It’s been a slow crawl into April at the Indiana Dunes Longshore Tower. So far, just one count has been logged—on April 3—and persistent north winds off the lake have kept things in a holding pattern since. The forecast doesn’t give us much hope of a shift anytime soon, but we’re watching closely.
Despite the quiet skies, the April 3 count wasn’t without highlights. The star of the show? Two Red-necked Grebes, found by Jeremiah Oden. These big-billed grebes with a blush of red on the neck are always a special find here, and they stood out nicely against a handful of Horned Grebes moving through that morning.
We also saw our first Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers of the season—seven in total—working their way north with that telltale undulating flight. It’s another early season marker that spring is trying to break through, even if the weather isn’t quite cooperating yet.
Otherwise, numbers were modest. Northern Flickers made a strong showing (149), and Tree Swallows (40) and Red-winged Blackbirds (740) kept things lively. A few raptors were on the wing, including a single Osprey, Peregrine Falcon, and a handful of harriers and Bald Eagles.
April has a reputation to uphold, and we know things can change overnight. For now, though, it’s mostly a waiting game. One shift in the wind, and we could be looking at a whole new sky.
Catch the full March recap here, and as always, your support helps keep the tower staffed and ready for those big days ahead. You can donate at indianaaudubon.org/donate. And don’t forget—Indiana Dunes Birding Festival is around the corner, and it’s one of the best times to experience the magic of migration firsthand. Join us this May at indunesbirdingfestival.com.
Cover photo: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker on April 3 by Michael Topp.
Tags: longshore flight survey research
