morse Reservoir is a place I had never visited before. I honestly had no idea what I was missing out on! There were Common Loons in full plumage (a lifer for me), Horned Grebes in mid-molt (another lifer), Mute Swans, American Coots, Mallards, and Ruddy Ducks (yet another lifer). I also found out by talking to Rob Ripma that one of my spark birds was a Harris’s Sparrow! (At that time, I was not a very seasoned birder.) All in all, this trip was worth it in so many varied ways. I am proud to call myself a part of the Indiana Young Birders’ Club.  

IYBC Field Guide Giveaway!

 By Chad Williams

I can remember how excited I was when I turned the pages of my first field guide!  I knew there were a lot of birds out there and, I knew that there were a lot of different birds out there but, I didn't have a clue that there TONS more all around!  I also didn't know that they came in so many shapes and sizes! When looking at the first pages, I realized immediately I had to learn as much as I could about as many birds as I could and then find a way to go see them – in real life. 

It’s been many years since my first Peterson’s Guide but, still today I am not sure the sun has ever set before I have opened the pages to one of my many field guides.  Whether I’m using a guide to identify a specific of bird or simply using it to fantasize about my next adventure – I incessantly have my nose buried in a field guide.  An entirely new world opened the day I turned the pages of my first guide and I haven’t looked back since.

The Indiana Young Birders Club is on a mission to get new field guides into the hands of any young birder that has a passion for birds and that needs a field guide to help expand on his/her passion.  To date, we've given over 100 field guides away (free of charge) to young birders/naturalists with a fiery desire to learn more about birds and we want that number to grow!  So, throughout 2013 we will be giving away field guides at IYBC programs and via our website simply by submitting a short online essay about birds, a birding adventure, or a favorite bird species.  Our only request in return is that each recipient sends us a picture of themselves showing off their new guide.  Simple!

To learn more about the IYBC 100 Guide Giveaway, to apply for a field guide, or to donate to our field guide mission, please check us out at www.indianayoungbirders.org.

Please help spread the message about this amazing opportunity!

Happy Birding!!!

Pictures left to right and top to bottom: Carlynn and Benji B. (top left), Kamden M. (top right), Lorena and Serena W. (middle), Naomi and Kiana V. and Grandma (bottom left), Joshua and Mary R. (bottom right)

Salamonie Eagle Watch

By Alexandra Forsythe

Alexandra (left), Lynnanne Fager (center)

If you've never attended an Eagle Watch, you’re really missing out!  In Indiana, we are fortunate to have several Eagle Watch locations across the state from Turkey Run to Mississinewa.  During these events, you learn more about eagles, visit roosting sites, and if the conditions are right, you may see dozens of eagles in one location.

This year, I was fortunate enough to help at the Salamonie Eagle Watch event on February 2 and 3.  I created interactive display/quiz boards about Bald Eagles to entertain and educate the visitors.  

Despite the hazardous road conditions, we had a huge turnout.  We even had some familiar faces: Don and Terri Gorney!  The eagles did not disappoint; dozens of eagles were happy to pose for the cameras.  For up close and personal viewings of Bald Eagles, Zach Walker from Of Wings of Eagles brought Belle (an education eagle), and Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehab brought Jefferson for his debut as an education eagle.

Be sure to attend an Eagle Watch program.  You won’t be sorry!

Photo provided by Alexandra Forsythe.

IYBC Saw-whet Owl Trip!

By Ceth Williams

On January the 19^th the Indiana Young Birders took a trip to Lafayette, Indiana to the property of Dr. Delano Arvin to take a couple of hikes around the woods to see Saw-whet Owls. These owls are one of the tiniest owls in the world so we were very excited to them. First, we hiked up to the top of a hill where an owl was resting in a grove of pine trees. It was hard to see, but it was still cool. In the next spot we went there was an owl right in the open making it very easy to get pictures. There was also another owl further back in the woods.

Around thirty people showed up to see the owls. There were a bunch of kids, but there were also quite a few adults. The kids got to ride on the gator to go see the Barred Owls because they would fly off if you walked to see them. We walked to see the Saw-whet’s. The gator was fun!  Sadly enough, my sock hat got taken off by a branch. But, we turned back around to get it.

The pictures of the Saw-whet Owl at the bottom of the hill were amazing. The little thing was right in your face.  At the top of the hill it was harder, but I still managed to find a hole and get good shots. It was dark where the Barred Owls were, but I was still able to get a few pictures. This property is one of the best places the IYBC visits. There are so many opportunities to see things you can’t always see together in one place and when we go we also learn about many other things in the woods.

IYBC’s next trip there will be in April. So I hope the experience is as good as it always is and maybe better. This is really one of the best trips we have taken. I will come and attend every event. I hope everyone else enjoys it as much as I have.

Pictures (all by Ceth Williams on the Arvin property): (Top) Saw-whet Owl, (Middle) Barred Owl, (Bottom) Hornet Nest.

Christmas Bird Counts and How Young Birders Can Help Your Local Teams

Sarah Sass

Sarah at her first CBC in 2009

Have you ever been on a Christmas bird count?  Well, if you haven’t, I highly recommend it.  Not just for the sake of birding, but for the conversation.  Christmas bird counts are a good way to meet other birders who may just be the same age as you or they may just live near you.  Being young birders, we don’t all have a driver’s licenses.  Therefore, if you don’t have a parent into birding, it could be quite hard to get a ride to a birding hotspot such as Goose Pond.  Getting to know another birder that lives near you could help you get out to enjoy some of the birds that you may not have another opportunity to see.

One reason that young birders are needed on Christmas bird counts is that we offer great eyesight and excellent hearing.  Having young birders like us on the team can help to increase the number of birds that your team either sees or hears.  So don’t hesitate to find out when a team near you will head out for a full day of birding.

Lindsey and Sarah Sass in 2012

When you do meet a birder to hang out with while in the field, don’t be afraid to start a conversation, whether it’s about birds, family, or even yourself.   Birders love to hear birding stories, and even how that person started birding.  It’s important that you feel comfortable with the group that you are with, because on Christmas bird counts, you need to work as a group to spot things.  In many cases, you will need to shout out the birds that you think you see or hear so your group can clarify and count. 

Many Christmas bird counts have what’s called a compiling party at the end.  At a compiling party, all of the teams in that particular count will get their data recorded.  From what I just told you, the compiling party may sound kind of boring, but before you get your data recorded all of the birders get to hang out, tell stories, and eat some food.  It’s kind of like a small potluck.  All of the birders bring food to share at the party.  You can meet even more birders!  There are plenty out there, and compiling parties are one of the best places to meet other birders. So never overlook the compiling party. 

So, when our birding mentors are no longer around, we young birders will need to step in and carry on what the last generation did.  It is best to start birding at a young age to have more experience.  I started birding when I was eight years old, and I have been into walking and the outdoors since I was only two years old!  My life list has 251 species on it, and my last life bird, the Merlin, I got on a Christmas bird count.  I have participated in four Christmas bird counts just this season, and I have enjoyed every one of them.  That’s the basic information about Christmas bird counts and why young people like us need to get involved in Christmas bird counts.  

Birding Without Binoculars!

By Landon Neumann

Have you ever birded without binoculars?  Well, two months ago I had the experience of birding without binoculars.  You’re probably wondering why I didn’t bring my binoculars when I went birding.  Well, it was actually on accident.  I had been gathering my gear together for the morning before I was to meet up with a local birder to go birding with and when we pulled into the first spot I realized I had forgotten my binoculars.  Being already eight o’clock I didn’t want to go back even though the other birder said we could go back, so I birded without binoculars.

Luckily, I had my scope and camera with me, so I wasn’t entirely without optics.  At the spot we began at we had birds like White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows; however, most of the birds were fairly close, so identifying these birds was too hard of a challenge even without binoculars.  After birding at our first stop, which was France Park, we sent off for Georgetown Rd. Being late fall it was fairly quiet until we came across a mixed flock that involved your basic woodland birds such as: Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpecker and so on.  After watching  the flock  for a few minutes I noticed a woodpecker flying away from a tree about twenty feet from me, I yelled out, “ Yellow Bellied Sapsucker.” After that I thought, “Did I really just identify that woodpecker that was flying away from me from a distance without using binoculars?”  Within five minutes we found the sapsucker again, which turned out to be a nice adult.

The moral of the story is that sometimes birding without binoculars can make you a better birder because it can train you to recognize subtle field marks and behavior in birds that you might otherwise take for granted when using binoculars.  Hopefully you will try to bird without binoculars sometime.  It can be rewarding and fun, but I still enjoy using binoculars when I go birding.

An Indiana Invasion! By Landon Neumann

Fall birding is always lot of fun.  It’s even cooler when you have the chance to see birds that rarely come south to Indiana come down in large numbers for the winter. Two weeks ago I had the chance to go up to the lakefront to witness the spectacular winter finch and Bohemian Waxwing display that has been going on this fall.   It was an amazing day of birding.

A friend of mine had wanted to go up to the lakefront this November, so on November 10^th we left bright and early to drive up to the lakefront to meet up with some local birders to bird with.  We were hoping to see Bohemian Waxwings and Evening Grosbeaks.  Both of these birds are pretty rare in Indiana except during invasion years like this year.  After meeting up with the group our group headed over to Johnson Beach to look for Bohemian Waxwings that had been reported there.  At the beach we didn’t have much, so we moved on to Ogden Dunes where waxwings, crossbills, and a Townsend’s Solitaire had been reported.

As we arrived at Ogden Dunes a birder had re-found the Solitaire, so our group rushed over to look at this western thrush that shows up in Indiana every now and then.  After we had gotten good looks at the Solitaire we ascended up a dune, so that we could watch for waxwings and crossbills fly over the pinerys.  For the next half an hour we enjoyed frequent flyover White-winged Crossbills with the occasional Red Crossbill flying right above our heads.  Then it happened.  As we enjoyed our latest crossbill flock we saw two large waxwings fly into the tree.  A quick scan revealed them to be Bohemian Waxwings!   For the birders on top of the dune it felt like Christmas day.  Everyone was giving each high-five as we celebrated.  After another fifteen minutes we went down the dune and enjoyed a Red-throated Loon swimming on the lake.  Just to top the day off we next went to Indiana Dunes State park where there had been Evening Grosbeaks at the feeders and within fifteen minutes we had thirty-one Evening Grosbeaks pigging out at the park’s feeders.  

After a quick lunch we conducted a lakewatch to try to find some Cave Swallows. We didn’t get any swallows or really any birds for that matter but, it didn’t really matter because we had already seen Bohemian Waxwings (a lifer for me), and Evening Grosbeaks in Indiana!  It will be a day I will always remember.