Jan 31, 2023: January 2023 AHHP Photo Collage

January 2023 photos from the blog by Wolf. Oesterreich, Greg Courtney, Tana Tesdal, Kevin Kane, Tom Meyer, and Paul Domoto.

Jan 29, 2023: Coyote

A coyote ventured out on to the ice on the South Lake, and the Trumpeter Swans & Canada Geese went on high alert (1/31/2023, Paul Domoto).

Jan 27, 2023: Rising Sun through Winter Clouds

The sun peeks through the clouds as it rises in the morning hours.  Looking SE across the ice-covered north lake.  The vegetation is coated with hoar frost. (Wolf. Oesterreich, 1/23/23)

Jan 25, 2023: Graceful Landing

Graceful landing of a Trumpeter Swan on South Lake (Greg Courtney, 1/15/2023)

Jan 23, 2023: Landing in the Fog

Geese land among those already swimming in the open water area of the south lake, looking northwest from the east shore through the evaporation fog on a bitterly cold morning. (Kevin Kane, 1/21/13)

Jan 21, 2023: Morning Fog and Frost

 Looking toward The Bluff on a foggy and frosty morning (Greg Courtney, 1/8/23)

Jan 19, 2023: Geese at Sunset

I hardly knew where to point the camera last night. From being almost extinct in the lower 48 states in the mid 20th century, Canada geese have rebounded dramatically. This was on show last night at sunset, when many, many flocks flew in against the colorful clouds to spend the night at Ada Hayden. The noise of their chatter and the flocks flying in from all directions create a spectacle which should not be missed. (Tom Meyer, 1/9/23).

Jan 17, 2023: Snow Goose

Snow Geese come in two morphs: white and blue.  This individual is a blue immature.  A white immature has been present for over two weeks, while a blue has only been present a few times. (Wolf. Oesterreich, 1/2/23)

Jan 15, 2023: Eagle Feeding

An adult bald eagle tries to lift a goose carcass off the ice. It was not successful because the goose was frozen to the lake. (Tana Tesdall, 1/14/2023)

Jan 13, 2023: Trumpeter Swans

These adult Trumpeter Swans are taking off to feed in fields. A total of 212 swans were observed today.  (Wolf. Oesterreich, 1/2/23)

Jan 11, 2023: Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinal on a frosty morning, near Pond J. (Greg Courtney, 1/8/23)

Jan 9, 2023: Trumpeter Swans

Trumpeter swans flying over the rime ice covered trees. (Tana Tesdall, 1/8/23)

Jan 7, 2023: Moonset

The moon sets to the NW. The flat area of the Upland Trail is in the foreground. (Wolf. Oesterreich, 1/6/23)

Jan 6, 2023: Packing 'em In!

Waterfowl assembled along ice-free margin of South Lake (Greg Courtney, 12/20/22)

Jan 5, 2023: White-crowned Sparrow

This 1st-Winter White-crowned Sparrow is all fluffed out, trapping air among its feathers to keep warm on these cold days. (Wolf. Oesterreich, 12/20/22)

Jan 3, 2023: New Year Sunrise

 

New Year's Day sunrise: looking SE across the south lake. (Wolf. Oesterreich, 1/1/23)

Jan 1, 2023: Wolf's December 2022 Wildlife Report

Woolly Bears are the caterpillars of the Isabella Tiger Moth.  During the Winter months they can be out on the trails on "warmer" days.  Folklore states that the wider the brown or rusty section, the milder the Winter.  However, there is no scientific truth to this.  The Isabella Tiger Moth is quite plain.  The photo of the moth was taken during the black-light session in August at the Park.

A total of 62 avian species (+ 3 sp & 1 hybrid) was recorded this month, ranking this month as the 2^nd highest December among 26 years of records.  This total is 20 species less than last month, but 2 more than December 2021. December 2016, with 67 species, has the highest total.  December 1997, which was only a partial month for me, has the lowest total with 12 species.  However, if you disregard that year, then December 2003, with 27 species, is the lowest.

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, bp=breeding plumage, ad=adult, nb=non-breeding), color phase (b=blue, w=white), and location (BY=back yard, FY=front yard).  The order follows the 63^rd Supplement (2022) to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds and the 22^nd Supplement to the 7^th Edition (1998).

 I wasn't able to ride at the Park on the 11^th (had gone down to southern Iowa to find the Tundra Bean-Goose), 18th (participated in the Saylorville Lake Christmas Bird Count),  21^st- 23^rd(due to weather conditions), and 31^st (participated in the Boone County CBC).

AVIAN

     SNOW GOOSE: 1-3 (1 im), 4 (2 w & 1 b ad + 7 im), 5 (1 w ad + 1 im), 9 (5), 16 (1 im b), 17 (1 ad w +

          2 im b + 1 im w), 19 (1 ad w + 2 im w + 1 im b), 20 (1 ad w + 2 im w), 24 (1 im w), 25 (2 ad w), 26 (1

          ad w + 1 im w + BY 1 w), 27-30 (1 im)

     ROSS’S GOOSE: 1-4 (1 im), 9-10 (1 im), 15 (1 im)

     GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE: 3 (1), 4 (4), 5 (1), 9-10 (1), 16 (1)

     CACKLING GOOSE: 1 (25), 2 (7), 3 (13), 4 (14), 5 (27), 6 (13), 7 (21), 8 (12), 9 (15), 10 (9), 12 (33),

          13 (17), 14 (23), 15 (21), 16 (18), 17 (22), 19 (18+), 20 (14+), 21 (BY 1), 24-25 (4), 26 (12), 27 (14),

          30 (4)

     CANADA GOOSE: 1 (2080), 2 (2308 + BY 66), 3 (2624 + BY 15), 4 (3166), 5 (2519), 6 (2660), 7 (2903), 8 (3221 + BY 10), 9 (3540 + BY 45), 10 (2079 + BY 215), 12 (2476), 13 (3013), 14 (2440), 15 (2799 + BY 42), 16 (2150 + BY 4), 17 (3403), 19 (3400 + BY 272), 20 (3300), 21 (BY 298), 22 (BY 138), 23 (BY 2), 24 (3300 + BY 168), 25 (2600 + BY 767), 26 (2200 + BY 1529), 27 (2300 + BY 707), 28 (2300 + BY 514), 29 (2600 + BY 1149), 30 (2300 + BY 33), 31 (BY 45)

     TRUMPETER SWAN: 1 (19 ad + 3 im), 4 (2 ad + 1 im), 5 (2 ad + 4 im), 6 (4 ad + 9 im), 7 (11 ad + 1 im), 8 (13 ad + 11 im), 16 (4 ad + 2 im), 17 (4 ad + 9 im), 19 (124 ad + 39 im), 20 (128 ad + 38 im), 21 (BY 12 ad), 23 (BY 2 ad + 1 im), 24 (16 ad + 4 im + BY 13), 25 (48 ad + 9 im + BY 48), 26 (105 ad + 22 im), 27 (120 ad + 39 im), 28 (129 ad + 43 im), 29 (129 ad + 50 im), 30 (139 ad + 52 im)

     NORTHERN SHOVELER: 1 (1♀), 4 (1♀)

     GADWALL: 1 (1♂)

     AMERICAN WIGEON: 15-16 (2♂ + 1♀), 17 (1♂ + 1♀), 19 (1♂ + 1♀)

     MALLARD: 1 (621), 2 (703), 3 (376), 4 (824), 5 (436), 6 (563), 7 (644), 8 (570), 9 (461), 10 (382), 12 (359), 13 (368 + BY 13), 14 (468), 15 (378), 16 (357), 17 (675), 19 (395), 20 (350), 21 (BY 12), 24 (275), 25 (375), 26 (275), 27 (225), 28 (185 + BY 26), 29 (150 + BY 16), 30 (325)

     AMERICAN BLACK DUCK: 1-2 (1)

     NORTHERN PINTAIL: 1 (1♂), 20 (1♂)

     GREEN-WINGED TEAL: 1 (1♂ + 3♀), 5 (1♂), 8 (3♂), 15 (4♂ + 1♀), 20 (1♂)

     CANVASBACK: 8-9 (1♀)

     REDHEAD: 2 (1♀), 8-9 (1♀), 13 (1♀), 15-16 (1♀), 20 (1♀)

     RING-NECKED DUCK: 1 (1♂), 2 (2♂), 4-5 (1♂), 6 (1♂ + 1♀), 7 (1♂), 8-10 (1♂ + 1♀), 12-13 (2♂ + 1♀), 14-15 (3♂ + 1♀), 16 (2♂ + 1♀), 17 (1♀), 19 (2♂), 20 (1♂)

     GREATER SCAUP: 2 (1♂), 9-10 (1♂), 12 (1♂)

     LESSER SCAUP: 1 (5), 2 (1♂ + 1♀), 3 (3♂ + 1♀), 4 (3♂ + 2♀), 6 (4♂ + 2♀), 7 (5), 8 (3♂), 9 (2♂ + 1♀), 10 (1♂), 12-13 (1♂), 14 (2♂), 15 (1♂), 17 (1♂)

     COMMON GOLDENEYE: 1 (3♂ + 4♀), 2 (2♂ + 2♀), 3 (3♂), 4 (2♂ + 3♀), 5 (1♀), 6 (2♂ + 7♀), 7 (2♂ + 2♀), 8 (3♂ + 4♀), 9 (7♂ + 7♀), 10 (13), 17 (1♂), 19 (1♂ + 1♀)

     HOODED MERGANSER: 1-2 (1♂ + 2♀), 3 (1♂), 4-7 (1♂ + 1♀), 8 (1♂), 9 (1♂ + 1♀), 10 (1♀), 12 (1♂ + 1♀), 13 (1♂), 14-17 (1♂ + 1♀), 19-20 (1♂ + 1♀)

     COMMON MERGANSER: 1 (3♂ + 3♀), 2-3 (1♂), 4 (4♂ + 2♀), 5 (1♂), 6 (11), 7 (5♂ + 3♀), 8 (2♂), 9 (15♂ + 9♀), 10 (15), 14-17 (1♂), 20 (1♂)

     RED-BREASTED MERGANSER: 9 (2♀)

     RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 4 (1), 8 (1♂), 12 (2♂), 17 (1), 25 (1)

     PIED-BILLED GREBE: 1 (1), 3-7 (2)

     EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE: 13 (BY 1), 15 (BY 1), 29 (BY 2)

     MOURNING DOVE: 1 (1 + BY 1), 5 (BY 3), 7 (BY 1), 8-9 (BY 2), 10 (3), 12 (BY 3), 13 (BY 2), 16 (3 + BY 1), 17 (2 + BY 1), 18 (BY 1), 19 (1 + BY 6), 20 (12 + BY 1), 21 (BY 2), 24 (BY 1), 25 (3 + BY 2), 26 (BY 1), 27 (2 + BY 1), 28 (BY 1), 29 (2 + BY 5), 30 (BY 2)

     AMERICAN COOT: 19 (1)

     RING-BILLED GULL: 6 (3), 9 (1)

     HERRING GULL: 15-16 (1)

     GREAT BLUE HERON: 3-4 (1)

     NORTHERN HARRIER: 16 (1♂)

     SHARP-SHINNED HAWK:

     COOPER’S HAWK: 3 (BY 1 im), 19 (1 im)

     Accipiter sp.: 30 (1)

     BALD EAGLE: 1 (1 ad + 2 im), 2 (1 ad + 4 im), 3 (1 ad + 1 im), 4 (2 ad), 5 (1 ad + 1 im), 6 (2 ad + 1 im), 7 (1 ad), 8 (1 ad + 2 im), 9 (1 ad + 2 im), 10 (1 ad), 12 (1 ad), 13 (2 ad + 1 im), 14-15 (1 ad), 16 (3 ad + 5 im), 17 (2 ad = 1 im), 19 (2 ad + 1 im), 20 (BY 1), 22 (BY 1 ad), 24 (3 ad + 1 im + BY 1 ad), 25 (1 ad + 3 im + BY 1 im), 26 (5 ad + 4 im), 27-28 (2 ad + 3 im), 29 (1 ad + 3 im), 30 (1 ad)

     RED-TAILED HAWK: 1-7 (1), 8 (2), 9 (1), 13-14 (2), 19-20 (1), 27-28 (1), 29 (2), 30 (1)

     Owl sp.: 20 (BY 1)

     BELTED KINGFISHER: 2-6 (1)

     RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: 1-2 (2), 3-5 (1), 7-8 (1), 10 (BY 1), 12 (1), 15 (1), 17 (2), 25 (1), 27 (1)

     DOWNY WOODPECKER: 1 (4), 2 (4 + BY 1), 3 (1), 4 (5 + BY 2), 5 (4 + BY 1), 6 (3 + BY 2), 7 (3), 8 (4 + BY 1), 9 (BY 2), 10 (2 + BY 1), 12 (2 + BY 2), 13 (BY 2), 14 (BY 3), 15 (2 + BY 2), 16 (5 + BY 2), 17 (3 + BY 1), 19 (1 + BY 1), 20 (3), 21 (BY 3), 22-24 (BY 1), 25 (3 + BY 2), 26 (BY 1), 27 (2 + BY 2), 28-29 (2 + BY 1), 30 (1 + BY 2)

     HAIRY WOODPECKER: 3 (BY 1), 4 (1), 6 (1 + BY 1), 8-10 (1), 16 (1 + BY 1), 17 (2), 21 (BY 1), 25 (1), 28 (BY 1), 30 (BY 1)

     NORTHERN FLICKER (Yellow-shafted): 4 (1), 12 (1), 15 (1), 16 (2), 17 (1), 25 (BY 1), 29 (BY 1)

     AMERICAN KESTREL: 16 (1)

     MERLIN: 15 (FY 1)

     NORTHERN SHRIKE: 4 (1), 7 (1), 9 (1), 12 (1)

     BLUE JAY: 1 (BY 2), 2 (2), 3 (1), 4 (2), 5 (3 + BY 1), 6 (2 + BY 1), 7 (5 + BY 1), 8 (3 + BY 1), 9 (3), 12 (BY 1), 14 (2), 16 (1 + BY 1), 17 (4), 19 (1 + BY 1), 20 (1), 21 (BY 4), 24 (BY 1), 25 (1 + BY 1), 27 (1), 28-29 (1 + BY 1), 30 (3)

     AMERICAN CROW: 1 (1), 2 (7), 3 (3), 4 (8), 5 (20), 6 (6 + BY 1), 7 (14), 8 (15), 9 (4), 10 (18), 12 (3 + BY 1), 13 (1), 14 (3), 15 (5 + BY 3), 16 (5), 17 (2), 19 (13 + BY 1), 20 (4), 21 (BY 66), 22 (BY 1), 23 (BY 2), 24 (6), 25 (7 + BY 1), 26 (2 + BY 2), 27 (18 + BY 2), 28 (6 + BY 1), 29 (4), 30 (1 + FY 7)

     BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE: 1 (11 + BY 1), 2 (4 + BY 1), 3 (4 + BY 3), 4 (3 + BY 1), 5 (4 + BY 2), 6 (5 + BY 1), 7 (5 + BY 3), 8 (5 + BY 1), 9 (1 + BY 1), 10 (3 + BY 1), 12 (2 + BY 2), 13 (1 + BY 4), 14 (5 + BY 3), 15 (5 + BY 1), 16 (3 + BY 2), 17 (BY 2), 19 (4 + BY 4), 20 (5 + BY 3), 21 (BY 3), 22 (BY 1), 23-25 (BY 3), 26 (BY 4), 27 (1 + BY 3), 28 (BY 3), 29 (2 + BY 2), 30 (2 + BY 2)

     CEDAR WAXWING: 19 (BY 4), 29 (BY 4)

     WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 1 (4), 2 (5), 3 (7), 5-6 (2), 7 (3), 8 (1), 10 (30, 13 (1), 14-17 (2), 20 (1), 25 (2), 26-27 (1), 28 (4), 30 (2)

     EUROPEAN STARLING: 1 (5), 2 (14), 3 (7), 4 (4), 5 (11), 6 (77 + BY 8), 7 (27), 8 (147 + BY 5), 9 (4), 10 (19), 12 (14), 14 (13), 15 (26), 16 (4), 17 (47), 19 (7), 20 (9), 21 (BY 4), 24 (FY 2), 25 (13), 27 (2), 29 (4 + BY 2), 30 (21 + FY 27)

     EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 2 (2♂ + 1♀), 3 (1♂), 5 (1♂), 8 (3), 10 (1♂), 12 (2), 17 (2), 19 (2)

     AMERICAN ROBIN: 6 (1), 7 (6)

     HOUSE SPARROW: 1 (15 + BY 18), 2 (14 + BY 22), 3 (36 + BY 14), 4 (27 + BY 8), 5 (10 + BY 10), 6 (32 + BY 8), 7 (16 + BY 9), 8 (37 + BY 31), 9 (30 + BY 5), 10 (25 + BY 1), 12 (4 + BY 11), 13 (BY 28), 14 (21 + BY 10), 15 (11 + BY 11), 16 (14 + BY 24), 17 (10 + BY 10), 19 (4 + BY 16), 20 (16 + BY 2), 21 (BY 8), 22 (BY 5), 23-24 (BY 1), 25 (15 + BY 12), 26 (BY 1), 27 (3 + BY 6), 28 (10 + BY 12), 29 (7 + BY 9), 30 (3 + BY 5)

     House X Eurasian Tree Sparrow: 2 (1♂), 10 (1♂), 13 (BY 1), 14 (1♂), 17 (1♂), 20 (1♂), 25 (1♂)

     EURASIAN TREE SPARROW: 2-4 (1♀), 7 (2♀), 14 (2♀ + 1), 20 (1♀), 25 (1♀)

     HOUSE FINCH: 1 (10 + BY 11), 2 (10 + BY 10), 3 (11 + BY 3), 4 (10 + BY 6), 5 (5 + BY 12), 6 (3 + BY 9), 7 (12 + BY 13), 8 (5 + BY 21), 9 (2 + BY 6), 10 (10 + BY 2), 12 (4 + BY 18), 13 (BY 11), 14 (10 + 6), 15 (38 + BY 6), 16 (14 + BY 31), 17 (32 + BY 6), 18 (BY 1), 19 (1 + BY 23), 20 (7 + BY 2), 21 (BY 33), 22 (BY 12), 23 (BY 4), 24 (1 + BY 12), 25 (6 + BY 20), 26 (BY 7), 27 (2 + BY 15), 28 (1 + BY 15), 29 (BY 6), 30 (4 + BY 18)

     AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 1-2 (1), 3 (2), 4 (10), 5 (6), 6 (7), 7 (3), 8 (2), 9 (6 + BY 1), 10 (2), 12 (4), 14 (1), 15 (6), 16 (1), 17 (4), 19 (15 + BY 1), 20 (1), 25 (4), 27 (6), 30 (2)

     LAPLAND LONGSPUR: 16 (85)

     AMERICAN TREE SPARROW: 1 (41), 2-3 (53), 4 (26), 5 (69), 6 (106), 7 (66), 8 (153), 9 (87), 10 (108), 12 (58), 13 (29), 14 (25), 15 (51), 16 (56), 17 (71), 19 (13 + BY 1), 20 (65), 21-22 (BY 3), 24 (48 + BY 1), 25 (51 + BY 2), 26 (18 + BY 1), 27 (55), 28 (107 + BY 2), 29 (53), 30 (40 + BY 1)

     DARK-EYED JUNCO (Slate-colored): 1 (27 + BY 5), 2 (15 + BY 10), 3 (23 + BY 1), 4 (10 + BY 2), 5 (10 + BY 2), 6 (10 + BY 6), 7 (18 + BY 2), 8 (49 + BY 8), 9 (47 + BY 9), 10 (14 + BY 1), 11 (BY 1), 12 (37 + BY 1), 13 (BY 9), 14 (17 + BY 3), 15 (15 + BY 2), 16 (9 + BY 2), 17 (23 + BY 8), 19 (13 + BY 4), 20 (17 + BY 3), 21 (BY 18), 22 (BY 2), 24 (BY 2), 25 (3 + BY 5), 26 (BY 5), 27 (12 + BY 3), 28 (14 + BY 5), 29 (BY 4), 30 (BY

     WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW: 2 (3), 3 (2), 4 (7), 5-6 (2), 7 (3), 8-9 (2), 10 (1), 15 (1), 16 (4), 17 (5), 19 (2), 20 (4), 25 (1), 30 (2)

     HARRIS’S SPARROW: 1 (BY 3), 2 (BY 2), 3 (2 + BY 1), 4 (1 + BY 2), 5 (1 + BY 1), 6 (BY 1), 7 (5 + BY 2), 8 (2 + BY 2), 9 (BY 2), 12 (BY 3), 13 (BY 5), 14 (BY 2), 15 (BY 1), 16 (BY 2), 17-18 (BY 4), 19 (1 + BY 3), 20 (BY 2), 21 (BY 5), 22 (BY 1), 24 (BY 2), 26 (BY 1), 29-31 (BY 1)

     SONG SPARROW: 1 (1), 2 (2), 3 (3), 7 (1), 8-9 (5), 10 (2), 13 (1), 15 (5), 16-17 (3), 19-20 (1), 25 (1), 27-28 (2), 30 (1)

     Sparrow sp.: 1 (8+), 2 (6+), 3 (10+), 4 (12+), 6 (4+), 7 (2+), 8 (3+), 13 (3+)

     RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD: 16 (1), 18-19 (BY 1)

     NORTHERN CARDINAL: 1 (BY 3), 2 (5 + BY 2), 3 (BY 4), 4 (2 + BY 2), 5 (1 + BY 3), 6 (BY 2), 7 (3 + BY 2), 8 (BY 4), 9 (BY 5), 10 (2 + BY 1), 11 (BY 2), 12 (2 + BY 5), 13 (BY 3), 14 (5 + BY 4), 15 (BY 2), 16 (BY 4), 17 (8 + BY 4), 18 (BY 5), 19 (1 + BY 5), 20 (2 + BY 8), 21 (BY 17), 22 (BY 4), 24 (BY 3), 25 (BY 9), 26 (BY 2), 27 (3 + BY 4), 28-29 (BY 5), 30 (BY 3), 31 (BY 10)

 

MAMMALIAN

     EASTERN COTTONTAIL: 1, 3-5, 7-10, 12-21, 24-30

     EASTERN FOX SQUIRREL: 1-17, 19-21, 23-30

     COMMON MUSKRAT:

     AMERICAN MINK:

     COYOTE: 24 (1)

     RED FOX: 5 (1)

     WHITE-TAILED DEER: 2 (11), 3 (3 + BY 2), 4 (2♂ + 7 + BY 4), 5 (1♂ + 6 + BY 1♂ + 1), 8 (6♂ + 11 + BY 3), 9 (BY 1), 10 (1 + BY 4), 11 (BY 1♂ + 4), 13 (2), 15 (4), 17 (BY 4), 18 (BY 1♂ + 3), 19 (BY 1♂ + 4), 20 (BY 1), 21 (BY 2), 22 (BY 3), 23 (BY 2), 24 (BY 1), 25 (3♂ + 27 + BY 2), 26 (BY 1), 27 (BY 1♂ + 3), 28 (BY 4), 29 (2 + BY 1), 30 (9)

 

LEPIDOPTERA

     WOOLLY BEAR (Isabella Tiger Moth): 14 (1)

 

Wolf. Oesterreich