Dec 21, 2014: Northslope - 3 Years, Same Date

 Above, 12/20/14

Above, 12/20/13

Above, 12/20/12 
All photos from Wolf Oesterreich

Dec 20, 2014: This Time Last Year

Sunset over the south lake. 12/18/13 (Kevin Kane)

Dec 19, 2014: Prairie Burn 2

Smoke rises from a controlled prairie burn (NE corner of the Park). Note the family of 5 Trumpeter Swans flying north. 12/19/14 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Dec 18, 2014: Prairie Burn

A Parks Dept. employee sets fire to a prairie segment. 12/19/14 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Dec 17, 2014: Central Wetlands

 

A northwest and north view across Pool F to the highlands in the background (on a light rain and misty day).  If you look hard enough you may be able to see the adult and immature Bald Eagles perched in the line of tree on the right side of the image. 12/15/14 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Dec 16, 2014: Red-tailed Hawk

This Red-tailed Hawk circled over the savannah woods, chasing an immature Bald Eagle. 12/9/14 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Dec 15, 2014: South Lake

A northwest view across the south lake to the bluff area on an overcast day.  Compared to earlier in the day (and later) only a "few" waterfowl were present.  Approximately 65 to 70% of the lake was ice-free. 12/10/14 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Dec 14, 2014: Bald Eagle

This immature Bald Eagle circled over the savannah wood and the south lake.  Note that white tail feathers are becoming noticeable. 12/9/14 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Dec 13, 2014: Cooper's Hawk

An immature Cooper's Hawk has been visiting my yard and the Park.  On the left, the hawk is perched on a deck railing light fixture.  On the right, the hawk starts to take flight. 12/4/14 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Dec 12, 2014: Trumpeter Swans

Trumpeter Swans have been common the south lake, especially early in the morning and in the afternoon and evening.  Tonight (12/9) I counted 38 (25 adults & 13 juveniles).  These swans were heading out to feed. 12/9/14 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Dec 11, 2014: Canada Geese

Canada Geese dropping down on the south lake ice. 12/4/14 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Dec 10, 2014: American Coot

An American Coot walking across the ice.  Note the lack of webbing between the toes.  One reason why a coot is not a duck, but a member of the Ralidae family (rails). 12/4/14 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Dec 9, 2014: Dividing Line

Canada Geese lay on the ice while Mallards swim in the icy water on the south lake looking west.  Hundreds of birds were on the lake this morning.  12/9/14 (Kevin Kane)

Dec 8, 2014: Common Goldeneye

A few Common Goldeneyes have been found on the south lake.  The photo on the left is a female while, on the right, is a first Winter male.  Note the similarities between the two.  The male has a faint white circular patch behind the bill. [Both photos were digiscoped.] 12/3/14 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Dec 7, 2014: Bare Trees at Winter Sunset

Trees silhouetted by the setting sun.  (Near Pool F's SE corner.) 12/1/14 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Dec 6, 2014: Mallard

A drake Mallard in flight over the south lake. 12/2/14 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Dec 5, 2014: Ice Chunks

Ice chunks coalesced under the bridge to form a sheet. 12/4/14 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Dec 4, 2014: Resting Goose

This Canada Goose is resting on the ice edge (south lake). 12/2/14 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Dec 3, 2014: Early Winter Sunset

The sun sets behind the north lake.  A SW view across the partially ice-covered lake. 12/1/14 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Dec 2, 2014: Trumpeter Swans at Sunset

Trumpeter Swans and their reflection in the lake at sunset. 11/30/14 (LaDan Omidvar)

Dec 1, 2014: Wolf's November 2014 Wildlife Report

This Northern Shrike (first winter form) was found along the Upland Trail on the 23rd.  [A digiscoped photograph.] 11/23/14 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

A total of 77 avian species (plus 1 sp.) was recorded this month, ranking this month as the highest November (tied with November 2010) among 17 years of records.  The Gray Partridge on the 12^th was #268 for my Park List.

Based on citations in the 3^rd Edition of “The Birds of Story County, Iowa,” by Stephen J. Dinsmore and Hank Zaletel (2001), plus my personal updates to the records, the White-winged Scoters on the 12^th may represent only the 6^th record for Story County.  The Western Grebe on the 14^th may be the 8^th record for the County.  The Hermit Thrush on the 23^rd may represent a new extreme late Fall record (former record set on 31 October 1984 at Brookside Park).

Listed below, following the species’ names, are the date(s) of sighting(s), plus the occasional miscellaneous information regarding numbers, gender (♂=male, ♀=female), age (im=immature, ju=juvenile, abp=adult breeding plumage, ad=adult, anb=adult non-breeding), color phase (b=blue, w=white), and location (BY=back yard).  ).  The order follows the 54th Supplement (2013) to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds and the 13^th Supplement to the 7^th Edition (1998).

AVIAN

     GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE: 27-28 (1)

     SNOW GOOSE: 22 (~60)

     ROSS’S GOOSE: 22 (1)

     CACKLING GOOSE: 12 (2), 13 (4), 14 (1), 15 (6+), 16 (20+), 17, 18 (5+), 19-25, 28 (5+), 29

     CANADA GOOSE: 1-3, 5-30

     TRUMPETER SWAN: 12 (2), 15 (2 ad + 4 ju), 16 (2 ad + 2 ju), 17 (6 ad + 6 ju + 18),

                                    18 (11 ad + 6 ju), 19 (5 ad + 3 ju), 20 (9 ad + 7 ju), 21 (10 ad + 12 ju),

                                    22 (26), 25 (17 ad + 7 ju), 26 (4 ad + 6 ju), 27 (1 ad)

                                    [female “7K4” was observed on the 17^th, 18^th, 20^th, 21^st, & 25^th]

     WOOD DUCK: 1, 8 (1♀), 18 (1♂ + 1♀), 20 (4♂ + 1♀), 21 (1♂ + 1♀), 27 (3♂), 28 (2♂)

     GADWALL: 3 (26), 5 (17), 6 (3), 8 (6), 9 (16), 10 (5), 11 (13), 12 (4), 13-14 (3), 15 (2), 16 (1),

                                    17 (3), 18 (1♂ + 1♀), 20-21 (2), 25 (1♂ + 1♀), 27-28 (1♂ + 1♀)

     AMERICAN WIGEON: 3 (1♂), 5 (5), 6 (2), 11 (2♂ + 1♀), 13 (1♀), 14 (2♂ + 1♀),

                                   17 (1♂ + 1♀), 18 (1)

     AMERICAN BLACK DUCK: 21 (1♀)

     MALLARD: 1-3, 5-30

     NORTHERN SHOVELER: 1 (5), 2 (6), 3 (34), 5 (6), 6 (5), 7 (4), 8 (14), 9 (5), 11 (10), 12 (6),

                                    14 (1), 15 (9), 16 (14+), 19 (1♂ + 2♀), 20 (1♂), 21 (1♀)

     NORTHERN PINTAIL: 3 (24+), 11 (1♂), 13 (1♂), 15 (1♂), 21 (1♂), 22 (1♂ + 1♀), 24 (1♂),

                                    28 (1♂)

     GREEN-WINGED TEAL: 1-3, 5 (58+), 6 (25+), 7 (102+), 8 (84+), 9 (73+), 10 (100+),

                                   11 (29+), 15 (5), 25 (1♀)

     CANVASBACK: 13 (1♂), 15 (1♂)

     REDHEAD: 12 (44), 13 (1♂ + 1♀), 15 (1♂), 21-23 (2♂ + 1♀), 25 (2♂), 26-29 (2♂ + 1♀)

     RING-NECKED DUCK: 3 (6), 6-8 (1♂), 10 (3♂), 11 (2♀), 12 (1♂), 14-16 (1♂), 17 (1♀),

                                    24-25 (1♂), 27-29 (1♀)

     LESSER SCAUP: 11, 12 (13), 13 (12), 14 (6), 15 (3), 16 (7+), 28-29 (1♀)

     WHITE-WINGED SCOTER: 12 (2)

     BUFFLEHEAD: 10 (1♂ + 6♀), 11 (5♀), 12 (24♂ + 15♀), 13 (7♂ + 6♀), 14 (2♂ + 3♀),

                                    15 (5♂ + 1♀), 16 (17), 28 (1♀)

     COMMON GOLDENEYE: 13 (2♂ + 1♀), 14 (3♂), 17 (1♂), 18 (4♀), 21 (3♂), 22 (3♂ + 2♀),

                                    23-24 (1♂ + 2♀), 28-29 (5♀)

     HOODED MERGANSER: 8 (2♂ + 1♀), 9 (2♂ + 6♀), 10 (2♂ + 16♀), 12 (1♀), 13 (4♀),

                                    14 (1♂ + 4♀), 15 (1♂ + 8♀), 19 (2♀), 20-21 (4♀), 22 (1♀), 25 (1♀)

     COMMON MERGANSER: 15 (4♀), 16-17 (2♀), 18 (3♀), 19 (4♀), 20 (7♀), 21 (2♀),

                                   22 (1♂ + 1♀), 23 (1♂ + 3♀), 24 (1♂ + 4♀), 25 (1♂ + 1♀), 26-29 (1♀)

     RED-BREASTED MERGANSER: 13-14 (4♀), 16 (1♀), 18 (2♀)

     RUDDY DUCK: 2 (1♀), 5 (3♀), 6 (2♀), 11 (10), 12 (67), 13 (9), 14 (13), 15 (11), 16 (10+),

                                    23 (2♂ + 1♀), 24-26 (1♀), 28-29 (1♀)

     GRAY PARTRIDGE: 12 (1)

     RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 1-3, 5-6, 13-16, 17 (21+), 18-19, 20 (8+), 22 (15+), 23-24, 29

     PIED-BILLED GREBE: 1-2 (4), 3 (2), 5-6 (3), 7 (5), 8-9 (2), 10 (1), 11 (2), 12 (4), 13 (6),

                                    14-15 (5), 16 (4), 17 (3), 18 (5), 19 (4), 20 (3), 21 (5), 22-23 (4),

                                    24-26 (2), 27 (3), 28 (1), 29 (3)

     HORNED GREBE: 11 (2), 12 (4), 13 (2), 25 (1), 27-29 (1)

     WESTERN GREBE: 14 (1)

     AMERICAN BITTERN: 5 (1), 7 (1)

     GREAT BLUE HERON: 1-2 (1), 3 (2), 5 (3), 7-8 (2), 9-13 (1), 14 (2), 15-16 (1), 19 (1), 21 (2)

     BALD EAGLE: 8 (1 ad), 11 (1 im + 1 ad), 13 (1 ad), 19 (1 4-year-old), 21 (1 im),

                                    22-23 (1 ad + 1 im), 27 (2 ad + 1 im)

     SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: 1-2 (1)

     COOPER’S HAWK: 23 (1 im BY), 24 (1 im), 28 (1 ad + 1 im)

     Accipiter sp.: 1 (1 BY)

     RED-TAILED HAWK: 2-3 (1), 5 (1), 7-8 (1), 11-12 (1), 13-14 (2), 16 (1), 17-18 (2), 19 (1),

                                    20-21 (2), 22 (1), 23 (2), 24 (1), 26 (1), 29 (2)

     AMERICAN COOT: 1 (15), 2 (2), 3 (13), 6 (12), 7 (12+), 8 (6+), 9 (7), 10 (14), 11 (52+),

                                    12 (10), 13 (9), 14 (12), 15 (14), 16 (11+), 17 (6+), 18 (14), 19 (15),

                                    20 (2), 21 (13), 22-23 (9), 24 (7), 25-27 (3), 28 (5), 29 (4)

     KILLDEER: 2 (1)

     WILSON’S SNIPE: 10 (2)

     RING-BILLED GULL: 12 (5), 15 (5)

     FRANKLIN’S GULL: 14 (1)

     MOURNING DOVE: 1, 3, 7 (75+), 9, 11-12, 15-17, 19-20, 23-24, 26-29

     GREAT HORNED OWL: 4 (1)

     BELTED KINGFISHER: 3 (1♂), 13 (1), 16 (1), 18-20 (1)

     RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: 2, 7, 9, 12, 16, 21, 28-29

     DOWNY WOODPECKER: 1-3, 6-12, 15-29

     HAIRY WOODPECKER: 1, 19, 22-23, 28

     NORTHERN FLICKER (Yellow-shafted): 2 (1), 9 (1)

     MERLIN: 22 (1♀)

     NORTHERN SHRIKE: 9 (1), 23 (1)

     BLUE JAY: 1-3, 7-13, 15-17, 19, 21-29

     AMERICAN CROW: 1-3, 5-29

     BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE: 1-3, 6-29

     WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 7, 9-10, 16-17, 20-22, 25, 28-29

     GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET: 1-2 (1)

     RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET: 1-2 (1)

     EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 21 (3), 29 (3)

     HERMIT THRUSH: 6 (1), 23 (1)

     AMERICAN ROBIN: 1-3, 5-14, 17, 24 (1)

     EUROPEAN STARLING: 1-3, 7, 10-18, 22-24, 26-29

     CEDAR WAXWING: 10 (1), 29 (1 BY)

     YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (Myrtle): 1-2 (1)

     AMERICAN TREE SPARROW: 1-3, 5-29

     FOX SPARROW: 1 (3), 18-19 (1), 21 (1 BY + 1)

     SONG SPARROW: 1-3, 5-13, 15-16, 20 (1), 21 (2), 23 (2+), 25 (1), 29 (1)

     SWAMP SPARROW: 9 (2), 20 (1), 25 (1)

     WHITE-THROATED SPARROW: 1 (1), 3 (2), 8 (1), 11 (1), 26 (1 BY)

     HARRIS’S SPARROW: 2-3 (1), 11 (2)

     WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW: 23 (1)

     DARK-EYED JUNCO (Slate-colored): 1-3, 5-29

     NORTHERN CARDINAL: 1-2, 5, 8-29

     RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD: 1-3, 5-9, 12, 14, 17 (1♂), 21, 25, 29 (1♀)

     RUSTY BLACKBIRD: 5-6 (1)

     COMMON GRACKLE: 12 (2), 18 (1)

     HOUSE FINCH: 2, 10, 12, 14, 16-18, 20-29

     AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 1, 5, 8-12, 14-16, 18, 21-23, 25-26, 28-29

     HOUSE SPARROW: 1-3. 5-29

Unless indicated otherwise, the White-tailed Deer were antlerless.  The yearlings were just about the same size as the adults.

MAMMALIAN

     WHITE-TAILED DEER: 5 (1), 6 (3), 7 (5 + 1♂), 8 (3 BY), 9 (1 + 1 8-pt ♂), 10 (2),

                                    12 (3 + 1 8-pt ♂), 13 (5), 14 (3 + 1♂), 15 (2 + 2 BY), 16 (3),

                                    18 (2 BY + 6), 20 (9 + 1 BY), 21 (1 + 1 12-pt ♂), 25 ( 5 + 4 BY),

                                    27 (1 + 1 BY)

     FOX SQUIRREL: 1-3, 7-11, 15-16, 20-29

     THIRTEEN-LINED GROUND SQUIRREL: 10 (1)

     EASTERN COTTONTAIL: 1, 3, 6-7, 9-15, 17-18, 20-21, 23, 25-29

REPTILIAN

     EASTERN GARTER SNAKE: 2 (1)

LEPIDOPERTA
     ORANGE SULPHUR: 2 (1)
     WOOLLY BEAR (Isabella Tiger Moth): 1-3, 5, 6 (1), 8 (1), 9 (4), 10 (7)

ODODNATA
     SAFFRON-WINGED MEADOWHAWK: 2 (1♂)

ORTHOPTERA
     CAROLINA GRASSHOPPER: 2

Wolf. Oesterreich

Nov 30, 2014: November 2014 Photo Collage

November 2014 photos from the blog by Kevin Kane, Wolf. Oesterreich, and LaDan Omidvar.