August 2015 photos from the blog by Wolf. Oesterreich, Kevin Kane, R.J. Gardner, and Tom Zimmerman.
Monday, August 31, 2015
August 31, 2015: August 2015 Photo Collage
August 2015 photos from the blog by Wolf. Oesterreich, Kevin Kane, R.J. Gardner, and Tom Zimmerman.
August 30, 2015: Great Blue Heron
This Great Blue Heron was standing on Weir N as water flowed over its feet. Small fish below the weir became an instant and easy meal. 8/15/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
August 29, 2015: Monarch
A Monarch feeds on some pink clover which cover the northern hillside, just south of the Quarry Estates development. 8/15/15 (Kevin Kane)
Sunday, August 30, 2015
August 28, 2015: Skunk River Paddlers
It was a busy Wednesday night on the lake with the Skunk River Paddlers (http://www.skunkriverpaddlers.org/). 8/26/15 (Kevin Kane)
August 27, 2015: Double-crested Cormorant
A silhouette of an immature Double-crested Cormorant, 1 of 3
present this day, perched in a snag located between Pool F and Pond P. 8/6/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
Thursday, August 27, 2015
August 26, 2015: Hayden Park News #33
August 26, 2015
Dear Friends:
Dear Friends:
Many of you have probably been following the most recent goings on at City Hall about the housing development next to Ada Hayden Heritage Park. Here is a brief summary.
On August 11, a developer, Mr. Terry Lutz, asked the Ames City Council to make 13 changes to a pre-annexation agreement that had been negotiated with the previous owner of the property known as Rose Prairie. After his presentation, I spoke in opposition to many of the changes which would have negated many of the attributes of a low-impact (conservation) development that the city wants done so as to better manage the quality of the water entering the park from the surrounding watershed. In the discussions between Council and the developer that followed it became clear that many on the Council were not pleased with the proposed changes. Before the Council accepted or rejected any of the changes, a motion was made to require an east-west street through the development. The developer declared that this was a deal breaker and he stormed out of the council chambers. No action was taken on any of the 13 changes requested by the developer. I am sure we have not heard the last of Mr. Lutz.
I first became acquainted with the property now known as Rose Prairie in 2002, when the Story County Soil and Water Conservation District obtained a grant from the Iowa DNR to cost share conservation practices in the watershed. Our soil technicians quickly recognized this property as the key to preventing nutrients and silt from entering the park. It was already owned by a developer who did not want to share the cost of the conservation practices that were needed. Subsequently, several complications have prevented any housing development to occur and so the owners have rented the land to local farmers for growing corn and soybeans. Thus, the park has had to absorb the nutrients and soil pollutants these many years. A well-designed low-impact housing development would be a significant improvement over row crops. In my opinion, this latest proposal would not have done that.
If the City can not come to an eventual agreement with Mr. Lutz, perhaps it is time for the City to purchase this property and expand the park. After all, this is what we did to get the park in the first place. Anyone for a bond issue?
At last night’s Council meeting (August 25), the Council passed a motion to ask the staff to come up with a plan to monitor phosphorus in the lake and the streams entering the park. I hope the City moves toward a comprehensive assessment of the total daily load of nutrients entering the park. The long-term health of this important water body is at stake.
Erv Klaas
August 25, 2015: Bark Mushrooms
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
August 24, 2015: Erv's Field Notes #84
A stand with several Pale Gentians (Gentiana alba) was observed along the east side of the lakes trail (just north of the south lake's SE corner). These flowers will not open up any further. 8/17/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
Monday, August 24, 2015. Beautiful sunny day. West wind with gusts at 30 MPH. 69 degrees F. A few whitecaps on the lake.
I parked in Calhoun Park and poked around the creek and rain garden there. Lots of water was flowing from the lake through the outlet to the Skunk River. The rain garden has a good diversity of plants although there is a willow tree in the middle that needs removing. I saw several butterflies feeding on Black-eyed Susan and other flowers including a Viceroy, Red Admiral, Tiger Swallowtail, Pearl Crescent, and Clouded Sulphur. Dragonflies present were Widow Skimmer, Common Green Darner and Black Saddlebags. I also spotted a Bluebird and an Empidonax flycatcher.
I then crossed Dawes Drive and walked westward along the paved path to the southwest corner of the lake. The vegetation in the savanna is doing well and will provide enough fuel this fall for a late prescribed burn. A burn is needed because there are still a few honeysuckles sprouting from old roots and stumps. I noticed that new grasses are growing along the edge and could be Virginia Wild Rye that the city planted to repair some damaged areas. Farther west in the edge of the savanna was a patch of slough grass and a clump of blue flag indicating moist soil from a seep. I saw a few more of the dragonfly species I mentioned above. On my return, I stopped to talk to a friend and we spotted an Osprey flying towards us from the east. Suddenly, it went into a steep dive and plucked a small fish from the surface of the lake. The Osprey then turned and flew towards the Skunk River.
I sat down on the picnic bench near John Madson’s stone and I was pleased to have Wolf Oesterreich come by on his bike. We exchanged notes and observations Wolf has made during the last couple of weeks. Before leaving we examined a small stand of Common Milkweeds for Monarch caterpillars. No caterpillars, but we did see a bunch of nymphs of the Milkweed Bug on the leaves.
Erv Klaas
August 23, 2015: Prairie Mammals Program
Photos:
#1 (above):
Pete discussed his research which dealt with the role the Bison played
in seed dispersal within a prairie. The two main venues for dispersal
is through the digestive system and hanging onto the fur coat. He
mentioned that he had processed many Bison poop samples.
Sunday, August 23, 2015
August 22, 2015: Erv's Field Notes #83
Photo from http://www.aldoleopold.org/AldoLeopold/leopold_bio.shtml
Dear Friends:
Today I report on a different kind of field trip. I just returned from a conference at the Aldo Leopold Foundation in Baraboo, Wisconsin titled "Building the Land Ethic." Leopold wrote in his essay on the Land Ethic in A Sound County Almanac, "... nothing so important as an ethic is ever 'written' it evolves in the minds of a thinking community."
I had the privilege of presenting a short talk at the conference: "From Gravel Pit to City Park". My talk was an attempt at discussing how Ada Hayden Heritage Park came to be. I was honored that Leopold's daughter Estella was in the audience. I believe our park is a living expression of the land ethic in this community.
It has been 80 years since Aldo Leopold died fighting a brush fire near his farm on the Wisconsin River. His book was published the year after his death and has been re-printed in nine languages. Many of us who live in Ames are demonstrating our belief in the land ethic by working in a positive way to protect our environment. Consider the volunteers who help control invasive species and Wolf Oesterreich and Paul Damato who recently attempted to protect milkweeds for the Monarch butterfly. And yet, the larger community has not even heard of Aldo Leopold.
Erv Klaas
August 21, 2015: Blanchard's Cricket Frog
Several young Blanchard's Cricket Frogs were found along the
shoreline of the north lake's west bay. They were slightly smaller than
a quarter. 8/16/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
August 20, 2015: From the Northern Hills
A view of the park from the hills to the north of the park looking south. 8/15/15 (Kevin Kane)
Friday, August 21, 2015
August 18, 2015: Great Blue Heron
This Great Blue Heron was found in Pool F's outflow channel, just below the trail. 8/6/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
August 17, 2015: Quarry Estates Development
Earthwork has begun on Friedrich Development's Quarry Estates directly north of the park. This view looking southwest from the highway centers on the trees around Jensen Pond, showing just how close the development will be to the sensitive northern hills area of the park. 8/15/15 (Kevin Kane)
This westward view of the northern boundary shows just how close the construction is to Jensen Pond, where the construction vehicles have already gone beyond the boundary line and into the park. 8/15/15 (Kevin Kane)
August 16, 2015: Milkweeds & Monarchs
Portions of the Upland Trail's north slope are hayed every
mid-summer. Several stands of milkweed (mostly Common) are found in
this area. With the Monarch becoming imperiled, Paul and I decided to
delineate the best stands in the north slope, with the hope preserving
some habitat and the plants that this butterfly depends on. We
completed this work on Saturday morning. We have asked the Parks Dept
to inform the farmer of this, with the hope that he will not hay these
stands. The haying operation began on Friday with the two eastern-most
slopes. At left, Paul is attaching pink flagging to a milkweed. At
right, one of the Monarch caterpillars found during this operation. 8/1/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
August 15, 2015: Black Swallowtail caterpillar
This Black Swallowtail caterpillar was found feeding on the flower heads of Wild Parsnip. 7/14/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
Monday, August 17, 2015
August 14, 2015: Widow Skimmer
Looking up at a male Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) found along the Upland Trail. 7/13/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
Total Length = 42-50 mmFriday, August 14, 2015
August 13, 2015: Wolf's July 2015 Wildlife Report
This Brown Thrasher, with a caterpillar in its bill, didn't fly off
to its nest until after I had left the area. I was hoping to see where
the nest was located, but this parent had other ideas. 7/10/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
A total of 70 avian species was recorded this month, ranking this month as 5th highest July total (tied with 2004) among 17 years of records for Ada Hayden Heritage Park.
Wolf. Oesterreich
A total of 70 avian species was recorded this month, ranking this month as 5th highest July total (tied with 2004) among 17 years of records for Ada Hayden Heritage 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, n=nestling, f= fledgling, 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 55th Supplement (2014) to the American
Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North
American Birds and the 14th Supplement to the 7th
Edition (1998).
AVIAN
CANADA
GOOSE: 1-16, 18-31
WOOD
DUCK: 1-6, 7 (8), 9, 11-15, 16 (12), 18-19 (6), 20 (10), 21 (9), 22 (17), 23
(6),
24-25 (11), 26 (5), 27 (8),
28, 29 (9), 30 (15), 31 (24+)
MALLARD:
1-12, 14-16, 18-31
RING-NECKED
PHEASANT: 1-4, 6-7, 10, 14, 16, 25-26, 28-30
DOUBLE-CRESTED
CORMORANT: 31 (2)
GREAT
BLUE HERON: 1 (1), 2-6 (3), 7 (4), 8 (3), 9-12 (5), 13 (4), 14 (5), 15 (6), 16
(5),
18 (4), 19-20 (5), 21
(7), 22-23 (4), 24 (2), 25 (5), 26 (4), 27 (6), 28 (3), 29 (4), 30 (6),
31 (4)
GREAT
EGRET: 24 (1), 26 (1), 27-28 (2)
GREEN
HERON: 20 (1), 23 (1), 30 (1)
TURKEY
VULTURE: 6 (1), 9 (6), 12 (2), 13 (3), 15 (1), 18-19 (1), 22 (1), 23 (2), 24-25
(1),
27 (1), 29-31 (1)
OSPREY:
6 (1)
BALD
EAGLE: 5 (1 ad), 10 (1 ad), 16 (1 ad), 22 (1 ad)
COOPER’S
HAWK: 1-2 (1 ad)
RED-TAILED
HAWK: 1 (1), 2 (2), 3 (1), 4-5 (2), 6-7 (1), 10 (1), 11 (5), 12-14 (1),
15-16
(2), 18 (1), 21 (2), 22 (1), 25-29
(1), 31 (2)
KILLDEER:
7, 9, 13 (3), 18-19, 25, 27 (5), 28 (4), 29 (3), 30 (8), 31 (9)
SPOTTED
SANDPIPER: 19 (2), 30 (1)
SOLITARY
SANDPIPER: 27-29 (1), 30-31 (3)
LESSER
YELLOWLEGS: 27 (1), 28 (4)
LEAST
SANDPIPER: 31 (2)
SEMIPALMATED
SANDPIPER: 29 (1), 30 (15), 31 (5)
RING-BILLED
GULL: 19 (1)
FORSTER’S
TERN: 30 (1)
ROCK
PIGEON: 30 (1)
EURASIAN
COLLARED-DOVE: 30 (1)
MOURNING
DOVE: 1-7, 9-16, 18-31
CHIMNEY
SWIFT: 2, 8-9, 28
RUBY-THROATED
HUMMINGBIRD: 18-19 (1), 20 (2), 21 (1), 27 (1), 29-30 (1)
BELTED
KINGFISHER: 2 (3), 9 (1), 19 (1), 22 (1), 28 (1), 31 (1)
RED-BELLIED
WOODPECKER: 3-6, 12-13
DOWNY
WOODPECKER: 1-3, 5-6, 9-11, 19, 21-22, 24-26, 30-31
HAIRY
WOODPECKER: 26
NORTHERN
FLICKER (Yellow-shafted): 6 (1), 14 (1), 25 (1)
EASTERN
WOOD-PEWEE: 9
WILLOW
FLYCATCHER: 30 (1)
EASTERN
KINGBIRD: 1 (3), 2 (4), 3 (2), 4 (3), 5 (5), 6 (3), 7 (4 + 2 n), 8 (3), 9, 10
(9),
11 (2 + 3 n), 12 (3 + 2 f + 3
n), 13 (5 + 3 n + 3 f), 14 (4), 15 (5 + 3 n), 16 (4 + 3 n),
18-19 (3), 20 (2), 21 (3),
22 (2), 24 (1), 25 (4), 27 (3), 28 (2), 29 (1), 30 (2)
WARBLING
VIREO: 1-16, 18-20, 22, 24-26, 29
BLUE
JAY: 1, 3-5, 8, 10, 12-14, 16, 18-19, 21-23, 25-26, 28
AMERICAN
CROW: 1, 7-9, 11, 16, 18-19, 21-24, 26-28, 31
PURPLE
MARTIN: 1-16, 18-31
TREE
SWALLOW: 1-13, 15-16, 19, 21-22
NORTHERN
ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW: 5, 8, 10, 16, 28, 30
BANK
SWALLOW: 21
CLIFF
SWALLOW: 4, 8, 10-11, 14, 16, 25, 27-28, 31
BARN
SWALLOW: 1-16, 18-19, 21-31
BLACK-CAPPED
CHICKADEE: 1-2, 4, 7-16, 18-19, 21-22, 24-28, 30-31
WHITE-BREASTED
NUTHATCH: 1, 4-5, 9, 11-12, 16, 18-19, 25-26
HOUSE
WREN: 1-8, 10-31
SEDGE
WREN: 15 (1), 18 (1), 19 (2), 21 (1), 23 (2), 24-26 (1), 29 (2), 31 (1)
EASTERN
BLUEBIRD: 3, 7, 9-12, 14 (1), 16 (1), 18-19 (2), 21 (3), 27
AMERICAN
ROBIN: 1-31
GRAY
CATBIRD: 1-2, 4-11, 13-16, 18-19, 21-29
BROWN
THRASHER: 3 (2), 5 (1), 7-8 (1), 10 (1), 12, 14, 16 (1), 21 (1), 23 (1), 26
(2),
28 (1)
EUROPEAN
STARLING: 2, 7-13, 15-16, 21-22, 25, 30
CEDAR
WAXWING: 3, 4 (5), 7-8 (1), 9-10 (3), 13 (2), 14 (1), 15-16 (2), 22 (3), 26
(2),
29 (2)
COMMON
YELLOWTHROAT: 1-16, 18-31
CHIPPING
SPARROW: 1-4, 6-11, 13-15, 17, 19-22, 24, 26, 29-30
FIELD
SPARROW: 3 (1), 5-9 (1), 12-13 (1), 18 (1), 20 (1), 25-26 (1), 28 (1)
SONG
SPARROW: 1-16, 18-31
NORTHERN
CARDINAL: 1-31
INDIGO
BUNTING: 2, 5-6, 8-10, 12, 15-16, 18-31
DICKCISSEL:
1-2, 4-6, 8-9, 15
BOBOLINK:
1 (1♂ + 1♀), 2 (1♂)
RED-WINGED
BLACKBIRD: 1-16, 18-31
EASTERN
MEADOWLARK: 3, 8
COMMON
GRACKLE: 1-16, 18-22
BROWN-HEADED
COWBIRD: 1-5, 8-12, 14-16, 18, 28-29
ORCHARD
ORIOLE: 2-6, 12-14, 18, 24-25 (1)
BALTIMORE
ORIOLE: 1-2, 4, 9, 16, 18-19, 26
HOUSE
FINCH: 1-14, 16, 18-21, 23, 25, 27, 30-31
AMERICAN
GOLDFINCH: 1-31
HOUSE
SPARROW: 1-16, 18-31
MAMMALIAN
AMERICAN
MINK: 8-9 (1), 19 (1), 25 (1)
WHITE-TAILED
DEER: 7 (2♀ + 2 fawns), 9 (1), 10 (1♀ w/2 fawns), 24 (1 fawn),
FOX
SQUIRREL: 1, 5, 11, 19
EASTERN
CHIPMUNK: 4, 9-10, 12
THIRTEEN-LINED
GROUND SQUIRREL: 1, 7, 10-11, 14, 16, 20
EASTERN
COTTONTAIL: 1-31
REPTILIAN
PLAINS
GARTERSNAKE: 5 (1)
EASTERN
GARTERSNAKE: 16 (1)
SNAPPING
TURTLE: 18 (1)
NORTHERN
PAINTED TURTLE: 1, 3-5, 8, 10-16, 18-21, 23, 25-31
RED-EARED
SLIDER: 11 (1)
WESTERN
SPINY SOFTSHELL: 1-2 (1), 9-10 (1)
AMPHIBIAN
AMERICAN
TOAD: 2-3, 7, 20, 31
BLANCHARD’S
CRICKET FROG: 1-6, 8, 10-11, 18
EASTERN
GRAY TREE FROG: 5-6 (1), 18 (1)
BULLFROG:
1-4, 6, 8-12, 14, 16, 18-31
NORTHERN
LEOPARD FROG: 1, 4, 7, 9, 14-15, 18-19, 22, 24-28, 30
LEPIDOPTERA
BLACK
SWALLOWTAIL: 1, 4-5, 8-10, 19-20, 24, 26, 28-31
EASTERN
TIGER SWALLOWTAIL: 5, 9, 19 (2), 23-25, 28, 30-31
CABBAGE
WHITE: 1, 4-16, 18-21, 24-27, 29-31
ORANGE
SULPHUR: 1-16, 18-19, 23-26, 28-31
sulphur
sp: 4, 7, 18-20, 22-26, 29-31
GRAY
COPPER: 2-3, 19
EASTERN
TAILED-BLUE: 2, 5
SPRING
AZURE: 8, 10-11, 13-16, 18-20, 23-26, 30
GREAT
SPANGLED FRITILLARY: 3, 5, 7, 9-12, 19
PEARL
CRESCENT: 1-3, 5, 7, 9-10, 12-13, 15, 29-31
QUESTION
MARK: 16, 31
GRAY
COMMA: 19
anglewing
sp.: 3, 5, 8-9, 13, 16, 19, 22-23, 25, 28
MOURNING
CLOAK: 1 (1), 3 (2), 4 (1), 7-8 (1), 13-15 (1), 18 (2), 20 (1), 22-23 (1), 25
(1)
PAINTED
LADY: 30
RED
ADMIRAL: 1-6, 8-11, 13-16, 18-25, 29-31
COMMON
BUCKEYE: 15, 19, 24-25, 29-31
RED-SPOTTED
PURPLE: 1, 3, 6, 16, 25, 30
VICEROY:
3 (2), 9, 11-14, 16, 18-26, 29-31
MONARCH:
1 (3), 2 (1), 3 (2), 4 (1), 5 (3), 6 (1), 7 (5), 8 (6), 9 (13), 10 (11), 12 (5),
13 (8),
15 (6), 16 (2),
18 (8), 19-20 (4), 21 (9), 22 (5), 23 (13), 24 (6),
LEAST
SKIPPER: 1-4, 6, 9, 23, 25, 28, 31
REVERSED
HAPLOA: 1
WOOLLY
BEAR (Isabella Tiger Moth): 11, 18, 20
ODONATA
SLENDER
SPREADWING: 2-3, 5
spreadwing
sp.: 16, 22
BLUE-FRONTED
DANCER: 1, 3-16, 18-31
POWDERED
DANCER: 14, 20-24
RAINBOW
BLUET: 2-3, 6, 9, 13-14
DOUBLE-STRIPED
BLUET: 7, 9, 13-15, 24
TULE
BLUET: 1-2, 5, 12-14, 19, 24-25, 29, 31
FAMILIAR
BLUET: 1-3, 5, 7, 9-10, 13-16, 25, 27, 29-31
STREAM
BLUET: 7, 11-12, 14-16, 18-20, 24-25
SKIMMING
BLUET: 1, 9, 11-12
ORANGE
BLUET: 10, 27-29
EASTERN
FORKTAIL: 1-16, 18-23,2 5-26, 28-31
COMMON
GREEN DARNER: 1, 3-5, 7-26, 28-31
JADE
CLUBTAIL: 26 (1), 29 (1)
FLAG-TAILED
SPINYLEG: 19 (1), 23-25 (1)
MIDLAND
CLUBTAIL: 9 (1♀)
COMMON
BASKETTAIL: 3-4, 7-8, 13-14, 21
PRINCE
BASKETTAIL: 1-5, 9, 11-12, 19, 21, 25-26, 28-29
HALLOWEEN
PENNANT: 10 (1), 13 (1), 20-21, 23-26, 29, 31
EASTERN
PONDHAWK: 3, 5, 7, 9-10, 12-15, 18-26, 29-31
WIDOW
SKIMMER: 1, 3-5, 7-16, 18-26, 28-31
COMMON
WHITETAIL: 1, 3, 5, 7-8, 10-16, 18-26, 29-31
TWELVE-SPOTTED
SKIMMER: 1-5, 7, 9-10, 12-15, 18-26, 29-31
FOUR-SPOTTED
SKIMMER: 4, 12-13, 18
BLUE
DASHER: 1, 3-5, 7, 9-15, 18-26, 29-31
EASTERN
AMBERWING: 3, 10, 13-15, 18, 20-26, 29-31
VARIEGATED
MEADOWHAWK: 13, 15, 22-23, 28
CHERRY-FACED
MEADOWHAWK: 21-23, 29-31
WHITE-FACED
MEADOWHAWK: 13-14
RUBY
MEADOWHAWK: 1, 14
BAND-WINGED
MEADOWHAWK: 13, 18-20, 26, 29-30
Meadowhawk
sp.: 21, 23-24, 29, 31
BLACK
SADDLEBAGS: 1-5, 7, 9-15, 18-26, 29-31
RED
SADDLEBAGS: 3, 9, 12-14, 16, 19-20, 22, 24
ORTHOPTERA
CAROLINA
GRASSHOPPER: 19, 23-26, 29-31
August 12, 2015: Eagle and Prey
Tom Zimmerman watched and photographed this bald eagle lift what may be a muskrat ( or mink) from Ada Hayden lake back on May 21. Our family has had fun trying to identify the prey. (Below are photos leading up to the top photo). Tom said the prey was heavy enough to thwart the eagle's flight and kept the bird low over the surface of the water until it could reach the shore and haul the prey up into a tree.
Zora Zimmerman
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