Friends of Lye Creek Prairie Burn

06/24/2026

A little cuteness to brighten your morning! Mama deer and her sweet little fawn cruising through the wetlands this morning, caught on the wetland cam:-)

06/23/2026

Hey all! I finally got the jungle mowed, YAY!!!!! There’s still standing water on the trek back, I’m not sure when that will dry up, so be prepared if you visit! Lots of nesting birds enjoying the Burn! I did see something unfortunate today, a Yellow Warbler feeding a Cowbird! Boooooo👎👎👎

06/21/2026

Mama Wood Duck and her eight ducklings showed back up on the wetland cam. They are getting so big!

06/20/2026

Exciting news, the Blue Grosbeak is still at the Burn, he sings loud and proud not to far from the entrance on the west side, if they are nesting or plan to nest, this would be a first, fingers crossed! I included a video from today of him singing:-)

06/16/2026

Look who showed up on the wetland cam this morning! Mama Mallard and her 9 ducklings! I love seeing them thrive at Lye Creek Prairie Burn! Oh, and I had a Blue Grosbeak singing at the entrance this morning. Perhaps they are nesting there, wouldn't that be something!

06/15/2026

Just a quick property update! Over the last week, the Burn has received more than 4 inches of rain, which is fantastic for the wetlands! With all the rain, it's made some really muddy spots on the trek back, one in particular just north of the shed is fit for a pig, lol! We are supposed to get more rain on Tuesday and Wednesday. I won't have time to get much done this week until things dry out a bit. I just wanted visitors to know I'm doing my best to keep up, it's impossible right now. Hopefully, things will dry up soon so I can get in there and mow the trails!

Send a message to learn more

06/13/2026

Hey all! I found a way to save some $ on replacement glass oriole feeder cups, purchase votive candle holders! They are the same dang thing! I bought these through Amazon, I purchased a box of 12 of the “like new” ones for 9.99! They wanted 12.99 for 2 of the “oriole replacement cups”! That is crazy!!!

Here’s the link if interested
https://a.co/d/0cv7aSfY

06/13/2026

! Look what I caught on the wetlands cam, this adorable Wood Duck family! Mom, Dad and 8 ducklings. Born and raised at the Lye Creek Prairie Burn!

06/06/2026

Save our grasslands!

Help protect grassland birds this summer!

Grassland bird populations are facing the steepest decline of any bird group in North America. It’s been shown that agricultural and lawn care practices directly affect the success of ground-nesting species like bobwhites, ring-necked pheasants, Eastern meadowlarks, and loggerhead shrikes. Luckily, the following small changes can be made to help protect those nests in the summer months:

• Raise mower blades to 8 inches or higher
• Delay haying until mid‑July (peak nesting is Apr 1–Aug 1)
• Leave unmowed strips, blocks, and/or corridors of high vegetation for their safe travel. Mow from the inside out so wildlife can escape.
• Add a flushing bar. This is a simple device added to a tractor that pushes birds (and fawns) out of an area being mowed.

These beloved bird species depend on grasslands to nest and rear their young. This is why Indiana DNR strives to protect grassland habitats through the Grassland for Gamebirds and Songbirds initiative. We hope you’ll join the efforts! Learn more here: https://ow.ly/MtiP50Z7ool

Photo by Justin Hill

06/05/2026

Meet the Willow Flycatcher! This small olive-gray songbird may not look flashy, but its distinctive "fitz-bew!" call gives it away. Willow Flycatchers prefer shrubby wetlands, marsh edges, and willow thickets where they hunt insects and raise their young. Like many wetland birds, they depend on healthy habitat, making places like Lye Creek Prairie Burn important for their survival:-)