Have you ever been told you eat like a bird, praised for your eagle eye or reminded that the early bird catches the worm? Our feathered friends play many important roles in nature and culture – including shaping our language. Birds and wordsOur feathered friends play many important roles in nature and culture – including shaping our language
With the spring weather finally here and the birds chirping outside our windows, it’s the perfect time to remember ornithologist Jane L. (Brooks) Hine, “the bird woman of Indiana.” An early conservation advocate, Hine published a beautiful collection of articles on Indiana’s native bird species in 1911 at the age of eighty. Visit the Indiana History Blog to read about the impact of her late-in-life career, view her stunning images of Indiana birds, and learn how she became a widely respected ornithologist in an era when women were denied entry to most scientific programs and organizations: “If Even a Sparrow Should Fall:” The Conservation Work of Ornithologist Jane L. Hine
[ At this time, many farmers saw birds as pests, nothing more than thieves of seeds and fruits, and shot them on sight. ]
Image citation: Jane L. Hine, “Game and Land Birds of an Indiana Farm,” 1911, GoogleBooks.
She wrote “Game and Land Birds of an Indiana Farm” for the Biennial Report of Game and Fisheries of Indiana, 1911. Jane wrote about a lifetime of observations of birds. On the USGS Bird Phenology website, Jane is given credit for over 400 bird sightings. From Sketches of Twelve Birds April 3, 2016 on Friends of Limberlost blog.
Did you know that over 200 different species of birds have been found at Eagle Marsh? With the dedication of our incredible members and volunteers we have been able to record the birds that live in and migrate through Eagle Marsh.
Birds are all around us and birding is an incredible activity to help you connect with nature, that almost everyone can do! Through the practice of birding one can become more observant to what is happening around them, especially the small details.
During this time [COVID-19] we encourage you to get outside and explore your backyard or a close natural public space with the people you live with. To help make looking for birds a little more fun, we've created an Indiana Backyard Bird Bingo game for you and whoever you live with to enjoy! Feel free to download this page and let us know if you have any questions.
Happy birding!
Billions of birds are on the move, heading south for the colder months. Want to find out when these travelers move...
Billions of birds are on the move, heading south for the colder months. Want to find out when these travelers move through your hometown? Try BirdCast! The Lab's BirdCast project uses radar to predict real-time bird movements. Watch this webinar on how BirdCast is helping us help birds during migration.
BirdCast Showcasing the spectacle of bird migration When, where, and how far will birds migrate? How many birds passed last night? Our tools help you explore the answers to these and many other questions about bird migration.
Time for another Themed Thursday! Did you know it's also Bird Day? It's the first known holiday to celebrate birds, and...
Time for another Themed Thursday! Did you know it's also Bird Day? It's the first known holiday to celebrate birds, and was established in 1894 by Charles Almanzo Babcock, a school superintendent in Oil City, Pa. In an age when birds were commonly hunted to provide feathers for hats, he wanted to make the conservation of birds a moral value. This Carolina Parakeet is precisely the sort of bird he'd have had in mind: it was once common along from southern New York down to the Gulf of Mexico, and as far west as eastern Colorado. By Babcock's time, it was already rare, limited to Florida; the last sighting in the wild was 1910, and the last known captive individual died in 1918. Deforestation and hunting (for hat feathers!) had rendered it extinct.
Baird, Spencer Fullerton. A history of North American birds / by S. F. Baird, T. M. Brewer, and R. Ridgway. (Boston: Little, Brown, 1905), in the Birds branch of the Smithsonian Libraries. (Baird, by the way, was the second Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, from 1878–1887.) You can read and download our digitized copy of this work via the Biodiversity Heritage Library A history of North American birds
This seabird, with its distinct forked tail, breeds on coastal islands in the Northeast and winters in South America. In the late 1800s, the species was overhunted for its feathers to decorate hats. 📸Fyn Kynd/CC 2.0 Roseate tern
Snowden Slights with a punt gunSize comparison of a man and punt gun Sydney Harold Smith (or collaborators on his behalf) - This file has been provided by York Museums Trust as part of a GLAMwiki partnership. on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
The Lacey Act of 1900 banned the transport of wild game across state lines, and the practice of market hunting was outlawed by a series of federal laws in 1918. While use and possession of punt guns is still legal in the United States, Federal regulations prohibit their use in migratory waterfowl hunting.
A punt gun is a type of extremely large shotgun used in the 19th and early 20th centuries for shooting large numbers of waterfowl for commercial harvesting operations. These weapons are characteristically too large for an individual to fire from the shoulder or often carry alone, but unlike artillery pieces, punt guns are able to be aimed and fired by a single person from a mount. In this case, the mount is typically a small watercraft (e.g. a punt). Many early models appear similar to over-sized versions of shoulder weapons of the time with full-length wooden stocks with a normal-sized shoulder stock. Most later variations do away with the full-length stock — especially more modern models — and have mounting hardware fixed to the gun to allow them to be fitted to a pintle. Copied June 2024 from Punt Gun on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
The Punt Gun and the Race to Save America’s Wildlife How did a 10-foot long gun blasting two pounds of shot decimate (then help save) America’s waterfowl? at the Boone and Crockett Club Pioneers of Conservation Since 1887.
Part of their history
The Indiana Audubon Society is the oldest conservation organization continuously operating in Indiana, and the fourth oldest “Audubon” in the country. It is not a chapter of the National Audubon Society, but actually an independent statewide organization that predates the National Audubon Society. It was organized to stimulate interest in birds and their protection; to serve the needs of youth, civic, church, schools and other groups by providing information concerning birds; and to educate the public concerning the necessity for conserving and preserving Indiana’s natural heritage, its unique flora and fauna.
Founded in 1898, the IAS is dedicated to fostering the appreciation of migrant and resident bird species that are present in Indiana and other regional areas of the world. The organization also strives to support educational efforts that will promote future generations continuing this tradition in perpetuity. Appreciating the aesthetic contributions that birds provide is an important mission of the Society. Additionally, recognizing that bird species populations are important monitors of the global ecological status, they provide Society with additional motivation for the formal documentation of birds present in the region during various seasons of the year.
Check out the January Issue of National Geographic
The Year of the Bird
In 1918 Congress passed the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to protect birds from wanton killing. To celebrate the centennial, National Geographic is partnering with the National Audubon Society, BirdLife International, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to declare 2018 the Year of the Bird. Watch for more stories, maps, books, events, and social media content throughout the year.
Many people don't consider the American White Pelican a Midwest bird, however every spring, thousands move up the Mississippi flyway to breeding grounds in the Dakotas and central Canada. The majority of these travelers in Indiana are found along the far western portion of the state, like these in Linton. Some occasionally stray off course and can be found east throughout Indiana and into Ohio. Earlier this week, 10 American White Pelicans were found gracing the waters of the Maumee River Watershed at Cedarville Reservoir in Leo, IN. Pelicans migrate later than other similar looking waterfowl like swans and snow geese, so if you spot a large white bird in April, take a closer look!
Many people are not aware of the danger that their cats pose to songbirds and other small wildlife. While cats may seem...
Many people are not aware of the danger that their cats pose to songbirds and other small wildlife. While cats may seem harmless, they are one of the leading causes of bird deaths. In the United States alone, it is estimated that cats kill upwards of 3.7 billion birds yearly. That's more than double the number of birds killed by collisions with windows and towers combined.
Cats typically kill small songbirds, which can have a devastating impact on local populations. In addition to direct predation, cats can also spread disease and parasites to bird populations.
For these reasons, it is best to keep cats indoors or closely supervised when outdoors to protect our feathered friends.
Observe nature from the comfort of your home and assist with a national citizen science project this weekend. Here's how...
Observe nature from the comfort of your home and assist with a national citizen science project this weekend. Here's how you can be part of the Great Backyard Bird Count from our friends at Indiana Audubon. More details: https://www.birdcount.org/
Blue Herons
Very common around the three rivers and other bodies of water in Allen County whether natural or man-made. Modern retention ponds often have one or more at some time during the day.
His eyes were way bigger than his stomach! Great Blue Heron and Northern Water Snake.
For those of you who have been asking what the great blue heron did next after spearing the fish in this amazing first photo, taken by Jay Spring in Irvine, California, and shared by us a few days ago, Jay sent us the rest of the series with a note: “Thank you The Naturalist's Notebook for sharing my heron-with-the-fish shot. Here is the what happened after that catch.” Many thanks again for the great photos, Jay...and condolences to the fish.
(If you enjoy our Facebook posts and want to see more, please take a few seconds to "like" our page. You can find it by clicking on "The Naturalist's Notebook" above. We're excited that so many of you are tuned in to nature and science. Thank you—and feel free to pass the word to others! Our website is thenaturalistsnotebook.com.)
Jared Christiansen shared this perfectly detailed great blue heron with us, joined by a kind note thanking us for what...
Jared Christiansen shared this perfectly detailed great blue heron with us, joined by a kind note thanking us for what we do. We'd like to thank Jared for the great picture, and for enjoying the fruits of our labor. We couldn't do what we do without supporters like you! We hope you all enjoy another beautiful day at the marsh today.
Little Blue Heron - Allen Co, IN
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I'm a little disappointed because the first time I saw this I had much better looks...
I'm a little disappointed because the first time I saw this I had much better looks but didn't bring my camera to work. So I went home to get my camera and it had moved much farther from where I originally saw it.
A rare bird. This is a juvenile and for some reason they wonder north after they fledge. But this year they’re going farther north than usual. I know its white now, but it'll be purplish/bluish when it becomes an adult. It's very tiny and has greenish legs and the greyish bill. Both different than the snowy egret and great egret.
Fun fact; With their patchy white-and-blue appearance, Little Blue Herons in transition from the white first-year stage to blue adult plumage are often referred to as “Calico,” “Pied,” or “Piebald.” (All About Birds)
Did you know that our Rose Avenue Rehab site is home to a great blue heron nesting site? Observations of great blue...
Did you know that our Rose Avenue Rehab site is home to a great blue heron nesting site? Observations of great blue herons during the Breeding Bird Survey have declined somewhat in recent years, and Save Maumee is thrilled to do our small part to protect these beautiful and majestic birds. Learn more about great blue herons in Indiana and what you can do to protect nesting sites here. https://www.inwoodlands.org/great-blue-herons/
"Go big or go home." - GBH Great blue herons are excellent hunters but can sometimes be a poor judge of size. They will occasionally choke to death on a fish that is too big to swallow. Luckily, this fish was the perfect fit. These lanky birds have an insatiable appetite and can eat a wide variety of prey. They've been spotted consuming everything from baby muskrats to fish, rodents, and even other birds. Video of a great blue heron feasting on a large fish by Erin Huggins/USFWS
Great blue herons are excellent hunters but can sometimes be a poor judge of size. They will occasionally choke to death on a fish that is too big to swallow. Luckily, this fish was the perfect fit.
These lanky birds have an insatiable appetite and can eat a wide variety of prey. They've been spotted consuming everything from baby muskrats to fish, rodents, and even other birds.
Video of a great blue heron feasting on a large fish by Erin Huggins/USFWS
Although Canada geese (not "Canadian"-unless they're from Canada ) are plentiful now, in the early 1900s they were thought to be almost extinct! Programs over many decades have brought them back to a desired (and then some) population. It's not uncommon to see Canada geese with bands on their legs, as researchers are still monitoring their migrations and lifespans.
ON THIS DAY // On March 2, 1933, the Indiana General Assembly adopted the cardinal (Richmondena cardinalis cardinalis) the official state bird of the State of Indiana.
Also known as the redbird, the cardinal is the state bird of seven states: Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia. The bright red males are easily spotted, especially in the winter. Females cardinals are brown with a dull red crest.
Cardinals remain in Indiana year round and nest in thickets of brambles or low saplings. The eggs, 2 to 4, are bluish-white with brown markings.
Today 20 - 25 Cardinals could be seen at the Nature Center feeders throughout the morning and afternoon. Luci, our lucistic female cardinal, waits paitently for her turn on the feeder. Birds can sense low pressure approaching and will flock to a convenient food source in order to stockpile carbs. Other birds seen: Tree Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, Nuthatch, Chickadee, Blue Jay, Song Sparrow, Downey Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red Bellied Woodpecker, House Finch and House Sparrow.
Josef Geisler shared the photos attached of a beautiful leucistic cardinal he saw at Eagle Marsh. You can read more about leucisim (melanin reduction) in birds here: Abnormal coloration in birds: Melanin reduction
My favorite little bird, Lucy, has made a return to Fox Island Park. Got my first photo of the season today. There are apparently two of these leucistic cardinals out there now. I hope to see them together soon.
A rare half-male, half-female cardinal—an example of a phenomenon called gynandromorphy—was spotted in Pennsylvania.
[ Around 0:50 in the video it says: Gynandromorphs are usually infertile but there could be exceptions. As this particular individual's left side is female and only the left ovary in birds is functional, offspring might be possible ]
Due to its stunning color, Northern Cardinals were once prized pets. Early last century, it became illegal to own, harm,...
Due to its stunning color, Northern Cardinals were once prized pets. Early last century, it became illegal to own, harm, or kill one of these birds in the United States. Northern Cardinals are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, which also banned selling Cardinals as caged birds.
1/11/24 Norfolk, MA
*FUN FACT FRIDAY*
The answer to Talk To Me Tuesday's WHO AM I? post is the:
NORTHERN CARDINALS:
So, where’d the...
The answer to Talk To Me Tuesday's WHO AM I? post is the:
NORTHERN CARDINALS:
So, where’d the “Northern” in the bird’s name come from then? In 1983, the American Ornithologists’ Union—now the American Ornithological Society (AOS)—added this directional to the bird’s moniker to help differentiate the species from other, more southern species also bearing the name cardinal, including the Yellow Cardinal.
The photo of the cardinal sitting on a limb was taken at Fox Island County Park.
The photo of the pair of cardinals is from Adobe Stock.
The photo of male Cardinal in flight is from Adobe Stock.
Falcons
#FalconFactFriday In 1996, IDNR biologists built a Nesting Box on top of the Indiana Michigan Power Center (IMPC) building and installed the webcam to help repopulate the peregrine falcons in the Midwest.
#FalconFactFriday In 1996, IDNR biologists built a Nesting Box on top of the Indiana Michigan Power Center (IMPC) building and installed the webcam to help repopulate the peregrine falcons in the Midwest.
I got to witness egg #4 being laid..well at least I saw the motions❤️. Moxie has never laid more than 4 eggs since 2013...
I got to witness egg #4 being laid..well at least I saw the motions. Moxie has never laid more than 4 eggs since 2013 so it is likely that her clutch is now complete. Sending good thoughts her way for a successful hatching of all 4. Look for that to happen around April 22nd.
Good morning, Followers!
Season #12 is here. Jamie is back in the nest box and I caught him starting a scrape and calling out to Moxie!! Love is in the air😍
#indianamichigan
I&M Falcon Cam May 3, 2023 IndianaMichiganPoweron YouTube
For more than two decades, peregrine falcons have made their homes in a nest high atop the 26-story Indiana Michigan Power Center building in Fort Wayne, Indiana. You can watch nesting families of this raptor species via webcam, thanks our collaboration with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehab, who work with us.
Season 12 of falcon watch is officially underway. For more than a decade, peregrine falcons Moxie (female) and Jamie...
Season 12 of falcon watch is officially underway. For more than a decade, peregrine falcons Moxie (female) and Jamie (male) have called the city skies their home, taking residence in a nest box on top of the Indiana Michigan Power Center (IMPC) building in 2013.
It is with great sadness that I inform you, that shortly after I made the end of the season post, we received a call that one of the falcon chicks was found in the middle of Calhoun Street, right in front of the Indiana Michigan building. When I arrived, the caller had moved the chick to the sidewalk and when I bent down, I could see the band number was U37 which was Tom. Tom was named after Fort Wayne's beloved long-time mayor who passed away earlier this year.
I am completely devastated to share this news with all of you. He will be taken to Soarin' hawk to be examined by our ICU staff to see if we can tell what might have happened to him. As a side note, our founder, Bob, was down for our board meeting at one of the neighboring buildings and was watching the chicks, along with Moxie and Jamie soaring around the Indiana Michigan building and landing on the ledges. Did Tom strike the building or was perhaps hit by a vehicle? We likely will never know but I will share our findings, if any, with you.
Matilda came to the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo from Soarin' Hawk Raptor Rehab in 2019. With an injury to her left wing and eye, she was deemed un-releasable and we feel fortunate to be her forever home. At the Zoo, Matilda is able to educate guests about the needs of red-tailed hawks and how guests can safely co-exist with this species. Unfortunately, stories like Matilda’s are heard often as injuries to hawks, and other birds of prey, can be quite common as their habitat is shared with humans. To better co-exist with this species, you can help by keeping your distance and admiring them from afar, avoiding feeding hawks, and keeping an eye on your pets when outside. #NationalWildlifeWeek
Some quick tips about hummingbirds. We see the most activity on scarlet bee balm (Monarda didyma), trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) and columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Looking to attract hummingbirds to your garden? Consider planting some of their favorite native plants: those with red, tubular flowers and plenty of nectar. In spring, wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) [ should be native to Allen County ] blooms just in time to welcome these migrating birds back to the area. Indian pink (Spigelia marilandica) [ likely not found in Allen County ] and cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) [ should be native to Allen County ] will keep them fed during the summer. Keep an eye out for hummingbirds on your next visit to Mt. Cuba, especially around these and other red, tubular flowers in bloom!
Hummingbird nests can be hard to spot! Peel your eyes for small lumps of lichen on tree branches - they're...
Hummingbird nests can be hard to spot! Peel your eyes for small lumps of lichen on tree branches - they're well-camouflaged, so they'll be difficult to pick out! We have more helpful tips to find nests on the NestWatch website: https://buff.ly/3bBQDAL
: Jim Figlar
Did you know that hummingbirds are key for some wildflower pollination? Flowers that have a tubular shape, are brightly...
Did you know that hummingbirds are key for some wildflower pollination? Flowers that have a tubular shape, are brightly colored and have nectar hidden deeply are specifically adapted for hummingbird pollination! This cardinal flower being pollinated by a ruby-throated hummingbird is just one example!
Many people think of the American Robin as the harbinger of spring, however, they can be found in the Maumee Valley region year-round. But when the Red-winged Blackbirds show up and start singing, it is truly a sign that winter is almost over.
Robins
It is a myth that all robins go south for the winter. Some American Robins do migrate, but many remain in the same area...
It is a myth that all robins go south for the winter. Some American Robins do migrate, but many remain in the same area year-round. Over the past 10 years, robins have been reported in January in every U.S. state, except Hawaii. The wintering range of American Robins is affected by weather and natural food supply, such as crabapples, hawthorns, holly, juniper, and others, but as long as food is available, these birds are able to do well for themselves. There is plenty of food at Deetz for the dozens of robins that are wintering there.
Many of us may be used to seeing American Robin nets around our homes in the spring and summer, but where do robins...
Many of us may be used to seeing American Robin nets around our homes in the spring and summer, but where do robins disappear to in the winter? Contrary to popular belief, many do not migrate and instead spend their time in forests rather than foraging in more visible areas, like your front lawn! Those that do migrate fly short distances, heading to more southerly latitudes and lower elevations.
: Shannon Modla
Sandhill Cranes
We have been hearing and sometimes seeing Sandhill cranes at Eagle Marsh again, but Jared Christiansen was a good enough photographer to grab this awesome photo of them!
We have been hearing and sometimes seeing Sandhill cranes at Eagle Marsh again, but Jared Christiansen was a good enough photographer to grab this awesome photo of them!
Do you see these little fluffy baby sandhill cranes? These colts are very small but this news is very big! We have three...
Do you see these little fluffy baby sandhill cranes? These colts are very small but this news is very big! We have three baby colts! Sandhill cranes are a species that is listed as a "state special concern". Their numbers have increased over the last few decades. However, they are still low due to wetland loss and hunting. Luckily, Eagle Marsh has proven to be a wonderful place for them to nest over the summer months before they migrate south for the winter. We hope that next year they come back and we spot one or two more colts.
Thank you to Brian Wood and Kevin Butts for sharing these photos and sighting with us.
Barn Owls are found throughout the world. Up to 46 different races of the Barn Owl have been described worldwide. The North American form is the largest, weighing more than twice as much as the smallest race from the Galapagos Islands.
Check out some interesting facts about these beautiful birds:
Barn Owls are known to have the keenest hearing of all owls, assisted by their extremely well defined facial disk that gathers and deflects sound towards the ears like a radar dish. This acute hearing allows them to catch prey in total darkness or under deep snow with pinpoint accuracy.
There are six species of woodpeckers that live at Fox Island year-round. The least common of these, and perhaps the most striking, is the Red-headed Woodpecker. They breed in deciduous forests where they forage for insects, seeds, nuts and fruits. Skilled fliers, they often catch insects on the wing. This one was enjoying a suet snack outside the wildlife observation building window.
Once abundant, Red-headed Woodpecker populations have dropped 70% since 1966 due to deforestation and the removal of dead standing trees. They are now listed as near threatened.
The Downy woodpecker is the smallest (slightly larger than a Tufted Titmouse) and most common woodpecker in the U.S. at 6 inches in length.
The feather pattern on the back of the head of Downy Woodpeckers is unique to every bird and is used to recognize other individual downies.
We can help the Downy by simply allowing a few dead limbs to remain on trees. Even a stub of a limb only about twelve inches in length and the diameter of a tangerine can provide a home for a Downy. #downywoodpecker#bird#nature#highlightingnature#woodpecker
This pileated woodpecker was spotted outside the ACRES office this week! The pileated woodpecker is the largest...
This pileated woodpecker was spotted outside the ACRES office this week! The pileated woodpecker is the largest woodpecker species in North America, averaging around 16 to 19 inches in length and touting a wingspan of 26 to 30 inches.
Look for these birds in large, unbroken forests with plenty of dead trees or snags for nesting and foraging.
See more on our 
. Moxie has never laid more than 4 eggs since 2013 so it is likely that her clutch is now complete. Sending good thoughts her way for a successful hatching of all 4. Look for that to happen around April 22nd.
: Jim Figlar