Jan. 8 - Jan. 14

A perfect week! This week I was able to bird in some form every day. Whether after work, during work, or an entire Saturday morning, I was finally able to make myself record birds every day. Technically I bird every day anyway, but I only count it if I submit a list on eBird. Recording every day typically leads to lists growing, and this week was no exception. I was able to pick up a Ross's Goose below the hydro while looking for a reported Barnacle Goose. That puts my life list at 246 species!

While birding along the river on Saturday I was also able to meet another photographer. His name is David Yunker, from Ohio, and he was in town to photograph the Bald Eagles. David told me that he's been coming to Ottumwa to photograph the eagles for a couple of years now. I'm glad that our little corner of the world keeps him coming back and I wish him luck in his photography adventures! David sells prints of his photos on Etsy if anyone would like to check them out! It's always great to meet other people that enjoy the gift of wildlife while out birding.

I was also able to capture some images this week. I photographed an American Tree Sparrow and Northern Flicker in the park a few blocks from my home, a Common Goldeneye below the hydro, and more Trumpeter Swans in a corn field while checking my dads bobcat trap. Unfortunately I forgot my camera the day that I spotted the Ross's Goose.

American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea)

Male Yellow Shafted Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)

Male Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)

Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator) in an Iowa cornfield.

I recorded a total of 32 species this week and they are as follows:

1. House Sparrow (invasive)
2. Mourning Dove
3. Bald Eagle
4. Red-headed Woodpecker
5. Downy Woodpecker
6. American Crow
7. Black-capped Chickadee
8. Tufted Titmouse
9. White-breasted Nuthatch
10. American Robin
11. House Finch
12. White-throated Sparrow
13. Red-bellied Woodpecker
14. Blue Jay
15. American Tree Sparrow
16. Dark-eyed Junco
17. Northern Cardinal
18. Canada Goose
19. Mallard
20. Canvasback
21. Hooded Merganser
22. Rock Pigeon
23. Ring-billed Gull
24. Pileated Woodpecker
25. Cooper's Hawk
26. Ross's Goose
27. Common Goldeneye
28. Belted Kingfisher
29. Song Sparrow
30. Northern Flicker
31. Cedar Waxwing
32. Cackling Goose

My highlight this week was being able to include multiple of our county parks in my counts. I was able to bird at Sycamore Wildlife Area, Pioneer Ridge Nature Area, and Garrison Rock Resource Management Unit. Utilizing public lands and increasing awareness of them is one way to get people more interested in the wildlife around where they live. Meeting David was another highlight, as I was able to point out some species that I had been watching that morning and help him find some species he may not necessarily have noticed.

Next week I plan to try filling in some of the species that I've been missing for my year list so far and birding in some areas that I don't typically go to. I look forward to sharing more adventures soon!