Monday, February 29, 2016

Feb 29, 2016: February 2016 Photo Collage


February 2016 photos from the blog by Wolf. Oesterreich, Kevin Kane, and Kelly Poole.

Feb 28, 2016: Sun, Ice, Water

Saturday's warm sunshine and wind continued to melt the lake ice as the seasons start to turn from winter to spring. 2/27/16 (Kevin Kane)

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Feb 27, 2016: Meltwater




Water pours from the outlet of the lake into the channel to the southeast of the park before it enters the Skunk River. 2/27/16 (Kevin Kane)

Feb 26, 2016: Log


Open water continues to increase along the shorelines of the main lakes as the main ice sheets thin.  This log is found at the SE corner of the south lake, just north of the spillway. 2/26/16 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Feb 25, 2016: Dark Bay with Moon


Shared from the Ada Hayden Park Facebook page. 2/6/16 (Photograph by Margaret Grubb)

Feb 24, 2016: Goose Ghosts in the Fog


As I was trying to take some photos of these geese emerging in the fog, my camera and I weren't on the same page but I thought some of the images captured were pretty interesting. 2/20/16 (Kevin Kane)

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Feb 22, 2016: North Development Overlook


View from the new development north of the park. 2/20/16 (Kevin Kane)

Feb 20, 2016: Northslope


An eastward view along the north slope, from the NW corner of the Upland Trail.  It didn't take long for most of the snow to disappear! 2/20/16 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Feb 18, 2016: Puddles on the Ice

The melting has started!  Puddles dot the ice surfaces on the south lake.  A SW view from the bridge. 2/18/16 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Feb 16, 2016: Across the Wetlands


A west to north view across Pool F and to the highlands in the background on another dreary overcast day.  (The sun did come out later today.) 2/15/16 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Feb 14, 2016: Bare Tree


Shared from the Ada Hayden Park Facebook page. 2/6/16 (Photograph by Sayan Ghosh)

Feb 12, 2016: Sky Gray Snow


A NW view across the snow- and ice-covered south lake, towards the bluff area.  Note that the snow and sky are roughly the same color. 2/19/16 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Feb 10, 2016: Hayden Park News 35



Dear Friends of Ada Hayden Heritage Park,
From Erv Klaas

I am sorry for the long hiatus in communicating with you this fall. I have had a long illness that culminated in a diagnosis of lymphoma. I have been undergoing chemotherapy treatments since late December. The prognosis is good for recovery, so I am looking forward to being back at the park by spring.

Meanwhile, the AHHP board, especially the Treasurer, Stephanie Fox, have continued to keep us moving ahead.

As you recall, the board created an endowment fund with the Story County Community Foundation in 2015. Some of you have taken advantage of the 25 percent tax credit that is available to donors to the foundation. Our endowment fund got a big boost from an anonymous donor at the end of 2015 that will help us in long-term planning for new activities. The fund now totals nearly $250,000. My sincere thanks to everyone who has helped make this possible. Remember that any donation directly to Friends of Ada Hayden He ritage Park is tax deductible.

The board will be meeting soon to begin this needed planning. Several projects are still waiting to be accomplished, for example, interpretative programs including new signs and perhaps brochures. We expect that the new housing developments occurring near the park will put additional pressure on the park. We hope that we can better educate park users about the values of the flora and fauna that are represented in the park and enlist their help in maintaining and enhancing the natural systems.

The City of Ames plans to convert the hayfields on the upland slopes to native prairie this coming year. This will require new kinds of management that may include prescribed fire and mowing.

Wolf Oesterreich and Kevin Kane continue to document the birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects and flora as the park changes through the seasons. You can access their beautiful photographs and reports on our blog by googling: Ada Hayden Park Reflections at:
http://adahaydenpark.blogspot.com/ or
https://www.facebook.com/FriendsOfAdaHaydenHeritagePark/

I hope to see you soon.
Erv Klaas

Feb 9, 2016: Post Blizzard Sun Dogs


The morning after the blizzard brought a clear sky with lots of ice crystals in the atmosphere producing beautiful sun dogs over the park at sunrise. 2/9/16 (Kelly Poole)

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Feb 8, 2016: Blowing Snow


The blowing snow appeared to keep everyone off the trails except for this fool.  This is a NW view towards the Jensen Pond area from the main parking lot.  2/8/16 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Feb 7, 2016: Trout at Ada


People watch as fish are released by the DNR at Ada Hayden Park on Saturday, Feb. 6. Photo by Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune

http://amestrib.com/news/anglers-break-ice-search-trout-ada-hayden-lake

Feb 6, 2016: Tent City


The Rainbow Trout were released into the north lake today.  Families occupying the tent city are out to catch them. 2/6/16 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Feb 5, 2016: Northern Hills


A northward view from the lakes trail, just east of the bluff spur.  (Taken before the late afternoon snowfall.) 2/5/16 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
This is a view to watch over the coming spring and summer months as it will be changing drastically with the addition of new homes in the development just north of the park.

Feb 4, 2016: Ada Hayden Sky


"Beauty is not caused. It is." - Emily Dickinson — at Ada Hayden Park. 2/1/16 (Hailey Grell)
Shared from Ada Hayden Park Facebook page.

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Feb 3, 2016: Red Fox



After completing my usual ride at the Park, I came home and found this Red Fox in the backyard. 2/3/16 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Feb 2, 2016: Wolf's January 2016 Wildlife Report


This female Merlin was found on 14 January 2016, at the SW corner of the south lake, near the junction with the Stone Brooke spur.  (A digiscoped photo.) 1/14/16 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

A total of 40 avian species was recorded this month, ranking this month as the 2nd highest January among 19 years of records.  The Townsend’s Solitaire found on the 20th was #270 for the Park-Yard List.

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 Northern Shoveler on the 1st may set a new extreme late Fall record (former record set on 31 Dec 2015 at AHHP.  The male Common Goldeneye on the 4th and the single American White Pelican on the 14th may also represent extreme late Fall records (former records set on 28 December 1998 at Hallett’s Quarry & 11 December 1984 at Ames, respectively).  The Townsend’s Solitaire is a new Story County record.

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, FY=front 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
     CACKLING GOOSE: 5 (3)
     CANADA GOOSE: 1, 4-27
     TRUMPETER SWAN: 4-5 (2 ad), 7 (2 ad), 9 (2 ad), 10 (2 ad + 1 im)
     GADWALL: 1 (4♂ + 3♀), 7 (2♀), 10 (1♂), 11 (8)
     AMERICAN BLACK DUCK: 1 (2)
     MALLARD: 1, 4-15, 17, 19-22, 24-26
     NORTHERN SHOVELER: 1 (1♂)
     RING-NECKED DUCK: 4 (2♂), 5 (1♂), 10 (1♂)
     COMMON GOLDENEYE: 4 (1♂)
     RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 1 (1♂), 25 (1)
     AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN: 14 (1)
     BALD EAGLE: 1 (1 ad), 4-5 (1 ad), 9 (4 ad + 1 im), 10 (1 ad), 11 (1 im), 12 (1 ad), 15 (1),
          19-20 (2 ad), 21 (1 ad + 1 im), 22 (1 ad), 24 (1 ad), 27 (1 im)
     SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: 4 (1 im)
     COOPER’S HAWK: 1 (1), 4 (1 ad BY), 8 (1), 11 (1), 14 (1), 19 (1 im BY), 24 (1 im BY)
     RED-TAILED HAWK: 1 (1), 5-13 (1), 14-15 (2), 17 (1), 18-19 (2), 20 (3), 21-22 (2), 23 (1),
          25-26 (1), 27 (3)
     AMERICAN COOT: 1 (26), 4 (18), 5 (8), 6 (16), 7 (19), 8 (15), 9 (17), 10 (11+), 11 (9), 12 (1)
     MOURNING DOVE: 1 (2), 4 (3), 7 (1 BY), 8 (1 BY + 1), 11 (2), 14 (11), 16, 18 (1 BY),
          20 (6), 21 (7), 23 (1 BY), 24 (1), 25 (1 BY), 29 (5)
     RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: 1, 4-6, 9-10, 18, 20, 22-23, 26-27
     DOWNY WOODPECKER: 1, 4-12, 14, 18-19, 23-25
     HAIRY WOODPECKER: 1, 15, 20-21, 23, 25
     AMERICAN KESTREL: 11-12 (1♂), 20 (1♂), 23 (1♂), 26 (1♂)
     MERLIN: 14 (1♀)
     BLUE JAY: 1, 4, 8-10, 12, 17-18, 22-25
     AMERICAN CROW: 1, 4-15, 17-27
     BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE: 1, 4-27
     WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 1, 5-6, 23-24
     EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 1 (1), 17-18 (2)
     TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE: 20 (1)
     AMERICAN ROBIN: 1 (1 BY), 4 (6), 6 (2), 7 (6), 8 (17+), 9 (1), 10 (1 BY), 11 (2), 13 (1),
          14 (20+), 15 (100+), 16, 17 (3 BY), 18 (1 BY + 3), 19 (1 + 1 BY), 20 (35+), 21 (50+),
          22 (20+ BY + 33+), 23 (40+), 24 (13+), 25 (50+), 26 (8+), 27 (40+)
     EUROPEAN STARLING: 4, 7-12, 14-27
     CEDAR WAXWING: 8 (1), 14 (8), 23 (4 BY)
     AMERICAN TREE SPARROW: 1, 4-15, 17-27
     SONG SPARROW: 1 (2), 4 (3), 5-6 (2), 8 (2), 10 (4), 11 (2), 13 (2), 14-15 (1), 17 (3), 18 (5),
          19-20 (2), 21-24 (1), 25 (2), 27 (3)
     SWAMP SPARROW: 1 (1)
     DARK-EYED JUNCO (Slate-colored): 1, 4-11, 14, 17-27
     NORTHERN CARDINAL: 1, 4-13, 15-27
     RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD: 1 (1♂)
     HOUSE FINCH: 1, 4-10, 12-14, 17-27
     AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 1, 4, 6, 24
     HOUSE SPARROW: 1, 4-12, 14, 17-27

Unless indicated otherwise, the White-tailed Deer were antlerless. 

MAMMALIAN
     COYOTE: 14
     RED FOX: 18 (1), 24 (1)
     AMERICAN MINK: 6 (1)
     WHITE-TAILED DEER: 1 (7), 6 (2), 10 (3 BY), 11 (5 BY), 12 (2), 13 (5), 15 (10), 17 (3 BY),
                                    20 (5 + 1♂ + 3 BY), 21-22 (1), 26 (3)
     FOX SQUIRREL: 1, 4-10, 13-14, 18-21, 23-25, 27
     MEADOW VOLE: 1 (1)
     MUSKRAT: 4 (1), 6 (1)
     EASTERN COTTONTAIL: 1, 4-12, 16-20, 23, 25
Wolf. Oesterreich

Friday, February 5, 2016

Feb 1, 2016: Trout Release on Saturday 2/6


Shared from the Ames Tribune
Trout release a go at Ada Hayden
By Todd Burras, Outdoors Editor, Ames Tribune

It’s time to go trout fishing.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will stock around 2,200 rainbow trout at noon Saturday, Feb. 6, at Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake in Ames.
- See more at: http://amestrib.com/blog/woods-wildlife-and-wanderings/trout-release-go-ada-hayden.html-0#sthash.0qkvkPDn.dpuf