I checked Brookville Lake sites north of Fairfield Causeway this
morning from first light on.  A nice concentration of Sandhill Cranes
had over-nighted on the Dunlapsville mud flats.  Lots of Great Blue
Herons and Killdeer were there as well, along with Bonaparte's Gulls.
Duck concentrations on the lake have dropped off over the last three
days with the beginning of duck season underway (a few flocks of
decoys though).  I drove backroads up through northern Union Co.,
northeastern Fayette Co., and southern Wayne Co. on my way "home".  A
stop at Doc-O-Lake was productive.  Highlights:

Dunlapsville Causeway ramp and vicinity:

Great Blue Heron 56
Canada Goose 230
Hooded Merganser 14
Wild Turkey 13
Sandhill Crane 575
Killdeer 320
Dunlin 2
LEAST SANDPIPER 1
Bonaparte's Gull 300+


Open Lake off Hannah Creek Ramp, Sagamore Resort, Fairfield Causeway:

Common Loon 5
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Horned Grebe 2
Double-crested Cormorant 4
American Black Duck 27
Lesser Scaup 34
Bald Eagle 1 adult
American Coot 150
Bonaparte's Gull 300+


Doc-O-Lake (SW Wayne Co.):

Snow Goose 5 (3 white, 2 blue)
Canada Goose 180
Gadwall 26
American Wigeon 3
Northern Shoveler 5
Hooded Merganser 1


Backroads:

Red-tailed Hawk 7
American Kestrel 16
Red-winged Blackbird 3
BREWER'S BLACKBIRD 1 (female, plus 2 unidentified Rusty/Brewer's
types), Wayne Co.
Brown-headed Cowbird 1
(the blackbirds were mixed in with a starling flock feeding in a
harvested soy bean field)


Bill Buskirk
Biology Department
Earlham College
Richmond, IN 47374