Voice of the People

I share Malcolm Anderson’s concern about the loss of sightings of many of our birds. I wish I had known he was interested in our migrating birds. I have had a huge flock of up to 2000 robins roost each night from sun set to sun up. It is such pleasure to see them come diving into the pine trees.

About bluebirds there is quite a few around but not seen much. I have several houses up but only had one house of three fledges. Some houses had young hatch but the extreme heat and rain caused them to die. The most interesting thing is that they will make a small nest in a clean house late in the fall and for the past three years on President’s Day they have come to the houses near our house to inspect and spend most of the day. This past President’s Day was cold and snowing but I had five come. I could hardly believe it. Many of our birds are in declining numbers. There are some Bobolinks in the restored prairies like the Kankakee Sands by Morocco, Indiana or even possibility at Tall Trees Arboretum, south of Sherwood Forest Subdivision.

What I miss most near here is the Red Red Headed Wood Pecker and the Flickers. I also miss the Marsh Hawk and I have not seen a Loggerhead Shrike for nearly fifty years. I hear there are some at Potato Creek State Park, Malcolm our only hope is our grand and great grandchildren, my three year old great grandchild knows robins and black birds and we are working on others and he loves helping take care of this GG mothere’s twelve canaries.

Keith Lakin

Chesterton

Posted 11/27/2006