On September 17, 2022, eight birders gathered at 8:00 am at Teter Retreat and Organic Farm in Noblesville for a morning of birding. Earlier this year towards the end of April, several ABAS volunteers partnered with members from the Indiana Wildlife Federation and volunteers from Teter Retreat to canvass the 120-acre property and identify the bird species present. We were so impressed with the diversity of vegetation that we scheduled an ABAS fall field trip there to coincide with the fall bird migration.
After introductions and donuts, we started down the trail. The temperature was in the low 60s with clear skies and a very light breeze. Quickly, we got our eyes on a Magnolia Warbler and an American Redstart. We also heard multiple Swainson’s Thrushes. Shortly thereafter, we saw and or heard four woodpecker species and several year-round residents. As we reached an area where the sun was hitting the trees and bushes, warbler activity significantly increased. We got good looks at a Wilson’s Warbler, a Mourning Warbler, and an Ovenbird. For the morning, we saw nine species of warblers after adding Tennessee Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, and Yellow-throated Warbler. In all, we logged 36 species of birds in a wonderful day of birding.