Heron Rookery
Encyclopedia
The Heron Rookery was set aside to protect the nesting grounds of the Great Blue Heron
(Ardea herodias). In 1980, the Indiana State Department of Correction transferred 69 acres (27.9 ha) to the National Park Service in exchange for 33 acres (13.4 ha) of land at Hoosier Prairie. In 1982, the Youth Conservation Corp constructed the trail and parking at the east side of the unit on County Road 600 E.
. The east parking area, which is better developed is reached from U.S. 20 near the Town of the Pines. Taking County Road 500 E, southward about 3 miles (4.8 km) to County Road 1400 N. Turning East on 1400 N, 1 miles (1.6 km) to County Road 600 E. South about 1 miles (1.6 km) you’ll find the parking lot.
The Rookery is also accessible from Chesterton, Indiana
from State Route 49 and Indian Boundary Road. At Indian Boundary Road (County Road 1275 N), turn east and follow Indian Boundary Road 1 miles (1.6 km) east to County Road 300 E. At the T, turn north a short distant and take the first road east, Country Road 1300 N. CR 1300 N ends at Country Road 450 E, 1.5 miles (2.4 km), and the west parking area for the Rookery is just to the right corner of the intersection.
s are nesting. From the east parking area, you can follow the trail northwards to the East Arm Little Calumet River
. Across the river on the north bank is the rookery. Annually, these great birds return to nest. The Great Blue Heron is the largest of the North American Heron families. They stand 4 feet (1.2 m) tall and have a wingspan of 7 feet (2.1 m). It is best to visit with a ranger on a guide walk as they birds can be hard to find, high in their nests. If you continue west along the trail, you’ll follow the Little Calumet River for over a mile through a hardwood forest.
The herons roost in the eastern end with its tall sycamore
s. As you move towards the west, the woods become denser with beech
, tulip poplars and maple
s. Here, there are a variety of smaller birds, including kinglet
s, wood thrush
es, woodpecker
s, and warbler
s.
are Whitaker-Milford-Del Rey soils, consistent with the hypothesis that this area was an embayment of Glenwood phase of Glacial Lake Chicago (Ancestral Lake Michigan). (Chrzastowski and Thompson, 1992) The soils are nearly level and somewhat poorly drained.
Along the Little Calumet, the soils are fluvaquents. They are deep, somewhat poorly drained, particularly on bottom lands. The do have a moderate ability to hold water, but with only a moderate organic content. These types of soils remain mostly in forest as they are not well suites for crops. For use as pastures, they would need to be protected from flooding. In addition, these soils are not well suited for roads, construction or septic systems. Thus along the river way, little has been developed as farms or housing.
Most of the adjacent areas are made up of Bourbon, sandy loam. Large tracks parallel the river on both sides. They are nearly level, deep, but poorly drained soil. They have an increased ability to move water downward or laterally with a high organic matter content. They are subject to seasonally high water. Thus, it is better not to visit the rookery after a heavy rain fall or during winter and spring rainy seasons. This area has remained a tree lot as it was not adequately drained for other uses.
Sebewa soils act as drains across the surround Bourbon soils to the river. Nearly level but slightly depressed below the surrounding soils. They are very poorly drained and are often have standing water. Larger tracks of this type of soil can be used for row crops, but not the limited sizes found in the rookery.
Great Blue Heron
The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azores and England...
(Ardea herodias). In 1980, the Indiana State Department of Correction transferred 69 acres (27.9 ha) to the National Park Service in exchange for 33 acres (13.4 ha) of land at Hoosier Prairie. In 1982, the Youth Conservation Corp constructed the trail and parking at the east side of the unit on County Road 600 E.
Location
Pines Township in Porter County, IndianaPorter County, Indiana
Porter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 164,343. Much of the population growth has to do with the expansion of the Chicago Metropolitan Area eastward into Indiana. The county seat is Valparaiso...
. The east parking area, which is better developed is reached from U.S. 20 near the Town of the Pines. Taking County Road 500 E, southward about 3 miles (4.8 km) to County Road 1400 N. Turning East on 1400 N, 1 miles (1.6 km) to County Road 600 E. South about 1 miles (1.6 km) you’ll find the parking lot.
The Rookery is also accessible from Chesterton, Indiana
Chesterton, Indiana
Chesterton is a town in Westchester, Jackson and Liberty townships, Porter County, Indiana, United States. The population was 13,068 at the 2010 census. The three towns of Chesterton, Burns Harbor, and Porter are known as the tri-towns or the Duneland area....
from State Route 49 and Indian Boundary Road. At Indian Boundary Road (County Road 1275 N), turn east and follow Indian Boundary Road 1 miles (1.6 km) east to County Road 300 E. At the T, turn north a short distant and take the first road east, Country Road 1300 N. CR 1300 N ends at Country Road 450 E, 1.5 miles (2.4 km), and the west parking area for the Rookery is just to the right corner of the intersection.
Trail
The most enjoyable season to visit the Rookery is when the Great Blue HeronGreat Blue Heron
The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azores and England...
s are nesting. From the east parking area, you can follow the trail northwards to the East Arm Little Calumet River
East Arm Little Calumet River
The East Arm Little Calumet River is a portion of the Little Calumet River that begins just east of Holmesville, Indiana in New Durham Township in LaPorte County and flows west to Porter County and the Port of Indiana-Burns Waterway.-History:...
. Across the river on the north bank is the rookery. Annually, these great birds return to nest. The Great Blue Heron is the largest of the North American Heron families. They stand 4 feet (1.2 m) tall and have a wingspan of 7 feet (2.1 m). It is best to visit with a ranger on a guide walk as they birds can be hard to find, high in their nests. If you continue west along the trail, you’ll follow the Little Calumet River for over a mile through a hardwood forest.
The herons roost in the eastern end with its tall sycamore
Sycamore
Sycamore is a name which is applied at various times and places to three very different types of trees, but with somewhat similar leaf forms....
s. As you move towards the west, the woods become denser with beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
, tulip poplars and maple
Maple
Acer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
s. Here, there are a variety of smaller birds, including kinglet
Kinglet
The kinglets or crests are a small group of birds sometimes included in the Old World warblers, but are frequently given family status because they also resemble the titmice. The scientific name Regulidae is derived from the Latin word regulus for "petty king" or prince, and comes from the...
s, wood thrush
Wood Thrush
The Wood Thrush, Hylocichla mustelina, is a North American passerine bird. It is closely related to other thrushes such as the American Robin and is widely distributed across North America, wintering in Central America and southern Mexico...
es, woodpecker
Woodpecker
Woodpeckers are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes. They are one subfamily in the family Picidae, which also includes the piculets and wrynecks. They are found worldwide and include about 180 species....
s, and warbler
Warbler
There are a number of Passeriformes called "warblers". They are not particularly closely related, but share some characteristics, such as being fairly small, vocal and insectivorous....
s.
Terrain
The soils through this part of Porter CountyPorter County, Indiana
Porter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 164,343. Much of the population growth has to do with the expansion of the Chicago Metropolitan Area eastward into Indiana. The county seat is Valparaiso...
are Whitaker-Milford-Del Rey soils, consistent with the hypothesis that this area was an embayment of Glenwood phase of Glacial Lake Chicago (Ancestral Lake Michigan). (Chrzastowski and Thompson, 1992) The soils are nearly level and somewhat poorly drained.
Along the Little Calumet, the soils are fluvaquents. They are deep, somewhat poorly drained, particularly on bottom lands. The do have a moderate ability to hold water, but with only a moderate organic content. These types of soils remain mostly in forest as they are not well suites for crops. For use as pastures, they would need to be protected from flooding. In addition, these soils are not well suited for roads, construction or septic systems. Thus along the river way, little has been developed as farms or housing.
Sebewa soils act as drains across the surround Bourbon soils to the river. Nearly level but slightly depressed below the surrounding soils. They are very poorly drained and are often have standing water. Larger tracks of this type of soil can be used for row crops, but not the limited sizes found in the rookery.