This year’s count day (May 14) was cool, even chilly, and wet or damp depending on one’s location. Half an inch of rain fell in the morning at the airport and in parts of the city. The afternoon’s west wind of 9 mph, combined with dampness and mid-50’s (F.) air temperature, created a distinct wind chill – at least for an observer on an elevated road at Duke Energy studying shorebirds. The Wabash flooded in April after heavy rains, leaving many flooded fields and closed roads, especially in southwest Vigo County. Birds were relatively quiet, especially warblers. However, conditions were better than the two previous years’ high winds. With 30 observers in 15 field parties plus 2 feeder-watchers, we had one of our best species counts: 167 species, trailing only the 2008 and 2006 counts (170 and 168 species, respectively).
This was Vigo’s 43rd recorded Big May Day count, the first being in 1966. It was our second spring count without Ruth R. Erickson, who passed away in January. Her memorial service was held a week before the count. Ruth participated in 24 counts, the current record, which will be matched in another year or two by Mary Beth Eberwein and Henry and Margaret Tamar. Ruth’s usual territory, with friends Lorna Fenio and Sylvia Vanatti, was the northeast part of the county. She especially enjoyed Forest Park on Otter Creek, where they once found a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron. Eleven of this year’s observers were first-timers: Elizabeth Art, David Bakken, Mike Gerringer, Andrew Hoffman, Elise Lima, Carissa Lovett, Andy Prothero, Alexander Sacopulos, Carol and Jeff Schaffer, Sierra Shepard. They bring to (only) 164 the number of different participants over all 43 years. Seventy-one people have done 3 or more years; consider yourself a member of the core group if you have done so.
We had our best ever warbler species tally (32) and second highest number of individuals (546). Outstanding rarities included Hooded (Hawthorn Park), Worm-eating and Pine Warbler (both near Riley), seen on only three to five previous counts; and Blue-winged and Orange-crowned, seen on only nine previous counts. It was good to have Cerulean Warbler for the first time since 2008. We had our highest ever counts of Blackpoll (24), American Redstart (56), and Common Yellowthroat (154).
Shorebirds cooperated, thanks mainly to two locations: the Duke Energy property (flooded fields east of the cooling ponds) and flooded land southwest of Prairieton, especially on Bowen Drive. We had 13 species and 340 individuals. None were unusual, but it was good to see Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitchers, and 111 Pectoral Sandpipers. An Upland Sandpiper was found at Universal near Shirkieville, and six American Woodcocks called and displayed before dawn at Chinook mine.
Ducks were also more diverse than usual. The nine species included Wood Duck, Gadwall, Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Redhead, Hooded Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, and Ruddy Duck. The Redhead, a lone female studied at length by Scott and Lima on a Duke Energy pond, was a new species (the 231st) for the Vigo Count. The four Red-breasted Mergansers found at Duke in the morning, one of which stayed for the afternoon, were only our third record of this species; but it is one of the relatively late-migrating ducks. Hooded Mergansers were scarce – only four were seen, though we suspect several pair nest at Wabashiki Fish & Wildlife Area, which Marty Jones explored thoroughly on kayak.
Other species rarely seen on this count were as follows. Alder Flycatcher (second record) was heard, seen, and recognized by Michael Brown. Two Sedge Wrens (second record) sang intensely at dawn at Chinook Mine, compensating for an absence of bitterns and Virginia Rail (Scott and Sullivan). A Little Blue Heron (third record) was spotted with Great Egrets off of Kennett Road (Brown and Eberwein). Two Common Moorhens (fifth record) revealed themselves at a marshy Duke Energy pond in the afternoon when one chased another into the open (Scott and Lima). Two Peregrine Falcons (fourth May record) were at the ISU Business/Education towers: shortly after our group lunch, Brown and Eberwein watched the male carry a bird carcass, land on a ledge and give it to the female, who then flew around with it. That would seem to indicate nesting, but no nest has yet been pinpointed by ISU observers. Last year a nest with 3 eggs was blown off a tower ledge on count day.
Additional interesting observations included 15 Cattle Egrets (two groups) in southwest Vigo … a Ring-billed Gull spotted by Joe Dickson after a patient watch from the railroad trestle by the Icon Plant on the Wabash River (gulls like to visit an outlet pipe there) … 5 Bald Eagles, evidence of our county’s nesting population of at least three pairs plus roving subadults … 9 Lark Sparrows, found by three parties, the majority (5) by Steve Kuntz near the Sullivan County line … 26 Henslow’s Sparrow, mostly at Chinook mine grassland … a record count of 15 Blue Grosbeaks, that steadily increasing species … 27 Northern Bobwhite, a species we can’t find on Christmas Counts and which has certainly declined, but at least is still around … goodly numbers of Dickcissels (99), though 40 shy of our previous high … 194 Cedar Waxwings, easily beating the previous high count (84).
Because the count was as late in May as the second Saturday can be, we almost missed certain usually dependable species whose migration peaks in late April. Congrats to those who found Wilson’s Snipe, Hermit Thrush, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, White-throated Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, and Swamp Sparrow.
There were really no “big misses”. The closest would be Semipalmated Sandpiper, seen on 23 previous counts. We missed uncommon migrants such as Blue-headed Vireo and Lincoln’s Sparrow, and perhaps because of the late date, earlier migrants such as Northern Harrier, Brown Creeper, and Red-breasted Nuthatch; but all of these are detected by us irregularly, about once every three years.
The five most abundant species include no surprises: European Starling (953), American Robin, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, and Canada Goose (546). Our American Crow count of 287, incidentally, was about 49,000 fewer than on a normal Christmas Count. Our high count depended on having 15 excellent field parties who amassed 126 party-hours. Such effort gives us a good picture of the abundances and distribution of Vigo birds during the migration and early nesting season. All townships except Pierson (extreme southeast) were covered well.
There is nothing like a good photograph to preserve the memory of count day. Splendid ones were taken by Mike Gerringer, Marty Jones, and Jim Sullivan of the following species: Gerringer: Blackpoll, Blue Grosbeak, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, White-crowned Sparrow, American Goldfinch. Jones: Prothonotary Warbler, Wabashiki habitat. Sullivan: Pileated Woodpecker feeding nestlings at Dobbs park, Bell’s Vireo, Peregrine Falcon.
The observers and their areas, from northwest to southeast: Joe Dickson and John Haag, Fayette Township, from Duke Energy to the Illinois line. David, George and Laura Bakken, Otter Creek and Nevins Townships. Henry and Margaret Tamar, northern half of Sugar Creek Township (from West Terre Haute north). Steve and Elise Lima, southern half of Sugar Creek Twp (Darwin Road, Dresser Wildlife Area, Wabashiki FWA). Marty Jones, kayaking Wabashiki FWA from Dewey Point to I-70 and back. Jeff and Carol Schaffer, Lost Creek Twp, Heritage Trail and Hawthorn Park. Susie Dewey, Mike, Alexander, and Joy Sacopulos, Deming and Dobbs Park, Highland Cemetery, Lost Creek area. Carissa Lovett, Sierra Shepard, Andrew Hoffman, Jim Sullivan: Dobbs Park. Andrew Hoffman, Sierra Shepard, Jim Sullivan: various places in southwest Vigo and Chinook South, afternoon. Peter Scott and Jim Sullivan, Chinook mine south of I-70, Terre Haute warbler areas (ISU campus, Collett Park, Wabashiki along the Wabash River); Duke Energy in afternoon. Denise Sobieski and Bill Mitchell, Seelyville (Plumbers and Steamfitters property), Tabortown Road, Chinook Mine north of I-70. Denise Prothero, Andy Prothero, Elizabeth Art, Hulman Lakes, Hulman Airfield, Chinook Mine grassland at Fenway Rd, and areas south of Margaret Ave. to Riley. Mike Gerringer, Honey Creek Township, south of I-70 between US 41 and SR 46 (Riley Road), plus Fowler Park in northeast Linton Twp. Mary Beth Eberwein, Michael Ray Brown, Prairieton Twp and parts of Honey Creek-Linton-Prairie Creek; areas south of I-70, west of US 41 and east of Wabash River. Steve Kuntz, Linton and Prairie Creek townships, Yeager Rd north to French Rd, Battlerow east to US 41. Yard watchers, West Terre Haute: Jane Chestnut, Darlene Gemlich.
The birds: 167 species, 12,231 individuals; see attached table and photographs. Thanks to Dan Weber for help compiling. Results have been sent to Jay Bolden, compiler for the Indiana Audubon Quarterly, which publishes the lists from all reporting counties. Join the Indiana Audubon Society to receive this journal; the society’s webpage is easily found.