Fall Warblers Trump Lake Watch

It was too much to expect three straight Saturdays of strong northwest winds to propel rare birds our way, and indeed last Saturday proved to be a calm day with little bird movement. (Eighty common terns represented most of what flew by.) We are stuck under a stationary high pressure system that produces beautiful weather for everyone but wind surfers and lake watchers. And even the land birds have been hit or miss- they are around but in small numbers and require a lot effort to find. After an hour the plug was pulled and we headed to the migrant traps.

Birding Forsythe Park.

The first destination was Hammond’s Forsythe Park, nestled along one side of Wolf Lake. Jennifer’s first assessment of the park was: “What makes this place so special? It looks like any other park, with mowed grass and scattered trees.” Ken explained that for years they had the same impression and drove by without even bothering to stop. But one day Jeff McCoy took the trouble to mosey around and discovered it was an excellent area to bird.  On this day it wasn’t rocking, but did yield six species of warblers including Cape May, black-throated blue (an adult male and female), and Blackburnian.

Black-throated blue warbler at Forsythe Park on September 2007 photographed by John Cassady.

Next on the agenda was Hammond Bird Sanctuary (aka Hammond Bird Trap). Years ago chunks of cement were stored here to build a breakwater. Over time the spaces between the blocks filled with sand and vegetation took root. Ken considers this small area to be the best in northwest Indiana for observing migrant passerines. It is sandwiched between the lake and a huge parking lot that services the marina. Just this summer, a guard has been installed and it is necessary to provide identification before parking. To enter the sanctuary you need to go through a turnstile. (Adding to the mystique of the place, there are rumors that an ogre is occasionally encountered here.)

Birding Hammond Bird Sanctuary.

Two parallel paths- one on the lake edge and the other through the interior- divide the sanctuary roughly into thirds. Four of us took the lake edge path while the others melted into the foliage, to appear periodically as voices on Ken’s walkie talkie (“One imf [immature/ female] magnolia warbler.” “Copy that.”). Ken left us to go back to his vehicle to pick up his riders at the far end of the preserve. We cut inland and headed back at a slower pace. A few warblers caught our attention. Jennifer said she thought she spied a male Canada warbler, a bird marked by a dark necklace across a bright yellow breast. We shushed to no effect so Amar took out his fully loaded I-Pod, took a few seconds to locate the Canada warbler, and started playing. I saw the bird move, but never had a great view of it. Fortunately everyone else did, so we were able to proudly report via our walkie talkie that we had an adult male Canada warbler, the only one seen by anyone all day. The sanctuary yielded a total of ten warblers, the most common of which was Wilson’s with five individuals (My friend Ray Pershing calls the species, “Vilson’s Varbler,” in recognition of the yarmulke worn by the male.)

Wilson's warbler in May 2008 at Elkhart, IN photographed by John Cassady.

From Hammond we headed to Whiting Park. Separating the park from railroad tracks is “The Great Wall of Whiting” (said to be one of only two features of anthropogenic origin visible from the moon). At five feet eight inches I am evidently just tall enough to go through life without being made self conscious that I am indeed short. But then there is the Great Wall- my eyes are just about level with the top so that I am unable to see any of the birds lurking on the other side. Of the group, only Landon, two of the ladies, and I were so severely handicapped. This became an issue when Jeff found a Connecticut warbler in the brush between the wall and the tracks. It was a lifer for Landon- Andrea valiantly tried hoisting him high enough to peer over the obstacle but the glimpses were too short. I offered to try and did get him high enough long enough for him to see but the warbler had moved. Fortunately, farther along the wall, there is an electrical box that he could stand on that did allow views of the warbler. (There are a few places where the top level of the wall has been removed- Jennifer suggested it was the action of a frustrated birder.)

“Up against the wall, binoc bearers!" In recognition of Ramadan, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the need to preserve a joke, these people are identified as they stand from right to left: Amar "Calculus Is Your Friend" Ayaash; Landon "So Many Lifers, So Little Time" Neumann; Andrea "Sherpa Mom" Neumann; Jeff “If There Is A Rare Bird Nearby, I Will Find It” McCoy; Ken "Data Is My Middle Name" Brock; Jennifer " Have Mouse? Will Dissect" Schmidt; John “In The Unlikely Event A Bird Eludes Jeff, It Won’t Get By Me” Cassady; Susan “Botany and Birds” Bagby; and Michael “I Have Been To The Mountain” Topp.

Apart from all of John Cassady’s many other admirable qualities, his presence assures me that lunch will not be overlooked. We stopped at a gyros emporium, but afterwards the group shrunk as some members- including me- headed home. This was perhaps a mistake, though, as the best bird was seen at one of the last stops. It was a red-necked phalarope, a bird I have yet to see in Indiana. The moral of the story:  the day ain’t over until the phalarope spins.