Aug 5, 2017: Wolf's July 2017 Wildlife Report

I stopped by the spillway to check on the water level when I spotted a dragonfly nymph on a rock.  By the time I got my camera out, the back of the nymph had already split open (at left above).  Kevin Kane happened to pass by and while we were discussing the nymph and other things at the Park, the dragonfly had emerged (center above) even further.  Kevin left and after a few more minutes, the imago of a Flag-tailed Spinylegs (above right) had totally emerged.  Note how small the wings are. (Wolf. Oesterreich, 7/15/17)

A total of 80 (plus 2 sp.) avian species was recorded this month, ranking this month as 2^nd highest July total among 20 years of records.  July 2007 with 84 species remains as the highest July, with July 1998 (45 species) as the lowest.  This total is 2 species less than last month and 12 more than July 2016.

 

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 1^st July sighting of 3 Semipalmated Sandpipers may represent a new extreme early Fall migration record (former record set on 3 July 1985 at Hendrickson Marsh) for Story County.  Other potential extreme early Fall migrations records are 1 Greater Yellowlegs on the 2^nd (former record set on 3 July 1984 at Colo Bogs) and the 5 Caspian Terns on the 26^th (former record set on 29 July 1994 at Hallett’s Quarry).

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 57^th Supplement (2016) to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds and the 16^th Supplement to the 7^th Edition (1998).

AVIAN

     CANADA GOOSE: 1-31

     WOOD DUCK: 1 (12), 2-3 (8), 4 (16), 5 (8+), 6 (3), 7-8 (19), 9 (18), 10 (17), 11 (19), 12 (3),

          13 (18), 14, 15 (24), 16 (21+), 17 (28), 18 (24), 19 (31), 20 (21), 21 (22), 22 (32), 23 (26),

          24-25 (22), 26 (21), 27 (27), 28 (49), 30 (36), 31 (48)

     MALLARD: 1 (30), 2 (20), 3 (17), 4 (21+), 5 (14+), 6 (24), 7 (52), 8 (59), 9 (28), 10 (41),

          11 (11), 12 (17), 13 (20+), 14, 15 (19), 16 (25+), 17 (45+), 18 (23), 19 (31), 20 (38), 21 (17),

          22 (15), 23 (27), 24 (26), 25 (23), 26 (26), 27 (34), 28 (38), 29 (33), 30 (2), 31 (16)

     HOODED MERGANSER: 5 (1), 7-8 (2)

     RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 1-2, 5-6, 10-12, 14, 16, 18-19, 22, 26

     PIED-BILLED GREBE: 8 (1), 16 (1)

     EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE: 1-2 (1), 4-5 (1), 6 (2), 7-12 (1), 15-16 (1), 18-19 (1), 21-22 (1),

          26 (2), 27 (1), 29-31 (1)

     MOURNING DOVE: 1-24. 26-31

     YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO: 5 (1), 6 (2), 8-11 (1), 12 (2), 16 (1), 27 (1)

     BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO: 9 (1)

     CHIMNEY SWIFT: 6, 30

     RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD: 1-2 (1), 5 (1), 15 (1), 18-19 (1), 21-22 (1), 26 (1), 27 (2),

          28-29 (1), 31 (1)

     SANDHILL CRANE: 25 (1 ad + 2 colts)

     KILLDEER: 1 (62), 2 (55), 3-4 (35), 5 (26+), 6 (87), 7 (73+), 8 (38), 9 (71), 10 (22+), 11 (55),

          12 (9), 13 (24), 14, 15 (27), 16-17 (19), 18 (34), 19 (22), 20 (13+), 21 (7), 22 (3), 24 (8),

          25 (6), 26 (5), 27 (8), 28 (9), 29 (5), 30 (6), 31 (2)

     PECTORAL SANDPIPER: 8 (1), 9 (2), 23 (2)

     SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER: 1 (3), 8 (16), 9 (20), 10 (3), 11-12 (1), 18 (18), 20 (2), 23 (9)

     SPOTTED SANDPIPER: 1 (1), 8 (2), 13 (1), 15-16 (1), 18 (1), 27 (2), 30-31 (1)

     SOLITARY SANDPIPER: 10-12 (2), 13-17 (1), 18 (3), 20 (1), 21 (2)

     sandpiper sp.: 7 (4)

     GREATER YELLOWLEGS: 2 (1), 5 (3), 6 (2), 7 (3), 8-9 (2), 13 (1), 15 (1)

     LESSER YELLOWLEGS: 6 (2), 7-8 (5), 9 (3), 13 (1)

     RING-BILLED GULL: 7 (1)

     CASPIAN TERN: 26 (5), 28 (4), 31 (1)

     BLACK TERN: 26 (1)

     DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: 31 (1)

     GREAT BLUE HERON: 1 (20), 2 (16), 3 (37), 4 (20), 5 (30), 6 (23), 7 (19), 8 (22), 9 (15),

          10-11 (6), 12 (2), 13 (8), 14 (5), 15 (2), 16 (6), 17 (4), 18 (2), 19 (4), 20 (9), 21 (10), 22 (7),

          23 (10), 24 (3), 25 (5), 26 (6), 27 (3), 28-29 (4), 30 (5), 31 (3)

     GREEN HERON: 2 (1), 4 (1), 9 (2), 13 (1), 15 (1), 16 (2), 17 (3), 18 (2), 19-20 (1), 22 (1),

          24-27 (1), 28 (3), 29 (1), 30 (2)

     YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON: 16 (1 ju), 18 (1 ju)

     TURKEY VULTURE: 1 (3), 2 (7), 3 (10), 4 (2), 5 (6), 6 (3), 7 (5), 8 (6), 9-11 (2), 12 (1),

          14-16 (2), 17 (4), 18 (2), 19-20 (3), 21 (2), 22 (2), 23 (1), 24 (3), 25-26 (2), 27 (11), 29 (3),

          30 (8), 31 (2)

     BALD EAGLE: 2 (1 ad), 9 (1 ad), 17 (1 ad)

     COOPER’S HAWK: 3 (1 ad), 12 (1)

     RED-TAILED HAWK: 2-3 (1), 10 (2), 15 (2), 18-19 (1), 27-28 (1), 30-31 (1)

     BELTED KINGFISHER: 1 (1), 2 (2♀), 3 (1), 4 (2), 5 (1), 7 (1♀), 8 (1♂ + 1♀), 12 (1), 16 (2),

          20-21 (1), 24 (2), 25 (1), 26 (2), 30 (2)

     RED-HEADED WOODPECKER: 1 (2 ad), 2 (1 ad), 3-11 (2 ad), 13-16 (2 ad),

          18 (2 ad + 1 nestling), 19-20 (1 ad + 1 nestling), 21 (1 nestling), 23 (2 ad),

          24 (2 ad + 1 ju), 25 (2 ad), 26 (1 ad), 27-289 (2 ad + 1ju), 30 (1 ad + 1 ju), 31 (1 ad)

     RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: 1-3, 6, 8, 14, 27, 30

     DOWNY WOODPECKER: 3, 8-11, 14, 16, 22, 28, 30

     NORTHERN FLICKER (Yellow-shafted): 3 (1), 5-6 (1), 8-10 (1), 14-15 (1), 16 (2), 17 (1),

          21 (2), 22 (1), 25 (1), 27 (2)

     EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE: 3 (1), 22 (1)

     ACADIAN FLYCATCHER: 27 (1)

     Empidonax sp.: 5 (1)

     EASTERN PHOEBE: 6 (1)

     GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER: 11 (2), 15, 17 (2), 27 (4), 29 (1)

     EASTERN KINGBIRD: 1 (1), 2 (4), 3 (2), 4 (1), 5 (4), 6-7 (1), 8-9 (3), 10-13 (1), 14 (3), 15 (5),

          16 (4), 17-19 (3), 20 (1), 21-22 (4), 23 (2), 24 (1), 25 (3), 26 (5), 27 (1), 28-30 (2), 31 (5)

     BELL’S VIREO: 5-7 (1), 9 (1), 12 (1), 20 (1)

     WARBLING VIREO: 1-5, 7-13, 15-16, 18-20

     BLUE JAY: 1, 3-4, 6-7, 9-14, 16-19, 21-23, 25-31

     AMERICAN CROW: 1-18, 20-22, 24-31

     PURPLE MARTIN: 1 (7), 2 (5), 3 (7), 4 (5), 5 (12), 6-7 (14), 8 (10+), 9 (12), 10 (10), 11 (7),

          12 (12), 13 (13), 14-16 (20+), 17-18 (16+), 19 (19+), 20 (14+), 21 (19+), 22-30, 31 (40+)

     TREE SWALLOW: 1-13, 15, 18-19, 21, 23 (1), 26

     BANK SWALLOW: 21

     CLIFF SWALLOW: 13 (1), 14, 17, 19, 21, 25

     BARN SWALLOW: 1-31

     BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE: 1-2, 4-13, 15, 17, 19-22, 24, 26-27, 30-31

     WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 2-5, 8-9, 11-12, 14, 16-17, 20, 22, 30-31

     HOUSE WREN: 1-31

     SEDGE WREN: 1 (2), 3-4 (1), 5 (2), 6 (1), 8 (1), 10 (2), 13-14 (2), 16-17 (2), 20 (2), 21 (1),

          22 (2), 23 (5), 25-26 (2), 28 (1), 29-31 (3)

     EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 1 (2♂ + 1♀), 8 (1), 10 (1♂), 11 (4), 12 (1), 14 (2♂), 15 (4), 16 (1),

          20 (2), 25 (1), 27 (1), 31 (2)

     AMERICAN ROBIN: 1-31

     GRAY CATBIRD: 1-5, 7-31

     BROWN THRASHER: 5 (1)

     EUROPEAN STARLING: 1-17, 19-20, 25-27, 30

     CEDAR WAXWING: 1 (2), 3 (3), 4 (1), 5-6 (3), 7 (1), 13 (1), 15 (3), 18 (1), 23 (4)

     HOUSE SPARROW: 1-31

     HOUSE FINCH: 1-25, 27-31

     AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 1-31

     COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: 1-31

     AMERICAN REDSTART: 5 (1), 8 (1), 20 (1 ju), 21 (1)

     NORTHERN PARULA: 2 (1), 6 (1)

     YELLOW WARBLER: 30 (1)

     CHIPPING SPARROW: 5, 7-12, 15, 17, 21, 23, 26-27

     FIELD SPARROW: 1 (1), 3 (1), 7 (1), 11 (1), 20 (1), 26 (1)

     SONG SPARROW: 1-31

     NORTHERN CARDINAL: 1-31

     ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK: 5 (1♂), 27 (1)

     INDIGO BUNTING: 1 (1), 2 (4), 3 (1), 4 (3), 5 (2), 6-7 (1), 8 (2), 9 (3), 10 (2), 11 (1), 12 (3),

          13 (1), 15 (4), 16 (2), 17 (3), 18-19 (2), 20 (3), 21 (4), 22 (2), 26*27 (2), 31 (2)

     DICKCISSEL: 1-2 (15), 3 (17), 4 (13), 5 (15), 6 (11), 7 (9), 8 (13), 9-10 (17), 11 (10), 12 (14),

          13 (11), 14 (12), 15 (14), 16 (11), 17 (12), 18 (9), 19 (6), 20 (8), 21-22 (9), 23 (7), 24 (4),

          25 (2), 26 (4), 27 (5), 28 (3), 29 (1), 31 (1)

     RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD: 1-31

     EASTERN MEADOWLARK: 6 (1), 8-10 (1), 13 (1), 19 (1)

     COMMON GRACKLE: 1-22, 24, 26, 29

     BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD: 1-5, 8 (3), 9-14, 16, 18, 22, 24, 30

     ORCHARD ORIOLE: 8 (1♂), 17 (1♀)

     BALTIMORE ORIOLE: 1-9, 11 (1), 14, 15 (3), 16-17 (1), 24 (1♂), 27 (1), 28 (2), 31 (3)

    

MAMMALIAN

     Bat sp.:

     EASTERN COTTONTAIL: 1, 3-8, 10-14, 16-31

     EASTERN CHIPMUNK: 6

     THIRTEEN-LINED GROUND SQUIRREL: 10 (1), 19 (1), 31 (1)

     EASTERN FOX SQUIRREL: 2, 8, 13-15, 18, 20, 22, 29, 31

     COMMON MUSKRAT: 7 (1), 16 (1), 18 (1), 22 (1), 25 (1), 27 (1), 29 (1), 30 (2)

     AMERICAN MINK: 9 (1), 21 (1), 29-30 (1)

     WHITE-TAILED DEER: 3 (2♀ + 1♀ w/2 fawns), 5 (1), 7 (1♀ + 1♀ w/1 fawn), 8 (1 fawn), 11 (2),

          13 (1 fawn), 19 (1♀ w/1 fawn), 20 (1), 21 (5 + 1 fawn + 1♂), 22 (1♀ w/3 fawns), 23 (1),

          26 (2 fawns + 1♀ + 1♀ w/1 fawn), 27 (2 fawns), 28 (1)

REPTILIAN

     PLAINS GARTER SNAKE: 26 (1)

     SNAPPING TURTLE: 7 (1)

     NORTHERN PAINTED TURTLE: 1-31

     RED-EARED SLIDER: 2 (1)

     WESTERN SPINY SOFTSHELL: 12 (1)

AMPHIBIAN

     AMERICAN TOAD: 8, 12, 18, 21-22

     BLANCHARD’S CRICKET FROG: 1, 3, 6

     AMERICAN BULLFROG: 1-24, 26-31

     NORTHERN LEOPARD FROG: 1

LEPIDOPTERA

     BLACK SWALLOWTAIL: 4 (2), 5 (1), 12 (1), 16 (1), 18-19 (1), 21 (1), 26 (2), 27 (1), 29 (2),

          31 (3)

     GIANT SWALLOWTAIL: 20 (1), 31 (1)

     EASTERN TIGER SWALLOWTAIL: 14 (1), 16 (1), 17 (2), 22 (1), 24 (2), 25 (1), 27 (2), 28 (4),

          29 (3), 30 (1), 31 (4)

     CABBAGE WHITE: 1 (7), 2 (1), 3 (4), 4-5, 7-20, 22-23, 25-31

     CLOUDED SULPHUR: 3-4, 6, 11, 13-14, 16, 18-19, 23-24, 28

     ORANGE SULPHUR: 1 (8), 2 (2), 3-4 (1), 7, 9-13, 15-17, 19-20, 22, 24-25, 27-31

     EASTERN TAILED-BLUE: 6 (1), 7, 8 (1), 9-18, 22, 25, 27-29, 31

     GREAT SPANGLED FRITILLARY: 16 (1)

     PEARL CRESCENT: 1 (2), 2 (1), 3 (2), 4 (1), 5, 7, 9-10 (1), 16 (1), 19 (1), 26 (1), 28-30 (1)

     QUESTION MARK: 29 (1)

     EASTERN COMMA: 4 (1), 15 (1)

     MOURNING CLOAK: 3 (1)

     PAINTED LADY: 1 (1), 17 (1), 23-24 (3), 25 (1), 30 (3)

     RED ADMIRAL: 8 (1), 22 (1), 26 (1), 30 (1)

     COMMON BUCKEYE: 1 (1), 3 (1), 4 (4), 5 (6), 7 (3), 9 (4), 10-12 (1), 13 (4), 14, 15 (2), 16 (4),

          17 (2), 18 (5), 19 (3), 20 (1), 23 (5), 24-25 (2), 27 (4), 28 (5), 29-31 (2)

     RED-SPOTTED PURPLE: 27 (1), 28 (2), 31 (1)

     VICEROY: 1 (2), 3 (4), 4 (1), 5 (4), 6 (1), 7 (3), 9 (2), 10 (1), 11 (2), 13-14 (3), 15 (1), 16 (2),

          17 (6), 18 (2), 20 (3), 22 (3), 23-26 (2), 27 (1), 28 (6), 29 (3), 31 (6)

     HACKBERRY EMPEROR: 27 (1)

     MONARCH: 1 (5), 2-4 (1), 5 (8), 6 (5), 7 (3), 8 (6), 10 (8), 11 (1), 13 (2), 14 (3), 15 (10), 16 (1),

          17 (4), 18 (5), 19 (3), 20-21 (2), 22 (3), 24 (6), 25 (7), 27 (5), 28 (8), 29 (14), 30 (7), 31 (16)

     SILVER-SPOTTED SKIPPER: 24 (1)

     COMMON SOOTYWING: 9 (1)

     LEAST SKIPPER: 1 (1), 21 (1), 28 (2), 31 (1)

     Skipper sp.: 30 (2)

ODONATA

     EBONY JEWELWING: 11 (1♀)

     AMERICAN RUBYSPOT: 16 (1), 17 (1♂ + 1♀), 31 (1♀)

     GREAT SPREADWING: 27 (1♂)

     SLENDER SPREADWING: 3, 7-9

     BLUE-FRONTED DANCER: 1, 3-13, 15-20, 22-29, 31

     POWDERED DANCER: 1, 5-7, 9-12, 15-21, 24-25, 27, 31

     RAINBOW BLUET: 2 (1)

     DOUBLE-STRIPED BLUET: 11 (1)

     TULE BLUET: 5, 10, 16-17, 20, 25

     FAMILIAR BLUET: 1, 3 (1), 6 (4), 10-11, 14, 16-17, 19-20, 24-25, 27-28, 31

     STREAM BLUET: 1 (3), 2 (7), 3 (3), 4 (10), 5, 6 (5), 7-13, 15, 17-24, 26-29, 31

     ORANGE BLUET: 1 (2), 5 (1), 6 (2), 7 (1), 10-11, 13 (2), 14-15, 18-21, 23, 26 (1), 29, 31 (1)

     Bluet sp.: 30

     EASTERN FORKTAIL: 1-5, 7-13, 15-16, 20-21, 23-26, 28

     COMMON GREEN DARNER: 1, 3-7, 9, 11-12, 14-18, 21-31

     JADE CLUBTAIL: 1 (1), 6 (1), 13 (1), 17-18 (1), 19 (2), 25 (1)

     FLAG-TAILED SPINYLEG: 5 (1), 15 (1)

     PLAINS CLUBTAIL: 1 (1), 17 (1)

     COMMON BASKETTAIL: 10

     PRINCE BASKETTAIL: 1, 7, 9, 16-17, 22, 28

     HALLOWEEN PENNANT: 28 (1)

     EASTERN PONDHAWK: 1, 5-8, 10-14, 16-19, 23-31

     WIDOW SKIMMER: 1, 3-8, 10-17, 19-31

     COMMON WHITETAIL: 1, 3-7, 9-14, 16-17, 19-20, 22-31

     TWELVE-SPOTTED SKIMMER: 1, 3-10, 12-13, 15-20, 22-25, 27-31

     BLUE DASHER: 1, 3-7, 9-31

     WANDERING GLIDER: 16-20, 25, 27, 30-31

     EASTERN AMBERWING: 1 (2), 3 (5), 4 (1), 5, 6 (3), 7, 9-25, 27-31

     WHITE-FACED MEADOWHAWK: 11, 15

     BAND-WINGED MEADOWHAWK: 9, 28 (1)

     Meadowhawk sp.: 22, 28

     BLACK SADDLEBAGS: 1, 3, 4 (1), 6-13, 16-19, 21-26, 28, 30-31

     RED SADDLEBAGS: 1 (1), 4 (1), 19 (1), 29 (1)

ORTHOPTERA

     CAROLINA GRASSHOPPER: 6, 8-11, 13-21, 23-31

Wolf. Oesterreich