Oct 3, 2015: Wolf's September 2015 Wildlife Report

This lone immature Franklin's Gull was floating at the NW corner of the north lake's west bay on the 27th. 

A total of 111 (+ 1 sp.) avian species was recorded this month, ranking this month as the 4^th highest September (& tied with 2010) among 18 years of records.

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 single male Ring-necked Duck on the 30^th may be a new extreme early Fall record for Story County (former record set on 1 Oct 2010 at AHHP).  The Hooded Merganser on the 24^th may also represent a new extreme early Fall record (former record set on 21 Oct 2008 & 2010, both at AHHP).  New peak numbers may have been set for Franklin’s Gulls (350+ on the 30^th, former peak of 161 on 5 Nov 1995 at Hallett’s Quarry) and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers (13 on 29^th, former peak of 11 on 13 Apr 1987 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 55^th Supplement (2014) to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds and the 14^th Supplement to the 7^th Edition (1998).

AVIAN

     CANADA GOOSE: 5, 7, 9-30

     TRUMPETER SWAN: 30 (2)

     WOOD DUCK: 1-4, 6-14, 15 (3), 16-17, 19-30

     AMERICAN WIGEON: 27 (3), 28, 30 (1)

     MALLARD: 2-17, 19-30

     BLUE-WINGED TEAL: 1 (5), 2 (1), 3 (2), 7-13, 15-17, 19 (4), 20-21, 23-30

     NORTHERN SHOVELER: 12 (40, 17 (6), 20 (10), 21, 22 (6), 24 (6+), 25 (11), 26 (12), 28,

          30 (4)

     NORTHERN PINTAIL: 22 (3), 23 (15), 24 (13), 25 (1), 27 (7), 30 (2)

     REDHEAD: 29 (1♂ + 2♀)

     RING-NECKED DUCK: 30 (1♂)

     HOODED MERGANSER: 24 (1), 27 (1)

     RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 1, 5, 7, 9-10, 12-13, 17, 20-27, 30

     PIED-BILLED GREBE: 2 (3), 5 (2), 7 (37), 8 (3), 9 (41), 10 (16), 11 (11), 19 (7), 20 (1),

          22 (5), 23 (4), 26 (3), 27 (1), 29 (198), 30 (1)

     DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: 3 (1), 6 (2), 10 (2), 11 (1), 12 (5), 13 (7), 19 (2), 20 (5), 

          21 (3), 22 (5), 23 (1), 24 (33), 26 (2), 28 (49), 29 (1)

     AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN: 3 (12), 8 (73+), 10 (1 juv + 40), 18 (~50), 20 (1)

     GREAT BLUE HERON: 1 (7), 2 (4), 3-4 (5), 5 (4), 6 (3), 7 (6), 8-10 (4), 11 (3), 12 (4), 13 (2),

          14 (5), 15-17 (4), 18 (7), 19-20 (6), 21 (5), 22-23 (6), 24 (5), 25 (4), 26 (7), 27 (6), 28 (7),

          29 (1), 30 (4)

     GREAT EGRET: 11-15 (1), 17 (1), 19 (1), 20-21 (2), 22 (1), 23 (2), 24 (6), 25 (4), 26 (5),

          27-28 (6), 29 (7), 30 (4)

     GREEN HERON: 1 (1), 3-4 (1), 7 (1), 8 (3), 10 (1), 11 (2), 20 (1), 26-27 (1)

     BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON: 1 (1), 17 (1 ad), 19-20 (1 ad), 22 (1 im + 1 ad), 24 (1),

          26 (1 im + 1 ad), 27 (1 ad), 28 (1 im + 1 ad), 29-30 (1 im)

     TURKEY VULTURE: 1 (5), 2 (17), 3 (6), 5 (2), 7 (2), 8 (5), 9 (2), 10-11 (5), 12 (1), 14 (5),

          15 (2), 19 (3), 21 (6), 24-25 (2), 27 (4), 28-29 (2), 30 (4)

     OSPREY: 3-4 (1), 7-8 (1), 9-10 (2), 12 (1), 13 (2), 19 (1), 24 (1), 29-30 (1)

     BALD EAGLE: 14 (1 ad), 16-17 (1 ad), 20 (1 im)

     SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: 25 (1), 27 (1)

     COOPER’S HAWK: 13 (1), 22 (1), 24 (2), 26-27 (1)

     BROAD-WINGED HAWK: 26 (4)

     RED-TAILED HAWK: 1-2 (1), 3 (2), 7 (1), 19 (1), 21 (1), 25 (1), 28 (1)

     VIRGINIA RAIL: 17 (1)

     SORA: 22 (1)

     AMERICAN COOT: 3 (1), 7 (4), 11 (1), 15 (9), 16 (2), 17 (4), 19 (9), 21 (13), 22 (6), 24 (5+),

          25 (6+), 26 (7+), 29 (63+), 30 (3)

     KILLDEER: 2-3 (1), 8 (3), 12-13 (1), 21 (6), 22 (5), 23, 24 (8), 25 (1), 26 (5), 27 (16), 28 (6)

     GREATER YELLOWLEGS: 27-28 (1)

     WILSON’S SNIPE: 30 (3)

     RING-BILLED GULL: 8 (1), 10 (1), 11 (7), 19, 27 (5+)

     FRANKLIN’S GULL: 11 (3), 26 (20+), 27 (1), 30 (350+)

     CASPIAN TERN: 3 (1), 7 (5), 9 (1), 10 (6)

     FORSTER’S TERN: 1 (1)

     ROCK PIGEON: 25 (1)

     EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE: 1 (1), 4 (1), 7 (2), 11-12 (2), 13 (1), 22 (1), 27 (1)

     MOURNING DOVE: 2-14, 17-18, 22, 24, 26, 28-30

     BARRED OWL: 8-9 (1), 14 (1), 17-18 (1), 20 (1), 22-23 (1), 28 (1)

     COMMON NIGHTHAWK: 3 (1), 7 (3), 17 (1), 22 (1), 23 (14+)

     CHIMNEY SWIFT: 1-3, 7, 10, 13-15, 17, 21

     RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD: 5 (1), 7 (1), 12-14 (1), 19 (1)

     BELTED KINGFISHER: 1-3 (1), 7 (3), 11 (1), 13-14 (1), 16-17 (1), 19 (1), 20 (2), 21-23 (1),

          27 (1), 28 (2), 29 (3), 30 (2)

     RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: 13, 17, 20

     YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER: 29 (13), 30 (3)

     DOWNY WOODPECKER: 3-5, 8, 12-13, 17, 19-22, 25-26, 28, 30

     HAIRY WOODPECKER: 1, 14, 17, 20-21, 24-26, 28

     NORTHERN FLICKER (Yellow-shafted): 9 (1), 12-13 (2), 14 (3), 17 (4), 19 (7+), 20-21 (3),

          22 (4), 23 (3), 24-25 (2), 26 (3), 27-28 (1), 29 (3), 30 (2)

     AMERICAN KESTREL: 3 (1♀), 24 (1)

     OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER: 3 (1), 5 (1)

     EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE: 1 (1), 3-5 (1), 13 (1)

     LEAST FLYCATCHER: 7 (1), 8 (3), 12 (1)

     Empidonax sp.: 3-4 (1), 8 (3)

     EASTERN PHOEBE: 12 (1), 19 (1), 27 (1), 29 (3), 30 (2)

     GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER: 8 (1)

     EASTERN KINGBIRD: 1 (5), 2 (2), 3 (3), 4 (4), 5 (1), 8-9 (2), 11 (3), 13-14 (2), 17 (1)

     BLUE-HEADED VIREO: 8-9 (1), 29 (1)

     WARBLING VIREO: 2, 4 (4), 5 (2), 7 (3), 8

     PHILADELPHIA VIREO: 12 (2)

     RED-EYED VIREO: 7 (1), 8 (3), 11 (3)

     BLUE JAY: 2-9, 11-14, 17-30

     AMERICAN CROW: 1-3, 5, 7-14, 17, 20, 22-27, 30

     PURPLE MARTIN: 4 (4), 7 (1)

     TREE SWALLOW: 12-13, 17, 21

     BANK SWALLOW: 12

     CLIFF SWALLOW: 2, 7, 12, 17

     BARN SWALLOW: 1, 5, 7-8, 10-13, 15-17, 21, 29

     BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE: 1, 3-5, 7, 9-10, 12-13, 17, 19-26, 28-30

     WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 1, 4-5, 7-9, 11, 13, 19-20, 22

     HOUSE WREN: 1-2, 8 (1), 9 (3), 11, 12-14 (1), 17 (1), 20 (1), 23-25 (1), 29 (2)

     WINTER WREN: 30 (1)

     MARSH WREN: 27 (1)

     RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET: 19 (3), 23-24 (1), 29 (5), 30 (1)

     EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 2 (9), 5 (1), 17 (10+), 20 (3), 24 (14), 25, 30 (2)

     SWAINSON’S THRUSH: 17 (1), 19 (1)

     HERMIT THRUSH: 29 (3)

     AMERICAN ROBIN: 1, 10, 12-13, 15, 17, 20-23, 26-27, 29-30

     GRAY CATBIRD: 1, 5, 7, 12-14, 19, 22-25, 28

     EUROPEAN STARLING: 3, 9, 13, 16-17, 20, 23, 27, 29-30

     CEDAR WAXWING: 1 (2), 4 (15), 11 (1), 13 (6), 25 (~20)

     OVENBIRD: 8 (1)

     NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH: 14 (1), 20 (1)

     GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER: 2 (1)

     BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER: 1-2 (2), 4 (2), 8 (1)

     ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: 20 (1), 26 (1), 29 (1)

     NASHVILLE WARBLER: 8 (3), 19 (1), 24-25 (10, 29 (1)

     MOURNING WARBLER: 29 (1)

     COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: 1-2, 7 (1), 9, 13, 17 (3), 19-20, 23 (1), 26 (2), 27 (1), 29-30

     AMERICAN REDSTART: 1-2 (1), 7 (1♂), 8 (4), 17 (2), 30 (1)

     MAGNOLIA WARBLER: 8 (2), 11 (1), 13 (1), 16 (1)

     YELLOW WARBLER: 8 (1)

     CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER: 8 (3), 13 (1)

     PALM WARBLER: 30 (2)

     YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (Myrtle): 8 (2), 13 (1), 19 (10+), 23 (1), 24 (3+), 25 (3),

          26 (4), 29 (100+), 30 (20+)

     BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER: 30 (1)

     WILSON’S WARBLER: 3 (1♂), 5 (1♂), 7 (2♂), 8 (1♂), 13 (1♀)

     CHIPPING SPARROW: 2 (1), 17, 20

     SONG SPARROW: 1, 3, 9-10, 13, 17, 23, 27 (1)

     LINCOLN’S SPARROW: 20 (2), 23 (4), 24 (2), 26-27 (3), 29-30 (3)

     SWAMP SPARROW: 20 (1), 23 (1), 27 (1), 29-30 (4)

     WHITE-THROATED SPARROW: 22 (3), 29 (10+), 30

     DARK-EYED JUNCO (Slate-colored): 29 (3)

     NORTHERN CARDINAL: 3-5, 7-10, 12, 18-20, 23-24, 28-29

     ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK: 8 (1)

     INDIGO BUNTING: 2 (1 im), 4 (1), 11 (2), 15 (1), 16 (~5)

     RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD: 2, 9, 14 (~15), 15, 21-22, 24-30

     COMMON GRACKLE: 26 (20+), 27, 29-30

     BALTIMORE ORIOLE: 7 (1♂), 8 (1)

     HOUSE FINCH: 1, 10-12, 26-27

     AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 1-17, 19-30

     HOUSE SPARROW: 1-5, 8, 13-17, 19-27, 29-30

MAMMALIAN

     WHITE-TAILED DEER: 24 (1)

     FOX SQUIRREL: 1, 3-5, 10-13, 15-16, 19, 22-24, 26-30

     THIRTEEN-LINED GROUND SQUIRREL: 2 (1)

     EASTERN CHIPMUNK: 6, 21

     MEADOW VOLE: 20 (1)

     EASTERN COTTONTAIL: 1-3, 5, 7-14, 17-21, 24-28

REPTILIAN

     PLAINS GARTER SNAKE: 1 (1)

     Garter Snake sp.: 19 (1), 25 (1)

     NORTHERN PAINTED TURTLE: 1-5, 7-17, 19-23, 25-26, 28-30

     RED-EARED SLIDER: 12 (1), 14 (1), 16 (1), 25 (1)

     EASTERN SPINY SOFTSHELL: 1 (1)

AMPHIBIAN

     AMERICAN TOAD: 2-3, 17-18. 23

     BLANCHARD’S CRICKET FROG: 11-12, 17, 19

     EASTERN GRAY TREE FROG: 16

     AMERICAN BULLFROG: 1-4, 7-10, 12-30

     NORTHERN LEOPARD FROG: 1-3, 5, 7-12, 14, 16, 19, 22, 25-28

LEPIDOPTERA

     BLACK SWALLOWTAIL: 1-5, 8-11, 17, 20-21, 28

     EASTERN TIGER SWALLOWTAIL: 1, 9

     CABBAGE WHITE: 1-5, 7-12, 14-17, 19-29

     ORANGE SULPHUR: 1-5, 7-12, 14-17, 19-30

     Sulphur sp.: 1-5, 7-9, 14, 19-20, 22, 29

     EASTERN TAILED-BLUE: 1-5, 7, 9, 11, 20

     PEARL CRESCENT: 1-5, 9, 11-12, 14, 16, 19-23, 25-30

     QUESTION MARK: 4, 29

     EASTERN COMMA: 28

     RED ADMIRAL: 9-10, 13, 20-21

     COMMON BUCKEYE: 3, 5, 10, 21

     VICEROY: 1-4, 7, 9-14, 16-17, 19-25

     MONARCH: 1 (19), 2 (10), 3 (22), 4 (32), 5 (10), 7 (19), 8 (29), 9 (26), 10 (22), 11 (11),

          12 (9), 13 (6), 14 (15), 15 (9), 16 (11), 17 (18), 18 (1), 19 (3), 20-22 (5), 23-24 (8), 25 (6),

          27 (2), 28 (3), 29 (2)

     LEAST SKIPPER: 7

     PECK’S SKIPPER: 11

     Skipper sp.: 28

     CHICKWEED GEOMETER: 3, 8, 24, 27

     WOOLLY BEAR (ISABELLA TIGER MOTH): 4, 13, 19, 25, 27, 30

ODONATE

     GREAT SPREADWING: 21 (1), 26 (1)

     Spreadwing sp.: 21 (2)

     BLUE-FRONTED DANCER: 1-3, 8-10, 14-16, 21, 23

     DOUBLE-STRIPED BLUET: 2, 4, 15, 21, 24

     TULE BLUET: 15

     FAMILIAR BLUET: 1-4, 8-17, 19-25, 28-29

     STREAM BLUET: 2-3, 5, 9, 12, 15

     ORANGE BLUET: 9-10, 15, 17, 26

     Bluet sp.: 1-2, 4-5, 9-10, 15, 22, 26

     EASTERN FORKTAIL: 1-5, 8-10, 12, 15-17, 19, 25, 28

     SHADOW DARNER: 12 (2), 21 (1), 30 (1)

     COMMON GREEN DARNER: 1-7, 9, 11-17, 20-22, 24-25, 27, 29-30

     “Blue Mosaic” Darner sp.: 5 (1), 10 (1), 12 (2), 13 (3), 14 (2), 19, 20 (2), 21-22 (1), 23 (4+)

     FLAG-TAILED SPINYLEG: 2-3 (1), 10 (1), 21 (1)

     PRINCE BASKETTAIL: 1, 8-9, 17, 21

     EASTERN PONDHAWK: 1, 5, 11-12, 16, 21

     WIDOW SKIMMER: 1-5, 7-14, 16-17, 19-20, 22, 26, 29

     COMMON WHITETAIL: 9, 11, 27

     TWELVE-SPOTTED SKIMMER: 2-4, 9

     BLUE DASHER: 1, 4, 9-10, 17

     WANDERING GLIDER: 4-5, 14 ,21, 24, 30

     EASTERN AMBERWING: 1-4, 9-10, 14-15

     VARIEGATED MEADOWHAWK: 4, 7-8, 10-11

     SAFFRON-WINGED MEADODWHAWK: 3 (1)

     CHERRY-FACED MEADOWHAWK: 16

     WHITE-FACED MEADOWHAWK: 3, 7, 12, 15, 17, 19-22, 24-27

     RUBY MEADOWHAWK: 8

     BAND-WINGED MEADOWHAWK: 17, 21, 25

     AUTUMN MEADOWHAWK: 19

     Meadowhawk sp.: 2-5, 9-12, 14, 17, 24, 28-29

     BLACK SADDLEBAGS: 2-5, 7-10, 14-17, 20-21

ORTHOPTERA

     CAROLINA GRASSHOPPER: 1-5, 7-12, 14-17, 19-22, 25-28, 30

     NORTHWESTERN RED-WINGED GRASSHOPPER: 3

     AUTUMN YELLOW-WINGED GRASSHOPPER: 17, 20, 28

Wolf. Oesterreich