May 7, 2013: Canada Goose

Better think again.  That nest box is too small for you! 5/3/13 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

May 6, 2012: Water Levels Up

Recent snow melt and rain have water levels at the lake high again and flowing over the dam as can be seen by the now submegerged peninsula in the southwest corner of the south lake.  5/5/13 (Kevin Kane)

May 5, 2013: Yellow-rumped Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warblers are present throughout the Park. This one was found feeding along Pond J's edge. The cold temperatures and snow have made it a bit harder to find insects to feed on. This male is of the "Myrtle" race (white throat). The "Audubon's" race (yellow throat) is more commonly found out west. 5/3/13 (Wolf. Oesterreich)
 

May 4, 2013: Wolf's April 2013 Species List

This Willet (a shorebird) was found along the shore of the north lake (NE corner) on Monday (March 29th). The coloration is rather drab, but once in flight, the black-and-white pattern is quite distinctive. 3/29/13 (Wolf. Oesterreich)


A total of 122 avian species was recorded this month, ranking this month as the highest April among 16 years of records. Two species, Golden Eagle (#261) and Swainson’s Hawk (#262), were added to my Park List. So far, a total of 137 species have been recorded this year.
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 250+ Pied-billed Grebes sighted on the 22^nd may set a new peak count record for Story County (former record of 97 set on 6 Apr 2011 at Ada Hayden HP). The single Osprey on the 2^nd may set a new extreme early Spring record (former record set on 5 Apr 2006 at Ada Hayden HP). Other potential new extreme early Spring records include 1♀ Wilson’s Phalarope on the 12^th (former record set on 22 Apr 1984 at Colo Ponds), 1♂ Yellow Warbler on the 29^th (former record set on 30 Apr 1986 at Ames, 1988 at Hendrickson Marsh, & 2001 at my backyard), and 2 Lark Sparrows on the 21^st (former record set on 30 Apr 2005 at Ada Hayden HP). Rare migrants in Story County include the Swainson’s Hawk and Marbled Godwits. The Golden Eagle is an accidental record.

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 53^rd Supplement (2012) to the American Ornithologists’ UnionCheck-list of North American Birds and the 12^th Supplement to the 7^th Edition (1998).

AVIAN

SNOW GOOSE: 1 (1w), 4 (~80), 6, 9, (~40), 16 (1w)

CANADA GOOSE: 1-30

WOOD DUCK: 1 (6), 10 (2♂ + 2♀), 12 (3♂ + 2♀), 14 (1♂ + 1♀), 15 (7♂ + 3♀), 16 (1♂), 18 (2♂),

21 (1♀), 23 (2), 24 (5), 25, 28, 30

GADWALL: 1 (20♂ + 20♀), 2, 3 (12+), 4 (20+), 5 (2♂ + 1♀), 6-7, 8 (3♂), 9-17, 19-20 (2♂), 21-22,

23 (12+), 24-27, 29 (5♂ + 2♀), 30 (3♂ + 2♀)

AMERICAN WIGEON: 1 (2♂ + 2♀), 14 (5♂ + 1♀), 15 (3♂ + 1♀), 16 (4♂), 22 (1♂ + 1♀), 25, 26 (1♂)

MALLARD: 1-16, 18-30

BLUE-WINGED TEAL: 1 (1♂ + 1♀), 2 (2♂), 4 (2♂ + 1♀), 5 (2♂), 6-7. 8 (5♂ + 2♀), 9-30

NORTHERN SHOVELER: 1 (50+), 2 (70+), 3 (60+), 4 (30+), 5 (90+), 6-7, 8 (35+), 9-30

NORTHERN PINTAIL: 24 (1♂ + 1♀), 26 (1♂ + 1♀)

GREEN-WINGED TEAL: 1 (2♂ + 2♀), 2 (2), 3 (2♂ + 1♀), 5 (15+), 6-7, 9-10, 11 (1♂), 12,

14 (1♂ + 1♀), 15 (3♂ + 3♀), 16, 23-24, 26, 29 (2), 30

CANVASBACK: 10 (1♀), 24 (1♀), 28 (1♀)

REDHEAD: 3 (1♂ + 1♀), 5 (4♂ + 4♀), 8 (1♂ + 1♀), 11 (1♂ + 1♀), 24 (2♂ + 2♀), 25, 26 (3♂ + 2♀),

27, 28 (4♂ + 1♀), 29 (4♂ + 3♀), 30 (4♂ + 4♀)

RING-NECKED DUCK: 1 (2♂), 3 (3♂ + 1♀), 5 (2♂ + 2♀), 7-10, 11-13 (1♂ + 1♀), 14 (3♂ + 3♀),

15 (2♂ + 2♀), 16, 19 (1♂ + 1♀), 21 (2♂ + 1♀), 22, 24-30

LESSER SCAUP: 1 (44+), 2 (27), 3 (41+), 4 (8), 5 (120+), 6-7, 8 (25+), 9-18, 19 (5♂ + 7♀), 20,

21 (5♂ + 4♀), 22 (8♂ + 7♀), 23 (5♂ + 6♀), 24 (9♂ + 13♀), 25 (7♂ + 5♀),

26 (7♂ + 6♀), 27 (3♂ + 4♀), 28 (2♂ + 3♀), 29 (2♂ + 1♀), 30 (4♂ + 2♀)

BUFFLEHEAD: 1 (14♂ + 10♀), 2 (20+), 3 (12+), 4 (16♂ + 14♀), 5 (22+), 6, 7 (74+), 8 (33+), 9-21,

22 (100+), 23-27, 28 (17+), 29 (7), 30 (5)

COMMON GOLDENEYE: 13 (1♂ + 1♀), 18 (1♀), 28 (1♀)

HOODED MEGANSER: 1 (2♂ + 2♀), 2 (2♂), 3 (9♂ + 3♀), 4 (1♂ + 2♀), 5 (2♂), 7 (3♂), 8 (1♂)

COMMON MERGANSER: 1 (4♂ + 1♀), 2 (1♂ + 2♀), 4 (2♂ + 1♀), 9 (1♂), 11 (1♂), 14 (1♂ + 1♀)

RED-BREASTED MERGANSER: 1 (3♂), 2, 3 (6♂ + 1♀), 4 (5♂), 5 (4♂), 8 (2♂ + 1♀), 12 (1♂ + 4♀),

15 (2♀), 21 (1♀)

RUDDY DUCK: 1 (1♀), 2 (3♂ + 2♀), 3 (2♀), 5 (16+), 6, 7 (2♂), 8 (1♀), 9 (1♂ + 1♀), 11 (6), 12 (7),

13 (1♂ + 1♀), 14 (17), 15 (1♂ + 2♀), 16 (1♂ + 1♀), 18 (5), 19 (7), 20 (8), 21 (5),

22 (~140), 23-25, 26 (19), 27 (1♂ + 4♀), 28 (10), 29 (7), 30 (24)

RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 4, 7-9, 10 (1♂ BY +), 11-16, 18-20, 22-30

COMMON LOON: 1 (1), 3 (2), 4-5 (3), 6 (8), 7 (3), 8 (1), 9-13 (2), 14-15 (7), 16 (8), 17 (1), 18 (6),

19 (7), 20 (6), 21 (3), 22 (2), 23 (1), 24 (2), 25 (1)

PIED-BILLED GREBE: 1 (1), 2 (2), 3-5 (1), 6, 7-8 (5), 9 (6), 10 (54), 11 (26+), 12 (25+), 13-14,

15 (13+), 16 (14+), 18 (8), 19 (12+), 20 (19+), 21 (16+), 22 (250+), 23, 24 (27+),

25 (30+), 26 (6), 27 (10), 28 (2), 29 (10), 30 (19)

HORNED GREBE: 12-13 (1 abp), 14 (3 abp), 19 (1 abp), 20 (3 abp), 21 (5), 24 (2), 25 (1), 26-27 (3),

28-29 (1), 30 (2)

EARED GREBE: 15 (2 abp), 16 (4 abp), 18 (5 abp), 19 (6 abp), 20 (9), 21 (21), 22 (14+), 23 (4),

24 (18), 25 (11), 26 (9), 27 (8), 28 (7), 29 (5), 30 (1)

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: 1 (1), 5 (27), 9 (21), 10 (45), 14 (39), 18 (2), 20 (2), 21 (30),

24 (20), 27 (2), 29 (16), 30 (1)

AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN: 6 (29), 12 (~50), 14 (~30), 15 (25+), 21 (~100)

AMERICAN BITTERN: 25 (1)

GREAT BLUE HERON: 1 (3), 2 (2), 3 (6), 4 (5), 6 (3), 7 (6), 8-9 (3), 10 (17), 11 (13), 12 (12), 13 (13),

14 (5), 15 (15), 16 (5), 17 (2), 18 (14), 19 (13), 20 (9), 21 (4), 22 (8), 23-24 (6),

25 (8), 26 (4), 27 (5), 28-30 (3)

GREAT EGRET: 10 (1), 14-15 (1), 21 (1), 23 (1)

GREEN HERON: 22 (1), 24-26 (1)

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

15-16 (3), 18 (3), 19 (7+), 20-21 (3), 23 (3), 24 (5), 25 (1), 26 (10+), 27 (4+),

28 (9+), 29 (12+), 30 (3)

OSPREY: 2-3 (1), 8 (1), 10-11 (1), 12 (2), 13 (1), 14-16 (3), 17 (1), 18 (9), 19 (4), 20 (5), 21 (6), 22 (1),

23-25 (2), 26-27 (1)

BALD EAGLE: 3-4 (1 ad), 9 (1 4-yr), 10 (1 ad), 13 (1 ad), 19 (1 ad + 1 im), 21 (1 ad + 1 im), 24 (1 ad)

NORTHERN HARRIER: 9 (1♀)

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: 17 (1 im BY), 23-24 (1 ad)

COOPER’S HAWK: 1 (1 im), 8 (1 ad + 1 im BY), 10 (1 ad), 13 (1 im BY), 14 (1 im BY + 1 ad),

15 (1 im BY), 20-21 (1 im), 26 (2 im), 29 (1 ad), 30 (1)

Accipiter sp.: 12 (1 BY)

BROAD-WINGED HAWK: 30 (1)

SWAINSON’S HAWK: 15 (1)

RED-TAILED HAWK: 1 (3 + 1 dark), 2 (2), 3 (3), 4 (2), 5 (3), 7 (2), 8-9 (1), 10 (4), 11 (2), 12 (3),

13 (2), 14-16 (1), 18 (1), 19-20 (2), 21-22 (1), 23 (2), 24 91), 25-26 (2), 27 (1),

28 (4), 30 (1)

GOLDEN EAGLE: 4 (1 ju)

AMERICAN COOT: 1 (4), 2 (3), 3 (18), 4 (15), 5 (54), 6, 7 (55+), 8 (39+), 9-10, 11 (200+), 12-30

SANDHILL CRANE: 24 (1)

KILLDEER: 1-6, 8-11, 14-15, 19, 21, 23-30

SPOTTED SANDPIPER: 18-19 (1), 29 (2)

SOLITARY SANDPIPER: 14 (1)

GREATER YELLOWLEGS: 13 (1), 16 (2), 21 (8), 23 (3)

WILLET: 29 (1)

LESSER YELLOWLEGS: 6 (1), 13 (1), 25 (1)

Yellowlegs sp.: 4, 15 (1), 24 (4), 30

MARBLED GODWIT: 15 (7)

Sandpiper sp.: 30 (15)

WILSON’S SNIPE: 23 (4), 27 (3), 28 (1)

AMERICAN WOODCOCK: 1 (1), 3 (1), 6, 8 (1), 9 (3)

WILSON’S PHALAROPE: 12-13 (1♀), 18 (1♀), 19-21 (2♀), 23 (4♀), 24-25 (11), 26 (2♂ + 9♀),

27 (1♂ + 9♀), 28 (1♂ + 11♀), 29 (1♀), 30 (2♀)

RING-BILLED GULL: 1-2 (50+), 3 (70+), 4 (120+), 5 (40+), 6, 7 (17+), 8 (9+), 9-12, 14 (2), 15 (1), 19,

21, 22 (32), 23 (2), 24 (1), 28 (1)

HERRING GULL: 3 (1)

FRANKLIN’S GULL: 6 (1), 11 (1), 15 (55), 16 (2), 18 (1), 19, 22 (2), 23 (8)

BONAPARTE’S GULL: 9-10 (4), 15-16 (3), 19 (12+), 22 (4), 23 (10), 25 (1)

FORSTER’S TERN: 16 (1), 21 (1), 30 (1)

MOURNING DOVE: 2-3, 5-30

BELTED KINGFISHER: 8-9 (1), 10-12 (1), 14 (2), 15 (1), 18 (2), 19 (1), 20 (2), 21-22 (1), 24-25 (1),

27 (1)

RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: 3, 5-6, 13, 20, 27-29

YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER: 13 (1), 20 (1), 24-25 (1)

DOWNY WOODPECKER: 2, 4-6, 8-20, 22-30

HAIRY WOODPECKER: 3-4, 6, 8, 10-11, 13, 17-18, 21, 24, 26-28

NORTHERN FLICKER (Yellow-shafted): 1-3 (1), 4 (3), 7-10, 11 (12+), 12-16, 18-28, 30

AMERICAN KESTREL: 3 (1♂), 10 (1♀), 22-23 (1♂), 25 (1♂)

EASTERN PHOEBE: 4-5 (1), 7-9 (1), 10 (4), 11 (3), 13 (1), 14, 15 (2), 18-19 (1), 21-22 (2), 24-27 (1)

EASTERN KINGBIRD: 26 (1)

LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE: 13 (1)

BLUE JAY: 1-2, 10, 19, 25, 27-30

AMERICAN CROW: 1-30

PURPLE MARTIN: 4 (1), 7 (1), 8-9 (2), 10 (6), 11 (14+), 12, 13 (14+), 14-15, 18-22, 23 (30+), 24-30

TREE SWALLOW: 4 (1), 7 (5), 8 (12+), 9-10, 12, 14-16, 18-30

NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW: 23 (3), 24-27, 29

BANK SWALLOW: 26 (1)

BARN SWALLOW: 20 (1), 21, 23-28, 30

BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE: 1-30

WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 3, 5, 11, 13, 15, 20, 24-25, 27-28

BROWN CREEPER: 24-25 (2)

HOUSE WREN: 28 (2), 29-30

BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER: 30 (1)

GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET: 5 (1), 20 (2)

RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET: 5 (1), 10 (2), 11 (5), 14 (1 BY + 1), 15 (4), 16 (1), 18 (1), 20 (1),

21 (1 BY + 1), 22 (3), 23 (1), 24 (5), 25 (2), 26 (3), 27-29 (1), 30 (4)

EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 1 (4♂ + 2♀), 2, 3 (3♂ + 1♀), 4, 5 (1♀), 7 (1♂), 8 (1♂ + 3♀), 9 (3♂ + 2♀),

10-11, 13 (5), 18 (3), 19 (4), 20 (1), 21 (4), 22 (5), 23 (3), 28 (1♂ + 1♀),

30 (2♂ + 2♀)

HERMIT THRUSH: 9 (3), 10 (1), 11 (4), 12 (2), 13 (4), 14 (3), 15 (1), 16 (2), 19 (3), 21 (2), 23 (1),

24 (3), 25 (2)

AMERICAN ROBIN: 1-30

BROWN THRASHER: 16 (1), 20 (1), 21 (1 BY), 22 (1), 23 (2 + 1 BY), 24-25 (1), 26 (3), 27 (2),

28-29 (1 BY + 2), 30 (3)

EUROPEAN STARLING: 1-30

BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER: 30 (1)

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: 29 (1), 30 (2)

NASHVILLE WARBLER: 30 (1♂)

COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: 30 (1♂)

YELLOW WARBLER: 29-30 (1)

PALM WARBLER: 29 (2), 30 (5)

YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (Myrtle): 9 (1), 10 (6), 11 (2), 13 (1 BY + 1), 14-16 (1), 19-20 (1),

22 (1), 23 (5), 24 (14+), 25 (3), 26 (4), 27 (1), 29 (6), 30 (7)

EASTERN TOWHEE: 28 (1♂ BY), 29-30 (1♂)

AMERICAN TREE SPARROW: 1-3, 4 (12), 5 (9+), 7 (1), 8-17, 18 (6+), 19 (7+), 20 (1), 21 (2), 22 (5),

23 (7), 24 (2), 27-28 (1 BY)

CHIPPING SPARROW: 10 (1), 14 (1 BY), 16 (1), 19-20 (1), 21-24, 26-30

FIELD SPARROW: 5 (1), 9-10 (1), 14 (1 BY), 15-16 (1), 18 (1), 21 (1), 27 (1)

VESPER SPARROW: 9 (3), 10 (1), 12 (1), 13 (6+), 14 (10+), 16 (5), 19 (2), 21 (4), 23 (3)

LARK SPARROW: 21 (2)

SAVANNAH SPARROW: 14 (3), 16 (2), 20-23 (1), 30 (1)

LE CONTE’S SPARROW: 15 (1)

FOX SPARROW: 1 (1), 9 (1 BY + 24), 10 (1 BY + 4), 11 (3 + 2 BY), 12 (1 BY), 13 (2 + 1 BY),

14 (1 BY + 5), 15 (1), 16 (1 + 1 BY), 17 (1 BY), 18 (4 BY), 19-20 (2 BY + 3),

21 (2 BY + 1), 22 (1 BY + 1), 23 (1 BY), 24 (1), 25 (3), 27 (1 BY)

SONG SPARROW: 1-30

LINCOLN’S SPARROW: 29 (1 BY), 30 (2 BY + 1)

SWAMP SPARROW: 3 (1), 7 (1), 25-26 (1)

WHITE-THROATED SPARROW: 22 (1 BY), 25 (1 BY), 29 (3 BY + 7), 30 (3 BY + 20+)

HARRIS’S SPARROW: 2 (2 BY), 3 (3 BY), 6, 9 (1 BY), 13-14 (1 BY), 15 (3 BY), 17 91 BY),

18-19 (2 BY), 20-21 (1 BY), 23 (2 BY), 25-26 (1 BY), 27 (2 + 1 BY), 28-29 (4 BY),

30 (3 BY + 1)

WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW: 8 (3), 30 (2 BY + 1)

DARK-EYED JUNCO (Slate-colored): 1-25, 30 (1)

NORTHERN CARDINAL: 1-30

RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD: 1-30

EASTERN MEADOWLARK: 5 (1), 7 (1), 8, 11-30

RUSTY BLACKBIRD: 23 (1)

COMMON GRACKLE: 1-30

BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD: 1 (1♂), 3 (2♂), 4 (1♂), 5, 7-8, 10-11, 13-22, 24-30

BALTIMORE ORIOLE: 30 (1♂)

PURPLE FINCH: 2 (1♂ BY), 9 (1♀ BY), 10 (1♂ BY), 23 (2♂)

HOUSE FINCH: 1-30

AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 2, 4-5, 7-11, 13-14, 16-21, 24-30

HOUSE SPARROW: 1-5, 7-30

MAMMALIAN

COYOTE: 2, 6, 26

WHITE-TAILED DEER: 1 (3 + 5 BY), 3 (4), 4 (4 BY + 8), 5 (1), 6 (3), 8 (9), 9-10 (4), 11 (2 BY),

12 (7 BY), 13 (1 BY), 15 (3), 18 (20), 20 (2 BY + 4), 22 (1), 23-24 (4), 25 (4 BY),

28 (2), 29 (4), 30 (3)

WOODCHUCK: 10 (1), 19 (1)

FOX SQUIRREL: 1-5, 7, 9-14, 17-18, 20-22, 24, 27-30

THIRTEEN-LINED GROUND SQUIRREL: 20 (1), 26 91), 27, 29-30

EASTERN CHIPMUNK: 22 (1)

MUSKRAT: 20 (1)

EASTERN COTTONTAIL: 2, 4-30

REPTILIAN

EASTERN GARTER SNAKE: 8 (1), 30 (1)

NORTHERN PAINTED TURTLE: 3 (1), 4 (15+), 7 (1), 8, 14, 20, 22, 24-30

RED-EARED SLIDER: 4 (1), 8 (3), 14 (1), 27 (1), 28 (2), 29 (1)

AMPHIBIAN

AMERICAN TOAD: 28-30

EASTERN GRAY TREEFROG: 28-29

BOREAL CHORUS FROG: 4, 6-9, 14, 16, 19-30

NORTHERN LEOPARD FROG: 25, 28-29

LEPIDOPTERA

BLACK SWALLOWTAIL: 30 (3)

CABBAGE WHITE: 29-30 (2)

MOURNING CLOAK: 8 (2), 24 (1), 26 (1), 29 (1), 30 (2)

RED ADMIRAL: 8 (1), 26 (1)

ODONATA

COMMON GREEN DARNER: 8 (1), 26 (5), 28 (1), 29 (5+), 30

VARIEGATED MEADOWHAWK: 8 (2), 30 (3)

Wolf. Oesterreich

 

May 3, 2013: Snow in May?

And this photo, taken from the southeast corner of the south lake, only shows the start of the 7 inch accumulation over May 2nd and 3rd.  5/2/13 (Kevin Kane)

May 2, 2012: Sand Hill Crane

Sand Hill Crane in Pool A. 5/1/13 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

This digiscoped photo shows a Sandhill Crane found at Pool A this cold and windy afternoon (1st).  This is only the second time that I've found a crane actually on Park property.  All the other times have been fly-bys.  (Due to the distance and wind the photo is not as sharp as I would have liked it to be.)  The crane took flight before I left the Upland Trail.

I also found my second Snowy Egret for the Park.  It was in the company of 5 Great Egrets at Pool F.  The size difference was quite noticeable, with the Snowy smaller species.  Unfortunately, all of the photographs were a bit fuzzy.  (Again, thanks to the distance and wind.)  As I left the Park, the egrets were observed flying southwesterly.

Wolf.  Oesterreich 

May 1, 2013: Eastern Towhee

This male Eastern Towhee was found on the west side of the bluff on Monday (29th).  I first heard him call ("drink-your-teeeee") before actually spotting him.  This species and the Spotted Towhee were once lumped together as the Rufous-sided Towhee.  Both can be found in our area, although the Eastern is more common. 4/29/13 (Wolf. Oesterreich)