OK, NOT SO SLOW BIRDING!

WHOOPING CRANE

Four of us headed to Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area, near Linton, IN, yesterday for my birthday party. (so to speak, some people like cake and ice cream, I like bird watching)

The morning started with a significant cover of fog, which didn't burn off until mid-morning. When it did we were thrilled to find 16 Whooping Cranes in, and around, the Goose Pond property. We also found 16 Tundra Swans along with 54 other species of birds. We were able to find 5 life birds for Philip Lax and 7 life birds for Steve Briscoe. It is always a great day of birding when we can find new birds for our friends.

Other great birds for the day were over 5,000 Sandhill Cranes, numerous Bald Eagles, Rough-legged Hawks, Northern Pintails, Wood Ducks, thousands of Snow Geese and many Green-winged Teal. Goose Pond continues to attract thousands of waterfowl each winter and is becoming one of the midwest's premier birding locations, no matter what time of year you go. We are going to continue to try to bird Goose Pond at least once per month during 2012. My goal is to find at least 165 species of birds at Goose Pond, Cane Ridge, Bluegrass Fish and Wildlife Area, Eagle Slough and Howell Wetlands. If I reach these goals, I should surpass my 225 species per year average. Total goal for the year is 300 species. I would like for 260 of those to be found in our immediate birding sphere.

We do have 2 trips scheduled outside of Indiana this year where we will be doing some serious birding (and relaxing). Our first trip of the year will be to Savannah, GA for our annual WBU convention and then later in September to our beloved Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area. Together they should help me come up with at least 30 species not found in our area.

All is well in the birding community of Southern Indiana and Northwestern Kentucky.