This morning I drove over to Chinook Mine in Vigo County to try to spot Common Moorhens, Sedge Wrens, and American Bitterns that had been reported there. I struck out on the bittern, but quickly found COMMON MOORHEN (Indiana state bird number 215, year bird number 197) in the form of an adult and fluffy chick which were difficult to see as they stayed mainly in the cattails. After leaving the moorhens, I slowly drove the dirt roads on the mine property and heard, and then saw, a SEDGE WREN (Indiana state bird number 216, year bird number 198) in the tall grass at the side of the road.
From there, I drove down to Goose Pond in Greene County and found a pair of BLACK-NECKED STILT (Indiana state bird number 217, year bird number 199). The small body of water at which they may be nesting is not visible from the road, and I wouldn't have seen them, except that they were harrassing a Great Blue Heron which was flying by.
Posted by Birdingdave at July 18, 2004 06:48 PMseem to be racking them up for Indiana
Posted by: alan at July 20, 2004 07:48 AM