Highs and Lows

 In birding, there are many amazing moments that warrant celebration. Observing a new species for your life list, reaching or exceeding your birding goals for the day, month, or year, capturing sharp images of tiny warblers. But as birders we also have some days that just aren't as great. Plans being cancelled due to bad weather, a spot not being as productive as we would like, thinking we've captured sharp images only to find out later they are all blurry.

recently in my birding I have hit one of these low places. We haven't had the best weather lately her in Iowa for birding. I'm also still trying to find the spots that will provide the best birding opportunities and have been striking out in surprising places. My photography has been improving, which is one plus, but I find myself photographing the same few species over and over. This low is highlighted even more by the fact that it's February. Why February? Because in January, every bird is new to your life list and it's exciting to be starting over again, but by February you've recorded most of the winter birds that you're likely to see before migration begins.

I've been photographing a lot of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) this winter.

On one hand, this repetition gets extremely old and the thought of migration ever more enticing. On the other, observing the same species over and over gives you the opportunity to witness small parts of their life history that you may normally just look over. With all of the waterfowl that I've been observing lately I've been able to witness some of their mating displays and territory defense displays. Sometimes it's good to remember, when we hit these lows in birding, that this is an opportunity to make our birding more about the observing and less about our lists. Many studies on the life histories of birds have been done by people who simply observe them repetitively at feeders. Slow down and take the time to see what the birds are doing, you'll become a better birder by doing so.

I was recently granted the opportunity to witness the mating displays of this pair of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). This female is accepting the male.

It's also good to remember in these times to never quit just because we're in a slump. Soon spring migrants will be returning and there will be new observations waiting to be made every day. And in the mean time, you never know when an uncommon bird might show up on an ordinary day. Just this week while birding at Lake Wapello State Park I was able to record and photograph a Horned Grebe, an uncommon species for this area. This was also a life species for me (#247) and a great bird to get me out of the early year slump that I was really feeling.

My slump buster Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus).

We are now exiting February and preparing for migration season. If the weather holds out early on we just might get some early birds moving to their breeding grounds. This is my favorite time of the year because of the species eruption that my year list is about to experience. It's also exciting because you never know who might be stopping over right in your own back yard. So if you've felt like birding is really dragging lately just remember that migration season and good weather are almost here. Happy birding!

Feb. 5 - Feb. 11

 This week I had to do a long run on our new treadmill that came with a free year of the program iFit. This program allows you to run virtually with trainers in different locations and your treadmill adjusts the incline and speed as you go. During my run, the instructor began telling a story about an interaction that he had with Mute Swans. As he told this story, I thought that maybe I should write this week about all of the swans I have been seeing this year as they're a very large and beautiful group of birds that are typically associated with love and it's nearing Valentine's day. So, in this post I will be sharing some fun information about our native Trumpeter Swans with my weeks list of birds at the end.

Lone Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) at Lake Wapello State Park.

Trumpeter Swans are our largest native waterfowl species in North America. They can weigh up to about 30 pounds with the average adult weight being 26 pounds. They have a total length of nearly six feet with a wingspan reaching up to a little over eight feet according to some sources (Pough 1951). This large size makes Trumpeter Swans fairly easy to distinguish in large groups of waterfowl or in flight.

 Some features that distinguish them from the Tundra Swan, another native swan species, is their all black bill that has a slightly more long, slender, and sloped shape to it. The calls of these great birds are the best identifying feature though. With their low tone and distinct trumpeting sound, these birds are easy to identify in flight even when they are flying really high up.

On guard as most of the group naps.

Swans are thought to mate for life, but some individuals have been known to seek multiple mates in a season. Some swans that lose their mate never seek another. Mating for life is quite an impressive accomplishment in these long-living birds, with the oldest known wild Trumpeter Swan living at least 26 years and two months and in captivity up to 32 years (allaboutbirds.org).

This species lays between four and six eggs in a nest, but nesting is dependent on there being good beaver and muskrat habitat because they use dens and dams to construct their nests on. This is an interesting inter-species relationship that helps to show how every species in an environment serves a purpose. 

Congregating on the open water at Lake Wapello State Park. 

Trumpeter Swans also present a good conservation story. They were nearly extirpated by the late 1800's, with small populations holding on in Yellowstone and Northern Canada. At one time the total breeding population was thought to be only 69 individuals. They were hunted and their feathers used in the fashion industry in women's hats and as quill pens. Their skin was also used for powder puffs. Today their populations are rebounding with some estimates of a global breeding population of 63,000 birds (allaboutbirds.org).

Likely breeding pair wading in a local city park.

I have felt very fortunate this year to observe this species as much as I have been able to. When living in Kansas, Trumpeter Swans were always a species that I always seemed to be just a little behind on their migrations. Here in Iowa we have a great wintering population thanks to all of our lakes, ponds, and rivers. They also seem to enjoy foraging on the dropped corn in fields.

*  *  *

This week I observed 27 species. A list of species observed follows:

1. Rock Pigeon (invasive)
2. Red-bellied Woodpecker
3. Blue Jay
4. American Crow
5. Black-capped Chickadee
6. Tufted Titmouse
7. House Sparrow (invasive)
8. House Finch
9. Canada Goose
10. Mallard
11. Common Goldeneye
12. Common Merganser
13. Ring-billed Gull
14. Bald Eagle
15. European Starling (invasive)
16. Dark-eyed Junco
17. Greater White-fronted Goose
18. Trumpeter Swan
19. Mourning Dove
20. Killdeer
21. Red-tailed Hawk
22. Downy Woodpecker
23. Northern Flicker (yellow shafted)
24. White-breasted Nuthatch
25. Northern Cardinal
26. Barred Owl
27. American Tree Sparrow

Sources for todays post:

Audubon Water Bird Guide, Richard Pough, 1951 (Pough 1951)

allaboutbirds.org (allaboutbirds.org)

January 2023 Summary

 Not a bad way to start the new year! In January I observed 35 species, with Ross's Goose being a new addition to my life list which now totals 246. I spent most of my time birding in county parks and on public lands. My most common area for this month was the Ottumwa River Access hotspot on eBird, located just below the hydro-electric dam. While out birding, I was also able to practice my photography a little bit. Below are a few of my top photos for the month.

White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) flushing a Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) on the Des Moines River

Female Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) wading during sunset

Male yellow shafted Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) eating his frosted berries

Male Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) among the Canada Geese (Branta canadensis)

For more details about my birding adventures the past month, feel free to look back through any of my past posts. I have big hopes for February and can't wait to share the birds with you. We're getting closer and closer to migration, and my excitement continues to grow!

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!

Jan. 1 - Jan. 7

 The first week of the year! A great week to start birding again. I birded at home and at below the hydro-electric plant in town along the Des Moines River this week, totaling 18 species. I'd been looking below the hydro every day, when we'd drive over the bridge for work, for different waterfowl to be there but was only seeing Canada Geese and Mallards from the road. Then I'd talk myself out of stopping on my way home to take a closer look.

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) on the rocks.

Lone male Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

On Friday, after work, I decided to finally stop and take a closer look at what was swimming beneath the bridge. I was still only seeing Canada Geese, Mallards, and a ton of Rock Pigeons. After watching a couple of Bald Eagles for a little while and hoping that some new waterfowl species would show up, I decided to head home.

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) looking over a large flock of Rock Pigeons (Columba livia).

As I was heading up the bank towards my car, I noticed a smaller duck wading with a pair of Mallards. This small duck kept diving which peaked my interest because Mallards are dabbling ducks and only submerge their heads to feed. This let me know that it was for sure a new species. After many bad, but identifiable photos, I determined the smaller duck to be a female Common Goldeneye and began checking the groups of Mallards more carefully. Doing this revealed that there was a male/female pair of Canvasbacks across the river that I had missed as well.

Female Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)

Male Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)

I completed my checklist, hopped in my car, crossed the bridge, and got some good photos of the Canvasbacks while the light was still good. They may be some of my best and favorite waterfowl photos that I've taken. I'm glad that I stopped to double check myself before calling it quits.

Male Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) swimming away from me.

Male Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) side view

Below are the species that I recorded this week:

1. Canada Goose
2. Red-bellied Woodpecker
3. Downy Woodpecker
4. Blue Jay
5. American Crow
6. Black-capped Chickadee
7. White-breasted Nuthatch
8. House Sparrow (invasive)
9. House Finch
10. Dark-eyed Junco
11. White-throated Sparrow
12. Northern Cardinal
13. Mallard
14. Canvasback
15. Common Goldeneye
16. Rock Pigeon
17. Bald Eagle
18. Belted Kingfisher

I also learned this week that Kirtland's Warblers are no longer listed as endangered! According to the IUCN Red List, their populations were re-assessed in August of 2020 and their status has been lowered to near threatened. I found this news in an Arbor Day Foundation newsletter article. Thanks to conservation efforts, this species has been able to rebound from only 167 breeding pairs in the 60's and 70's to an estimated 4500-5000 individuals in 2020. Exciting news in the world of conservation!