Oct 3, 2017: Wolf's September 2017 Wildlife Report

Blue-headed Vireos migrate through our area twice a year.  They are currently heading south.  If you have an old field guide, this species would be included in the "Solitary" Vireo complex.  Several years ago this complex was split into 3 species (Cassin's, Plumbeous, & Blue-headed). (Wolf. Oesterreich, 9/19/17)

A total of 94 (+ 2 sp.) avian species was recorded this month, ranking this month as the 8^th highest September among 20 years of records.  September 2007 with 126 species remains as the highest September, while September 1998 and 2002 are the lowest with only 61 species.  This total is 1 species less than last month and 5 more than September 2016.

The Franklin’s Gulls and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were First-of-Year records for my Yard/Park List. 

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 Northern Rough-winged Swallows on the 22^nd tie the extreme late Fall record for Story County (original record set in 2007, also at AHHP).  The single Lark’s Sparrow on the 24^th may represent a new extreme late Fall record (former records set on 6 Sep 2004 & 2016, both at AHHP).  A Lincoln’s Sparrow on the 9^th may represent a new extreme early Fall record (former record set on 12^th Sep 2006 at AHHP).

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 58^th Supplement (2017) to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds and the 17^th Supplement to the 7^th Edition (1998).

AVIAN

     CANADA GOOSE: 1-5, 6 (36), 7 (15), 8 (9), 9 (24), 10 (37), 11 (2), 15-16 (2), 17 (4), 18 (71),

          19 (12), 21 (99), 22-23, 24 (28), 25 (7), 26 (93+), 27 (120+), 28 (66+), 29 (30+), 30 (52+)

     WOOD DUCK: 1 (16), 2 (23), 3 (17), 4 (10), 5 (26), 6 (18), 7 (21), 8 (15), 9 (22), 10 (18),

          11-12 (15), 13 (16), 14 (18), 15 (17), 16 (12), 18 (19), 19 (11), 20 (5), 22 (10), 23 (5),

          24 (11), 25 (9), 26 (8), 27 (5), 28 (15), 29 (11), 30 (14)

     BLUE-WINGED TEAL: 3 (~75), 6 (2), 8 (~20), 10 (5), 23 (7), 28 (80)

     NORTHERN SHOVELER: 8 (8)

     MALLARD: 1 (43), 2 (32), 3 (68), 4 (29), 5 (24), 6 (18), 7 (28), 8 (68), 9 (12), 10 (29), 11 (24),

          12 (25), 13 (12), 14 (21), 15 (25), 16 (27), 18 (23), 19 (28), 20 (19), 21 (12), 22 (27),

          23 (26), 24 (21), 25 (22), 26 (35), 27 (16), 28 (29), 29 (19), 30 (12)

     GREEN-WINGED TEAL: 6 (1), 8 (18), 9 (7), 10 (5+), 24 (6)

     RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 5 (1♀), 11 (2), 13 (1), 18, 20, 25, 27-28, 29 (2), 30 (1)

     PIED-BILLED GREBE: 4 (20), 5 (14), 6 (12), 16 (1), 28 (11), 29 (19)

     ROCK PIGEON: 2 (2)

     EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE: 2 (2), 3 (1), 7 (1), 16 (1), 18 (1), 20 (1), 25 (1)

     MOURNING DOVE: 1-2, 4-6, 8-10, 12-13, 17-18, 20, 22, 25-29

     COMMON NIGHTHAWK: 8 (~45), 11 (6)

     CHIMNEY SWIFT: 7 (3), 9, 11

     RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD: 1 (1), 4 (1), 10 (2), 11 (1), 12 (2), 16 (1)

     AMERICAN COOT: 20 (1), 28 (1), 29 (14), 30 (1)

     KILLDEER: 1 (2), 2 (1), 3 (2), 5 (1), 8 (4), 9-10 (3), 11 (2), 12 (1), 13 (3), 16 (1), 17 (4), 18 (3),

          22 (2), 24 (4), 26 (2), 28-29 (1)

     LEAST SANDPIPER: 17 (4)

     WILSON’S SNIPE: 17 (1)

     SPOTTED SANDPIPER: 4 (2), 8 (1), 10 (1), 18 (1)

     FRANKLIN’S GULL: 6 (20), 26 (~30), 28 (150+)

     RING-BILLED GULL: 20, 26 (2), 39 (8)

     CASPIAN TERN: 3 (3), 4 (2)

     FORSTER’S TERN: 23 (3)

     DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: 3 (8), 4 (1), 26 (4)

     AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN: 12 (1), 26 (185+)

     GREAT BLUE HERON: 1-2 (2), 3 (4), 5 (3), 6 (4), 7 (2), 8 (1), 9 (2), 10 (8), 11 (3), 12 (5),

          13-14 (2), 15 (3), 16 (1), 18 (4), 19 (3), 20-24 (1), 26 (3), 27 (2), 28-30 (1)

     GREEN HERON: 1 (2), 2 (4), 3 (5), 4-5 (2), 7 (3), 8-9 (1), 10 (5), 11 (2), 12-14 (1), 15 (3),

          16 (2), 18-20 (1), 23 (1)

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

          13 (1), 14 (7), 15 (10), 16 (17), 18 (11), 19 (6), 20 (2), 21 (10), 22 (24+), 23 (4), 24 (8),

          25 (3), 26 (8), 27 (2), 28-29 (3), 30 (2)

     OSPREY: 1 (1), 3 (2), 7-9 (1), 10 (2), 11-12 (1), 15 (1), 21 (1), 24 (2), 28 (1)

     BALD EAGLE: 21 (1 ad), 22 (1 im)

     SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: 18 (1)

     COOPER’S HAWK: 3 (2), 10 (1), 16 (2), 20 (1 im)

     BROAD-WINGED HAWK: 19 (1)

     RED-TAILED HAWK: 1 (1), 3 (1), 5 (1), 8 (1), 10-11 (1), 16 (1), 19 (1), 21 (1), 23 (3), 24-26 (1),

          28 (1), 30 (2)

     BELTED KINGFISHER: 1 (1), 4-6 (1), 8 (1), 9-10 (2), 16 (1), 18 (2), 25-26 (1), 28-29 (1)

     RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: 2, 7-10, 12, 18-19, 22-25, 28, 30

     YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER: 22 (1), 29 (1)

     DOWNY WOODPECKER: 2-3, 7, 10, 12, 16, 18, 24, 29

     HAIRY WOODPECKER: 10 (1), 26 (1)

     NORTHERN FLICKER (Yellow-shafted): 1 (1), 7 (1), 9 (1), 11 (1), 16 (1), 19-22 (1), 24-29 (1),

          30 (2)

     MERLIN: 5 (1♀)

     falcon sp.: 26 (1)

     OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER: 7 (1)

     EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE: 2 (1), 11 (1), 16 (1), 22 (1), 24 (1)

     YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER: 16 (1)

     LEAST FLYCATCHER: 8 (1)

     Empidonax sp.: 1 (1), 4 (2), 12 (1)

     EASTERN PHOEBE: 1-2 (1), 4-5 (2), 6-8 (1), 10 (1), 24 (1), 26-27 (1), 29 (2), 30 (1)

     EASTERN KINGBIRD: 4 (3), 5 (2), 9 (1), 12 (1)

     BLUE-HEADED VIREO: 18-19 (1)

     WARBLING VIREO: 1-2 (1), 4 (1), 7-8 (1), 11 (1), 18 (1)

     RED-EYED VIREO: 1-2 (1), 4 (1), 11 (1), 24 (1)

     BLUE JAY: 1-4, 6-7, 9-14, 16, 18-20, 22-30

     AMERICAN CROW: 1-11, 13-16, 18-21, 23-30

     TREE SWALLOW: 7 (several), 9 (many), 10-11, 15-16, 18, 20-24, 26, 28 (a few), 30 (several)

     NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW: 18, 22

     CLIFF SWALLOW: 1-2, 4, 9-11, 18

     BARN SWALLOW: 1-2, 4-5, 7-11, 16, 19-20, 22, 24-25

     BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE: 1-4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 15-16, 18-19, 22-29

     WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 4, 10-13, 15-16, 19, 24

     HOUSE WREN: 1-2, 4, 6, 7-10 (1), 13 (2), 18-19 (1), 24 (3), 26 (2), 27 (1), 29 (1)

     MARSH WREN: 18 (2)

     RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET: 24 (1)

     EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 1 (1), 4 (5), 26 (30), 27

     SWAINSON’S THRUSH: 7 (1)

     AMERICAN ROBIN: 1-2, 4 (1), 6 (4), 7 (5), 8 (1), 10 (5), 11, 13 (1), 16 (4), 17, 18 (2), 20 (1),

          23 (1), 24 (4), 25 (1), 28 (1), 30 (5)

     GRAY CATBIRD: 1-16, 18-20, 22-27

     EUROPEAN STARLING: 1-4, 6-10, 12-13, 15-16, 21-22, 24, 28

     HOUSE SPARROW: 1-2, 5-7, 9-11, 21, 24, 28-30

     HOUSE FINCH: 1-9, 23-26, 28-30

     AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 1-16, 18-30

     CHIPPING SPARROW: 1, 4, 6-8, 10-11, 13-14, 23-26

     LARK SPARROW: 2 (1), 24 (1)

     SONG SPARROW: 1-8, 10-14, 16, 18-20, 22, 24-25, 27, 29-30

     LINCOLN’S SPARROW: 9 (1), 24 (2), 26 (1), 27 (3), 28 (1), 29 (3)

     SWAMP SPARROW: 26 (2)

     WHITE-THROATED SPARROW: 26 (1), 27 (5), 29 (3), 30 (11)

     HARRIS’S SPARROW: 29-30 (1)

     WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW: 30 (2)

     RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD: 2 (1), 8 (1), 10 (2), 11 (1), 12 (2), 15 (1♂), 21 (3), 22 (6),

          23-25 (1♂), 27 (2♂), 28 (~20), 29 (9), 30 (4)

     BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD: 16 (75+), 18 (1), 26 (~30)

     OVENBIRD: 1 (1), 19 (1)

     BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER: 1 (2), 2-3 (1), 15 (1)

     ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: 27 (3)

     NASHVILLE WARBLER: 18 (2), 24 (2), 25 (1), 28 (2)

     COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: 3-4 (1), 8 (1♂), 9 (1), 10 (3), 11 (1), 12 (2), 14 (1), 15 (1♂),

          18 (4), 20 (1), 24 (1), 26 (1), 27 (3)

     AMERICAN REDSTART: 1 (1♂ + 1♀), 2 (3), 3-4 (1), 12 (1♀), 22 (1♂), 24 (2)

     MAGNOLIA WARBLER: 1 (1) 24 (1)

     YELLOW WARBLER: 9 (1)

     CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER: 2 (1)

     YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (Myrtle): 29 (6), 30 (1)

     WILSON’S WARBLER: 12 (1♂)

     NORTHERN CARDINAL: 1-7, 9-10, 12-13, 15, 17-18, 23-24, 26-30

     ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK: 13 (1♀), 24 (1)

     INDIGO BUNTING: 1 (1♀), 2 (2), 4 (1), 6 (1), 10 (1), 12 (1), 18 (1), 19 (2), 24 (1), 25 (2),

          26-27 (1), 30 (1)

     DICKCISSEL: 10 (1), 13 (1)

MAMMALIAN

     EASTERN COTTONTAIL: 1, 3, 5-6, 8-10, 12-13, 18, 21, 24, 26

     EASTERN CHIPMUNK: 3, 6-7, 11-12

     THIRTEEN-LINED GROUND SQUIRREL: 12 (2), 16 (1)

     EASTERN FOX SQUIRREL: 1, 5-8, 10, 12, 16, 18, 20-21, 24, 26, 29-30

     MUSKRAT: 10 (1), 26 (1)

     WHITE-TAILED DEER: 1 (2 ♀ each w/1 fawn), 4 (2), 5 (1♀ w/2 fawns, 1♀ w/1 fawn, 1♂, & 4),

          7 (1♂ + 1♀), 9 (1♀ w/1 fawn), 10 (1♀ w/2 fawns + 1♀ w/1 fawn), 18 (1♀ w/2 fawns),

          23 (1), 28 (2, 1♀ w/2 fawns, 1♀ w/1 fawn)

REPTILIAN

     PLAINS GARTER SNAKE: 14 (1)

     NORTHERN PAINTED TURTLE: 1-16, 19-20, 22-26, 28-30

     RED-EARED SLIDER: 1 (1), 3 (1), 7 (1), 10 (1), 12 (1), 19 (1), 23 (1), 30 (2)

AMPHIBIAN

     AMERICAN TOAD: 10

     AMERICAN BULLFROG: 1-16, 18-30

     NORTHERN LEOPARD FROG: 2-4, 13, 15-16, 19, 25

LEPIDOPTERA

     BLACK SWALLOWTAIL: 6 (2), 8 (2), 10 (1), 12-13 (1), 15-16 (1), 20 (1)

     EASTERN TIGER SWALLOWTAIL: 1 (3), 3 (2), 5 (1), 9-10 (1)

     CHECKERED WHITE: 24 (1)

     CABBAGE WHITE: 2-5, 6 (2), 7 (11), 9 (11), 10 (8), 11 (2), 12 (5), 13 (6), 14 (3), 15 (4), 16 (7),

          19 (3), 20 (4), 21 (2), 23 (1), 24 (4), 25 (5), 27-29 (1), 30 (2)

     CLOUDED SULPHUR: 11 (3), 13 (1), 14 (2)

     ORANGE SULPHUR: 1 (2), 2-4, 6 (4), 7 (14), 8 (17+), 9 (11), 10 (18), 11 (14), 12 (13), 13 (18),

          14 (8), 15 (5), 16 (16), 19 (8), 20 (4), 21 (7), 22 (19), 23 (8), 24 (13), 25 (14), 26 (1),

          27 (10), 28 (4), 29 (15), 30 (5)

     LITTLE YELLOW: 2 (1)

     Sulphur sp.: 21 (2), 27 (1), 29 (3), 30 (1)

     GRAY HAIRSTREAK: 10 (1)

     EASTERN TAILED-BLUE: 2-3, 6 (2), 8 (1), 11 (1)

     GREAT SPANGLED FRITILLARY: 5 (1)

     PEARL CRESCENT: 3 (1), 6 (1), 9-10 (1), 12 (1), 14-15 (1), 21-22 (1), 25 (1), 28 (1), 29 (4)

     MOURNING CLOAK: 30 (1)

     PAINTED LADY: 1 (1), 3 (4), 4 (2), 5 (223+), 6 (592+), 7 (541+), 8 (218+), 9 (165+), 10 (65+),

          11 (29), 12 (18), 13 (8), 14 (1), 15-16 (3), 18 (2), 19 (17), 20 (21), 21-22 (6), 23 (3), 24 (5),

          25 (8), 26 (4), 27 (28), 28 (73), 29 (116), 30 (28)

     RED ADMIRAL: 27 (1)

     COMMON BUCKEYE: 2 (2), 3 (1), 7-8 (2), 9 (5), 11 (4), 12 (5), 13 (9), 14 (5), 15 (6), 16 (5),

          19 (1), 21 (4), 22 (2), 23 (1), 24 (8), 25 (6), 27 (3), 28-29 (1), 30 (2)

     RED-SPOTTED PURPLE: 19-20 (1)

     VICEROY: 1 (1), 3 (4), 4 (2), 7 (1), 8 (2), 9-10 (5), 11 (2), 12-13 (4), 14-15 (2), 19 (1), 20 (3),

          21-22 (1), 25 (1)

     MONARCH: 1-2 (12), 3 (14), 4 (20), 5 (9), 6 (8), 7 (20), 8 (15), 9 (47), 10 (32), 11 (34), 12 (23),

          13 (11), 14-15 (3), 16 (4), 18 (3), 19 (6), 20 (8), 21 (6), 22 (7), 23 (2), 24 (11), 25 (3), 26 (2),

          28 (9), 29 (3), 30 (5)

     SILVER-SPOTTED SKIPPER: 2 (1), 7 (1), 8 (2), 9-11 (1), 12 (2), 15 (1), 19 (1), 30 (1)

     LEAST SKIPPER: 1 (1), 3 (1)

     FIERY SKIPPER: 7-9 (1), 11-12 (1), 13 (2), 27 (3), 28 (5), 29 (7), 30 (2)

     PECK’S SKIPPER: 12 (2), 19 (1), 21 (1), 25 (1), 27 (2), 28 (5), 29 (7), 30 (2)

     SACHEM: 6-9 (1), 27 (3), 28 (4), 29 (5), 30 (1)

     Skipper sp.: 6 (2), 9, 13 (1), 24 (1), 29 (2)

     LARGE LACE-BORDER: 15 (1)

     YELLOW-COLLARED SCAPE MOTH: 29 (1)

     CELERY LOOPER: 28 (2), 29 (1)

     CORN EARWORM MOTH: 27 (1), 28 (3), 29 (9)

ODONATE

     AMERICAN RUBYSPOT: 1 (4♂), 3 (5♂ + 2♀), 6 (1♀), 7 (1♂), 9 (2♂), 11 (1♂), 12 (1♂ + 1♀),

          13 (1♀), 14 (2♂), 16 (1♂), 21 (1♂), 25 (1♂)

     LYRE-TIPPED SPREADWING: 15 (1), 21 (1)

     Spreadwing sp.: 13 (2)

     BLUE-FRONTED DANCER: 1, 3, 5 (1), 6 (2), 8 (2), 9-10 (1)

     POWDERED DANCER: 1 (3), 3, 7 (4), 9 (2), 10-11 (1), 14 (1), 15 (2), 21 (2), 23 (4)

     AZURE BLUET: 3 (2)

     DOUBLE-STRIPED BLUET: 1 (1)

     FAMILIAR BLUET: 3, 9 (2), 13 (5+), 15 (1), 16 (2), 20 (6), 21 (7), 22 (6), 24 (4)

     STREAM BLUET: 7 (2), 8 (1), 10 (1), 13 (1)

     ORANGE BLUET: 1 (1), 10 (1)

     Bluet sp.: 13, 15, 20, 21 (2), 22 (3), 23 (1), 24 (2)

     EASTERN FORKTAIL: 1, 7 (3), 9 (3), 10 (2), 12 (2), 13 (8), 14-15 (2), 16 (1), 19-20 (1), 22 (5),

          24 (1), 29 (2)

     COMMON GREEN DARNER: 1-3, 4 (1), 5-6 (5+), 7 (11+), 8 (4+), 10 (1), 11 (9+), 16 (2),

          21 (1), 23 (1), 24 (5), 28 (2), 30 (2)

     “Blue Mosaic” Darner sp.: 6-7 (1), 18-19 (1)

     WIDOW SKIMMER: 1 (1), 3, 5-7 (1), 8 (2), 9-10 (4), 11 (2), 12 (1), 14 (1), 16 (3), 24 (1)

     COMMON WHITETAIL: 1

     BLUE DASHER: 1, 3

     WANDERING GLIDER: 3, 7-8, 11 (2), 22 (4), 24 (3), 27 (1)

     EASTERN AMBERWING: 20 (1♂ + 1♀)

     VARIEGATED MEADOWHAWK: 22 (1), 23 (2)

     CHERRY-FACED MEADOWHAWK: 8 (2)

     WHITE-FACED MEADOWHAWK: 3, 11 (1)

     Meadowhawk sp.: 3, 5-9, 12 (1), 14 (1), 16 (1), 20-21 (1)

     BLACK SADDLEBAGS: 6 (1), 22 (2), 24 (2), 26 (1)

     RED SADDLEBAGS: 1 (1)

ORTHOPTERA

     CAROLINA GRASSHOPPER: 1-16, 19-25, 27-30

     NORTHWESTERN RED-WINGED GRASSHOPPER: 3 (1), 13 (1), 19 (1), 24 (2), 25 (1)

     AUTUMN YELLOW-WINGED GRASSHOPPER: 3 (3), 10 (2), 13 (1), 15 (1), 19-21 (1), 23 (1),

          24 (2), 25 (1), 30 (2)

Wolf. Oesterreich