April 7, 2013: Spring!

A beautiful spring Sunday afternoon looking north from the bridge. 4/7/13 (Kevin Kane)

A note from Todd Burras:
My daughter and I picked up trash around a few of the ponds at Ada Hayden this afternoon, and at one of the ponds we spooked 15 great blue herons, along with many ducks. That's the most herons I've ever seen at once. Very neat. We also found a Canada goose that must have been killed last night because it wasn't there yesterday. We also saw two woodcocks -- one in the pond near the Harrison Road parking lot and another in one of the ponds much further north. One was more drab brown and the other was a more brightly colored tan and almost maize color. Really fun to watch them fly.

April 6, 2013: Golden Eagle

Golden Eagle. 4/4/13 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

This photograph documents the flyover of a juvenile Golden Eagle, No. 261 for the Park List.  Note the two white "windows" (base of primaries) in the wings, white tail with distinct dark terminal band, and the small head.  A juvenile Bald Eagle would show more white mottling in the wings and body, with a larger head.  Golden Eagles are listed as "Accidental" in Story County, with at least 4 previous records.
Wolf. Oesterreich

April 5, 2013: Wolf's March 2013 Species List

Note the large spatulate bill on this drake Northern Shoveler.  Over 50 were present on the south lake Monday afternoon.  4/1/13 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

A total of 78 avian species was recorded this month.  The month started with hundreds, then thousands of geese.  By the end of the month these numbers had diminished to double digits.  We're near the end of the waterfowl migration, but at the start of almost everything else.

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 single male Greater Scaup found on the 7th through the 9th may represent a new extreme early Spring record (former record set on 15 March 1988 at the Slater sewage lagoons) 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).  The order follows the 52nd Supplement (2011) to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds and the 11th Supplement to the 7th Edition (1998).

AVIAN
     GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE: 8 (32+), 14, 15 (583+), 16-23, 24 (5), 25 (19), 26 (7), 31 (~75)
     SNOW GOOSE: 11 (~150), 15 (2w + 4b), 16 (3w), 19 (1w), 26 (1 w), 31 (1w)
     ROSS’S GOOSE: 16 (1), 17 (3), 19 (5), 2 (2)
     CACKLING GOOSE: 1 (1), 2 (20+), 3, 7, (3), 8, 11 (2), 12 (4), 13 (12+), 14, 15 (8+), 17 (11+), 19-22,
                                    26 (20+)
     CANADA GOOSE: 1-31
     TRUMPETER SWAN: 1 (11 ad + 6 1st Winter), 2 (5 ad + 6 1st Winter), 3 (4 ad + 4 1st Winter), 4 (2 ad +
                                    5 1st Winter), 5 (6 ad + 4 1st Winter), 6 (2 ad + 6 1st Winter), 7 (8 ad + 6 1st
                                    Winter), 8-9 (2 ad + 4 1st Winter), 10, 17 (9 ad + 3 1st Winter), 18 (5 ad),
                                    19 (7 ad), 21 (2 ad + 3 1st Winter), 27 (2 ad), 29 (2 ad), 31 (2 ad)
     TUNDRA SWAN: 1 (1 1st Winter), 2 (1 ad), 3 (1 ad + 1 1st Winter), 5-6 (1 ad), 7 (1 1st Winter)
     WOOD DUCK: 5 (2♂ + 2♀), 16 (6♂ + 1♀), 17, 19 (16♂ + 10♀), 20, 22-28, 29 (1♂ + 1♀), 30 (1♂)
     GADWALL: 1 (3♂ + 3♀), 2 (3♂ + 1♀), 4 (2♂ + 2♀), 5-7 (3♂ + 3♀), 8 (4♂ + 3♀), 9 (5♂ + 4♀),
                                    11 (5♂ + 4♀), 12 (3♂ + 2♀), 13 (4♂ + 4♀), 14, 15 (14♂ + 9♀), 16 (29+), 17-19,
                                    20 (50+), 21-23, 24 (30+), 25-28, 29 (21+), 30 (17), 31 (10+)
     AMERICAN WIGEON: 13 (2♂ + 1♀), 15 (3♂ + 2♀), 16 (3♂ + 1♀), 17-19, 20 (4♂ + 2♀), 21 (6♂ + 4♀),
                                    22-28, 30-31 (1♂ + 1♀)
     MALLARD: 1-31
     BLUE-WINGED TEAL: 19-29 (1♂ + 1♀), 30 (5♂ + 3♀), 31 (6♂)
     NORTHERN SHOVELER: 16 (1♂ + 1♀), 26 (1♂ + 1♀), 27 (3♂ + 2♀), 28, 29 (14+), 30 (13), 31 (~31)
     NORTHERN PINTAIL: 13 (4♂ + 2♀), 14 (4♂ + 1♀), 15 (30+), 16 (50+), 17, 19 (1♂ + 1♀), 20, 21 (30+),
                                    22-26, 31 (1♂)
     GREEN-WINGED TEAL: 15 (6♂ + 2♀), 18 (6), 20 (2♂ + 1♀), 22-23 (1♂), 24 (8♂ + 4♀), 25 (5♂ + 2♀),
                                    27 (4♂ + 3♀), 28, 29 (3♂ + 3♀), 30 (5♂ + 4♀), 31 (6♂ + 2♀)
     CANVASBACK: 6 (2♀), 14 (7♂), 16 (2♂), 17-18 (3♂ + 1♀), 19 (3♂), 20 (1♂), 22 (8), 23 (7♂ + 3♀),
                                    24 (20+), 25 (9+), 26 (6+), 27-28, 29 (23+), 30 (12+), 31
     REDHEAD: 1-4 (3♂), 6 (4♂ + 1♀), 7 (3♂), 8 (4♂ + 2♀), 9 (1♂ + 1♀), 14 (9♂ + 7♀), 15 (4♂ + 5♀),
                                    16 (12+), 17-18, 19 (4♂ + 4♀), 20, 21 (4♂ + 4♀), 22, 23 (11♂ + 12♀),
                                    25 (1♂ + 1♀), 27 (1♂), 28, 29 (5), 31 (1♂)
     RING-NECKED DUCK: 10 (2♀), 13 (1♂), 14 (12♂ + 2♀), 15 (70+), 16 (75+), 17-23, 24 (5♂ + 1♀),
                                    25-28, 29 (34+), 30 (1♀), 31
     GREATER SCAUP: 7-9 (1♂)
     LESSER SCAUP: 1-4 (2♂), 5 (8♂ + 3♀), 6 (5♂ + 1♀), 7 (8♂ + 3♀), 8 (13♂ + 8♀), 9 (18♂ + 13♀),
                                    10 (9♂ + 3♀), 11-12 (6♂), 13 (8♂ + 11♀), 14 (5♂ + 11♀), 15 (13♂ + 4♀),
                                    16 (50+), 17-26, 27 (1♂ + 1♀), 28, 29 (4♀ + 2♀), 30 (26), 31
     BUFFLEHEAD: 15 (1♂), 18 (2♂ + 1♀), 19-25 (1♂ + 1♀), 26 (1♂), 27 (3♂), 28 (2♂ + 1♀),
                                    29 (3♂ + 2♀), 30 (12), 31 (16+)
     COMMON GOLDENEYE: 1 (3♂ + 2♀), 2 (3♂ + 1♀), 3 (4♂ + 1♀), 4 (2♂ + 2♀), 5 (4♂ + 3♀),
                                    6 (3♂ + 3♀), 7 (5♂ + 4♀), 8 (4♂ + 2♀), 9 (2♂ + 2♀), 10 (3♂ + 2♀), 11 (1♂),
                                    12 (3♂ + 3♀), 13 (1♂ + 1♀), 15 (3♂ + 2♀), 20 (1♀), 24 (1♂), 29 (1♂ + 1♀),
                                    30 (1♂)
     HOODED MERGANSER: 4 (4♂ + 1♀), 5 (1♂ + 1♀), 7-8 (1♂ + 1♀), 11 (1♂ + 1♀), 14 (2♂ + 1♀),
                                    16 (8♂ + 2♀), 19 (1♂ + 1♀), 20 (5♂ + 1♀), 21 (1♂ + 1♀), 23 (1♂ + 1♀), 24 (1♂),
                                    25-27 (1♂ + 1♀), 28 (6♂ + 3♀), 29 (3♂ + 3♀), 30 (1♂)
     COMMON MERGANSER: 10 (7♂ + 5♀), 12 (1♂), 15 (3♂ + 1♀), 16 (4♂ + 2♀), 20 (4♂ + 1♀), 26 (1♂),
                                    29 (6♂ + 7♀), 30 (1♂ + 2♀), 31 (4♂ + 8♀)
     RED-BREASTED MERGANSER: 11 (1♂), 29-30 (2♂), 31 (2♂ + 1♀)
     RUDDY DUCK: 29 (4♂ + 3♀), 31 (2♀)
     RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 17 (1♂ BY), 20 (1♂ BY), 24 (1♂ BY), 27 (1 + 1♂ BY), 29-31
     PIED-BILLED GREBE: 30 (4)
     HORNED GREBE: 18 (1), 20-21 (1)
     DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: 29 (1)
     GREAT BLUE HERON: 19 (1), 20 (2), 21-23 (1), 24-25 (3), 26 (1), 27 (3), 28-29 (2), 30 (1), 31 (2)
     TURKEY VULTURE: 14 (1), 15 (6), 30 (1), 31 (2)
     OSPREY: 31 (1)
     BALD EAGLE: 1 (1 ad), 7 (1 im), 8 (1 ad + 1 4-yr), 9 (1 4-yr), 10-11 (1 ad + 1 4-yr + 1 im),
                                    15 (1 ad + 1 im), 16 (2 ad + 1 4-yr + 3 im), 17 (1 ad + 1 4-yr + 1 im),
                                    19 (1 4-yr + 1 im), 20 (1 ad + 1 im), 21 (1 ad + 3 im), 23 (1 4-yr + 2 im),
                                    24 (2 ad + 2 im), 25 (1 ad), 26 (1 im), 27 (1 4-yr + 1 im),
                                    28 (2 ad + 1 4-yr + 1 im), 30 92 ad)
     SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: 3 (1 ad), 5 (1 im BY), 10 (1 im BY), 16 (1 ad), 23 (1 BY), 25 (1 im),
                                    30-31 (1 im BY)
     COOPER’S HAWK: 3-4 (1 im BY), 7 (1 im BY), 11 (1 BY), 15 (1 ad), 22 (1 im), 28 (1 im BY), 29 (1 im),
                                     31 (1 im BY)
     RED-TAILED HAWK: 1 (1), 2 (2), 3 (1), 6 (2), 7 (1), 9 (1), 11 (2), 12-13 (3), 14 (1), 15 (3), 16 (4),
                                    17 (3), 18-19 (2), 20 (6), 21 (1 + 1 dark phase), 22 (3), 23 (1), 24-25 (4), 26 (3),
                                    27 (4), 28-30 (2), 31 (4)
     AMERICAN COOT: 5 (1), 11 (1), 28 (2), 29 (5), 30-31 (6)
     KILLDEER: 14 (1), 15 (4), 17 (3), 22-23 (1), 25 (2), 28-31
     AMERICAN WOODCOCK: 29 (2), 31 (2)
     RING-BILLED GULL: 8 (1), 15 (2), 23 (1), 26 (1), 27 (2), 28 (42+), 29 (230+), 30 (~100), 31 (~50)
     HERRING GULL: 28 (2 ad), 29 (1 im), 31 (1 ad)
     MOURNING DOVE: 1-2 (6), 3, 8 (1), 9 (2), 10-12, 13 (6+), 14-17, 19-24, 26, 28-31
     GREAT HORNED OWL: 3 (1), 4 (2)
     BELTED KINGFISHER: 11-12 (1♂), 16 (1), 18 (1), 30 (1♂)
     RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: 1, 5, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 29-30
     DOWNY WOODPECKER: 1-31
     HAIRY WOODPECKER: 2-3, 7, 9-10, 15-17, 21, 26, 30
     NORTHERN FLICKER (Yellow-shafted): 3 (1), 11 (1), 30 (6+)
     AMERICAN KESTREL: 15 (1), 19-23 (1♂), 27 (1♂), 30 (1♂)
     EASTERN PHOEBE: 29 (1), 31 (1)
     NORTHERN SHRIKE: 1 (1), 10 (1), 13-14 (1), 16-17 (1), 23-25 (1)
     BLUE JAY: 9, 11-12, 15-17, 20-21, 24, 26, 30-31
     AMERICAN CROW: 1-31
     BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE: 1-31
     WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 2, 4, 6-7, 13, 17, 19-21, 27-28, 30-31
     EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 14 (3♂), 29 (12), 30 (4♂ + 1♀), 31
     AMERICAN ROBIN: 8 (14), 10 (1), 13 (1), 14-31
     AMERICAN PIPIT: 31 (2)
     EUROPEAN STARLING: 1-3, 4, 6-31
     CEDAR WAXWING: 19 (~12), 21 (12 BY), 24 (2 BY), 30 (20 BY)
     AMERICAN TREE SPARROW: 1-7, 9-31
     FOX SPARROW: 30 (4)
     SONG SPARROW: 1 (8), 2 (2), 3 (5), 4 (7), 5 (4), 6 (5), 7 (4), 8 (1), 9 (2), 10-11 (1), 12 (5), 13-14 (1),
                                    16 (1), 18 (2), 20 (1), 23-25 (1), 26 (2), 28 (1 BY + 1), 29 (2), 30 (20+), 31
     SWAMP SPARROW: 13 (3), 24 (1)
     HARRIS’S SPARROW: 2-3 (2 BY), 4 (1 BY), 6-7 (2 BY), 8 (1 BY), 9 (3 BY), 10-12 (1 BY),
                                    15-17 (2 BY), 22 (1 BY), 23-24 (2 BY), 27 (1 BY), 30 (1)
     DARK-EYED JUNCO (Slate-colored): 1-31
     DARK-EYED JUNCO (Oregon): 12 (1)
     NORTHERN CARDINAL: 1-31
     RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD: 13 (1), 14 (4♂ BY), 15-31
     EASTERN MEADOWLARK: 31 (2)
     COMMON GRACKLE: 15 (1), 16, 17 (2 BY), 19, 21, 23-31
     BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD: 25 (4♂), 26 (2♂), 29 (4♂), 30-31 (1♂)
     PURPLE FINCH: 16 (1♂ BY), 18 (BY - 1♂ + 1♀)
     HOUSE FINCH: 1-31
     COMMON REDPOLL: 24 (2 BY)
     PINE SISKIN: 2 (1 BY), 7 (2 BY)
     AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 1-9, 11-12, 15-17, 23-30
     HOUSE SPARROW: 1-31

MAMMALIAN
     VIRGINIA OPOSSUM: 13 (2)
     Bat sp.: 29 (2)
     WHITE-TAILED DEER: 1 (1 BY), 5 (7 + 3 BY), 6 (6 BY), 8 (1♂), 9 (4 + 1 BY), 11 (3 BY + 10),
                                    13 (6 BY), 14 (2), 15-16 (7), 20-21 (4), 24 (2 BY), 26 (5), 27 (4), 29 (12), 30 (3)
     FOX SQUIRREL: 1-6, 8-9, 11-19, 22-31
     EASTERN CHIPMUNK: 23 (1), 29-20 (1)
     EASTERN COTTONTAIL: 1-3, 5-6, 8-9, 12-14, 16, 18-19, 21-31
Wolf. Oesterreich

April 4, 2013: American Woodcock

American Woodcock. 3/31/13 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

The photograph shows the American Woodcock found in the bluff woods on the 31st.  Another one was located in the woods on the west side of the amphitheater (Upland Trail).  The first 2 were flushed from the east side of Jensen Pond on the 29th.  I went back out near 8pm and heard at least 1 "peenting"

April 3, 2013: Jensen's Pond

Eastward view of Jensen Pond.  3/30/13 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

When compared with the photo from 3/30/12 (below), there is a definite lack of green.

April 2, 2013: Bald Eagle

Sub-adult Bald Eagle. 3/27/13 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

This sub-adult Bald Eagle is probably a 4-year-old bird.  Note that the head is not yet completely white, the bill is not entirely yellow, white speckling on the belly, and the tail is not completely white.  In flight, the tail shows a dark terminal band.  This bird has been present at the Park for much of the year.  A juvenile was also present today.

Wolf. Oesterreich

April 1, 2013: Last of the Snow?

Hopefully we are done with this scene in the park for this year.  3/11/13 (Kevin Kane)