Sunday, April 23, 2017

April 15, 2017: Wolf's March 2016 Wildlife Report




Eastern Bluebirds have returned, although a few were present in the Winter months, checking out the nesting boxes.  The nesting boxes below the Upland Trail are actually for Tree Swallows, although a couple of bluebird pairs will use these boxes.  This photograph is that of a male.

With surgery on the 21st, my time at the Park was rather limited after this date.  I won't be allowed back on my bike for about 3 months. (Wolf. Oesterreich, 3/7/17)

A total of 76 avian species was recorded this month, ranking this month as the 4th highest March among 20 years of records.  This total is 13 species more than last month and 1 more than March 2016.  March 2012, with 82 species, remains as the March with highest total, while March 1998, with 44 species, is the lowest.
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 following may represent new extreme early Spring records for Story County: Blue-winged Teal – 1♂ on the 1st (former record set on 12 Mar 1988 at the Slater sewage lagoon), American White Pelican – 35 on the 7th (20 Mar 2011 at this Park), Le Conte’s Sparrow – 1 on the 24th (29 Mar 1975 at Hendrickson Marsh), and Lincoln’s Sparrow – 1 on the 27th (7 Apr 1998 at McFarland Park).

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

AVIAN
     GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE: 1 (255+), 4 (298+), 5 (51+), 7 (4), 10 (26), 11 (16),
          20 (20), 21 (26)
     SNOW GOOSE: 1 (75+), 5 (200+), 19 (~8), 22 (14), 28 (~60), 30 (39)
     CANADA GOOSE: 1-22, 24-28, 30-31
     WOOD DUCK: 4 (1♂ + 1♀), 5 (6), 6 (1♂), 7 (4♂ + 2♀), 8 (1♂), 10 (1♂), 12 (2♂),
          14 (5♂ + 4♀), 16 (5), 18 (1♂), 24 (1♂), 26 (12+), 27 (2), 30 (3), 31 (2♂ + 1♀)
     GADWALL: 1 (31+), 2 (26+), 3 (40+), 4 (31+), 5 (27+), 6 (20+), 7 (23+), 8 (31+), 9 (35+),
          10 (42+), 11 (52+), 12 (23+), 13 (15+), 14 (86+), 15, 16 (17), 17 (52+), 18 (75+),
          19 (63+), 20 (218+), 26 (35+), 27 (38+), 28 (40+), 30 (2), 31 (1♂ + 1♀)
     AMERICAN WIGEON: 4 (6♂ + 4♀), 10 (4♂ + 3♀), 14 (4♂ + 1♀), 15, 18 (1♂), 20 (3♂)
     MALLARD: 1-22, 24, 26-28, 30-31
     BLUE-WINGED TEAL: 1 (1♂), 20 (2♂ + 1♀), 24, 26 (2), 28 (4), 30 (12)
     NORTHERN SHOVELER: 5 (1♂ + 1♀), 7 (1♂ + 1♀), 9 (28♂ + 5♀), 12 (2♂ + 3♀),
          13-14 (1♂ + 1♀), 15, 16 (10+), 17 (7), 19 (21), 20 (56+), 24 (12+), 26 (1♂ + 1♀),
          27 (2♂ + 2♀), 28 (1♂ + 1♀), 30-31 (12+)
     NORTHERN PINTAIL: 1 (25+), 3 (3♂ + 2♀), 4 (8♂ + 7♀), 10 (2♂), 15 (4♂ + 1♀),
          16 (2♂ + 2♀)
     GREEN-WINGED TEAL: 1 (2), 2 (3), 3 (2), 4 (4♂ + 3♀), 5 (7♂ + 4♀), 10 (9), 11 (49+),
          12 (53+), 14 (7+), 15, 17 (13), 19 (36), 20 (121+)
     CANVASBACK: 14 (4♂ + 2♀), 15, 31 (2♂ + 3♀)
     REDHEAD: 1-2 (1♀), 9 (1♀), 12 (3♂ + 3♀), 14 (4♂ + 3♀), 15, 20 (3♂ + 2♀), 30 (1♂ + 1♀)
     RING-NECKED DUCK: 1 (1♂), 5 (6 + 2♀), 7 (2♂ + 1♀), 9 (25♂ + 11♀), 10 (2♂), 11 (1♂),
          12 (3♂ + 2♀), 14 (58+), 15, 16 (12), 17 (32), 18 (24), 20 (54), 24 (20+), 26 (8),27 (11+),
          28 (5)
     LESSER SCAUP: 1 (1♂), 3 (1♂), 4 (5♂), 5 (1♂ + 2♀), 6 (1♂ + 1♀), 7 (6♂ + 2♀), 12 (42+),
          14 (218+), 15, 17 (13), 18 (16), 19 (5♂ + 1♀), 20 (45+), 21, 24 (250+), 26 (18+), 27 (13+),
          28 (27), 31 (2♂)
     BUFFLEHEAD: 2 (2), 6 (5♂ + 3♀), 7 (2♂), 8 (1♂), 9 (1♂ + 2♀), 10 (2♂ + 1♂ anb),
          12 (1♂ + 2♀), 13 (2♂), 14 (37+), 15, 16 (3♂ + 1♀), 20 (1♂ + 1♀), 24 (1♂), 26 (7),
          27-28 (1♂)
     HOODED MERGANSER: 2 (1♂ + 1♀), 4 (1♂ + 1♀), 9-10 (1♂ + 1♀), 13 (1♂ + 1♀),
          14 (2♂ + 2♀), 15 (1♂), 20 (1♂), 27 (1♀)
     COMMON MERGANSER: 1 (3♂ + 3♀), 4 (6♂), 8 (1♂), 12 (5♂), 14 (1♂ + 1♀), 17 (1♂ + 1♀),
          18 (8), 20 (1♂ + 1♀)
     RUDDY DUCK: 10 (4♂), 11 (3♂), 17 (1), 20 (1♀), 24 (8), 27 (1)
     RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 2, 8, 10-11, 14, 26-28, 30-31
     PIED-BILLED GREBE: 2 (1), 5-7 (1), 10 (1), 11-12 (2), 13 91), 14-15 (2), 16 (1), 19 (2), 20 (4),
          21 (1), 24 (30+), 26 (13), 27 (8), 28 (9), 30 (6), 31 (10)
     HORNED GREBE: 24 (3), 26 (2), 27 (3), 28 (1), 30 (2), 31 (5)
     EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE: 5 (1), 8 (1), 11 (4), 13 (1), 15-16 (1), 17 (2), 21 (1), 26 (2),
          27-28 (1), 30-31 (2)
     MOURNING DOVE: 2 (1), 4 (1), 5 (2), 6 (4), 7 (1), 8 (2 BY), 9 (4), 10 (2), 11 (3), 12 (5), 13 (3),
          14, 15 (1 BY), 18 (1), 19 (2), 20 (2 BY + 1), 21-24, 26-30
     AMERICAN COOT: 5 (6), 8-9 (2), 10 (3), 11-12 (6), 14 (6), 15 (5), 16 (10), 17 (26), 18 (20),
          19 (25), 20 (18), 26-27 (70+), 28 (73+), 30 (40+), 31 (92+)
     KILLDEER: 3 (2), 4 (1), 5 (5), 9-10 (1), 11 (6), 12 (1), 13 (3), 16 (1), 17 (3), 20 (2), 21 (1),
          24 (6), 26-27 (1), 28 (3), 30 (1)
     WILSON’S SNIPE: 24 (2)
     AMERICAN WOODCOCK: 6 (1), 8 (1), 27 (1)
     RING-BILLED GULL: 1 (9+), 3 (7), 4 (16), 5 (35+), 7 (1), 10 (5), 11 (1), 12 (2), 17 (10),
          18-19 (1), 20 (9+), 24 (3), 26 (3), 27 (6), 28 (3), 31 (1)
     DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: 20 (2)
     AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN: 7 (35), 21 (7), 27 (2), 28 (25)
     GREAT BLUE HERON: 4-5 (1), 7-8 (1), 10 (1-2), 13-14 (2), 15 (1), 17 (1), 20-21 (1), 24 (1),
          26 (4), 27 (2), 28 (3), 30 (3), 31 (1)
     GREAT EGRET: 26-27 (1)
     TURKEY VULTURE: 8 (1), 12 (1), 20 (1), 24 (3), 26 (4), 27 (5), 28 (3), 30-31 (2)
     BALD EAGLE: 2-3 (1 ad), 4 (1 ad + 1 im + 1 sub-ad), 5 (1 ad), 7 (1 im), 8-10 (1 ad),
               11 (1 im + 1 sub-ad + 1 ad), 27 (1 ad), 30 (1 ad), 31 (1 im)
     NORTHERN HARRIER: 14-15 (1♀/ju)
     SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: 2 (1), 4 (1 ad BY)
     COOPER’S HAWK: 8 (1 ad), 17 (2), 19 (1), 24 (1 BY), 25 (1 im BY), 27 (1), 29-31 (1)
     RED-TAILED HAWK: 1-2 (1), 4 (1), 5 (3), 8 (2), 9 (1), 10 (3), 11 (2), 12 (1), 13-14 (2), 17 (1),
           18 (3), 19 (2), 20 (1), 28 (1)
     BELTED KINGFISHER: 7-8 (1), 9 (1♂), 10 (1), 13 (1), 20 (1), 24 (1), 30 (1♂ + 1♀), 31 (3)
     RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: 4-5, 11-12, 17-18, 21-22, 25-26, 28, 30
     DOWNY WOODPECKER: 1, 3-5, 7-13, 15-16, 18-20, 22-31
     HAIRY WOODPECKER: 8, 11, 12 (1♂ + 1♀ BY), 13-14, 17, 19, 26
     NORTHERN FLICKER (Yellow-shafted): 26 (2), 27 (7), 28 (3), 30 (11), 31 (1)
     AMERICAN KESTREL: 1-2 (1♂), 4 (1♂), 9-10 (1♂), 12 (1♂), 18 (1♂)
     EASTERN PHOEBE: 20 (1), 24 (1), 26 (1), 30 (1)
     BLUE JAY: 4-5, 10-13, 15, 17-20, 22-26, 30
     AMERICAN CROW: 1-16, 18-22, 24, 26-28, 30
     TREE SWALLOW: 20 (2), 24 (3), 28 (2)
     BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE: 1-31
     WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 4-5, 11-13, 15, 20, 24, 28
     BROWN CREEPER: 26 (1)
     RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET: 26 (1)
     EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 4 (1), 5 (7), 7 (3), 8 (1♂), 9 (3♂ + 1♀), 13 (4♂ + 1♀), 15, 20 (6),
          26 (2♂ + 1♀), 28 (1♂)
     AMERICAN ROBIN: 1-31
     EUROPEAN STARLING: 4-15, 17-19, 21, 23-28, 30-31
     CEDAR WAXWING: 3 (7), 5 (9), 13 (22 BY), 15 (2 BY), 16 (1 BY), 17 (58+), 18 (27+), 19 (4),
          20 (2), 30 (12+)
     HOUSE SPARROW: 1-5, 7-21, 25-28, 30
     HOUSE FINCH: 1-31
     PURPLE FINCH: 20 (1♂ BY)
     AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 5 (1), 17 (1), 24, 26-28
     YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (Myrtle’s): 28 (1)
     AMERICAN TREE SPARROW: 1, 2 (3), 3 (30+), 4-5, 7-9, 11-19, 21-24, 26-28, 30 (2)
     LE CONTE’S SPARROW: 24 (1)
     FOX SPARROW: 8 (1 BY), 11 (1 + 1 BY), 12-13 (1 BY), 20 (1), 21 (1 BY), 24-25 (3 BY),
          26 (4 BY), 27 (6 BY), 28 (7 BY), 29 (1 BY), 30 (2 BY), 31 (1 BY)
     SONG SPARROW: 3 (1), 4 (6), 5 (7), 8 (1), 9 (3), 10 (5), 11 (9+), 12 (2), 13 (3), 14 (7), 15,
          16 (1), 18-19 (3), 20 (28+), 24, 26-28, 30-31
     LINCOLN’S SPARROW: 27 (1)
     SWAMP SPARROW: 3-4 (1), 20 (1), 24 (3), 26-27 (1), 28 (2), 30 (2), 31 (1)
     WHITE-THROATED SPARROW: 13 (1 BY), 23 (1 BY), 30 (1 BY)
     WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW: 15 (1 BY)
     DARK-EYED JUNCO (Slate-colored): 1-5, 7-31
     NORTHERN CARDINAL: 1-5, 7-31
     RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD: 1-7, 9-24, 26-31
     RUSTY BLACKBIRD: 1 (120+), 2 (45+), 5 (8), 9 (2), 13 (2 BY), 28 (1), 30 (2)
     COMMON GRACKLE: 1-7, 9-31
     BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD: 5 (2♂), 10 (9+), 11-18, 30

MAMMALIAN
     AMERICAN MINK: 11 (1), 12 (2)
     WHITE-TAILED DEER: 2 (2), 3 (4), 6 (6), 9 (3), 10 (7), 11 (1), 13 (1), 17 (1), 18 (3), 20 (2),
          23 (4 BY), 26 (1), 27-28 (2), 30 (3), 31 (9)
     FOX SQUIRREL: 1-3, 5, 8-15, 18-31
     EASTERN CHIPMUNK: 8 (1), 27 (1)
     MUSKRAT: 7 (1)
     EASTERN COTTONTAIL: 2-5, 7-9, 11-14, 16-31

REPTILIAN
     PLAINS GARTER SNAKE: 19 (1)
     NORTHERN PAINTED TURTLE: 6 (2), 17 (7), 19 (2), 20 (37+)
     RED-EARED SLIDER: 17 (1), 20 (4)

AMPHIBIAN
     BOREAL CHORUS FROG: 6-7, 20, 28, 30-31

LEPIDOPTERA
     EASTERN COMMA: 19 (1)

Wolf. Oesterreich

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