March 2007

Calendar

> Bird Hike, EcoLab
3/31/2007, 8 a.m.
St. Francis Colonnade

> Volunteer Conservation Work Day
3/31/2007, 9 a.m.
St. Francis Colonnade

> Bird Hike, EcoLab
4/7/2007, 8 a.m.
St. Francis Colonnade

> Bird Hike, EcoLab (cancelled)
4/14/2007, 8 a.m.
St. Francis Colonnade

> Bird Hike, EcoLab
4/21/2007, 8 p.m.
St. Francis Colonnade

> Volunteer Conservation Work Day
4/21/2007, 9 a.m.
St. Francis Colonnade

View the monthly EcoLab calendar

Visiting Schools

Pike High School
50 students
Class - Native/ Non-Native Species
Service Project: planting

Sycamore School
Pond Study

Bird Sightings

Great Horned Owl
March 10, 2007

American Woodcock
March 10, 2007

Under Construction

The beaver are working hard trying to flood the Rustic Trail in the EcoLab by building up a small dam just east of the interpretive sign along that trail.

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:: Note from the Director
I love the outdoors as I know you do, too. Nothing removes me from the reality of work and pressure like seeing and hearing the neotropical migrants heading north to breed, discovering the first spring ephemeral wildflowers poking their heads through the duff, glimpsing a fox trotting off up a trail, or enjoying the surprise chorus of frogs following a midday rain.

It's important to remember that these experiences have a cost—and I don't mean the cost of binoculars or flower guides. Maintaining and restoring native habitat is costly. Not just in terms of money, but also volunteer time and talent. So, at the EcoLab we focus on service for two reasons. First, because continued vigilance against exotics and diligence promoting native plants is essential to maintain and enhance biodiversity in the area. And, second to instill in young and old alike that “restoration” or “conservation” does not end when the plant is in the ground, but is on-going and requires a sustained investment in time, talent, and money.

Thanks to all who have made and continue to make that investment in the EcoLab. And keep this in mind as you visit other natural areas, whether managed by the National Park Service, the state, city, or privately. Please enjoy! But remember, your enjoyment of these areas comes at a cost.

Dr. David Benson, Marian College EcoLab director

:: Natural History
Several scientific studies have found that the invasion of non-native honeysuckle reduces both the coverage and diversity of native vegetation underneath. In fact one of the fun activities we sometimes do with K-12 groups on field trips is to do a vegetation quadrat sample in a location where there isn't any honeysuckle and then do the same in an area where honeysuckle is dominant. It's a great “ah hah!” moment for students to see that where there isn't honeysuckle, most of the ground is covered with native vegetation and a single square meter may contain 10-15 easily discernable species. But, where honeysuckle dominates, the ground is bare! There is nothing there except perhaps a few garlic mustard plants, another invasive non-native species. Read the complete story.

:: Environmental Education
Now is the time to start planning Spring and Fall field trips to the EcoLab. We have thousands of plants on order for service projects and the weather is beginning to improve. So, check out our web site for information about field trips and to sign-up online at http://wetland.marian.edu.

:: Volunteer News
Ecological Restoration

Because we had such a great turn-out at the Volunteer Conservation Work Day in the EcoLab March 17, we are going to do another on March 31! Last Saturday, about 15 hearty volunteers helped Dave Bauman, the EcoLab restoration ecologist, clear honeysuckle from a 1/2 - 3/4 acre swath at the north end of the EcoLab. “We are already starting to see the effects of honeysuckle that was cleared by volunteers in January,” Bauman noted. “Waterleaf and mayapple are poking out and I wouldn't be surprised to see Jack-in-the-pulpit released.” At the March 31 volunteer day, volunteers will help plant a large order of wildflowers. Meet at the St. Francis Colonnade at 9 a.m. and bring clothes and boots that can get a bit dirty.

Friends of Riverdale

The Friends also are looking for volunteers to help with spring planting and maintenance of the gardens as they are restored. For more information, contact Deb Lawrence at 317.955.6208 or dlawrence@marian.edu

Citizen Science

Twenty-five participants joined us for a beautiful evening “owl prowl” led by James Cole, coordinator of the Indiana Important Bird Areas program, on Saturday, March 10. What made it particularly great was that the owls participated as well! A male and female adult Great Horned Owl both called and sat within view. Early in the walk, Angie Cole discovered the new nest site of the pair just southeast of the football practice field. Another great sighting was the displaying American Woodcocks. American Woodcocks nest in the wet woods of the EcoLab and typically perform their mating display flights over open fields. The display consists of males uttering several buzzy, nasal “peent” calls then flying high into the air and returning to the ground in a spiraling, fluttering flight. The best viewing spot is along the gravel trail just north of the softball field in the EcoLab. Drop by at dusk and follow the “peent” calls to observe the display yourself.

Weekly bird surveys/hikes are conducted on Thursdays and Saturdays at 8 a.m., (Note: April 14 bird walk cancelled) or you can contact James Cole at jcole@audubon.org, Indiana’s Important Bird Areas coordinator, for more information.

:: News from our Partners
Life Science Education Center at Marian College

For more information about LSEC, check out our web site at www.lifescienceed.org.

Amos W. Butler Audubon Society

Field Trip: Kankakee Sands Project and Willow Slough FWA (Newton County), Saturday, April 14, 6:30 a.m. We'll visit these two great birding locales to look for early spring migrants—raptors, sparrows, early shorebirds, and lingering waterfowl. Smith’s Longspur and American Golden-Plover are two of our target species. Those wishing to carpool can meet at 6:30 a.m. (EST) at the large truck stop/restaurant on the western intersection of I-65 and SR 334 (Boone County), or meet us near the first stop of our itinerary, the Kankakee Sands headquarters, at 8:30 a.m. (EST). For more information or to RSVP, contact James Cole at jcole@audubon.org.

Indiana Important Bird Areas program

The Indiana Important Bird Areas (IBA) Program was initiated in 1998 through the commitment and comprehensive efforts of a volunteer coordinator and the establishment of the Indiana IBA technical committee. The committee is composed of the state's leading ornithologists, ecologists, and conservationists who represent various natural heritage, wildlife management and conservation, and academic and research institutions throughout Indiana. In January of 2005, Audubon furthered its dedication to bird conservation in the state by hiring its first full-time IBA coordinator for Indiana.

The Indiana IBA Program, through the nomination and review process involving the Indiana IBA Technical Committee, is now working to create an inventory of the key locations within the state that contain reservoirs of bird abundance and diversity, identifying such land as Important Bird Areas. In September of 2005, the first state IBAs were identified—13 in all. The IBA technical committee reconvened during April 2006 and completed evaluations for the second-round of nominations, which include an additional 13 sites. With these combined 26 Important Bird Areas, over 400,000 acres of habitat in the state have been identified as crucial for the conservation of bird populations. The Indiana IBA technical committee hopes to reconvene during the spring of 2007 to evaluate an additional 15 nominations.

Because the Indiana IBA Program is a voluntary initiative, its ultimate success will be dependent on public awareness and volunteer engagement. One of the primary strengths of the IBA program is increased advocacy and awareness for the protection of birds and their habitat through citizen science, citizen stewardship, and public engagement. As the initiative develops and more sites are identified and recognized around the state as Important Bird Areas, Hoosier bird-watchers will have available many opportunities to contribute to this conservation effort. Such future opportunities include submitting additional site nominations; organizing and conducting IBA bird surveys and field trips; and/or adopting IBAs. IBA adoption may include taking responsibility for monitoring birds at the site, assessing threats, evaluating habitat condition, getting involved in habitat restoration projects; assisting with the development of conservation plans or easements; developing and conducting IBA presentations for potential partners, or otherwise advocating on behalf of the IBA and the birds that are found there. The Marian College EcoLab restoration in Indianapolis has been selected by Audubon as an IBA test-site to effectively model such outreach and stewardship initiatives. A description of the site and a calendar of activities can be found at http://wetland.marian.edu.