April 4, 2016: Wolf's March 2016 Wildlife Report

Mallards are one of the more common waterfowl species found almost year-round at the Park.  This drake was observed on the north lake. 3/21/16 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

A total of 75 avian species (plus 2 sp.) was recorded this month, ranking this month as the 4^th highest March among 19 years of records. 

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, all of the following tie for the extreme early Spring record for Story County: American Woodcock (7 Mar 1983 at Ames), Eastern Phoebe (18 Mar 2012 at AHHP), and Tree Swallow (17 Mar 2012 at AHHP).  The single Yellow-rumped Warbler found on the 25^th may set a new extreme early record for Story County (former record set on 31 Mar 2012 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 55^th Supplement (2014) to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds and the 14^th Supplement to the 7^th Edition (1998).

AVIAN

     GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE: 2 (70+), 4 (80+), 6 (22+), 9 (~100), 11 (14), 12,

          14 (~200), 24 (~100)

     SNOW GOOSE: 6 (2 w), 8 (1 w), 24 (2 w)

     ROSS’S GOOSE: 13 (1)

     CACKLING GOOSE: 8 (2)

     CANADA GOOSE: 1-31

     TRUMPETER SWAN: 2 (2 ad)

     WOOD DUCK: 1 (12♂ + 7♀), 2 (5♂ + 2♀), 5 (2♂ + 1♀), 8 (2♂ + 2♀), 12 (1♂ + 1♀),

          15 (3♂ + 1♀), 18 (1♂ + 1♀), 19, 20 (1♂), 22 (2♂ + 2♀), 23 (2♂), 24 (2♂ + 1♀),

          25 (1), 28 (1), 29 (2♂ + 2♀), 30 (9♂ + 4♀)

     GADWALL: 5 (1♂), 8 (1♂ + 1♀), 9 (1♂), 10 (1♂ + 1♀), 14 (1♂ + 1♀), 17 (3♂ + 2♀),

          18 (12), 19 (2♂ + 2♀), 20 (6♂ + 6♀), 21 (6♂ + 5♀), 22 (8♂ + 5♀), 23 (12+),

          24 (41+), 25 (4), 26 (6+), 27 (28+), 28 (4), 30 (7), 31 917)

     AMERICAN WIGEON: 5 (3♂ + 2♀), 18 (1♂ + 1♀), 20 (7♂ + 3♀), 22 (5♂ + 4♀), 24 (4),

          27 (5)

     AMERICAN BLACK DUCK: 2 (1♂)

     MALLARD: 1-31

     BLUE-WINGED TEAL: 22 (1♂), 25 (4), 27 (6), 28 (7), 29 (9), 30 (18+), 31 (3)

     NORTHERN SHOVELER: 1 (1♂ + 1♀), 7 (1♂ + 1♀), 10 (1♂ + 1♀), 15 (11♂ + 4♀),

          16 (2♂ + 2♀), 18 (1♂), 19 (1♂ + 1♀), 20 (3♂ + 2♀), 22 (3♂ + 1♀), 24 (15♂ + 12♀),

          25 (15+), 26 (6), 27 (13), 28 (6), 29 (4), 30 (13+), 31 (8)

     NORTHERN PINTAIL: 2 (1♂), 5 (63 + 2♂ + 1♀), 6 (7), 8 (1♂), 15 (2♂ + 2♀),

          18 (1♂ + 1♀), 20 (2♂ + 2♀), 27 (1♂)

     GREEN-WINGED TEAL: 10 (2♂), 2 (2♂ + 2♀), 5 (1♂), 8 (2♂ + 1♀), 11 (3+),

          18 (4♂ + 1♀), 20 (3♂ + 3♀), 21 (1), 22 (13+), 23 (10+), 24 (20+), 25 (14), 26 (5),

          27 (14), 28-29 (4), 30 (15+), 31 (8)

     CANVASBACK: 1-2 (1♂ + 1♀), 3 (1♂ + 2♀), 4 (23♂ + 14♀), 5 (2♂), 20 (1♂ + 1♀)

     REDHEAD: 1 (1♂ + 2♀), 2 (1♂ + 1♀), 3 (7♂ + 4♀), 8 (15), 11 (4♂ + 5♀), 20 (3♂ + 2♀),

          22 (1♂ + 1♀), 25 (2♂), 27 (5)

     RING-NECKED DUCK: 1 (1♀), 2 (12♂), 3 (28♂ + 6♀), 5 (1♂), 6 (14♂ + 1♀),

          7 (17♂ + 13♀), 8 (49+), 9 (63+), 11 (50+), 14 (11♂ + 5♀), 15 (162+), 17 (16♂ + 5♀),

          18 (12), 20 (34+♂ + 30+♀), 21 (56+), 22 (13+♂ + 12+♀), 23 (19+), 25 (65+),

          26 (42+), 27 (32+), 28 (97+), 29, 30 (11+), 31 (9)

     LESSER SCAUP: 7 (2♂), 8 (73+), 10 (6♂ + 3♀), 15 (13♂ + 5♀), 18 (5♂ + 1♀),

          19 (1♂), 20 (6+), 21 (8+), 22 (12+), 23 (27+), 24 (69), 25 (85+), 26 (38+), 27 (98+),

          28 (84+), 31 (122)

     BUFFLEHEAD: 8 (1♂), 20 (3♂ + 2♀), 22 (1♂ + 1♀), 24 (3♂ + 3♀), 25 (3♂ + 2♀)

     COMMON GOLDENEYE: 7 (1♀)

     HOODED MERGANSER: 1 (1♂ + 1♀), 2 (1♂), 3 (1♂ + 1♀), 4 (6♂ + 2♀), 8 (1♂ + 1♀),

          9 (1♂), 18 (3♂ + 3♀), 19 (2♂ + 1♀), 20-21 (1♂ + 1♀), 23 (1♂ + 1♀), 24 (8♂ + 5♀),

          31 (1♀)

     RED-BREASTED MERGANSER: 13 (2♂), 15 (7♂)

     RUDDY DUCK: 6 (2), 7 (1), 8 (1♀), 10-14 (1♀), 18 (1♀), 19 (5), 26 (2), 27 (48+), 28 (3),

          29 (1♂), 30 (2)

     RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 1 (2♂), 2-3, 4 (1♂ BY), 5 (5), 9-11, 12 (1♂ BY),

          13 (1♂ BY + 1), 14, 15 (1 + 1♂ BY), 18, 19 (1♂ BY + 2), 21-22, 24, 26 (1♂ BY +),

          27 (1♂ BY + 3), 29, 30 (+ 1♂ BY), 31

     COMMON LOON: 21-22 (1 abp), 23-24 (4 abp), 25 (3 abp + 1 in transition to bp [t]),

          26 (4 abp + 1 t), 27-28 (3 abp + 1 t)

     PIED-BILLED GREBE: 8-10 (2), 11-15 (3), 16 (1), 18-23 (2), 24-25 (3), 26-27 (1),

          28-29 (2), 30 (10), 31 (11)

     GREAT BLUE HERON: 10-12 (1), 15 (1), 17 (1), 19-20 (1), 22 (3), 23 (6), 24 (4),

          25-26 (2), 27 (1), 28 (2), 29 (1)

     TURKEY VULTURE: 20 (5), 22 (1), 24 (2), 26-27 (1), 28 (2), 29 (9), 30 (6), 31 (17+)

     BALD EAGLE: 2 (1 ad), 3 (1 ad + 1 im), 5 (1 ad), 6 (1 ad + 1 im), 7 (1 ad), 23 (1 ad),

          25 (1 ad), 27 (1 ad), 31 (1 ad)

     NORTHERN HARRIER: 24 (1♀)

     SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: 15 (1 im BY)

     COOPER’S HAWK: 3 (1), 5 (1 BY), 11 (1 ad), 24 (1), 27 (1), 31 (1)

     Accipiter sp.: 6 (1 BY)

     RED-TAILED HAWK: 1-2 (2), 3-4 (1), 5 (2), 6 (1), 8 (1), 10 (1), 11 (2), 15 (1), 18 (2),

          19-20 (1), 21 (5), 22 (2), 23 (1), 24 (4), 25 (2), 26 (3), 27-29 (1), 30 (2), 31 (1)

     AMERICAN COOT: 7 (2), 8 (4), 9 (2), 10 (5), 11 (3+), 14 (2), 15 (3), 16 (2), 18 (2),

          20 (8+), 22 (14+), 23 (8+), 24 (23+), 25 (9), 26 (10), 27 (3), 28 (4), 30 (30+), 31 (106)

     KILLDEER: 1 (2), 6 (1), 7 (3+), 8 (1), 9 (3), 10 (4), 11 (2), 15 (2), 26 (1), 30 (1)

     AMERICAN WOODCOCK: 7 (1), 15 (1)

     RING-BILLED GULL: 5 (1), 6 (16), 7 (3), 9 (1), 10 (3), 19 (27), 22 (1), 23 (4), 24 (3),

          27 (1), 30 (1)

     EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE: 27 (1), 30 (1)

     MOURNING DOVE: 1 (1 BY), 2 (2), 3 (1), 5, 6 (2 BY), 7, 9-20, 22, 24-31

     BELTED KINGFISHER: 1 (1♂), 3 (1), 12 (1♀), 15 (1), 17 (2), 18 (1), 19 (1♀), 23 (1),

          25-27 (1)

     RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: 2, 5, 9, 13, 17, 25-28

     YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER: 31 (1 BY)

     DOWNY WOODPECKER: 1-2, 6-7, 10-16, 18, 20-22, 25-27, 29-31

     HAIRY WOODPECKER: 3, 6, 13-14, 22

     NORTHERN FLICKER (Yellow-shafted): 14 (1), 18 (1), 20 (1), 24 (1), 26-28 (2), 30 (2),

          31 (1)

     NORTHERN FLICKER (Red-shafted): 26 (1)

     AMERICAN KESTREL: 1-2 (1♂), 10 (1♂), 12 (1♂), 14 (1♂), 20 (1♂), 23 (1♀),

          24-25 (1♂)

     MERLIN: 24 (1♀)

     EASTERN PHOEBE: 18 (1), 29 (1)

     BLUE JAY: 2, 5-7, 10-11, 13-15, 17-19, 24-27, 30

     AMERICAN CROW: 1-20, 22-27, 29-31

     TREE SWALLOW: 17 (3), 26 (6), 28 (5), 30 (6), 31 (5)

     BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE: 1-31

     WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 6, 10-11, 13-15, 18-20, 22, 25-26, 28-29

     BROWN CREEPER: 26 (1)

     GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET: 26 (3)

     RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET: 15 (1)

     EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 11 (2♂ + 2♀), 12 (3♂ + 1♀), 13, 14 (1♂ + 1♀), 16 (1♂ + 1♀),

          17 (1♂), 22 (1♀), 25 (1♂ + 2♀), 26 (1), 28 (1♂)

     AMERICAN ROBIN: 3 (1), 7-31

     EUROPEAN STARLING: 1-5, 7-10, 12-19, 21, 26-27, 30-31

     YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (Myrtle): 25 (1)

     AMERICAN TREE SPARROW: 1 (7), 2 (15+), 3 (7), 4 (1), 5-6 (2), 10 (1 BY), 11 (1),

          12 (1 BY), 13 (6+), 14 (1 BY), 16-17 (2), 18 (2 BY + 1), 20-21 (1 BY), 23 (4), 24 (3),

          26 (1 BY), 28 (1 BY), 30 (1 BY)

     FOX SPARROW: 8 (3 BY), 14 (1), 21 (3), 23 (3), 25-26 (1 BY), 27 (1 BY + 2), 30 (1)

     SONG SPARROW: 9-10 (4), 11 (6), 12 (2), 13 (7), 14, 15 (10+), 16, 17 (8), 18 (9),

          19 (11+), 20 (1), 21 (3), 22 (8), 23 (10), 24 (13+), 25 (10+), 26-31

     DARK-EYED JUNCO (Slate-colored): 1-3, 5, 6-7 (1), 8 (1 BY + 4), 9 (2 BY), 10 (1 BY),

          11 (4), 12 (4 BY + 1), 13 (6 BY + 2), 14 (4 BY + 2), 15 (6 BY), 16 (7 BY + 4),

          18 (6 BY + 14), 19 (5 BY), 20 (2 BY), 21 (7 BY + 1), 22 (3 BY), 23 (6 BY + 1),

          24 (4 BY + 5), 25 (4 BY + 2), 26 (2 + 5 BY), 27 (4 BY + 5), 28 (8 BY + 2), 

          29 (2 BY + 2), 30 (3 BY + 21), 31 (2 BY + 2)

     NORTHERN CARDINAL: 1-31

     RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD: 1-22, 24-31

     EASTERN MEADOWLARK: 26 (3)

     RUSTY BLACKBIRD: 9 (1)

     COMMON GRACKLE: 6 (2 BY), 7 (6+), 8-31

     BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD: 1 (5♂), 17 (25+ ♂), 19 (1♂), 27 (11♂)

     blackbird sp.:4, 9

     HOUSE FINCH: 1-31

     PURPLE FINCH: 29 (1♂ BY)

     AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 6-7 (1 BY), 10-11 (1 BY), 12-13 (2 BY), 14, 15 (1 BY), 16

     HOUSE SPARROW: 1-31

MAMMALIAN

     AMERICAN MINK: 6-7 (1)

     WHITE-TAILED DEER: 3 (6 BY), 9 (9 BY + 7), 13 (1), 15 (9), 18 (3 BY + 4),

          19 (10 BY + 7), 22 (1), 23 (9), 27 (1 BY), 31 (2)

     FOX SQUIRREL: 3-5, 7-19, 21-22, 25-31

     EASTERN CHIPMUNK: 16 (1), 20 (1)

     MUSKRAT: 9 (1), 22 (1)

     EASTERN COTTONTAIL: 1, 3-6, 9-10, 12-24, 26-28, 30-31

REPTILIAN

     PLAINS GARTER SNAKE: 26 (1)

     garter snake sp.: 17 (1)

     NORTHERN PAINTED TURTLE: 7 (4+), 8 (11+), 9 (4), 10 (17), 11 (35+), 12, 14-17,

          21-22, 25 (3), 28-31

     RED-EARED SLIDER: 10 (3), 11 (4)

AMPHIBIAN

     BOREAL CHORUS FROG: 7-18, 20-31

     AMERICAN BULLFROG: 22 (6), 30

     NORTHERN LEOPARD FROG: 6 (1), 15 (1)

LEPIDOPTERA

     PEARL CRESCENT: 31 (1)

     EASTERN COMMA: 28-29 (1)

     MOURNING CLOAK: 8 (1), 16-17 (1), 21-22 (1), 25 (1), 28-30 (1)

     RED ADMIRAL: 25 (1)

     WOOLLY BEAR (Isabella Tiger Moth): 6 (1)

ODONATA

     VARIEGATED MEADOWHAWK: 29 (1)

Wolf. Oesterreich