Rare bird seen at Goose Pond FWA

Birding Day at Goose Pond is July 11

The annual free community birding day at Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area known as “Coming Home to Roost,” presented by The Friends of Goose Pond group, will be held July 11, at 6:30 p.m., at Pleasant Grove Farm.

Goose Pond is rapidly becoming known as prime territory for bird watching. A confirmed sighting of a Roseate Spoonbill occurred on June 2, making the FWA the first location in the state to have such a sighting.

The bird with pink plumage and a spoon-shaped bill has reportedly been spotted on occasion in Indiana since the 1850s; however, the June 2 sighting is the only confirmed sighting ever in Indiana. A confirmed sighting is defined as a sighting that is accompanied by verifiable photographs and other reviewable documentation. The reported sightings in the late 1800s are in the form of vaguely worded written records with no accompanying documentation.

Bird watchers from all across Indiana and a few from Illinois traveled to Goose Pond to get their view of the unique bird, according to property manager Brad Feaster.

The recent Greene County Big May Day Bird Count tallied 174 species at the property. Last year those same results placed Greene tied with Porter and Lake counties for most species recorded. During the Henslow's sparrow survey on June 13, 192 of the globally threatened birds were documented on the property.
A recent sighting of a Fulvous Whistling-Duck, if accepted by the Indiana Bird Records Committee, would be the first recorded in the state since 2002.

Coming Home to Roost is limited to 25 people. An introductory talk with ice cream and cobbler will start the evening. Call the Goose Pond property office, (812) 659-9901, to reserve a space.