Issue 3, August 2020

Stockbridge
Audubon
www.stockbridgeaudubon.org
Representing Northeast Indiana P.O. Box 13131, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46867

President’s Words Then

By Cynthia Powers
Backyard birding certainly came into its own this
spring as the coronavirus made us cancel our
carefully planned spring field trips. How
disappointing! Would we really have to miss the
migrating warblers? No! Some came through our
own back yards! Many people put out grape jelly
and orange halves to attract orioles, posting
photos on Facebook sites such as Birding in
Indiana.
Recently our field trip committee met, outdoors
and wearing masks, to decide what to do about
fall field trips. All agreed that the virus is still
here, so our usual carpooling is out. But they
came up with a creative way for YOU to
participate. See Ed’s report on a later page.
This spring did bring a couple of nearby rarities,
shared by gracious homeowners. In April, a Lark
Bunting stayed at an Amish farm near Topeka.
in May, a Western Tanager came to a very bird-
friendly back yard in Corunna. Both species
really belong out west, but isn’t it fun when they
don’t read the bird book?
Note: Fort Wayne Parks opens Camp Scott for
birding only four times a year. Led by Angie
Quinn, these take place on Sunday mornings at 9
a.m. at 3615 Oxford Street, in southeast Fort
Wayne. The next dates are Sept. 20 and Dec. 20.
Information at angie@fwtrails.org.
Stay well, and keep birding.
MEMBERSHIP MATTERS: Have you been
getting your Audubon Magazine? National
Audubon has experienced much confusion with
their membership lists. They are working hard to
resolve the problems, having changed providers.
If you give them $20/year you are considered a
“contributing member.” If you choose to donate
monthly, you are a “sustaining member.” For
some reason, they won’t put expiration dates on
the mailing label, so it’s best to keep track of
when you donate! And if you aren’t receiving
your magazine, politely complain at
customerservice@audubon.org or call them at

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844-428-3826. We do encourage you to join NAS
as they support our chapter with “baseline
funding.”

Stockbridge Audubon is now on Instagram!

Follow us at @stockbridgeaudubon (and don't
forget to DM us with any Northeast Indiana
bird photos you have taken, and you could be
featured).

Remembering Roger McNett, Baltimore Oriole

Longtime Board Member
By Cynthia Powers

Roger McNett, age 78, died May 26, 2020 after a

car accident on I-69. He had served on the
Stockbridge board from 2004-2014. In the fall of
2004, he set up our very first website, saving us
from the embarrassment of being the only Indiana
chapter that didn’t have one.

Roger’s main career was as a special ed teacher at

New Haven High School. He is survived by his
wife Rachel and their two daughters, Bonnie and
Sherry, and five grandchildren. Red-headed Woodpecker

Unlike most of us Roger had a bird as a family

member: he was very fond of his small green
parrot named Norman. From their home on the
13th floor of Three Rivers apartments, they could
watch eagles flying up and down the Maumee
River, and even had enticed hummingbirds to the
feeder on their balcony.
www.stockbridgeaudubon.org was ably managed
after 2014 by Alexandra Forsythe, and currently
by
Phil Wixom. Thank you, Roger, for getting it
started, and we will miss your kindness and sense
of humor.

Spring 2020 Fox Island Photo

Gallery Pileated Woodpecker
By Randy Lehman

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“Lucy” the leucistic Northern Cardinal Northern Cardinal, female

Northern Cardinal, male Hooded Warbler

Fiery Skipper courtesy of Julie Henricks (You

didn’t think there’d be only photos of birds here,
did you?!)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak, female

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Stockbridge Member Profile:
Howard Michaud
By Terri Gorney
Howard Michaud was a 20th century
conservationist in Indiana. After his death
in 1998, at age 95, the Environmental
Education Association of Indiana (EEAI)
named an award in his honor. It is given to
an individual in recognition of
contributions to environmental education
in the state. Two Stockbridge members
have won this award: Fred Wooley and
Paul McAfee.
Howard, a native of Berne, was the first
chief interpreter for Indiana State Parks.
He was just 29 years old and it was a
summer position. In the early days of the
parks, interpreters worked only from
Memorial Day to Labor Day.
By profession he was a biology teacher at
Central High School, then North Side High
School in Fort Wayne. In 1946, he became
a professor of conservation and forestry at
Purdue University and made West
Lafayette his home. He had a long and
distinguished career here. He co-authored,
“Wildlife Conservation in Indiana” in his
first year there.
In the 1930s, he served on both the Indiana
Audubon Society board and the
Stockbridge Audubon Society board where
he helped with the annual Christmas Bird
Count in Allen County. The 1938 CBC
was held on Christmas Eve at Lake Everett
and along the Eel River. Howard was the
compiler.
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In 1991, he was awarded the Sagamore of
the Wabash. He was presented the
Theodore Roosevelt Award by the
National Environmental Education
Association at a ceremony in Washington
D.C. These are just two of his numerous
accolades.
Profile of a Stockbridge Founder:
Albert Ringwalt
By Terri Gorney
One name in Stockbridge’s history that has
all but been forgotten is Albert Ringwalt.
He was active member of Stockbridge
Audubon Society for a number of years.
Albert, like Charles Stockbridge, was an
Allen County native. His family settled in
Springfield Township about 1836. He was
born on the family farm December 1 1861.
By profession, he was a school teacher. He
lived at 1231 Nuttman Ave, just off of
Broadway. One of his favorite places to
bird was Foster Park which was created in
1912. Both Albert and Charles led field
trips at Foster Park. Albert worked with
the City of Fort Wayne on Stockbridge’s
behalf to make sure that Foster Park would
remain a friendly place to our native birds.
Albert helped with the May Counts and the
Christmas Bird Counts. He gave lectures
on the birds, such as “The Economic Value
of Birds.” He was a longtime board
member and served in a number of
positions. He was active until his death in
May 1943. He is buried at Lindenwood
Cemetery.
 or emailed version. If you don’t wish to
If you recently joined National Audubon continue receiving this newsletter, don’t
Society, you’re receiving this do anything and no further issues will
complimentary newsletter because you be sent to you.
are automatically granted membership
in the local Stockbridge chapter when
you join National. If you would like to Coffee lovers, don’t forget to visit
continue receiving the letter, which is www.woodwarblercoffee.com for all of
produced four times a year, please call your shade-grown coffee needs! Use the
Ed Powers at 260-638-4291 or email him Stockbridge tab when ordering, to benefit
at zzedpowers@aol.com and let him our chapter.
know whether you would prefer a paper
STOCKBRIDGE AUDUBON SOCIETY 2020 FALL BIRDING SUGGESTIONS
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Stockbridge Audubon Society will not have organized field trips this fall.
Below are suggestions for self-guided bird trips that you may make on your own.
August 23-29: Eagle Marsh. Start at the BSA Scout parking lot at the end of Olde Canal Place (opposite the
Lutheran Hospital campus on West Lafayette Blvd). Trails are flat, but may be muddy. Shorebirds, herons,
swallows, songbirds.
August 30-September 5: Franke Park, 3411 Sherman Blvd. Park at the BMX track, and bird the nearby
woods. Bird the woods on the north side of the pond. Somewhat hilly trails. Migrant songbirds.
September 6-12: Salamonie Lake, Wabash and Huntington Counties. Many places to explore. Start with
Salamonie River State Forest. Check out the several boat launch sites. Stop at the Lost Bridge West Interpretive
Center, if it’s open. Hawks, songbirds.
September 13-19: Fox Island County Park, 7324 Yohne Road. Entrance fee of $2 is payable at the gate. Pick
up a trail map at the Nature Center. Woodpeckers, woodland songbirds including migrant warblers.
September 20-26: Chain o’ Lakes State Park, Noble County. Entry fee charged, or get an annual pass. Trail
map available at the gate. Mostly flat trails. Hawks, woodpeckers, migrant songbirds.
September 27-October 3: ACRES Bicentennial Woods, Payton County Park, ACRES Tom & Jane Dustin
Preserve. All three can be birded in a day. Payton is flat, the others somewhat hilly. Migrant songbirds.
October 11: BIG SIT at Fox Island, exact location to be determined. We’ll count all the birds we can see from
a stationary position. Social distancing will be observed; bring snacks for yourself. Hawks, songbirds.
October 11-17: Eagle Marsh. Start at the BSA Scout parking lot as above, or the parking lot off Engle Road.
Migrating waterfowl, shorebirds, herons.
October 18-24: Pigeon River FWA, Steuben County. Mostly driving. Hawks, woodpeckers, songbirds,
Sandhill Cranes, maybe owls.
October 25-31: Tri-County FWA and Pisgah FWA. Tri-County is mostly driving from pond-to-pond; Pisgah
has a long boardwalk. Waterfowl, woodpeckers, songbirds.
November 1-7: Pokagon State Park. Entry fee charged. Get a trail map at the gate. Woodpeckers, songbirds.

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 November 8-14: Limberlost Swamp, Adams & Jay Counties. Some walking on flat trails. Waterfowl, hawks;
if you stay until dusk, you’ll probably see Short-eared Owls.
November 15-21: Jasper-Pulaski FWA, Jasper & Pulaski Counties. If you leave northeast Indiana soon after
lunch, you’ll get to J-P in time to witness Indiana’s great wildlife spectacle: thousands of Sandhill Cranes
gathering in preparation for migrating south.
Maps. Some are available on site; for on-line sources:
Eagle Marsh: lrwp.org. Click Visit, Eagle Marsh, Trail Map.

Franke Park: fortwayneparks.org. Click Trails, Trail Maps, scroll down to Map of Franke Park Trails.
Fox Island, Payton: allencountyparks.org. Fly over Parks, click on name of park, scroll down, click on Click
here for trail map.
Salamonie Lake; Chain o’ Lakes and Pokagon SP: in.gov/dnr. Click Places To Go, State Parks & Lakes, Maps.
Pigeon River, Tri-County, Pisgah, and Jasper-Pulaski FWA: in.gov/dnr. Click Places To Go, Fish &Wildlife
Areas, scroll down; under Properties, click Fish & Wildlife Areas, click on the property.
ACRES properties: acreslandtrust.org. Click on Find a Preserve, scroll down to the preserve, click on Preserve
Guide Download
Limberlost: limberlost.weebly.com. Fly over Resources, click on Maps.

Inside this issue: |Stockbridge Directors and Officers|

President’s Words Cynthia Powers, President 260-638-4291
Remembering Roger
McNett 6

Photo Gallery
Early Member Profiles
 Julie Henricks, V.P. & Newsletter Editor 260-638-4375
Terri Gorney, Secretary & Program Chair 260-490-6725
Eric Helfrich, Treasurer 260-693-3246
Margit Codispoti, Director 260-456-1996
Lorenzo Kleine, Director lorenzo.kleine@gmail.com
Greg Majewski, Director_________________gamajewski@gmail.com
Ed Powers, Membership 260-638-4291
Dave Reichlinger, Director 260-432-9431
Sandy Schacht, Director Emerita 260-356-3681
Stephanie Wagner, Director sewsings328@gmail.com
Phil Wixom, Webmaster a28n28@yahoo.com
Andrew Wolfe, Director jawwolfe@gmail.com

We welcome new members using the form below (or apply online). To speed your service and save us postage, mail renewals directly to National
Audubon, using the form that they provide. Any questions relating to membership? Ed Powers, Membership
Chair, will be glad to help!

Online new membership requests: https://action.audubon.org/donate/chapter-membership?chapter=H09

Or mail the following form:

National Audubon Society/Stockbridge Audubon Chapter Membership Application H09

I want to join Audubon! Enclosed is my check payable to the National Audubon Society.

Name YEARLY MEMBERSHIP:

Individual/$20 Family/$20
Address ________________________________

City/State/Zip________________________________

Mail to: National Audubon Society, 225 Varick St., New York, NY 10014