Editor’s Note: Since the publication of this review, updated stats have put Ward Kennedy at 275 species and 11th place, tied with yet another Fishers resident, Patricia Rettig.

Each year, whether you personally partake in birding as sport or not, some of the craziest in the state attempt entrance (or renewal) into the storied “300 Club” by observing 300 species in the state in one calendar year. You may remember prior tales shared with ABAS members by Laurie Voss and Jeremiah Oden, Mark Welter, Bill Sharkey, and Johnathan Bontrager. With such intense pursual comes wild new findings, records, and opportunities to educate. Let’s take a look at 2025 in review and where Central Indiana’s birders landed.

Birders’ Leaderboard
It’s been several years since Indianapolis has had one of our own at the top of the pack, and that trend does stay for 2025. The top ten by species kicks off with a tie! Eagle Creek naturalist Aidan Rominger, frequent ABAS field trip leader Richard Garrett, and Fishers resident Ward Kennedy. New to the top ten, Ward- whose daughter regularly tags alongside at local walks and other searches- rounds out the other two at ninth place with 276 species. The top ten continues with many of the usual suspects: Don Gorney, Mark Rhodes, Jeremiah Oden locally, as well as Heath Harlan and Katey Powell outside our region in the top five.

Congratulations to Evansville birders Kathy Bates and Evan Speck who take first and second place with totals of 302 and 296 species, respectively. A new Indianapolis name shot up to observe the third-most species in the state this year, Isaac Traynor with 293 species. Aided by his fiancé Katilynn for many trips, he told us he was not trying for a big year this time around, instead he “just wanted to see how high [he] could get.”

Exciting Area Finds
The Lye Creek Prairie Burn was the first major destination for year-birders, hosting a pair of long-staying Eurasian Tree Sparrows. Two suburban retention ponds in Hamilton County brought a lone Ross’s Goose and Black-bellied Whistling Duck over the spring, with several other Ross’s Geese being sighted in neighboring counties.

Naturally, Eagle Creek Park was a hotspot for several Least Terns, an adult and juvenile Neotropic Cormorant, one Willet, an American Avocet, and many other seasonal species or those expanding their range, such as Laughing Gull, Little Blue Heron, Red-throated Loon, Long-tailed Duck, and Little Gull. Far western Hendricks boasted a Western Cattle Egret and continued to see the expansion of Mississippi Kite.

In late summer and fall, rural areas witnessed a good year for Buff-breasted, White-rumped, and Baird’s Sandpipers. Western Sandpiper also made an appearance in Hamilton County. A Black-necked Stilt traveled the region and an Eared Grebe stopped at Eagle Creek Reservoir. Winter brought several individual Snow Buntings and Rough-legged Hawks in rural counties, as well as a small group of Redpolls near Eagle Creek Park. Birders might try for these in January, and many other noted species at the same general time and vicinity in the coming year.

Photo by Aidan Rominger