Critter Corner No. 6 – The Striped Skunk by George Sly
On a recent drive through Goose Pond FWA, I saw a sad but all too common sight along the highway. Lying at the side of the road was the lifeless body of one of GPFWA’s most interesting mammals – a striped skunk. After spending the harsh winter in a prolonged state of inactivity, these strikingly…
Read MoreCritter Corner No. 5 – Meadow Jumping Mouse by George Sly
In previous editions of Critter Corner I have dealt with Goose Pond FWA’s larger and more economically important mammals. Most of these (muskrat, mink, and beaver) are typical wetland mammals. However, we should recall that GPFWA contains habitats other than wetlands. Much of the property supports restored prairie and old-field habitats. The latter we may…
Read MoreCritter Corner No. 4 – The Beaver (Castor canadensis) by George Sly
Like the previously discussed muskrat and mink, the American beaver is another mammal most everyone associates with wetlands. Chances are, if you spend much time afield, you have seen evidence of the presence of beavers in the form of gnawed trees, dams, or lodges. Perhaps you have been lucky enough to see the architects of…
Read MoreCritter Corner No. 3 – White-tailed Deer by George Sly
In the first two installments of Critter Corner we looked at mammals quite typical of the wetland habitat which comprises much of the Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area. These were the muskrat and its arch nemesis the mink. This time let’s look at a mammal which, at first consideration, would seem far removed from…
Read MoreCritter Corner No. 2 – The Mink by George Sly
You may recall that, in our first edition of Critter Corner, we dealt with one of the Goose Pond wetland’s most characteristic mammals – the muskrat. It seems appropriate then to follow up with a mammal whose life is closely linked with that of the muskrat. The mink is a member of the weasel family…
Read MoreCritter Corner No. 1 – The Muskrat by George Sly
When most people think of Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area, they automatically picture birds. It is true; the restoration of the Goose Pond wetlands has resulted in the creation of some of the finest bird habitats in the eastern United States. The opportunity to see the evening influx of thousands of Sandhill Cranes during…
Read MoreReport on the 2010 Marsh Madness Sandhill Crane Festival By Lee Sterrenburg
The first annual Marsh Madness Sandhill Crane Festival at Goose Pond FWA on March 5-6 2010 went sensationally well considering the weather and the road conditions during the previous two to three weeks. The weeks prior to the Festival had seen rain, rain, and more rain. The roads had been in the worst shape ever…
Read MoreTHE 2009 GOOSE POND CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT: New Species Diversity High for INGP, Highest in Indiana for Third Straight Year by Lee Sterrenburg
The fourth annual Goose Pond Christmas Bird Count took place on December 16, 2009. We enjoyed another highly successful count. The temperature ranged between 13 and 30 degrees F with clear skies all day. Most of the shallow water was frozen and some of the deeper strip mine pits remained open. We had 43 observers…
Read MoreBIRD REPORT: THE FIFTH ANNUAL FRIENDS OF GOOSE POND MARSH MADNESS SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL, Saturday March 1, 2014 By Lee Sterrenburg
A fabulous and exciting day of birding for the Marsh Madness Crane Festival on Saturday March 1, 2014 at Goose Pond FWA, Greene County Indiana. We were very lucky on weather. On Saturday March 1, 2014 we enjoyed mild temperatures ranging from 36 F before sunrise to around 50 F in the afternoon. Some water…
Read MoreThe Amazing Bird Response the First Year the Goose Pond Birds of 2009 at Goose Pond FWA: Wetland Restoration Was Finished
Back when the Goose Pond wetland and grassland restoration project work began in 2001, could anyone ever have predicted the birds using the property in the year 2009? 2009 was a year to remember at Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area in Greene County Indiana. The restoration adage “build it and they will come” was…
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