Nov 1, 2019: Wolf's October 2019 Wildlife Report

I normally don't focus on the same species two months in a row, but another encounter with a Northern River Otter has to be shared.  On the morning of the 25th, just after Kathy and I had finished collecting trash left by fishermen at the area around the spillway (filling 3 grocery bags), we spotted a dark object swimming westward in the south lake.  I set up my spotting scope and identified the animal as a Northern River Otter.  After a few minutes we lost sight of it.  Later, during my normal routine, I was walking down the footpath to the SE corner of Pool F.  In the closest open area among the Velvetleaf plants was  an otter swimming northward.  I returned to my trike to get a camera.  The otter was still swimming in the open area, but soon disappeared into the weeds.  However, another three otters were seen off to the west, just south of Weir E/F.  I followed another footpath to where Pool F and Pond P join together, but did not see the first otter.  The other three had emerged from the water and climbed up the bank to enter Pond E.  I started back and stopped at the south end of Pond P, thinking that if I waited a bit, perhaps the first otter would show up.  Sure enough, the otter swam around the junction and then stopped, apparently seeing a "yellow object".  I didn't move and when the otter emitted a sound, I tried to imitate it.  That caused the otter to swim closer, stopping at another floating log and calling out.  I kept imitating the call and the otter kept approaching and stopping.  Eventually the otter was just under 10 feet away, looked at me for several seconds, and then started to swim away.  The otter repeated the process of pulling out onto a log, glancing in my direction, and then swimming a short distance away.  After several minutes, the otter disappeared around the corner.  I was fortunate enough to observe 2 Northern River Otters on the 26th (north end of Pool F) and 1 on the 28th and 29th (swimming in the south lake).  Paul and I watched the otter on the 28th swim towards the bluff and then haul out at the base of the bluff.  The otter remained for a few minutes before dropping back into the water. (Wolf. Oesterreich, 10/25/19)

A total of 95 avian species (+ 1 sp) was recorded this month, ranking this month as the 6^th highest October (tied with October 2012) among 22 years of records.  October 2007 and 2018 with 108 species remain as the highest October, while October 2003 with 55 species remains as the lowest.  This total is 4 species less than last month and 13 less than October 2018.

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 Common Goldeneye sighting on the 25^th may represent a new extreme early Fall record (former record set on 29 Oct 2008 at AHHP) for Story County. 

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 60^th Supplement (2019) to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds and the 19^th Supplement to the 7^th Edition (1998).

There are no records for the 1^st through the 8^th; I was in Montana.

AVIAN

     SNOW GOOSE: 20 (1 w)

     GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE: 20 (30), 21 (1)

     CACKLING GOOSE: 23 (1)

     CANADA GOOSE: 9-31

     TRUMPETER SWAN: 30 (2 ad + 1 im)

     WOOD DUCK: 9 (3), 10 (15+), 11 (4+), 12-20, 23 (3), 24 (1♂), 25 (4), 26 (3), 27 (5),

          28 (1♂), 29 (2)

     BLUE-WINGED TEAL: 13 (3)

     NORTHERN SHOVELER: 12-13, 15 (4+), 16, 20 (1), 21 (2), 27 (5), 28 (1 pair), 29 (14),

          30 (16)

     GADWALL: 10 (3), 11 (~12), 12, 13 (14), 15-16, 19 (4), 22 (2), 28 (4), 29 (3), 30 (5),

          31 (11)

     AMERICAN WIGEON: 12 (3), 20 (1♀), 21 (3♀), 23 (1♂), 28 (1♀)

     MALLARD: 9-31

     NORTHERN PINTAIL: 10 (1 pair), 13 (2), 14-15 (3), 16 (2♂), 17 (4), 20 (2), 21 (5)

     GREEN-WINGED TEAL: 11 (5), 13 (16+), 14, 15 (2), 18 (2), 25 (3), 26 (2), 28 (1), 29 (8),

          30 (28+)

     CANVASBACK: 23 (1♂), 29 (5)

     REDHEAD: 31 (7)

     RING-NECKED DUCK: 11 (3), 13 (2), 21 (2♂), 22 (8), 23 (4♂ + 3♀), 24 (9♂ + 5♀), 28 (7),

          29 (22), 30 (26), 31 (29+)

     LESSER SCAUP: 21 (1♂), 23 (2♂), 28 (1♀), 30 (1♀), 31 (320+)

     BUFFLEHEAD: 22 (3♀), 23 (1♀), 30-31 (1♂ + 4♀)

     COMMON GOLDENEYE: 25 (4)

     HOODED MERGANSER: 29 (6)

     RUDDY DUCK: 16 (3♂ + 4♀), 18 (2♂), 19 (4), 20-21 (1♀), 28 (10), 29 (48), 30 (7),

          31 (363+)

     RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 11 (1), 14 (1), 16 (1), 20 (2), 21 (3), 23 (2), 24 (1), 27 (1),

          28-29 (2)

     PIED-BILLED GREBE: 9 (3), 10-11 (1), 12 (16+), 13 (12), 14 (1), 16 (1), 17 (2), 19 (1),

          20 (3), 22 (5), 23 (6), 24-25 (2), 26 (3), 27 (5), 28-30 (6), 31 (17+)

     EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE: 21 (1)

     MOURNING DOVE: 15 (4), 19 (1), 20 (3), 24 (13), 25-26 (1), 28 (4)

     AMERICAN COOT: 9 (2), 11 (1), 12 (3), 13 (17), 14 (15+), 15 (1), 16 (3), 18-19 (2), 20 (7),

          22 (3), 23 (13), 24 (18), 25-26 (6), 27 (2), 28 (19), 29 (55), 30 (34+), 31 (24+)

     KILLDEER: 9 (1), 25 (1)

     Yellowlegs sp.: 11 (1)

     BONAPARTE’S GULL: 13 (1), 23 (9), 28 (1)

     FRANKLIN’S GULL: 22 (2), 21 (21)

     RING-BILLED GULL: 11 (4), 13 (7), 22 (1), 28 (2)

     HERRING GULL: 21 (2)

     COMMON LOON: 28 (1)

     DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: 9 (5), 11 (102+), 12 (51+), 14-15 (1), 16 (8), 17 (4),

          18 (2), 19 (1), 20 (2), 21-22 (1), 23 (2), 28 (3), 30 (3)

     AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN: 11 (1), 29 (3)

     GREAT BLUE HERON: 9 (2), 10 (6), 11 (2), 12 (6), 13 (1), 17-18 (1), 21 (1), 25 (1), 28 (1),

          31 (1)

     GREAT EGRET: 13 (3)

     GREEN HERON: 15 (1)

     TURKEY VULTURE: 9 (2), 11 (2), 12 (1), 15 (2), 16 (1), 19 (1), 21 (2) 23 (1)

     OSPREY: 9 (1), 10 (2), 14 (1), 19 (1), 22 (1)

     SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: 11 (1), 18 (1), 22 (1), 26 (1), 30 (1)

     COOPER’S HAWK: 19 (1), 25 (1), 27 (1)

     BALD EAGLE: 9-12 (1 ad), 14 (1 ad + 1 subadult), 18 (1 ad), 19 (1 4-year old + 1 ad),

          23 (1 ad), 28 (1), 29 (1 4-year old), 30 (1 im), 31 (1 ad)

     RED-TAILED HAWK: 10 (1 im), 13 (1), 18 (1), 20 (1), 21 (2), 23 (1), 25 (2), 30-31 (1)

     GREAT HORNED OWL: 9 (1 BY), 13 (2 BY), 15-17 (1 BY), 19 (1 BY), 22 (1 BY),

          24 (1 BY), 25-27 (2 BY), 28-29 (1 BY), 31 (1 BY)

     BELTED KINGFISHER: 9-10 (2), 11 (1), 13-18 (1), 20-21 (1), 24 (2), 25-26 (1)

     RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: 9 (2), 14 (3), 19 (1), 20 (2), 21 (1), 24-26 (1), 29 (2)

     YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER: 9 (2), 12 (1), 14-15 (1)

     DOWNY WOODPECKER: 9, 11-15, 17-31

     HAIRY WOODPECKER: 19 (1), 24 (1), 29 (1), 31 (1)

     NORTHERN FLICKER (Yellow-shafted): 9 (2), 14 (1), 19-20 (1), 21 (2), 22-24 (1), 27 (1)

     AMERICAN KESTREL: 14 (1), 23 (1), 25 (1♀)

     EASTERN PHOEBE: 9 (1), 14 (1), 16-18 (1), 22 (1)

     NORTHERN SHRIKE: 30 (1)

     BLUE JAY: 9-31

     AMERICAN CROW: 9-31

     TREE SWALLOW: 9-10, 15 (14+), 16 (4+)

     BARN SWALLOW: 9-10, 11 (4), 12 (2), 13 (8+), 14 (5+)

     BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE: 9-27, 29-31

     WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 9 (2), 12 (2), 14 (3), 17 (4), 18 (1), 19 (3), 20-21 (2),

          22-23 (1), 24 (2), 25 (3), 26-29 (2), 31 (1)

     HOUSE WREN: 9 (1), 14 (2)

     WINTER WREN: 16 (1 BY), 22 (1)

     GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET: 14 (1)

     RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET: 9 (5), 10 (1), 11 (3), 12 (1), 14 (9+), 15-17 (5+), 19 (1),

          20 (3), 21 (1), 22-23 (6), 24-25 (1), 26 (2), 27 (1), 29 (1)

     EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 10 (1), 13 (1), 20 (4), 21 (2), 22 (12), 23 (3), 24-25 (1), 26 (6),

          27-28 (2), 29 (1)

     HERMIT THRUSH: 14-15 (1), 16 (2), 20 (1), 22 (2), 25 (1)

     AMERICAN ROBIN: 9-31

     EUROPEAN STARLING: 9, 11, 13-27, 29, 31

     CEDAR WAXWING: 9 (4+), 12 (11), 14 (4), 16 (1), 17 (6), 18 (~15), 19 (9+), 20 (11+),

          21 (51+),  22 (16+), 23 (17+), 24 (8+), 25-26 (6), 27 (10+)

     HOUSE SPARROW: 9-25, 27-31

     HOUSE FINCH: 10-31

     AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 9-31

     SPOTTED TOWHEE: 13 (1♂)

     EASTERN TOWHEE: 14 (1♂)

     AMERICAN TREE SPARROW: 24 (2), 27 (1), 29 (2), 31 (3)

     CHIPPING SPARROW: 17 (1), 22 (2), 23 (6+), 24 (3), 26 (1), 27 (4), 28 (1)

     CLAY-COLORED SPARROW: 12 (1)

     FIELD SPARROW: 15 (1), 21 (1), 22 (3), 23 (1), 27 (2), 29 (1)

     VESPER SPARROW: 21 (1)

     FOX SPARROW: 12 (1), 14 (3), 15 (2), 20 (3), 21 (1), 22 (5+), 23 (7+), 24-25 (1), 26 (2),

          28 (1)

     SONG SPARROW: 9-31

     LINCOLN’S SPARROW: 14 (4+), 15-16 (1), 21 (1), 22 (2), 23 (1), 24 (3)

     SWAMP SPARROW: 9 (2), 10 (4+), 11 (3), 14 (10+), 15 (7+), 17 (12+), 19 (3+), 20 (12+),

          21 (16+), 22 (4+), 23 (6+), 24 (12+), 25-26 (2), 27 (3)

     WHITE-THROATED SPARROW: 9 (1 BY + 9), 10 (16+), 11 (10+), 12 (1), 14 (60+),

          15 (15+), 16 (7+), 17 (10+), 18 (1), 19 (4+), 20-21 (6+), 22 (10+), 23 (7+), 24 (2),

          27 (3)

     HARRIS’S SPARROW: 11 (1), 12 (4), 13 (3), 14 (6+), 15 (2), 17 (3), 20 (2), 21 (4),

          22 (9+), 23 (14+), 24 (12+), 25-26 (2), 27-28 (3), 29 (4), 31 (1)

     WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW: 10 (6+), 12 (1), 13 (4), 14 (10+), 15 (5+), 16 (4+),

          17 (6+), 18 (2), 20 (2), 21 (3), 22 (21+), 23 (11+), 24 (6+), 26 (1), 28 (2), 29 (3), 31 (2)

     DARK-EYED JUNCO (Slate-colored): 11-12 (1), 14 (6+), 15 (2), 16 (4), 17 (5+), 20 (2),

          21 (3), 22 (4+), 23 (36+), 24 (39+), 25 (3), 26 (2), 27 (16+), 28 (11), 29 (9), 30 (12),

          31 (15+)

     RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD: 13 (1), 14 (15+), 15 (18+), 16-18, 20-31

     BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD: 14 (2), 20 (10+), 21 (5), 23, 25 (4)

     RUSTY BLACKBIRD: 24 (1)

     COMMON GRACKLE: 12 (2), 15 (10+), 16, 19 (4), 20-21 (2), 23, 24 (2), 25 (4), 26-27

     ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: 9 (2), 11 (1), 13 (3), 14 (4), 15-16 (2), 19 (1), 22 (2),

          23 (1), 31 (1)

     NASHVILLE WARBLER: 12 (1), 15 (2), 17 (2), 19 (1), 23-24 (1)

     COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: 9 (1)

     YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (Myrtle): 9 (5+), 11 (3), 12 (2), 14 (20+), 15 (9+), 16 (4+),

          17 (8+), 18 (5+), 19 (7+), 21 (6+), 22 (2), 24 (3), 27 (3), 30 (1)

     NORTHERN CARDINAL: 9-31

MAMMALIAN

     EASTERN COTTONTAIL: 10, 12, 20, 22, 24, 30-31

     EASTERN FOX SQUIRREL: 9-23, 26-28, 30

     AMERICAN BEAVER: 13 (1)

     AMERICAN MINK: 16 (1), 18 (1)

     NORTHERN RIVER OTTER: 25 (4), 26 (2), 28-29 (1)

     WHITE-TAILED DEER: 10 (1 BY + 4), 11 (2), 13 (4), 14 (1 + 1♀ w/2 BY), 15 (3), 16 (2),

          17 (7), 18 (1 + 2 BY), 20-21 (6), 22 (3), 23 (1♀ w/1♂ BY), 25 (3), 29 (3), 30 (1♂),

          31 (2)

REPTILIAN

     PLAINS GARTERSNAKE: 31 (1)

     WESTERN PAINTED TURTLE: 9, 19

     RED-EARED SLIDER: 9 (1)

AMPHIBIAN

     AMERICAN TOAD: 19 (1)

     BLANCHARD’S CRICKET FROG: 19 (1)

     AMERICAN BULLFROG: 9-10, 19, 21 (5)

     NORTHERN LEOPARD FROG: 9, 12 (1), 15 (2), 19 (3), 21 (5), 22 (1)

LEPIDOPTERA

     CABBAGE WHITE: 19 (3)

     ORANGE SULPHUR: 9 (5), 17-18 (1), 19 (10+), 25 (2)

     Sulphur sp.: 9 (2), 14 (1), 19 (1)

     PAINTED LADY: 9 (2), 12 (1), 14 (4), 19 (2), 20 (1)

     RED ADMIRAL: 9 (2), 12 (2), 14 (1), 19 (2), 20 (1)

     COMMON BUCKEYE: 19 (1)

     MONARCH: 9 (6), 12 (1), 14 (6), 19 (2), 20 (1)

     WHITE-LINED SPHINX: 9 (1)

     WOOLLY BEAR (Isabella Tiger Moth): 9 (15), 10 (1), 12-13 (5), 14 (6), 15 (8), 16 (3),

          17 (2), 18 (15), 19 (6), 20 (3), 21 (4), 22 (6), 23 (5), 24-25 (2), 26 (7), 27 (4), 28 (2),

          29-30 (1), 31 (9)

     GREAT TIGER MOTH (caterpillar): 22 (1), 24 (1)

ODONATA

     SHADOW DARNER: 18 (1♀)

     COMMON GREEN DARNER: 17 (1), 19 (3)

     “Blue Mosaic” DARNER sp.: 10 (1)

     Darner sp.: 20 (1)

     VARIEGATED MEADOWHAWK: 9 (1), 12 (2), 23 (2), 25 (5)

ORTHOPTERA

     CAROLINA GRASSHOPPER: 9, 19

     NORTHWESTERN RED-WINGED GRASSHOPPER: 9 (1), 19 (1)

Wolf. Oesterreich