After a long time of procrastinating, I’ve finally decided to update this thing. This one’s about an overnight trip to southern Indiana to a place absolutely full of rarities (3 possibly 4 rare ones). The place is called Goose Pond, and the rare birds we saw were: Fulvous Whistling-duck (6/15), Black-bellied Whistling-duck (6/15), Roseate Spoonbill (6/15 and 6/16), and a potential Mottled Duck (6/16). When we first got there, we spent a while scanning a group of egrets in Main Pool West for a Roseate Spoonbill called “pinkie”. Eventually, after a failed search for the potential Mottled Duck (we did see Bobwhites and Orchard Orioles that had fledgelings that barely had tails), we came back and there it was, in all of its faded pink glory. The next day, it was there again, and I got some photos this time. The spoonbill was a year bird, and I hadn’t seen it since I was in first grade.
A wandering Roseate Spoonbill from southern Indiana known as "pinkie." One of the multiple rarities at Goose Pond at the time, but probably the most coorperative.
After seeing the spoonbill, we spent some time looking for ducks elsewhere, and we eventually went to a place where my brother and dad saw a Bell’s Vireo last year when they went to find a Black-bellied Whistling Duck while I was at my cousin’s Bar Mitzvah. They found it, but we all got another one this year near St. Louis.
Right before the bridge (where GP 9, 10, 11, and 13 intersect), we heard then saw a Blue Grosbeak. On the other side, we saw a mink crossing the road, then when we got out of the car to search for a Vrieo, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo that flew out of an area of ripirian habitat made of one tree on each side of a small stream. Then another one did. They fought, perched in a small tree for a moment, then flew off. Soon enough, one came back and landed on a bare shrub in the open (you don’t see a cuckoo doing that every day), then eventually flew off. Soon enough, we saw an American Bittern fly over as it was mobbed by a Red-winged Blackbird. Then, we saw a cuckoo fly into some shrubs *below* eye level in a ditch. We then saw it and the other cuckoo fly out of the shrubs and into a tree. Also there, we saw a Willow Flycatcher, and another bittern, then moved on.
At Goose pond, this guy and one other Yellow-billed Cuckoo were flying around between a couple trees and shrubs in an otherwise open area.
After that, we drove up the road for a bit, and we saw two ducks flying overhead. We saw long legs, and yelled to each other that they were whistling-ducks. after seeing them better, we saw the lack of bold wing stripe and overall buffy color that proved they were Fulvous Whistling Ducks, the first and only positive lifers for the trip. We first saw them in GP 11, but they then went east over GP 12 and then to the tree line. After driving down the road and turning around to go back, we saw two more whistling-ducks. This group had one Fulvous and one Black-bellied (third rarity) in it, and it flew from GP 11, east to GP 12, south to GP 13, and finally apparently landing in a group of trees on the edge of some water in GP 9. After that, we drove along a gravel road, and guess what, two more whistling ducks. One was probably a Fulvous, and the other we had no idea about. We first saw them in GP 9, and then they flew east to the tree line. We suspect that they were all heading somewhere to roost for the night, as it was after 7:00 PM Eastern time there.
After that, we headed to a nearby forest preserve, where we heard Whip-poor-wills and a Chuck-will’s-widows.
The next day, we were able to find the potential Mottled Duck. South of Main Pool West in GP 6A, we hikes along the dike, and on the side that had more water, we saw it. It had a pale head and very yellow bill, and was overall quite dark in color. When it flew, there wasn’t much white on the speculum. We did not relocate it later. What it was will be decided by people more knowledgeable on the species who saw the same bird. It is either a Mottled Duck or a hybrid…
After That, we left Goose Pond and went to Cane Ridge, which has nesting Least Terns. When we reached the lot, I had already seen one. The place has two nesting islands and a bunch of wetlands for the Least Terns to fish in. There were tons of Least Terns, one Black Tern, and some Black-necked Stilts. Soon enough, an Osprey flew over and we decided to chase after it to get pictures. On the way, we flushed a Barred Owl, and didn’t see the Osprey again. Not long after, The Opsrey flew right over our heads, but was being mobbed by some Black-necked Stlits, so was moving quickly and didn’t allow photos. I did get some Least Tern and Black-necked Stilt photos, though.
A Black-necked Stilt flying back the the marshes at Cane Ridge after chasing off an Osprey.
One of many flying around and catching fish at Cane Ridge.
And, finally, after that, we headed home from our overnight trip… That is, after we stopped at Kankakee Sands and saw a Northern Mockingbird, Henslow’s Sparrow, tons of Dickcissels, and a Grasshopper Sparrow in the middle of the road at dusk.
Overall, tons of great birds, one being a lifer. Now, let’s hope I get Kirtland’s Warbler soon!
