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Western Grebe Visits Limberlost by Bill Hubbard

6/29/2017

 
The saga begins on Tuesday, June 27, 2017. After a day of caring for various chores around the house and yard, I decided to take a ​relaxing pontoon boat ride on our Lake of the Woods in Geneva, Indiana where I live.

It was around 7:30 pm and the sun was beginning to get that wonderful golden glow as the day was drawing to a close. I was about 75 yards offshore when I noticed a diving bird I first thought was a cormorant. However, I quickly realized it was not a cormorant because of blazing red eyes, and distinctive white lower face and neck. I hurried back to the house and picked up my camera (which is equipped with 150-600 zoom lens) hoping the bird would stay a while.

As I left the dock I saw the bird was indeed still in the middle of the Lake. I spent the next hour or so cruising the Lake trying to get my back to the sun so I could get some photos of the bird. The bird was very cooperative. It would die and then surface as much as 100 yards away. It was quite an adventure trying to find the bird when it surfaced and then get in position for more photos. It would spend some time on the surface preening and just swimming around. It never acted as though it would fly away.

Finally, at around 8:30, after taking 66 photos, I decided to go back home and leave the bird in peace. As I docked the boat and bid farewell the bird was still swimming and diving near the middle of the Lake.

I downloaded the photos to my computer and was thrilled to see there were many photos of good quality. I cropped a few for a better close-up view. I then enlisted the help of my wife Sherry to help in the identification process. Sherry soon tentatively identified the bird as a Western Grebe. We were a little puzzled since Eastern Indiana is well outside their normal range.

The next step was to send some photos to Terri Gorney, who is  afine birder, hoping to confirm the identification. Terri is also in charge of posting photos to Friends of the Limberlost facebook page (I was hoping one or two photos would be accepted for the facebook page). Terri confirmed the identification as a Western Grebe and posted two photos to facebook. The photos have drawn much interest and currently have over 32oo views.
​
This Western Grebe is only one of many "rare birds" sighted in the Limberlost in the last five years. Check out our facebook page for more information. Friends of the Limberlost-Home of Gene Stratton-Porter.

I am hoping you may be able to visit the Limberlost and perhaps have your own Rare Bird sighting.

Note: Bill Hubbard is a Wetlands Educator at Limberlost State Historic Site in Geneva, Indiana. 
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A Song in the Wilderness

6/25/2017

 
The Limberlost staff and the Friends of the Limberlost board were pleased to be able to sponsor the play A Song in the Wilderness written by Larry Gard. Larry produced this play in 1993 with an Indiana Humanities Council grant. He and his wife, Marcia Quick Gard, performed it around Indiana for five years. Marcia starred in the play as Gene Stratton-Porter.

It is a one woman show that explores the life of Gene Stratton-Porter. Larry did a great job researching Gene as he captured her in a one act play and brought Gene to life. The play is set in June of 1924. Gene is moving into her workshop on Catalina Island. She is looking back at her life. The play is mainly centered on growing up at Hopewell in Wabash County and her time spent at Limberlost in Geneva.

When Larry's wife Marcia died December 16 2016, the play did not fold. Kerrigan Sullivan stepped right into the role of Gene. Kerrigan gave an enjoyable performance.

We have a number of people to thank for the success of the play at the Fort Wayne-Allen County Public Library Theater on May 26. First Larry Gard the playwright and his late wife, Marcia, for whom the play was originally written. Actress Kerrigan sullivan who brought Gene to life in her performance. Director Jaqueline Jones and Stage and Sound Manager Alleigh Scantling could not have done a better job. Thank you to the library staff, especially security, for making sure everything ran smoothly. Thank you to Barbara Gorney for assisting Limberlost at the library. Thank you to Kevin Kilbane of the News-Sentinel for a nice article promoting the play.

The next day, Larry Kerrigan and Alleigh visited Limberlost for a cabin tour. We thank you for your visit and dedication to this production.

The script is for sale in the Friends of the Limberlost Gift Shop in Geneva.
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    The volunteers and staff of Limberlost

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