Web Sites for Indiana Birders

Well-connected Hoosier birders may want to bird from the warmth of their homes during the worst of winter's chill. Some of the following Web sites should provide a few hours of enjoyment, so cuddle up to your PC and check 'em out:

http://www.indianaaudubon.org/ takes you to Indiana Audubon's site where you'll find a delightful section titled "Indiana Online Birding Guide" that offers, among other things recent unusual Indiana bird sightings.

http://wesselmannaturesociety.org/society/index.php takes you to the webpage for Wesselman Woods Nature Society. Founded in 1973 for the purpose of protecting the nearly 200 acre tract in Evansville, Indiana now known as Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve. Today, the Society is responsible for the management and daily operations of Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve, as well as the west side property the Howell Wetlands, and the newest venture, Canoe Evansville.

http://spancol.tripod.com/ is the Web address for Steve Pancol, a topnotch Indiana birder who has spent uncounted hours developing birding auto tours through many parts of Indiana. The site is frequently slow to load, but when you print out directions for a given tour, you'll have great details to guide you through.

www.wbu.com/chipperwoods, Web site for the Chipper Woods Bird Observatory in Indianapolis, includes Indiana checklists for birds as well as other fauna and flora. The photo gallery is worth checking as are the details about their banding efforts. Good links, too.

http://www.williamzimmerman.com/ takes you to Indiana wildlife artist and birder William Zimmerman's site. While the site does promote his work, he includes his favorite links and a special connection to "Local Hoosier Bird Hikes."

http://www.indianabluebirdsociety.org/ is a new Web site for the Indiana Bluebird Society. The site includes good photos, research summaries, and links to many related sites.

http://www.soarinhawk.org/ gives details about the Soarin' Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation program based in ort Wayne. The site also supports a falcon photo cam.

Some additional links less specific to Indiana but great for general knowledge and information will help you hone your birding skills in preparation for spring.

www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/tools/duckdist/duckdist.htm takes you to the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center site where you can learn to identify ducks at a distance. It's their waterfowl identification guide.

www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/othrdata/migratio/migratio.htm is another section of the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center site that tells you everything you could ever want to know about migration.