Oct 1, 2018: Wolf's September 2018 Wildlife Report

Although I now have 4 Northern Bobwhite records for the Park, this was actually my first visual.  On the 8th, just shortly after I entered the Park I heard the call of Northern Bobwhite coming from the shrubs behind the trash can at the Upland Trail's south trailhead.  I parked my bike and walked the few steps towards where I heard the call come from.  The calling stopped, but I heard a call echoing from the woods.  Thinking that the bird had dashed into the woods, I did too.  The calls stopped, but then I heard the "bob-white" call from the prairie located on the north side of Pond J and south of the Upland Trail.  That, too, stopped when I exited the woods.  However, a bobwhite then called out from the original spot.  I walked around a shrub and a pile of cut branches and stopped.  The call rang out again and I looked down to my right and spotted the male Northern Bobwhite, just 4 feet from me.  There had to have been at least 3 birds present. (Wolf. Oesterreich, 9/8/18)

A total of 115 (+ 3 sp.) avian species was recorded this month, ranking this month as the 3^rd highest September (tied with September 2008) among 21 years of records.  September 2007 with 126 species remains as the highest September, while Septembers 1998 and 2002 are the lowest with only 61 species.  This total is 16 species more than last month and 21 more than September 2017.

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 2♀ Ruddy Duckson the 26th may be a new extreme early Fall record for Story County (former record set on 2 Oct 2014 at AHHP).  Also, the 4 Bonaparte’s Gulls on the 22^nd may represent a new extreme early Fall record (former record set on 1 Oct 1997 at Hallett’s Quarry).  The 300+ Franklin’s Gulls on the 17^th may have a new peak count (former record of 200+ on 28 Sep 2016 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 59^th Supplement (2018) to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds and the 18^th Supplement to the 7^th Edition (1998).

AVIAN

     CANADA GOOSE: 1, 10, 12 (1), 15 (8), 17 (32), 18 (2), 19 (1), 21 (1), 22, 23 (9), 24 (3),

          25 (23+), 26 (8), 27 (71), 28 (49), 29 (57), 30 (29)

     TRUMPETER SWAN: 29 (2 ad)

     WOOD DUCK: 1 (37), 2 (33), 3 (18), 4 (15+), 5 (9), 6 (17), 7-8 (10), 9 (6), 10 (17), 11 (6),

          12 (7), 13 (12), 14 (2), 15 (15), 17 (22), 18 (18), 19 (12), 20 (3), 21 (4), 22 (15), 23 (7),

          24 (16), 25 (8), 26 (6), 27 (13), 28 (26), 29 (37), 30 (30)

     BLUE-WINGED TEAL: 1 (395+), 7 (1), 10 (39), 11 (3), 12 (24), 18 (30+), 26 (14), 27 (3),

          28 (2), 29 (23), 30 (3)

     NORTHERN SHOVELER: 1 (10), 29 (21), 30 (5)

     MALLARD: 1 (6), 2 (4), 3 (5), 4 (3), 5 (1), 7-8 (2), 9 (19+), 10 (13), 11 (2), 12-13 (10), 14 (6),

          15 (7), 17 (6), 18 (7), 19 (2), 20 (1), 21 (5), 22 (3+), 23 (4), 24 (15+), 25 (16), 26 (11+),

          27 (15+), 28 (19), 29 (44), 30 (37)

     GREEN-WINGED TEAL: 1 (12), 28 (4), 30 (4)

     RUDDY DUCK: 26 (2♀)

     NORTHERN BOBWHITE: 8 (3)

     RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 17, 27 (1), 28-30 (2)

     PIED-BILLED GREBE: 1 (1), 3 (1), 20 (1), 22 (4), 26 (4), 28 (17), 29 (10), 30 (5)

     ROCK PIGEON: 30 (11)

     EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE: 1 (1), 9 (1), 11 (2), 12 (1), 19 (1), 25 (2), 29 (1)

     MOURNING DOVE: 1-4, 7, 9-10, 12, 18, 26, 28-30

     YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO: 15 (1)

     COMMON NIGHTHAWK: 17 (1)

     CHIMNEY SWIFT: 7, 17, 19, 25, 30 (1)

     RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD: 3 (4), 5 (1), 7 (7), 8 (2), 9-10 (1), 12-13 (1), 14-15 (2),

          17 (2), 18-19 (1), 22 (1), 30 (1)

     SORA: 27 (1)

     AMERICAN COOT: 1 (1), 18 (1), 22 (1), 26 (8), 27 (2), 29 (61), 30 (13)

     KILLDEER: 9 (1), 17 (1)

     BONAPARTE’S GULL: 22 (4)

     FRANKLIN’S GULL: 17 (300+), 22 (45+), 28 (~80), 29 (1)

     RING-BILLED GULL: 17 (5+), 21 (3), 22 (2), 25 (8), 26 (4), 29 (2)

     CASPIAN TERN: 1 (4), 2 (3), 3 (5), 7 (2), 17 (4)

     FORSTER’S TERN: 7 (1), 10 (1), 11 (4)

     COMMON LOON: 28 (1 anb)

     DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: 2 (3), 3 (1), 5 (2), 6 (5), 7 (4), 8 (1), 9-10 (2), 14-15 (1),

          17 (36), 18 (1), 19 (2), 20-21 (1), 22-23 (3), 24 (4), 25 (86+), 26 (5), 27 (3), 28 (6),

          29 (38), 30 (3)

     AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN: 1 (2), 2 (3), 3-5 (1), 6 (~50), 7 (14), 8 (1), 10 (13), 23 (15),

          25 (28), 30 (5)

     GREAT BLUE HERON: 1 (15), 2 (6), 3-4 (4), 5 (5), 6 (3), 7 (5), 8 (4), 9 (8), 10 (9), 11 (10),

          12 (14), 13-15 (6), 17 (10), 18 (8), 19 (3), 20 (8), 21 (4), 22-23 (5), 24 (3), 25 (2), 26 (6),

          27-28 (4), 29 (7), 30 (3)

     GREAT EGRET: 1 (6), 2 (2), 3-4 (1), 5 (2), 6-7 (1), 17 (7), 18 (2), 28-30 (1)

     SNOWY EGRET: 17 (1)

     GREEN HERON: 1 (6), 2 (3), 3 (1), 4-5 (4), 6 (5), 7 (2), 8 (3), 9-10 (2), 12 (3), 13 (4),

          14-15 (2), 17 (4), 18-20 (2), 21 (3), 22 (1), 23 (2), 24 (1), 25 (2)

     TURKEY VULTURE: 2 (2), 3-4 (6), 5 (2), 6 (1), 7 (14), 8 (6), 9-10 (2), 11 (8), 12 (5), 13 (2),

          14 (5), 15 (1), 16 (20+), 17 (100+), 18 (4), 19 (3), 20 (14), 22 (1), 25-26 (8), 27 (10),

          30 (1)

     OSPREY: 2 (1), 4-6 (1), 7 (2), 9 (1), 10 (2), 11 (1), 13-14 (2), 17 (30+), 18 (1), 20 (6), 22 (2),

          24 (1), 25 (2), 27 (3), 28-29 (2), 30 (1)

     SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: 17 (1), 27 (1), 29 (1)

     COOPER’S HAWK: 2 (2), 4-5 (1), 25 (1)

     Accipiter sp.: 10 (1), 18 (1), 20 (1)

     BALD EAGLE: 1 (1 ad), 3 (1 ad), 4 (2 im), 5 (1 ad), 8 (3 ad), 10 (1 ad), 12-13 (1 ad),

          17 (1 im), 19 (2 ad), 24-25 (1 ad), 29 (1 ad)

     BROAD-WINGED HAWK: 4 (1)

     RED-TAILED HAWK: 2-3 (1), 4 (2), 5-6 (1), 8 (1 ad + 1 im), 10-11 (2), 13 (2), 17 (1), 18 (2),

          22 (1), 25 (1), 27-29 (2), 30 (1)

     BARRED OWL: 21 (1), 26 (1)

     BELTED KINGFISHER: 1-2 (1), 4 (1), 5 (2), 6 (1), 7 (2), 9 (1), 11 (1), 15 (1), 17-18 (2),

          19 (1), 21 (1), 22 (2), 25-26 (1), 27 (1♂), 28 (3), 29 (2)

     RED-HEADED WOODPECKER: 1 (1 ad + 1 nestling), 3 (1 ad + 1 fledgling),

          5 (1 ad + 1 fledgling), 6 (1 ad + 2 fledglings), 7 (1 ad + 1 ju), 8 (2 ad + 1 ju), 9 (1 ju),

          10 (1 ad), 11 (1 ad + 1 ju), 12 (1 ju), 16 (1 ju), 22 (3 ju), 24 (2 ju), 26 (2 ju)

     RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: 2, 9, 11, 14-15, 17-18, 22, 29-30 (1)

     YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER: 27-28 (2), 29 (3), 30 (1)

     DOWNY WOODPECKER: 1-3, 5, 7, 9, 12-13, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 29-30

     HAIRY WOODPECKER: 3 (1), 8 (1), 22 (1), 23 (2), 28-29 (1)

     NORTHERN FLICKER (Yellow-shafted): 1-2 (1), 5 (2), 7 (1), 17 (1), 23-24 (1), 25 (6), 26 (1),

          29 (7)

     AMERICAN KESTREL: 8 (1♂)

     MERLIN: 29 (1), 30 (1♀)

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

     OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER: 8-9 (1)

     EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE: 12-13 (1)

     LEAST FLYCATCHER: 7 (1), 14 (2)

     Empidonax sp.: 5 (1), 8-10 (1), 13 (1)

     EASTERN PHOEBE: 3 (1), 6 (1), 9 (1), 17 (1), 21 (1), 25-28 (1)

     BLUE-HEADED VIREO: 18 (1), 30 (1)

     PHILADELPHIA VIREO: 21 (1)

     WARBLING VIREO: 1 (1), 6 (1), 9 (1)

     RED-EYED VIREO: 1 (1), 6 (3), 7 (2), 18 (2)

     BLUE JAY: 1-3, 5-10, 13-15, 17-19, 21-30

     AMERICAN CROW: 1-8, 12-15, 18-19, 21-22, 25-27, 29-30

     PURPLE MARTIN: 2 (1)

     TREE SWALLOW: 1, 11 (3), 17 (100+), 20, 25, 27 (6+), 28, 29-30 (100+)

     NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW: 2

     CLIFF SWALLOW: 1

     BARN SWALLOW: 1-3, 5-9, 11 (2), 22 (3), 26, 27 (1), 28, 29 (220+), 30 (100+)

     Swallow sp.: 4, 19

     BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE: 1-7, 9-11, 13-15, 19, 22-24, 26-30

     RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 9 (1), 11 (1), 18 (1), 27 (2)

     WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 1-2, 5-9, 13, 19, 22-24, 28-30 (1)

     HOUSE WREN: 3 (1), 7 (2), 8 (1), 9 (2), 11 (1), 13 (1), 15 (1), 18 (1), 22 (2), 23 (1), 26 (3),

          27 (1), 28 (7), 29 (1)

     RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET: 1 (1), 26 (1), 28-29 (2)

     EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 2, 9 (1), 25 (2), 28-30 (2)

     SWAINSON’S THRUSH: 1 (2), 2 (1), 7 (1), 9 (1), 15 (1), 22 (1)

     HERMIT THRUSH: 7 (1)

     AMERICAN ROBIN: 2 (1), 3 (2), 5 (1), 9 (1), 15 (1), 18 (1), 22, 27 (4), 28 (2), 30

     GRAY CATBIRD: 1-3, 5-9, 12, 14-15, 17-19, 21-23, 25-27, 29 (2)

     BROWN THRASHER: 1-2 (1), 7 (1), 21 (1), 28 (1)

     EUROPEAN STARLING: 1-2, 4, 7-12, 14, 18, 20-21, 23, 27, 29-30

     CEDAR WAXWING: 3 (6), 6 (2), 17 (12), 19 (~12), 24 (3+), 27 (3), 28 (1), 29 (11)

     HOUSE SPARROW: 2-4, 7-9, 15, 18, 28-30

     HOUSE FINCH: 4-6, 9-11, 13, 18, 20-21, 26, 28-30

     AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 1-15, 17-30

     CHIPPING SPARROW: 10, 13 (1), 15 (1), 28 (20+)

     SAVANNAH SPARROW: 28 (1)

     SONG SPARROW: 1-15, 17-18, 21-22, 24, 26-29

     LINCOLN’S SPARROW: 10 (1), 22 (2), 26 (2), 27 (7), 28 (8), 29 (5), 30 (2)

     SWAMP SPARROW: 24-25 (1), 28 (7), 29 (8), 30 (4+)

     WHITE-THROATED SPARROW: 28 (30+), 30 (35+)

     HARRIS’S SPARROW: 26 (1), 27 (2), 28 (3), 30 (1)

     WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW: 27-28 (2), 29 (1)

     BALTIMORE ORIOLE: 3 (1)

     RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD: 18 (2), 29 (5)

     BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD: 7 (1), 29 (2)

     COMMON GRACKLE: 22, 24 (1)

     OVENBIRD: 1-2 (1), 6 (1)

     GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER: 1-2 (1), 7 (2), 14 (1)

     BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER: 1 (3), 2 (1), 4 (1), 6 (1), 7 (3), 12 (2), 15 (1), 17 (1), 18 (2)

     ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: 2 (1), 26-27 (2), 28 (3), 29 (2), 30 (3)

     NASHVILLE WARBLER: 3 (2), 7 (1), 9 (1), 18-19 (1), 28 (4), 29 (1), 30 (3)

     MOURNING WARBLER: 6 (1)

     COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: 1 (2), 2 (1), 3 (2), 7 (2), 9 (2), 10 (1), 15 (2), 22 (1), 26-27 (1),

          28 (3)

     AMERICAN REDSTART: 1 (3), 2 (2), 6 (1), 7 (5), 9 (7), 10 (4), 11-12 (2), 13 (4), 14 (1),

          15 (2), 22 (1)

     NORTHERN PARULA: 6 (1), 7 (2), 12 (2), 14 (1)

     MAGNOLIA WARBLER: 1-2 (1), 4 (1), 6-7 (1), 9 (1), 11 (1)

     CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER: 1 (2), 4 (1), 6 (2), 15 (1), 19 (1)

     BLACKPOLL WARBLER: 9 (1)

     PALM WARBLER: 28 (4), 29 (1)

     YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (Myrtle): 9 (1), 26 (5), 27 (15+), 28 (75+), 29 (30+),

          30 (50+)

     BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER: 19 (1♀)

     CANADA WARBLER: 1-2 (1), 23 (1)

     WILSON’S WARBLER: 1 (2), 2 (1), 5-7 (1), 9 (1)

     NORTHERN CARDINAL: 1-3, 5, 7-11, 14-15, 18-19, 21-29

     ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK: 9 (1), 13 (1), 25 (2)

     INDIGO BUNTING: 14 (1 im), 26 (1 im), 29 (1 im)

     DICKCISSEL: 6 (1), 7 (3)

MAMMALIAN

     EASTERN COTTONTAIL: 1-10, 12-15, 17-22, 24-25, 27, 29

     EASTERN CHIPMUNK: 22, 29

     EASTERN FOX SQUIRREL: 1-3, 6-15, 17-19, 21-30

     MEADOW VOLE: 2 (1)

     COMMON MUSKRAT: 2 (1)

     WHITE-TAILED DEER: 1 (1♀ w/2 fawns BY), 6 (1♀ w/1 fawn). 9 (1♀ w/2 fawns), 10 (4),

          11 (1), 18 (1♀ w/2 ju), 21 (1), 22 (3 + 2 BY), 28 (2), 29 (1)

REPTILIAN

     PLAINS GARTER SNAKE: 4 (1), 8 (1), 11-12 (1)

     Garter Snake sp.:

     COMMON SNAPPING TURTLE:

     WESTERN PAINTED TURTLE: 2-6, 8-15, 17, 19-20, 22-24, 26-27

     RED-EARED SLIDER: 8 (1), 10 (1), 11 (2), 26 (2), 27 (1)

     WESTERN SPINY SOFTSHELL: 22 (1)

AMPHIBIAN

     AMERICAN TOAD: 1-4, 6, 8-10, 13-15, 17, 19-20, 25-27, 30

     BLANCHARD’S CRICKET FROG: 6 (1), 26 (1)

     BOREAL CHORUS FROG:

     EASTERN GRAY TREE FROG:

     AMERICAN BULLFROG: 19 (1)

     NORTHERN LEOPARD FROG: 1-8, 10-15, 17-22, 24, 26

LEPIDOPTERA

     BLACK SWALLOWTAIL: 8 (1), 11-12 (1), 15 (3), 19 (1)

     CABBAGE WHITE: 1, 3-8, 11-15, 17, 19-20, 21 (1), 22-24, 26 (9), 27 (10)

     CLOUDED SULPHUR: 20 (1)

     ORANGE SULPHUR: 1, 4-6, 8-17, 19, 22, 24, 26 (2), 27 (5)

     LITTLE YELLOW: 6 (1), 12-13 (1), 17 (1), 19 (1), 27 (1)

     Sulphur sp.: 4-6, 8, 12

     EASTERN TAILED-BLUE: 8 (1), 10 (2), 15 (1)

     AMERICAN SNOUT: 8 (1)

     PEARL CRESCENT: 3 (1), 5-6 (1), 8 (5), 13 (3), 15 (9), 17 (2), 19 (18), 22 (10), 26 (2)

     QUESTION MARK: 4 (2), 6 (1), 8 (1), 14 (1), 19 (1), 22 (1)

     PAINTED LADY: 6 (1), 22 (2)

     RED ADMIRAL: 6 (2), 7 (1), 8 (3), 19 (1), 23 (1), 26-27 (2)

     COMMON BUCKEYE: 4 (4), 6 (8), 8 (6), 10 (3), 11 (5), 12 (4), 13 (7), 15 (7), 17 (3), 19 (4),

          20-21 (1), 22 (5), 24 (1), 27 (4)

     RED-SPOTTED PURPLE: 17 (1)

     VICEROY: 3 (4), 5 (1), 6 (2), 8 (5), 10 (2), 13 (3), 15 (3), 17 (3), 19 (2), 22 (1)

     MONARCH: 1 (8), 2 (3), 3 (2), 4 (4), 5 (15), 6 (23), 7 (4), 8 (10), 9 (6), 10 (10), 11 (17),

          12 (9),  13 (12), 14 (10), 15 (15), 16, 17 (18), 18 (9), 19 (17), 20 (5), 21 (1), 22 (6),

          23 (3), 24-25 (4), 26 (8), 27 (9)

     SILVER-SPOTTED SKIPPER: 8 (1), 10 (1), 14-15 (2), 19 (4), 27 (1)

     LEAST SKIPPER: 4-5 (1), 12 (2), 14 (2), 15 (1)

     FIERY SKIPPER: 19 (3), 24 (1)

     PECK’S SKIPPER: 8 (2), 11 (1), 14 (3), 15 (5), 17 (1), 19 (2), 24 (2)

     SACHEM: 14 (1♀), 24 (1)

     WOOLLY BEAR (ISABELLA TIGER MOTH): 22 (1), 28 (1)

     CORN EARWORM MOTH: 19, 22, 24

ODONATE

     AMERICAN RUBYSPOT: 6 (1♂), 8 (1♂), 10 (5♂ + 2♀), 11 (3♂), 12 (2♂ + 1♀), 13 (1♂),

          15 (2♀), 17 (1♂), 19 (2♂), 22 (1♂), 27 (3)

     BLUE-FRONTED DANCER: 1-6, 8, 10-15, 17, 19-22, 24

     POWDERED DANCER: 1, 4, 6, 8, 10-15, 17, 19-20, 22-24, 26 (2), 27 (1)

     DOUBLE-STRIPED BLUET: 6 (1), 8 (1), 11 (4), 12 (2)

     FAMILIAR BLUET: 12 (2), 19, 26 (3)

     STREAM BLUET: 1 (2), 4 (1), 6 (1), 10 (1)

     ORANGE BLUET: 4-6 (1), 12 (1), 17 (1)

     FRAGILE FORKTAIL: 13 (1)

     EASTERN FORKTAIL: 1, 8, 11, 14 (1)

     COMMON GREEN DARNER: 1, 3-7, 10-15, 17, 19-22, 24, 27 (6)

     “Blue Mosaic” Darner sp.: 8 (1), 12 (2), 20 (1)

     FLAG-TAILED SPINYLEG: 4 (1), 8 (1)

     EASTERN PONDHAWK: 2 (1), 6 (1♂), 7 (1), 10 (1), 12, 14 (1), 19 (1)

     WIDOW SKIMMER: 3 (1), 4-6, 8, 10-13, 15

     COMMON WHITETAIL: 1, 3-6

     BLUE DASHER: 14-15 (1), 24 (1♀)

     WANDERING GLIDER: 5-6, 8-12, 14-15, 17, 19-22, 26 (1)

     EASTERN AMBERWING: 4 (1), 6 (1), 12, 14 (3)

     BLACK SADDLEBAGS: 4 (3), 6, 11, 13, 17

     RED SADDLEBAGS: 21 (1)

ORTHOPTERA

     CAROLINA GRASSHOPPER: 4, 6, 8-15, 17, 19-20, 22-24, 26-27

     NORTHWESTERN RED-WINGED GRASSHOPPER: 11 (1), 20 (1), 22 (1)

     AUTUMN YELLOW-WINGED GRASSHOPPER: 14 (1)

Wolf. Oesterreich