Nov 2, 2014: Wolf's October 2014 Wildlife Report

Golden-crowned Kinglets started to move through the Park on the 10th.  Just like the Ruby-crowned Kinglets, this species continually flits about in constant search for food.  They may stick around in the Winter months. 10/18/14 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
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A total of 91 avian species was recorded this month, ranking this month as the 6th highest October (tied with October 2009) among 17 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 White-winged Scoter sighting on the 14th represents only the 5th record for Story County. The male Bufflehead sighting on the 14th and the 3 Ruddy Ducks on the 3rd may represent a new early extreme Fall records (former records set on 23 Oct 1988 at the Slater sewage lagoons and 5 Oct 12 at AHHP, respectively) for Story County. The Tree Swallow on the 28th, the Bank Swallow on the 8th, and the Mourning Warbler on the 5th may set new extreme late Fall records (former records set on 25 Oct 2001 at Hallett’s Quarry & 25 Oct 2008 at AHHP, 16 Sep 2005 at AHHP, and 4 Oct 2013 at AHHP, respectively).

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 53rd Supplement (2012) to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds and the 12th Supplement to the 7th Edition (1998).

AVIAN

     CACKLING GOOSE: 10 (3)

     CANADA GOOSE: 1-12, 14-31

     WOOD DUCK: 1-12, 14-18, 20, 23, 25, 27 (12+), 28 (28), 29-31

     GADWALL: 14 (15+), 17 (4), 26 (24), 27 (6), 29 (10), 30 (2)

     AMERICAN WIGEON: 3 (1♂), 5 (2♀), 6 (2), 7-8 (1), 9 (4), 10 (1♂), 11 (3), 12 (2),

           14 (8), 16 (1), 17 (7), 19 (3), 21 (3), 22 (1), 26-27 (2), 28 (4)

     MALLARD: 1-12, 14-31

     BLUE-WINGED TEAL: 1-10, 12, 25

     NORTHERN SHOVELER: 6 (4), 7 (5), 8 (8), 9 (2), 10 (4), 11 (12), 12, 14 (10+),

           15-16 (5), 17 (7), 18 (3), 19 (4), 20 (9), 21 (7), 22, 23 (4), 24 (8), 25 (5), 26 (7),

           27 (19), 28 (7), 29, 30 (6), 31 (1♂)

     NORTHERN PINTAIL: 5 (3), 6 (6), 7 (12), 8 (10), 9-10 (6), 11 (2), 12 (9), 14-15 (4),

           16 (1), 21 (1), 25 (4), 26 (1)

     GREEN-WINGED TEAL: 3, 5 (23+), 6-12, 14-17, 19-31

     REDHEAD: 24 (2♂ + 1♀)

     RING-NECKED DUCK: 5-6 (2), 14 (3), 22 (1), 25 (12), 28 (1♀), 31 (2♀)

     LESSER SCAUP: 14 (15+)

     WHITE-WINGED SCOTER: 14 (3)

     BUFFLEHEAD: 14 (1♂), 25 (2♀)

     HOODED MERGANSER: 27 (1♂)

     RUDDY DUCK: 2 (3), 5 (3), 6 (2), 7-9 (1), 14 (2), 17 (8), 18 (1), 21 (2), 26 (1),

            30 (4)

     RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 1-9, 11-12, 14-18, 20-27, 29-30

     PIED-BILLED GREBE: 1 (2), 2 (12), 3 (32), 4 (6), 5 (16), 6 (12), 7 (3), 8 (7), 9 (12),

          10 (3), 12 (7), 14 (2), 15 (1), 16 (4), 17 (5), 18 (6), 19 (3), 20-21 (2), 22 (3),

           23 (4), 24 (2), 25 (3+), 26 (20), 27 (8), 28-29 (3), 30 (2), 31 (3)

     HORNED GREBE: 3 (2)

     DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: 6 (3), 7 (8), 10 (1), 14 (2), 15 (1)

     AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN: 2 (108+), 12 (1), 22 (1)

     AMERICAN BITTERN: 14 (1)

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

            11-12 (5), 14 (3), 15 (2), 16 (1), 17 94), 18 (2), 19 (3), 20-21 (2), 22 (1), 23 (3),

            24 (2), 26-28 (2), 29-31 (1)

     GREAT EGRET: 1-5 (1), 6-7 (2), 9 (1), 10 (2), 11-12 (1), 15 (1), 17-18 (1), 19 (2),

            20 (1)

     TURKEY VULTURE: 1 (3), 2 (4), 3 (1), 6 (1), 9-10 (1), 14 (3), 15 (1)

     OSPREY: 20 (1)

     BALD EAGLE: 3 (1 ad), 14 (1 ad), 18 (1 ad), 20 (1 ad), 27 (1 ad), 30 (1 ad)

     SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: 19 (1)

     COOPER’S HAWK: 2 (1 ad + 1 im), 3 (1 ad), 6 (1), 8 (1), 11 (1), 15 (1 ad)

     RED-TAILED HAWK: 2-3 (1), 5 (1), 7 (1), 12 (1), 14 (1), 17 (2), 19 (2), 20 (1),

           22 (1), 26 (1), 28 (1), 31 (1)

     AMERICAN COOT: 1 (3), 2 (200+), 3 (~100), 4 (28), 5 (34), 6 (62), 7 (35+),

            8 (46+), 9 (19), 10 (43), 11 (44), 12 (46), 14 (23), 15 (38), 16 (53), 17 (57),

            18 (39+), 19 (69), 20 (43), 21 (55), 22 (37), 23 (31+), 24 (39), 25 (126+),

            26 (68), 27 (36), 28 (45), 29, 30 (5), 31 (16)

     KILLDEER: 8 (2)

     RING-BILLED GULL: 3 (1), 4 (7), 5 (5), 6 (11), 9, 14 (2)

     FRANKLIN’S GULL: 3 (220+), 4 (1), 5 (18), 6 (9), 7, 8 (100+), 9 (75+), 14 (26)

     MOURNING DOVE: 1-3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 22, 30

     BELTED KINGFISHER: 1-3 (1), 6-7 (1), 8 (2), 10-12 (1), 14-15 (1), 16 (1♂), 18 (1),

           22 (1)

     RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: 1-2, 5, 7-8, 10-12, 14-15, 20, 23, 28, 30

     YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER: 6-7 (1)

     DOWNY WOODPECKER: 1, 5-12, 17-18, 21-23, 25, 27, 29-31

     HAIRY WOODPECKER: 7, 9, 17, 23-24, 27

     NORTHERN FLICKER (Yellow-shafted): 1 (1), 2 (3), 6 (1), 7 (2), 10 (1), 20 (1)

     AMERICAN KESTREL: 27 (1♀)

     MERLIN: 1 (1)

     EASTERN PHOEBE: 1 (1), 6 (2), 7 (3), 9-10 (1)

     BLUE JAY: 1-2, 4-9, 11-12, 15, 17, 19-31

     AMERICAN CROW: 1-3, 5-7, 9-10, 12, 17-18, 22, 26-28, 30-31

     TREE SWALLOW: 1-2, 18 (10), 28 (1)

     BANK SWALLOW: 8 (1)

     BARN SWALLOW: 2-3, 7 (1), 17 (1)

     BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE: 1-2, 5-12, 14-21, 23-25, 27-31

     WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 9-11, 18, 21-24, 29-30

     BROWN CREEPER: 6 (1), 10 (1), 23 (1)

     HOUSE WREN: 6-8 (1)

     WINTER WREN: 10 (1)

     MARSH WREN: 6 (1), 8 (2) 

     CAROLINA WREN: 23 (1)

     GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET: 10 (3), 11 (1), 14 (1), 17-18 (1), 24 (1), 27 (1),

            28 (2)

     RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET: 1, 5 (4), 6 (7), 7 (8), 8 (6), 9 (5), 10 (2), 11 (3), 12 (1),

            14 (3), 15 (2), 16, 17 (3), 18 (4), 21 (2), 23-24 (1), 28 (1), 29 (3)

     EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 2, 24 (2), 25 (9+)

     SWAINSON’S THRUSH: 15 (1)

     HERMIT THRUSH: 6 (1), 8-9 (1), 14 (1), 16 (2), 19-20 (1 BY), 23 (4)

     AMERICAN ROBIN: 1, 4, 6-12, 14-31

     GRAY CATBIRD: 1-2

     EUROPEAN STARLING: 2, 4-7, 23-25, 27-28, 30

     CEDAR WAXWING: 1 (~12), 5 (6+), 6 (4), 7 (15), 8, 10 (12+), 14 (1), 15 (3), 16,

            18, 20-26, 29-30

     ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: 1 (1), 5-6 (3), 7-8 (1), 9 (4), 10 (1), 18 (1),

            21 (1)

     NASHVILLE WARBLER: 1 (2), 5 (2), 9 (1)

     MOURNING WARBLER: 5 (1)

     COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: 2 (2), 5 (1), 7 (2)

     YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (Myrtle): 1-2, 3 (1), 5-6 (40+), 7-9, 10 (2), 11,

            12 (2), 14 (8+), 15 (3), 17 (5+), 18 (3+), 20 (2), 21 (2+), 23 (4), 24 (1), 25 (2),

             26 (1), 27 (2)

     AMERICAN TREE SPARROW: 26 (2+), 28 (5+), 29-31

     CHIPPING SPARROW: 7-11, 20 (4+), 27 (2)

     FIELD SPARROW: 8 (1), 10 (3), 22 (2)

     FOX SPARROW: 7 (1), 9 (4), 22 (1)

     SONG SPARROW: 1-2, 4-11, 14-25, 27-31

     LINCOLN’S SPARROW: 1 (1), 4 (1), 5 (2), 7 (3), 8 (2), 9 (3), 10-12 (1), 26 (1),

            29-30 (1)

    SWAMP SPARROW: 1 (2), 2 (1), 4 (2), 5 (1), 6 (5+), 7, 8 (6+), 9 (10+), 11-12,

            14-15, 17-18, 20-25, 28 (1), 29, 31

     WHITE-THROATED SPARROW: 1, 3-4, 6 (5+), 7-10, 12, 14-18, 20, 23-25, 30

     HARRIS’S SPARROW: 7 (2), 8 (1), 10 (1), 12 (1), 14 (2), 15 (1), 29 (1), 31 (1)

     WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW: 1 (1), 7 (1), 8-9 (2), 10 (5), 12 (1), 15 (1), 16 (2),

            17 (1), 29 (1)

     DARK-EYED JUNCO (Slate-colored): 3-5 (1), 6 (10+), 7-10, 12 (1), 14 (1), 15-16,

            18, 20, 22-31

     NORTHERN CARDINAL: 1-3, 7-70, 12, 17-18, 21, 23-25, 28, 30

     RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD: 2, 4, 6-8, 10-11, 16, 18 (1), 19-22, 24-25, 27-28,

            30-31

     RUSTY BLACBIRD: 27 (1♂)

     COMMON GRACKLE: 7, 10-11, 20-21, 25, 28

     BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD: 6 (1♂)

     HOUSE FINCH: 1, 3, 11, 14-15, 17-18, 21-22, 28, 30

     PINE SISKIN: 3 (2), 6 (1)

     AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 1-12, 14-19, 21-24, 26-30

     HOUSE SPARROW: 1-3, 5-11, 14-18, 20-21, 23-31

MAMMALIAN

     AMERICAN MINK: 7 (1)

     WHITE-TAILED DEER: 1 (1♀ w/2), 5 (1♀ w/2), 6 (1), 7 (1♀ w/2), 11 (1♀ w/1, 1♀

         w/2 BY), 12 (8), 14 (4), 15 (1♀ w/2 BY), 18 (1), 22 (2), 23 (4), 24 (2 + 2 BY),

         28 (1)

     FOX SQUIRREL: 1-3, 8-12, 21, 25-29

     THIRTEEN-LINED GROUND SQUIRREL: 2, 24 (2), 30 (1)

     EASTERN CHIPMUNK: 1-2, 11

     EASTERN COTTONTAIL: 1-6, 9-11, 14, 16, 21-24, 26

REPTILIAN

     PLAINS GARTERSNAKE: 4 (1), 6-7 (1), 9 (1), 14 (1), 15 (3)

     EASTERN GARTERSNAKE: 15 (1)

     COMMON SNAPPING TURTLE: 24 (1)

     NORTHERN PAINTED TURTLE: 1-2, 4-5, 7-11, 15-21, 23-27, 29-30, 31 (1)

AMPHIBIAN

     AMERICAN TOAD: 2-3, 9 (1)

     BOREAL CHORUS FROG: 1-2, 6, 8, 14

     AMERICAN BULLFROG: 15 (1), 16-17, 21

     NORTHERN LEOPARD FROG: 4, 27 (1)

LEPIDOPTERA

     BLACK SWALLOWTAIL:

     CHECKERED WHITE:

     CABBAGE WHITE: 1-2, 4-8, 11, 16, 19, 24

     CLOUDED SULPHUR: 1

     ORANGE SULPHUR: 1-2, 4-5, 7, 9, 11, 16, 18-21, 23-24, 26, 29 (1)

     LITTLE SULPHUR:

     DAINTY SULPHUR:

     Sulphur sp.: 6-9, 11, 15-16, 19-21, 23-24, 26

     EASTERN TAILED-BLUE:

     PEARL CRESCENT: 1, 5, 11 (1)

     QUESTION MARK:

     EASTERN COMMA: 4

     MOURNING CLOAK:

     PAINTED LADY: 2 (1), 4-5 (1), 7-9 (1), 29 (1), 31 (1)

     RED ADMIRAL: 4 (1), 6 (1)

     COMMON BUCKEYE:

     VICEROY: 6 (1), 8 (1), 11 (1)

     MONARCH: 1 (5), 2 (4), 5 (4), 6 (1), 7 (2), 26 (1)

     LEAST SKIPPER: 7

     FIERY SKIPPER: 9

     SACHEM: 1, 6-8

     Skipper sp.: 9, 21

     CHICKWEED GEOMETER: 1, 4

     BEDSTRAW HAWKMOTH (caterpillar):

     WOOLLY BEAR (Isabella Tiger Moth): 4-12, 14-21, 23-31

     FORAGE LOOPER: 9

     CELERY LOOPER: 6

     CATTAIL CATERPILLAR (Henry’s Marsh Moth): 6-7

Other “bears” (black, yellow, brown, golden, etc.) may be color variations of the Woolly Bear or other Arctiidae species: 9, 16

ODONATA

     SHADOW DARNER: 15 (1)

     COMMON GREEN DARNER: 1 (1), 19 (1)

     “Blue Mosaic” DARNER sp.: 6 (2), 9 (2), 11 (1), 15-16 (1), 19-20 (1), 26 (1)

     Darner sp.: 2 (3), 4 (1), 9-10 (1)

     SAFFRON-WINGED MEADOWHAWK: 20 (1♀), 23 (4+), 27 (1♀)

     CHERRY-FACED MEADOWHAWK: 1-2, 4, 6-11, 15, 17, 20

     WHITE-FACED MEADOWHAWK: 1, 4, 5 (2♀), 6, 9-10

     BAND-WINGED MEADOWHAWK: 1, 7

     Meadowhawk sp.: 4-7, 9-10, 16, 18-21, 27, 29

ORTHOPTERA

     CAROLINA GRASSHOPPER: 4, 7-9, 15, 20

     AUTUMN YELLOW-WINGED GRASSHOPPER: 5-6, 8

Wolf. Oesterreich