Tuesday, June 9, 2015

June 6, 2015: Wolf's May 2015 Wildlife Report



Red-winged Blackbirds are nesting in all corners of the Park.  The male (left) will go after anything that comes near the nest, including American Crows, Red-tailed Hawks, and Turkey Vultures (even though this species presents no threat).  A female is shown in the center. A recently fledged youngster (right) was able to fly short distances.  However, it was still a bit unstable and the parents still came by to provide some food. (Wolf. Oesterreich)

A total of 139 avian species (+ 3 sp.) was recorded this month, ranking this month as the 4th highest May among 18 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 drake American Wigeon sighted on the 12th may represent a new extreme late Spring record for Story County (former record set on 3 May 2014 at AHHP).  The Clay-colored Sparrow observation on the 23rd tied the late Spring record (set in 1986 at Ames).  Other potential new extreme late Spring records include the adult Black-crowned Night-Heron on the 23rd (former record set on 22 May 1979 at Hendrickson Marsh), the 2 Harris’s Sparrows on the 23rd (former record set on 20 May 1990 at Ames), and the male Rusty Blackbird on the 2nd (former record set on 25 April 2008 at Ames).

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).

[I participated in the annual Big Bluestem Audubon Society's Birdathon on the 9th, thus few records for that day.

AVIAN
     CANADA GOOSE: 1-31
     TRUMPETER SWAN: 22 (2)
     WOOD DUCK: 1 (2), 2 (4), 3-4 (1♂), 5-6 (3♂ + 3♀), 7 (2), 8 (3), 10, 11 (2♂),
                  12-13 (1), 14 (1♂), 15 (3♂ + 1♀), 19 (1♂), 21-22 (2♂ + 1♀), 23 (7+),
                   27 (2♂ + 2♀), 28-29 (1♂ + 1♀, 30 (1♂ + 2♀), 31 (1♂)
     GADWALL: 2 (2), 18 (1♂ + 2♀)
     AMERICAN WIGEON: 12 (1♂)
     MALLARD: 1-8, 10-31
     BLUE-WINGED TEAL: 1, 2 (30+), 3-4 (16+), 5 (33+), 6 (11+), 7 (19+), 8 (26+), 10,
                    11 (8+), 12 (1), 13 (6), 14 (8), 15 (15+), 16 (10+), 17 (2), 18 (10), 19 (6),
                    20-21 (4), 22 (3♂ + 3♀), 23 (5♂ + 2♀), 24 (5♂ + 1♀), 25 (3♂),
                    26 (4♂ + 1♀), 27 (4♂ + 2♀), 28 (6), 29 (2)
     NORTHERN SHOVELER: 1, 3 (1♂), 5 (2♂), 19 (3♂ + 2♀), 20 (2♂ + 2♀),
                     22 (2♂ + 2♀), 23 (2♂ + 1♀), 26 (1♂)
     GREEN-WINGED TEAL: 18 (1♂)
     RING-NECKED DUCK: 3-4 (1♂), 6 (1♂), 25 (1♂)
     LESSER SCAUP: 2-3 (1♂ + 1♀), 4 (3♂ + 1♀)
     RED-BREASTED MERGANSER: 1-2 (2♀), 3-5 (1♀), 7-8 (1♀), 11-13 (2♀), 15 (2♀)
     RUDDY DUCK: 1 (1♀), 3 (4), 5 (1♂ + 4♀), 6 (4), 7-8 (1♀)
     RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 1-31
     PIED-BILLED GREBE: 1 (3), 2-3 (11), 4 (6), 5 (11+), 6-7 (2), 8 (1), 11 (4), 15 (1)
     HORNED GREBE: 5 (2 abp)
     DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: 1 (12), 4 (7)
     AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN: 1 (58)
     AMERICAN BITTERN: 5 (1)
     GREAT BLUE HERON: 1 (2), 2 (1), 3-6 (2), 7 (3), 8 (2), 10-11 (1), 12 (3), 13 (1),
                     15-16 (3), 17 (1), 18-20 (2), 22 (2), 23 (3), 24 (2), 25 (3), 26 (2), 27 (3),
                     28-29 (2), 30 (3), 31 (2)
     GREAT EGRET: 5 (4), 16 (1), 17 (2), 27 (3), 30 (1)
     GREEN HERON: 1 (1), 3 (1), 11 (1), 13 (1), 19 (1), 21 (1), 24 (1)
     BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON: 19 (1 ad), 23 (1 ad)
     TURKEY VULTURE: 3 (1), 4 (4), 6 (13+), 7 (1), 8 (2), 11 (2), 13 (4), 15 (1), 17 (3),
                      18 (4+), 19 (5), 21 (2), 23 (3), 25 (3), 27 (9), 28 (1), 29 (4), 31 (1)
     OSPREY: 21 (1), 27 (1)
     BALD EAGLE: 5 (2 im), 6 (1 ad), 15 (1 ad), 22 (1 ad), 28 (1 ad)
     SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: 1 (1)
     COOPER’S HAWK: 1 (1), 14 (1),
     Accipiter sp.: 11 (1)
     RED-TAILED HAWK: 1-2 (2), 3-4 (1), 5-6 (2), 7-8 (1), 11 (2), 12 (1), 13 (2), 15 (1),
                     17, 18 (1), 19-20 (2), 21 (1), 22 (2), 23 (1), 25 (1), 27-29 (2), 30 (4), 31 (2)
     VIRGINIA RAIL: 7 (1)
     SORA: 2 (2), 3 (1), 4-5 (3), 6-7 (1), 8 (3), 11 (1), 13 (1)
     AMERICAN COOT: 1, 2 (26+), 3 (13+), 4 (15+), 5 (50+), 6 (18+), 7 (4), 10 (1), 12 (1),
                    15 (2), 17-19 (1), 22-23 (1), 25 (1)
     KILLDEER: 3 (1), 4 (3), 5 (2), 6-7 (3), 8 (1), 11 (1), 13 (2), 15 (2), 16-18, 19-20 (1),
                     23 (3)
     AMERICAN AVOCET: 5 (12)
     SPOTTED SANDPIPER: 3-4 (1), 7-8 (3), 10-11 (1), 12 (2) 13 (4), 15 (3), 20 (1),
                     22 (5), 23 (1), 25 (1), 27 (2)
     SOLITARY SANDPIPER: 4-5 (1), 7 (1), 8 (2), 11 (3), 12-13 (1), 15 (1)
     GREATER YELLOWLEGS: 7-8 (2)
     LESSER YELLOWLEGS: 3 (2), 5 (5), 8 (18+), 11 (3), 12 (6), 13-14 (1), 20 (2)
     LEAST SANDPIPER: 5 (3), 14 (5), 15 (3)
     WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER: 4 (1), 14 (1)
     PECTORAL SANDPIPER: 4 (4)
     SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER: 5 (2), 14 (1)
     Sandpiper sp.: 3 (2), 4 (1)
     LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER: 5 (13), 13 (1)
     RING-BILLED GULL: 1 (3), 17-18 (1)
     FRANKLIN’S GULL: 18 (2)
     CASPIAN TERN: 15 (1), 17 (1), 24 (1)
     BLACK TERN: 25 (7)
     FORSTER’S TERN: 12 (4)
     EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE: 22-24 (1), 25-26 (2)
     MOURNING DOVE: 1-8, 10-13, 15-31
     BARRED OWL: 11 (1)
     CHIMNEY SWIFT: 8 (2), 20 (1), 24 (1), 27 (2)
     RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD: 25 (2)
     BELTED KINGFISHER: 28 (1)
     RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: 5-6, 11, 13, 15, 17-19, 22
     DOWNY WOODPECKER: 1-6, 8, 11, 14-17, 20, 22, 24, 27-29, 31
     HAIRY WOODPECKER: 16
     NORTHERN FLICKER (Yellow-shafted): 2-4 (1), 5 (3), 6 (2), 7-8 (1), 11 (1), 17,
                     24-26 (1)
     OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER: 20 (1)
     EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE: 29 (1)
     WILLOW FLYACTCHER: 29 (1)
     LEAST FLYCATCHER: 4 (2), 5 (1), 11 (2), 13-17, 18 (2), 20 (2), 23
     Empidonax sp.: 24 (1)
     EASTERN PHOEBE: 11 (1), 16 (1), 23-24 (1), 29 (1)
     GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER: 17 (1), 23 (2), 25 (1)
     EASTERN KINGBIRD: 8 (1), 11 (1), 13 (1), 15 (3), 16 (7+), 17 (2), 18 (3), 19-20 (1),
                   24 (1), 25-27 (3), 29 (3), 30-31 (2)
     BELL’S VIREO: 27-29 (1), 31 (1)
     BLUE-HEADED VIREO: 5 (1)
     WARBLING VIREO: 2 (4), 3 (4+), 4 (6+), 5 (7+), 6 (4+), 7-8, 11-31
     RED-EYED VIREO: 3 (1), 16-25
     BLUE JAY: 1-8, 10-11, 15-17, 19, 22-28, 31
     AMERICAN CROW: 1-8, 10-11, 14-19, 22-23, 25, 28, 31
     PURPLE MARTIN: 1-8, 10-31
     TREE SWALLOW: 1-8, 10-31
     NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLLOW: 2, 4, 7, 11, 13, 19-20, 24
     BANK SWALLOW: 4, 11-12, 18, 20
     CLIFF SWALLOW: 11, 18, 20, 23-24
     BARN SWALLOW: 1-8, 10-31
     BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE: 1-8, 10-20, 22-25, 29-31
     WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 2, 16, 23-25, 27, 29, 31
     HOUSE WREN: 1-8, 10-31
     MARSH WREN: 3 (2)
     BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER: 16 (1)
     RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET: 1 (1 BY), 2 (3), 4 (3), 5 (4), 15 (1)
     EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 1 (2♂ + 1♀), 3 (1♀), 4 (2♂ + 1♀), 6-7 (2♂ + 1♀), 8 (1♂),
                  11-12 (1♂ + 1♀), 19 (1), 20 (1♂), 29 (1♂)
     GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH: 22 (1)
     SWAINSON’S THRUSH: 4-5 (1), 8 (1), 10 (1), 12 (1), 16 (1), 19 (2)
     HERMIT THRUSH: 3 (1 BY)
     AMERICAN ROBIN: 1-31
     GRAY CATBIRD: 4 (1), 5 (2), 6-8, 10-25, 28-29, 31
     BROWN THRASHER: 1 (1), 3 (3), 4-5 (1), 6 (2), 7 (1), 10-14 (1), 19 (2), 22
     EUROPEAN STARLING: 1-8, 11-12, 14-31
     CEDAR WAXWING: 26 (8), 31 (1 BY)
     OVENBIRD: 4 (2), 6-7 (1)
     LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH: 14 (1)
     NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH: 2-3 (1), 4-5 (2), 8 (2), 11 (1), 14-15 (1), 23 (1)
     BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER: 2 (1), 3 (4), 6 (1), 11 (1)
     TENNESSEE WARBLER: 6 (1), 14 (1), 15-17, 19 (2), 20 (1), 24 (1)
     ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: 1 (1), 3 (1), 6 (1), 11 (2), 24 (1)
     NASHVILLE WARBLER: 2-5 (2), 8 (1), 11 (1), 18 (1), 20 (1)
     MOURNING WARBLER: 19 (1)
     COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: 2-4 (1♂), 5 (5♂), 6 (4♂ + 1♀), 7-8, 10 (1♂), 11-31
     AMERICAN REDSTART: 3-4 (1♂), 5-6 (2♂), 7 (1♂), 10, 11 (1♂), 13 (1♂),
                  14 (3♂ + 1♀), 15 (1♂ + 2♀), 16 (2♂ + 2♀), 17 (1♂ + 2♀), 18 (4), 19 (6),
                   20 (3), 22 (4♀), 24 (2♀), 26
     NORTHERN PARULA: 12 (1♀), 15 (1)
     MAGNOLIA WARBLER: 14 (2), 16 (7), 17 (3♂), 18 (3), 19 (5), 20 (1), 22 (2)
     BAY-BREASTED WARBLER: 11 (1♂)
     YELLOW WARBLER: 2 (1♂), 4 (1♂), 6 (1♂), 8 (1♂), 10, 11 (2♂), 12 (1♂), 14 (1),
                 15 (4♂ + 1♀), 16 (1♂), 20 (1), 24 (1), 25, 28-29
     CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER: 12 (2♂), 15 (1♂), 16 (1♂ + 1♀), 17 (2♂), 18 (1♂)
     BLACKPOLL WARBLER: 17 (1♂)
     PALM WARBLER: 2 (6), 4 (3), 8 (1)
     YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (Myrtle): 1 (12+), 2-3, 4 (2), 5-6, 7 (1)
     CANADA WARBLER: 16-17 (1♂), 18 (1), 21-23 (1)
     WILSON’S WARBLER: 4-5 (1♂), 14 (1♂ BY), 15 (3♂), 16 (3♂ + 1♀), 17 (2♂),
                   18 (1♂), 22 (2♂)
     EASTERN TOWHEE: 5 (1♂), 13 (1)
     CHIPPING SPARROW: 1, 3-5, 7-8, 10-13, 15, 17-31
     CLAY-COLORED SPARROW: 3 (2), 4 (1), 5 (4), 8 (1), 22-23 (1)
     FIELD SPARROW: 1 (1), 2 (2), 3 (1), 4 (2), 5 (1), 8 (1), 12 (1), 15 (1), 17 (1), 19 (1),
                   22 (1), 24-26 (1), 28 (1), 31 (1)
     LARK SPARROW: 4 (1)
     SAVANNAH SPARROW: 1 (1), 4 (1)
     SONG SPARROW: 1-8, 10-31
     LINCOLN’S SPARROW: 1-3 (1), 4 (2), 11 (5), 12 (2), 15 (2), 22 (1)
     SWAMP SPARROW: 1-2 (1), 3 (2), 4 (4), 5 (3), 8 (1), 12 (1)
     WHITE-THROATED SPARROW: 2 (5+), 3 (26+), 4 (30+), 5-7, 8 (1), 16 (1), 19 (2)
     HARRIS’S SPARROW: 4-5 (1), 23 (2)
     WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW: 1 (1), 2-3 (4), 4-5 (1), 15 (1)
     NORTHERN CARDINAL: 1-8, 10-31
     ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK: 18 (1), 24 (1), 29 (1)
     INDIGO BUNTING: 11 (1♂), 15-18, 21, 23, 26 (1♂), 27-28, 29 (1♂), 31
     DICKCISSEL: 22-23 (1), 29-30 (1)
     BOBOLINK: 4 (1♂), 12 (5♂), 15 (4♂), 25 (1♂), 30 (1♂)
     RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD: 1-8, 10-31
     EASTERN MEADOWLARK: 1, 3-5, 7-8, 12, 15, 19-20, 22, 25, 29-30
     RUSTY BLACKBIRD: 2 (1)
     COMMON GRACKLE: 1-8, 10-31
     BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD: 1-8, 11, 13-14, 16-31
     ORCHARD ORIOLE: 12 (1♂), 15 (1♂ + 1♀), 17 (1♂), 18 (1), 21 (1♂), 24 (1♂ + 1♀),
                   25, 27 (1♂), 31
     BALTIMORE ORIOLE: 3 (5+), 4-8, 10-31
     HOUSE FINCH: 1-8, 10-31
     AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 1-8, 10-31
     HOUSE SPARROW: 1-8, 10-31

MAMMALIAN
     AMERICAN MINK: 11 (1), 13 (1), 31 (1)
     WHITE-TAILED DEER: 2 (2), 3 (3), 5 (3), 6 (1), 11 (1), 15 (4), 16 (1), 20 (1), 24 (1),
              25 (2), 29 (1), 30 (2)
     FOX SQUIRREL: 1, 3-4, 10-11, 15-16, 22-23
     THIRTEEN-LINED GROUND SQUIRREL: 4 (1), 6 (1), 24-25 (1), 29 (1)
     EASTERN CHIPMUNK: 3, 19, 21
     EASTERN COTTONTAIL: 1-13, 15-17, 19-31

REPTILIAN
     PLAINS GARTER SNAKE: 13 (1), 28 (1)
     COMMON SNAPPING TURTLE: 27 (1)
     NORTHERN PAINTED TURTLE: 1-8, 12-13, 15-17, 19, 21-31
     SPINY SOFTSHELL TURTLE: 5 (1), 15 (1), 16 (2), 31 (1)

AMPHIBIAN
     AMERICAN TOAD: 1-7, 10, 15-16, 22-27
     BLANCHARD’S CRICKET FROG: 6, 8, 13, 15-17, 21-22, 24-25, 27-28, 30-31
     EASTERN GRAY TREEFROG: 7-8, 10, 15-16, 26
     BOREAL CHORUS FROG: 1-8, 10-13, 15-17, 20-21, 23-30
     BULLFROG: 2-8, 13, 15, 17, 21-25, 27-29
     NORTHERN LEOPARD FROG: 2-4, 7-8, 26-27

LEPIDOPTERA
     BLACK SWALLOWTAIL: 7 (1)
     EASTERM TIGER SWALLOWTAIL: 28 (1)
     CABBAGE WHITE: 3, 5-6, 16, 31
     ORANGE SULPHUR: 3, 6-8, 16, 27
     Sulphur sp.: 1, 22
     SPRING AZURE: 12 (1)
     PEARL CRESCENT: 3 (3)
     MOURNING CLOAK: 5 (1), 7 (1), 17 (1)
     PAINTED LADY: 3 (1), 8
     RED ADMIRAL: 3 (1), 4-8, 12-13, 15-17, 19, 21-23, 25, 27-28
     VICEROY: 27 (1), 29 (2)
     MONARCH: 5 (1), 13 (2), 16 (1), 22 (2), 23 (1), 27 (1), 31 (6)

ODONATE
     FAMILIAR BLUET:
     EASTERN FORKTAIL: 5 (1♀), 15 (♂/♀), 22, 31
     COMMON GREEN DARNER: 4-7, 13, 15-16, 21-22, 25, 27-29, 31
     EASTERN PONDHAWK: 31 (1♀)
     COMMON WHITETAIL: 28 (1♀), 29 (1♂ im)
     BLUE DASHER: 29 (1♀)
Wolf. Oesterreich

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