Last week, I wrote about the relaxing satisfaction I get from watching the birds flocking to my feeders. There are also moments of excitement to be had, like the one I had over the weekend when a starling crashed into the front window while I was sipping coffee and watching the morning feeding frenzy. Nothing like seeing a frantic bird flying directly at you to make you feel a little like Tippi Hendren in a phone booth. The bird is fine (I presume) — he/she landed on the grass and unscrambled its little brain and flew off.
Not everyone is lucky enough to have a big tree in the front yard to watch the critters. But even if you live in an apartment, you can enjoy the birds. One of the best finds I’ve made at Indy Parks is Holliday Park, which has a bird viewing area in the community center. Feeding stations are set up outside, and observers can bring their binoculars and stay warm inside while they observe a variety of birds. You’ll be able to meet people who are also interested in birds, and they have a very helpful staff. The Audubon Society holds public programs at the park once a month. Holliday Park is located at 6363 Spring Mill Road. Call 327-7180 for more information about the center at the park and its wildlife programs.
Eagle Creek Park at 5901 Delong Rd. on the far northwest side of Indianapolis has a superb ornithology program for kids and adults. They have educational birds in captivity, plus a viewing area for wild birds. They have raptors you can meet, plus an incredibly knowledgeable staff for beginning birders. If you are interested in beginning birding, or would like to introduce your children to feathered friends, call the Ornithology Center at 327-BIRD for program information.
Harrison State Park is also a fantastic place to see birds in the wild. The park, located in Lawrence, has great trails and many opportunities to see tree birds as well as water birds on the grounds. They offer bird walks as well, so if you are a beginner, this would be a good place to start. In fact, there’s a Beginner’s Bird Hike each Sunday at 8 a.m., plus other kinds of wildlife hikes throughout the month. Bring binoculars. The park is located at 5753 Glenn Rd. in Lawrence.
For folks who’d like to watch birds but are unable to get out much, you’d be surprised how many live bird Web cams are on the Internet! For close-ups on eagles, hummingbirds, and more, visit www.ustream.tv and check out the animal section.
Explore.org has many live Web cams, including those for owls, puffins, terns, and penguins (as well as many other animals). Explore just recently added an osprey camera in Maine that I’ve become addicted to — ospreys are birds of prey that feed on fish. I’ll caution you though, there is sound on that camera — I got a powerful startlement when my computer suddenly started screeching!
An Indiana-based Web site, sportsmansparadiseonline.com has great sites hooking you up to hawks, eagles, and more online.