September 2015 photos from the blog by Wolf. Oesterreich and Kevin Kane
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Sept 30, 2015: September 2015 Photo Collage
September 2015 photos from the blog by Wolf. Oesterreich and Kevin Kane
Sept 29, 2015: Last of the Summer Flowers
A few flowers are hanging on as autumn begins to surround the park. 9/27/15 (Kevin Kane)
Sept 28, 2015: 2 years ago... Milkweed Seed
Milkweed seed is beginning to float through the park finding a home for the spring. 9/22/13 (Kevin Kane)
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Sept 27, 2015: Blood Moon
The full moon, lunar eclipse, blood moon brought out a huge crowd to the park Sunday night. There was a steady stream of cars into and then out of the park where everyone was congregating to see a remarkable sight. Ada Hayden Park is truly a place that brings people together. 9/27/15 (Kevin Kane)
Sept 26, 2015: Geese Returning
There are more and more geese flying into the lake in the last few weeks. These were flying west into salmon sunset clouds. 8/26/15 (Kevin Kane)
Sept 25, 2015: Autumn on the Wetland
A SE to S view across the north wetland complex, from the NW corner of the Upland Trail. 9/25/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
Sept 24, 2015: Bare Trees
Bare trees frame the sunset, looking west from the central wetlands. 8/26/15 (Kevin Kane)
Monday, September 28, 2015
Sept 22, 2015: Rainbow
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Sep 21, 2015: 3 years ago today: Sunflower After Dark
Sunflower in the north prairie lit by a flash after sunset, 9/18/12 (Kevin Kane)
Sept 20, 2015: Upland Trail
An eastward view along the north slope, as viewed from the NW corner of the Upland Trail. 9/20/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Sept 19, 2015: Great Blue Heron
The silhouettes of 2 of 5 Great Blue Herons found perched in trees between Pool F and Pond P. 9/18/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
Sept 18, 2015: Sunset after the Storm
The sun has already dropped below the horizon, illuminating the edge of tonight's storm, as we look across the south lake. 9/18/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Sept 15, 2015: Another Tale of Two Lakes
A late summer storm moves in over the lakes, looking west across the bridge. 9/6/15 (Kevin Kane)
Sept 14, 2014: Morning Mist
A morning mist coming off of the south lake. (looking eastward). 9/13/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
Monday, September 14, 2015
Sept 13, 2015: 9th annual Great Ames Adventure Race (GAAR)
GAAR kayak-canoe leg - rounding the south lake
The 9th annual Great Ames Adventure Race (GAAR)
happened Sunday morning (9/13). The race consists of three legs: 2.7
miles around the main lakes at Ada Hayden by kayak or canoe, 15 miles by
bike (from the Park to around the Gilbert area and back), and a 5K run
along the Park trails. Last year there were 125 participants. Based on
the number of bikers (70) that passed my corner (volunteered as a
corner marshal), I would venture to guess that the total number is less
this year. 9/14/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
biking leg - along US-69
running leg - coming down the Upland Trail
Sept 11, 2015: Whorled Milkweed
Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata), a member of the
Milkweed Family (Ascplepiadacea) grows to 2 to 2.5 feet tall and can be
found on mesic to dry prairies. This species is rather rare at the Park
and, so far, has only be found on the north slope, just east of Jensen
Pond. I found 3 stands, each containing over 100 plants (one stand
shown at right). Since they are rare for the Park, Erv suggested that I
delineate then to protect them from being mowed down during the haying
operation that had started on the two eastern-most slopes. Using
fluorescent pink flagging tape I delineated two of the stands, the ones
closest to the sumac patch by the swing. Unfortunately, on the
following day, the farmer or one of his workers ignored the flagging and
hayed them down. Only a few plants along the edges escaped. We had hoped to collect seed this Fall, so that we could establish more stands. 8/9/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
Sept 10, 2015: Aquatic Ecology Talk
Dr. Timothy Stewart (ISU Dept of Natural
Resource Ecology & Management) gave a presentation (9/10) on aquatic
ecology as part of the Friends of Ada Hayden Heritage Park Thursday evening interpretive programs. Sixteen ISU students were also in attendence and they helped Dr. Stewart collect samples. 9/10/15 (Wolf Oesterreich)
Discussing how to sex a crayfish.
Sept 9, 2015: Turtle Trail
Even the carapaces of these Northern Painted Turtles are covered by algae and duck weed at Jensen Pond. 9/9/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Sept 8, 2015: Common Green Darner
Finding a Common Green Darner that isn't in flight
is not a common occurrence. This male was found along the lower Upland
Trail. 8/10/15 Wolf. Oesterreich
Total Length = 68-78mmTuesday, September 8, 2015
Sept 7, 2015: Back Flow
Due to the heavy rains just north of Ames last Friday (8/29), the
Skunk River was flowing high, causing a backflow into the south lake at
Ada Hayden Heritage Park. There was an attempt to close the spillway
gate, but due to some blockage, the last 6 inches remained open. 8/29/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
Monday, September 7, 2015
Sept 6, 2015: Calm Before the Storm
The orange glow of the sunset off clouds to the north peeks through a hole in the line of storms approaching the park. Looking north from the south shore of the north lake. 9/6/15 (Kevin Kane)
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Sept 5, 2015: Lightning Strike
Sept 4, 2015: Wolf's August 2015 Wildlife Report
This male Stream Bluet (Enallagma exsulans) was found near Weir N (south wetland complex). 8/22/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
Total Length = 31-37mmA total of 83 avian species (plus 1 sp.) was recorded this month at Ada Hayden Heritage Park, ranking this month as the 7th highest August among 18 years of records.
Based on citations in the 3rd Edition of “The Birds of Story County, Iowa,” by
Stephen J. Dinsmore and Hank Zaletel (2001), plus my personal updates to the
records, the male Gadwall on the 19th may represent a new extreme
early Fall record for Story County (former record set on 4 September 1984 at
Hendrickson Marsh).
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 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: 1-18, 22-25, 27-31
WOOD
DUCK: 1 (28+), 2 (22+), 3 (28+), 4 (30+), 5 (17+), 6 (22+), 7-9, 10 (6), 11-14,
16-31
GADWALL:
19 (1♂)
MALLARD:
1-30
BLUE-WINGED
TEAL: 6 (3), 20 (6), 25 (4), 27 (10), 28, 29 (4), 31 (4)
RING-NECKED
PH-EASANT: 1, 3, 5-7, 12-13, 17-18, 20, 23, 27-28, 30
PIED-BILLED
GREBE: 24-25 (2), 27 (1), 29 (1)
DOUBLE-CRESTED
CORMORANT: 1 (1), 2 (2), 4 (2), 5 (3), 6 (1), 8-10 (2), 11 (1), 12 (2),
14 (2), 15
(1), 18 (2), 19-21 (1), 23 (1), 25 (1), 26 (3), 27 (2), 28-29 (1)
GREAT
BLUE HERON: 1 (4), 2 (5), 3 (8), 4 (3), 5 (8), 6 (3), 7-9 (4), 10 (1), 11 (7),
12-13 (5), 14 (7), 15
(6), 16 (5), 17 (7), 18 (6), 19 (3), 20 (7), 21 (4), 22 (7), 23 (8),
24 (5), 25-26
(4), 27 (7), 28 (2), 29 (3), 30 (2), 31 (4)
GREEN
HERON: 2 (2), 9 (1), 12 (1), 14 (1), 17 (3), 19-20 (1), 21 (2), 22-27 (1),
28-29 (2),
31 (1)
BLACK-CROWNED
NIGHT-HERON: 11 (1), 14 (1), 17-22, 24-25, 30-31 (all 1st Summer)
TURKEY
VULTURE: 1 (1), 2 (3), 3 (2), 4 (1), 8 (1), 10 (3), 11 (1), 13-15 (1), 16 (6),
19 (2),
20-21 (4), 23-24
(1), 25 (2), 27 (1), 30 (13), 31 (1)
OSPREY:
12 (1), 19 (1), 22 (1), 23 (2), 24 (1), 30-31 (1)
BALD
EAGLE: 6 (1 ad), 8 (1 ad), 14 (2 ad), 18 (1 ad), 19 (1 im), 21-23 (1 ad), 28 (2
ad)
COOPER’S
HAWK: 8 (1), 14 (1), 17 (1)
RED-TAILED
HAWK: 2 (1), 5 (2), 6-7 (1), 14 (1), 15-17 (2), 19 (2), 20 (1), 23-24 (1),
26-27 (1)
KILLDEER:
1 (5), 2 (15), 3 (7), 4 (6), 5-6 (4), 7 (8), 8 (5), 9 (1), 12 (2), 14-15 (1),
16 (2),
18 (5), 28 (3)
SPOTTED
SANDPIPER: 25 (1)
SOLITARY
SANDPIPER: 1 (3), 2 (2), 3-4 (1), 8 (1)
WILLET:
17 (1)
SEMIPALMATED
SANDPIPER: 2 (2), 3 (1)
LEAST
SANDPIPER: 1 (4)
SHORT-BILLED
DOWITCHER: 7 (1)
RING-BILLED
GULL: 7 (1), 19 (1), 23 (2)
CASPIAN
TERN: 14 (1), 17 (11), 18 (2)
BLACK
TERN: 17 (4)
FORSTER’S
TERN: 8 (1)
EURASIAN
COLLARED-DOVE: 1 (1), 19 (1), 29-30 (1)
MOURNING
DOVE: 1-9, 11-19, 22-24, 26-27. 29-31
CHIMNEY
SWIFT: 1, 7, 18, 20-23, 25, 27, 31
RUBY-THROATED
HUMMINGBIRD: 8 (1), 12 (1), 16 (1), 17 (2), 18 (1), 19 (3), 20 (1),
25-26 (1), 29-30
(1)
BELTED
KINGFISHER: 2 (1), 4 (1), 6 (1), 9 (2), 10 (1), 11 (4), 12 (2), 13-15 (1), 16
(2),
17-20 (1), 21-22
(2), 24-27 (1), 28 (3), 29 (2), 30-31 (1)
RED-BELLIED
WOODPECKER: 1, 5-6, 9, 14, 16-17, 27
DOWNY
WOODPECKER: 1, 4, 11, 14, 16-18, 20, 26, 29-30
HAIRY
WOODPECKER: 8, 13, 19, 29
NORTHERN
FLICKER (Yellow-shafted): 1 (1), 10 (1), 15-17 (1), 28-29 (1), 31 (1)
OLIVE-SIDED
FLYCATCHER: 27 (1), 29 (1)
YELLOW-BELLIED
FLYCATCHER: 19 (1)
LEAST
FLYCATCHER: 18 (1), 24 (1), 28 (1)
Empidonax
sp.: 18 (1), 23 (2), 24 (1), 26-27 (1), 29-30 (1)
EASTERN
PHOEBE: 23 (1), 25 (1), 27 (3), 29 (1)
EASTERN
KINGBIRD: 1 (2), 2 (1), 3 (3), 4-5 (1), 7 (1), 8-13 (2), 14 (4), 16 (2), 17
(3),
18 (4), 19 (2), 20-21
(1), 23 (3), 24 (2), 25 (3), 27 (4), 28 (2), 29 (1), 30-31 (3)
WARBLING
VIREO: 2, 4, 18, 23-27, 30
PHILADELPHIA
VIREO: 19 (1), 26 (1), 29 (2)
RED-EYED
VIREO: 20 (1), 23 (1), 27 (1), 30 (1)
BLUE
JAY: 1-2, 4-5, 11-12, 16, 18-20, 28-30
AMERICAN
CROW: 3, 5, 9, 12, 14, 16, 18, 22, 28-31
PURPLE
MARTIN: 1-9, 10 (27+), 11-18, 20-23, 26-27, 28 (3), 29 (1), 31 (1)
TREE
SWALLOW: 1, 19, 22
NORTHERN
ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW: 19, 31
BANK
SWALLOW: 7 (1), 21
CLIFF
SWALLOW: 1, 7, 9-10, 12, 18-21, 26-27, 29-30
BARN
SWALLOW: 1-30
BLACK-CAPPED
CHICKADEE: 1-2, 4-7, 9-10, 12, 14-16, 18-20, 22-23, 25-27, 29-30
WHITE-BREASTED
NUTHATCH: 1-2, 8, 12, 15-16, 26, 30
HOUSE
WREN: 1-12, 14, 16-20, 22-24, 28-30
SEDGE
WREN: 1 (2), 2 (3), 3 (1), 4 (3), 6 (2), 7 (4), 8 (1), 11-12 (1), 20 (1)
EASTERN
BLUEBIRD: 16 (3), 23 (1), 26 (2), 28 (2), 29, 30 (1)
AMERICAN
ROBIN: 1-11, 13-14, 16-18, 20, 22, 25-27, 29-31
GRAY
CATBIRD: 1, 3-9, 11, 13, 15, 17-22, 24, 26-31
EUROPEAN
STARLING: 16, 18, 20, 26-27, 29-30
CEDAR
WAXWING: 1 (7), 2 (4), 6 (6), 17 (1), 18 (2), 19 (3), 20 (1), 21 (2), 22 (1),
25 (~20), 26 (1), 27
(2), 28 (1), 29 (~20), 30 (1)
GOLDEN-WINGED
WARBLER: 28 (1), 29-30 (2)
BLACK-AND-WHITE
WARBLER: 25 (1), 29 (1), 30 (2)
NASHVILLE
WARBLER: 13-14 (1)
MOURNING
WARBLER: 26 (1), 28 (1)
COMMON
YELLOWTHROAT: 1-16, 26-31
AMERICAN
REDSTART: 20 (1♀), 23 (1♀), 30 (1)
CHESTNUT-SIDED
WARBLER: 28-30 (1)
WILSON’S
WARBLER: 27 (1), 30 (1)
CHIPPING
SPARROW: 2, 27 (1)
FIELD
SPARROW: 1 (1), 10 (1)
SONG
SPARROW: 1-31
NORTHERN
CARDINAL: 1-20, 22-23, 25-30
ROSE-BREASTED
GROSBEAK: 5 (1♂), 18
INDIGO
BUNTING: 1-8, 11-12, 14-17, 29 (1)
RED-WINGED
BLACKBIRD: 1-23, 25-28, 31
COMMON
GRACKLE: 3
BROWN-HEADED
COWBIRD: 17, 19, 26
ORCHARD
ORIOLE: 1, 11 (1♂ + 1♀), 12, 15 (1♂), 18 (1♂), 20 (1♂)
BALTIMORE
ORIOLE: 3 (1), 4 (1♂), 8 (1), 18, 20, 26 (1♂)
HOUSE FINCH: 1-2, 5, 7, 9, 11, 17-18, 23,
26. 31
AMERICAN
GOLDFINCH: 1-31
HOUSE
SPARROW: 1-23, 25-31
MAMMALIAN
Bat
sp: 1
AMERICAN
MINK: 27 (1), 31 (2)
WHITE-TAILED
DEER: 2 (1 fawn), 4 (1♀ w/1 fawn & 1 fawn), 18 (1), 19 (1+ 1 fawn), 22 (1)
FOX
SQUIRREL: 9, 16, 18-19, 22-24, 26-31
EASTERN
CHIPMUNK: 19, 29
THIRTEEN-LINED
GROUND SQUIRREL: 7, 17, 20
EASTERN
COTTONTAIL: 1-14, 16-20, 22-31
REPTILIAN
PLAINS
GARTER SNAKE: 5 (1)
Garter
Snake sp.: 22 (1)
COMMON
SNAPPING TURTLE: 21 (1)
NORTHERN
PAINTED TURTLE: 1-27, 29-31
RED-EARED
SLIDER: 7 (1), 11 (1), 16 (1)
SPINY
SOFTSHELL TURTLE: 28 (1)
AMPHIBIAN
AMERICAN
TOAD: 9, 11, 16-17, 22-23, 28
BLANCHARD’S
CRICKET FROG: 3, 16-17, 20, 24-27
EASTERN
GRAY TREE FROG: 8
BOREAL
CHORUS FROG: 31 (1)
AMERICAN
BULLFROG: 1-9, 11-22, 24, 26-27. 29-31
NORTHERN
LEOPARD FROG: 2-4, 7-11, 15, 19-23, 25, 30-31
LEPIDOPTERA
BLACK
SWALLOWTAIL: 1, 3-15, 17, 20-26, 29, 31
EASTERN
TIGER SWALLOWTAIL: 1-11, 13, 16, 27 (3)
CABBAGE
WHITE: 1-22, 24-27, 29-31
ORANGE
SULPHUR: 1-11, 13-17, 20-27, 29-31
DAINTY
YELLOW: 24
Sulphur
sp.: 1-3, 9, 11-12, 14-17, 20-22, 27, 30-31
EASTERN
TAILED BLUE: 1-2, 4, 7-8, 10-18, 20-22, 24-26, 28-31
GREAT
SPANGLED FRITILLARY:
PEARL
CRESCENT: 1, 3-17, 19-27, 30-31
QUESTION
MARK: 3, 7, 9, 16, 22
anglewing
sp.: 3-4
MOURNING
CLOAK: 2 (1), 11 (1)
PAINTED
LADY: 30 (1)
RED
ADMIRAL: 1, 4-8, 13, 15-17, 22, 29
COMMON
BUCKEYE: 1-3, 5-8, 11-13, 30
RED-SPOTTED
PURPLE: 3-4, 6, 8-9, 15
VICEROY:
1, 3-14, 16, 18-22, 26-27, 29-31
MONARCH:
1 (16), 2 (9), 3 (17), 4 (9), 5 (21), 6 (9), 7 (17), 8 (16), 9 (10), 10 (14),
11 (15),
12 (14), 13
(11), 14 (16), 15 (11), 16 (13), 17 (7), 18 (1), 19 (3), 20 (13), 21-22 (7),
23-24
(3), 25 (4), 26 (11), 27 (5), 28 (1), 29 (9), 30 (11), 31 (17)
LEAST
SKIPPER: 1-7, 9, 11, 14-16, 18-19, 21-24, 26
FIERY
SKIPPER: 24
Skipper
sp.: 8
CHICKWEED
GEOMETER: 28, 30
CELERY
LOOPER: 11
ODONATA
GREAT
SPREADWING: 9 (1), 24 (1)
LYRE-TIPPED
SPREADWING: 2-3
BLUE-FRONTED
DANCER: 1-7, 9-17, 20-22, 24-27, 30-31
POWDERED
DANCER: 17
RAINBOW
BLUET: 4
DOUBLE-STRIPED
BLUET: 6, 21, 24
TULE
BLUET: 13, 24
FAMILIAR
BLUET: 1-2, 4, 6-7, 9-12, 14-16, 20-21, 24-26, 31
STREAM
BLUET: 1, 6, 12, 22, 24, 26, 31
ORANGE
BLUET: 1, 6, 13, 27, 31
Bluet
sp.: 4, 20, 26, 31
EASTERN
FORKTAIL: 1-17, 19, 21, 24-27, 31
COMMON
GREEN DARNER: 1-17, 20-26, 29-31
JADE
CLUBTAIL: 10 (2), 12 (1)
FLAG-TAILED
SPINYLEG: 4 (2), 5 (1), 13 (1), 24 (1)
PRINCE
BASKETTAIL: 4, 6-8, 10, 16, 20
HALLOWEEN
PENNANT: 1, 3-4, 7-8, 14
EASTERN
PONDHAWK: 1-7, 10-15, 20, 23-24, 26
WIDOW
SKIMMER: 1-17, 20-26, 30-31
COMMON
WHITETAIL: 3-13, 16-17, 22-27, 30
TWELVE-SPOTTED
SKIMMER: 2-16, 21-22, 25, 31
BLUE
DASHER: 1-4, 6, 8, 11-12, 14-15, 20-21, 26
WANDERING
GLIDER: 8-9, 15-16, 18, 20-23, 25, 27
EASTERN
AMBERWING: 1-4, 6-7, 10-14, 21, 24-26, 31
VARIEGATED
MEADOWHAWK: 3-19, 22-24, 27, 29-30
CHERRY-FACED
MEADOWHAWK: 1-2, 4
WHITE-FACED
MEADOWHAWK: 3-4
BAND-WINGED
MEADOWHAWK: 3, 9, 12-13
Meadowhawk
sp.: 1, 3, 5, 10, 20-21
BLACK
SADDLEBAGS: 1-12, 14-16, 18, 20, 22-25, 31
RED
SADDLEBAGS: 6
ORTHOPTERA
CAROLINA
GRASSHOPPER: 2-31
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Sept 3, 2015: Sunset on the North Lake
The last evening of August 2015 ended with a wonderfully orange sunset over the North Lake. 8/31/15 (Kevin Kane)
Sept 2, 2015: Eastern Tiger Swallowtails
Eastern Tiger Swallowtails are quite common at the Park. The
female (at left) has blue on the hindwings. The male (at right) is
mostly yellow and black. 8/16/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
Friday, September 4, 2015
Sept 1, 2015: Largemouth Bass
Alejandro Larios, a graduate student in Veterinary Pathology at
ISU, was quite pleased with this 5.5-lb Largemouth Bass that he caught
while fishing the south lake. He soon released the fish back into the
waters. Coming from Anaheim, California, he is enjoying the
"small-town" atmosphere of Ames and especially Ada Hayden Heritage Park. 8/29/15 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)