Get to Know the Greenfield Birders
By Julie Patterson
Assistant Director, Greenfield Parks & Recreation
ABAS is providing ongoing funding for the taxidermy efforts of Greenwood Parks, including the woodpecker mount below by Rachel Brent.
It is glorious to be a bird watcher in Greenfield, Indiana. There are 445 acres of parks in Greenfield counting the paved trails that connect them. From the months of April through October, the Greenfield Birders take advantage of these parks in search of all types of birds, common to exotic. There are 14 organized bird walks on the calendar for 2024. Bird walks take place in Brandywine and Beckenholdt parks, as well as one of the most popular places to seek out these festive feathered creatures, Thornwood Nature Preserve.
“This preserve was fairly new to the parks system when I got into birding in 2015”, says birder Adam Wilson. “By 2016 I decided that I really wanted to focus on birding-by-ear, so I began to spend three to five days a week walking the trails at Thornwood that spring, listening for things I didn’t recognize and tracking them down for confirmation. In 2016 I was able to get Thornwood Nature Preserve added as a birding ‘hotspot’ on eBird. It has a wonderful number of nesting species as well as a migrant stop during both spring and fall months. I could go on and on about the joy this place has brought me and, I’m sure, will continue to.”
Greenfield Parks and Recreation is proud of our newest park! Located on Morristown Pike on the south side of town, Thornwood Nature Preserve is a 40-acre woodland, donated by Herb and Judy Brown for the enjoyment of all! Thornwood Nature Preserve officially opened to the public in 2016 and currently features a variety of family nature programing. All this nature programming is free to the public. In the coming months you may sign up for a spring hike, a snake program, or to learn about Indiana butterflies, lightening bugs, and more. Whether you love nature, bird watching, hiking, or camping, this preserve has a lot to offer. Thornwood features seven trails ranging in difficulty from moderate to rugged. Joe Whitfield is a naturalist and master gardener for the Greenfield Parks and Recreation Department and spent two years helping to lay out the trails at the preserve. “We were able to lay out the trails without cutting a single live tree, which was great from our standpoint. To create the trails, we followed old farm roads and cattle paths.” While visiting Thornwood Preserve you will also notice a campground, a diversity of habitats, wildlife, birds, native flora and fauna, thirteen blue learning posts, three creeks (including Little Brandywine Creek), and a suspension bridge. The thirteen
learning posts represent spots within the preserve that are of educational value.
We asked birder Adam Wilson: what is the most unusual, unique, or favorite bird you have spotted in Thornwood, and why? He responded that it was “the Eastern Screech-Owl. December 16th, 2018 – My wife Sara and I were taking a final walk at Thornwood with a couple other Greenfield birders to wrap-up our 2018/2019 Christmas Bird Count. We had been keeping an eye on a few tree-cavities that looked promising for owls over the last couple years. As we neared the campground while exiting the preserve, I looked up at a leaning sycamore tree that has three holes, but I only saw two. “As my brain caught up to what my eyes were taking in, I recognized that the [lowest] hole was covered- covered by a camouflaged little owl. Next, I cursed a few times, quickly apologized to our companions, and proceeded to stare in amazement at the sight in front of us. That is still the only screech-owl I have found. Finding your own owl is like finding a treasure (that is tiny, fluffy and moves) and is certainly…my clear answer to this question about Thornwood.”
For experienced or brand-new birders, there is a walk for you. Adam describes these walks that welcome all levels of birders, birding interests, and ages. “We meet at a local Greenfield park and head out to see what birds we can find [at] 8am. My wife Sara and I lead most of the walks and will talk about bird calls, behaviors, what we hear and see, and why we enjoy our parks. We have a great group of seasoned ‘locals’ who join us regularly. We also love to meet newcomers and new birders.”
The group keeps a couple pairs of loaner Vortex binoculars for those who need them. These walks are typically 90 minutes but may run up to 2 hours; however, there is no time commitment as the group is never too far from the parking lot. Groups walk up to a mile on most days, at a
very slow pace with lots of stops, like birders do. All of the parks that are visited have benches to rest on along the paths, and the group’s leaders try to ensure that they have an accessible walk each month on a paved path. “We aren’t the ‘typical’ bird walk” Adam adds. “Sure, we are quiet to an extent in hope of seeing and hearing birds, but in birding there are slow periods. We chat and laugh and have a good time, seeing birds or not.”
The Thornwood Nature Center is the next step in welcoming the community to the natural wonders of the preserve. Inside, visitors will see displays of creatures from Brandywine Creek, bugs, trees, birds, mammals, pelts, the shell of an Indiana turtle, various bird mounts, and educational presentations.
Greenfield Parks & Recreation will have the grand opening ceremony and ribbon cutting for Thornwood Nature Center on Friday August 2, 2024, at 11am. Come and celebrate this new space with us! Join the Parks Department and the Mayor of Greenfield, Guy Titus, for this exciting evolution of Thornwood Preserve.
Go to the Parks website for more information and to sign up for a FREE nature program.
https://parksingreenfield.com/events/month/2024-04/
Those interested in weekend camping may call our office for details at 317-477-4340. See our
bird walk calendar below, and follow Adam at @nikonbirdhunter
