Goose Pond

Hi everyone!  Another unseasonably mild Saturday this past weekend meant another outing – this time to Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area located in Linton, IN.  This area is over 9000 acres, with a mix of wetlands and prairie with 30 miles of levees that can be used to observe all sorts of wildlife.  And of course, bird watching is big here.

We started out at the Visitor’s Center to check in and get some advice on where to go.  The whole area is spread out and you must drive to the different sections.  There are numerous parking areas off the roads where you can access the levees and get closer to the wildlife.

We tried three or four different spots and saw some Sand Hill Cranes flying high in what must be their spring migration back up north.  Off at a distance from one of our stops we could see numerous birds flying around, so we drove to that spot where many other observers were situated viewing and photographing what can only be described as a swarm of Snow Geese!

We watched them fly around for about 20 minutes, where they moved over the marshy ground until they were over a large pond.  Occasionally, a few dozen would break off and fly away in formation.  Once over the pond the column of birds started to compress and within about 10 minutes, they all landed in the water.  That was quite a sight and the first time we ever saw Snow Geese, let alone that many birds flying around at once!

The nearby town of Linton will host a Sand Hill Crane festival on February 28^th and 29^th in what is called the Marsh Madness Festival.

After our birdwatching, we stopped off at the Civilian Brewing Corps brewpub in Spencer, IN.  Their Dunkel was excellent!