March-April 2007 Big Bluesterm Flyer Big Bluestem Audubon Society

8/9/2019 March-April 2007 Big Bluesterm Flyer Big Bluestem Audubon Society

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Big Bluestem FlyerBig Bluestem Flyer

Volume 43, Number 4 March-April 2008

ProgramsMeeting Place

Extension & 4-H Building, I S U, Ames

March 20, 2008Thursday, 7:30 pm

Bio-What? BioBlitz!Marlene Ehresman

Program/Planning AssociateIowa Natural Heritage Foundation

Marlene will share the results of a special event at a specialplace with very special teams of dedicated people. Specialphotos of special critters will be shown. Now do you get theidea? It was all just blitzin' special! While the INHF was ableto gain valuable information about the diversity of the newly

acquired 1200+ acres along the Upper Iowa River, the eventwas much more than tabulating species. An update of theAngler's Bay acquisition project at Big Spirit Lake will be givenas well.

Daves Short Lesson: A Few RailsDinner: Bali Satay House, 2424 Lincoln Way, (Indonesian cuisine)

April 17, 2008Thursday, 7:30 pm

Conserv ing Apes and Monkeys

i n the 21s t Cen tu ry

Benjamin B. BeckDirector of ConservationGreat Ape Trust of Iowa

We will present two case studies - the golden lion tamarins of

Brazil and chimpanzees in Rwanda and Uganda - to illustratethe challenges and strategies for conserving endangeredprimates and their habitats. We will also explore the issue ofwhether the conservation of apes and monkeys deservesspecial emphasis compared, for example, to the conservationof tall grass prairie.

Daves Short Lesson: A Few WarblersDinner: India Palace, 120 Hayward Ave

May 15, 2008Af r i can Adven tu res

Safa r i t o Bo tsw ana

Ty SmedesA photo-safari to the well-known Okavango Delta, and Chobe

National Park, in the southern part of the African continent.

Page 2Officers and CommitteesPresidents Corner

Page 3Field TripsFund Raiser/T-Shirt OrderTeacher Treasure Collections

Page 4Saylorville Christmas Bird CountBoone Christmas Bird Count

Page 5New MembersMembership FormCoupons

Page 6Ames Reads LeopoldNotes from BBASS Board

Newsletter of the Big Bluestem Audubon Society

Field TripsAll field trips are free and open to the public.

Meet at 8:00 a.m. in the public parking lot west of (behind) theAmes Wild Birds Unlimited, located south of the railroad tracksat 213 Duff Ave. Please arrive before the departure time toarrange carpooling. Contact Jeff Nichols (515-795-4176 , [email protected]) for more information.

March 29, 2008Ada Hayden Heritage Park and Little Wall Lake

(Story and Hamilton counties)

April 26, 2009Bear Creek Wildlife Area and Sopers Mill Historic

Site (Story Co.)May 10, 2008

Birdathon

May 31, 2008Birders Brunch at McFarland Park

(Story Co.)

The mission of the Big Bluestem Audubon Society is to enjoy the observation and study of birds and natural ecosystems,

contribute to their conservation and restoration, engage in educational activities to benefit humanity,

and gain a broader understanding and deeper appreciation of the world in which we live.

Visit us online at http:/ / b i gb l ues temaudubon .o rg

2007 Birders Brunch at Ledges State Park


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Big Bluestem AudubonSociety of Central Iowa

OfficersPresident: Lynne [email protected]

Vice-President: Royce [email protected]

Secretary: Shane Patterson515- [email protected]

Treasurer: Michael [email protected]

Board MembersMary [email protected]

Kelly [email protected]

Larry Dau515-275-4963,

[email protected] [email protected]

Lloyd [email protected]

CommitteesArchivistHank [email protected]

Bird-a-thonKarl and Carmen Jungbluth515-432-5057

weatherbird.opencominc.comConservationBruce [email protected]

EducationAmy Yoakum, [email protected]

Field TripJeff [email protected]

MembershipKaty Patterson

[email protected] Bitzer (See Officers)

PublicityMary Doud (See Board Members)

Publications & Electronic MediaDavid [email protected]

Presidents Corner

ConnectionsIts impressive how Big Bluestem members are so

interconnected with the environmental community here in Iowa.

As I have been attending meetings around the state and visiting

with folks at County Conservation Boards- I hear again how well

respected the Society and its many active members are. The Iowa

Prairie Network winter meeting and program was attended by a

number of BBAS members. Past BBAS program speakers and

members both abound at CCB Centers.

New connections are forming too. The Mid America Cage Bird

Society has reached out to us for a program on Iowa birds and

birding. Most of that clubs members feed birds outside and would

like to learn more about our native avian species. Dave Edwards

will be providing them a program at the Des Moines Botanical

Center on Feb. 24th.

Another new connectionthe ISU Vet Med Avian Club has

invited us to attend a program parrot intelligence. Dr. Irene

Pepperberg of Brandeis University will be speaking at the SunRoom on Campus, Feb. 29th at 7 pm. This researcher is especially

well known for her work with a very special African Grey Parrot,

Alex. This should be a great new connection showing how brains

and beauty come can come together in the avian world.

Spring is coming, spring is coming? SPRING IS COMING!

Lynne Brookes

Birdathon is May 10, 2008Big Bluestem Audubon's 10th Annual Birdathon is May 10th.

Birdathon is a team birdwatching and team fundraising event that

is very important to the life of our chapter. Much more information

will be provided in our next newsletter, along with a donor pledge

form. We need past Birdathoners to stay with us, and new

Birdathoners to join in!

Why is Birdathon so important? No other funding source comes

close to enabling Big Bluestem Audubon to make a difference for

birds, habitat and nature education. Thank you to everyone who

has made this possible. Supporting these types of projects is what

Audubon is all about. Your support is all we need to makeBirdathon a big success again this year. Carve out a block of time

on May 10th, and stay tuned for the how-to insert in the next

newsletter!Karl & C a rmen Jungb luth, Birdatho n Coo rd inators

March-April 20082 Big Bluestem Flyer

Visit our website at http:/ / bigbluestemaudubon.org


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March-April 2008 Big Bluestem Flyer 3

Fundraiser/Tee-Shirt Order

At our February board meeting, wediscussed having another fundraiser/tee-shirt order similar to what was done in thepast and plan to do so if there is enoughinterest. Short- and long-sleeved tee-shirtswith our BBAS meadowlark logo andorganization name will be offered. Wemay also expand the order to includesweatshirts and tote bags. Orders will betaken at a future meeting (probably Marchor April) with the goal of delivering by theMay meeting. If you are interested, butcannot attend the meetings, please contactme at (515) 231-8725.

Ma ry Doud

Teachers Treasures ProjectTHANK YOUto everyone who has

contributed art and craft supplies to thisproject. These treasures continue to be aresource for Sawyer Elementary Schoolteachers in Ames. I met the art teacher inthe hallway during my last delivery andshe appreciates the items and even keeps"stashes" of things like cotton balls for theother teachers to take from as they needthem. The following items are still indemand: unused colored and white paper;stationary, yarn, felt, ribbon, fabric, woodcut-outs, cotton balls, wrapping and tissuepaper, colored pencils, crayons, calendars(any year, with appropriate pictures for re-use such as animals, people, plants,landscapes, etc.), cards (cut off written-onportion) and other art and craft supplies.Please limit your collection of plasticcontainers (no food containers except smallyogurt cups with lids), paper tubing(remove all paper please), and egg cartons.All of these items must be clean and in

good condition. Items no longer neededare: medicine/pill containers, coffee cans,

and paper board (such as oatmealcontainers and cereal boxes).

Ma ry Doud

Field Trip Report

Ledges State ParkJanuary 26, 2008

Our first stop on this field trip was LakeLaverne on the Iowa State campus. Thejuvenile Sandhill Crane that hasoverwintered in the area was standing on

the ice with a few Canada Geese and theresident pair of Mute Swans. Larry Daureports that some ISU staff have taken tocalling this crane Ichabod.

We then headed south out of Ames tocheck for roadside birds in the SkunkRiver valley. We missed Northern Shrikeand Rough-legged Hawk, which Id beenseeing regularly in this area in the weeks

before the field trip. Other than a flyoverCoopers Hawk, we didnt see much signof life in this area. With temperaturesclimbing into the double digits, we headedfor Ledges to do a little hiking for the restof the morning. Afterwards, we stoppedalong the roadside near Camp Hantesa tosee what birds were attracted to theWinfreys feeders, adding a few species toour trip list. A brief stop at Jungbluthsprovided a nice look at a perched Sharp-shinned Hawk. Other highlights for the daywere three Northern Saw-whet Owls (two

in the same tree) and one Long-eared Owl.We finished up with lunch at the DutchOven Bakery in Boone. Seven participants,34 avian species. Jeff Nichols

Newsletter Material DeadlinesBecause we would like to have the newsletter to each member before the first day of its coverage, the editor needs to have material at least two

weeks before that. Hence the deadline for the next issue will be the 16th of February.Please be aware that editing your offering for length and style is sometimes necessary.

David Edwards, Editor

Photo by Larry Dau

Ichabod


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March-April 20084 Big Bluestem Flyer

Observers 24Feeder watchers 0Party-hours on foot 52Party-hours by car 45.5Party-miles on foot 45Party-miles by car 757

Number of species 79Number of individuals 10428

Canada Goose 49Trumpeter Swan 1Gadwall 5Mallard 51Canvasback 1Ring-necked Duck 1Greater Scaup 1Lesser Scaup 3Common Goldeneye 116Common Merganser 7Gray Partridge 7Ring-necked Pheasant 90Wild Turkey 40Great Blue Heron 1Bald Eagle 13Northern Harrier 2Sharp-shinned Hawk 7Coopers Hawk 4Red-tailed Hawk 89Rough-legged Hawk 6American Kestrel 14

Merlin 3Wilson's Snipe 1Ring-billed Gull 1Rock Pigeon 344Eurasian Collared-Dove 1Mourning Dove 189Eastern Screech-Owl 7Great Horned Owl 18

Barred Owl 16Long-eared Owl 2Belted Kingfisher 3Red-headed Woodpecker 2Red-bellied Woodpecker 91Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1Downy Woodpecker 123Hairy Woodpecker 32Northern Flicker 15Pileated Woodpecker 2Northern Shrike 13Blue Jay 165American Crow 413Horned Lark 463Black-capped Chickadee 279Tufted Titmouse 14Red-breasted Nuthatch 8White-breasted Nuthatch 99Brown Creeper 10Carolina Wren 1Winter Wren 2Golden-crowned Kinglet 1

Eastern Bluebird 21Hermit Thrush 3American Robin 17Gray Catbird 1European Starling 2816Cedar Waxwing 363Spotted Towhee 1American Tree Sparrow 1211

Song Sparrow 53Swamp Sparrow 13White-throated Sparrow 55Harris Sparrow 2White-crowned Sparrow 3Dark-eyed Junco 1587Lapland Longspur 1Snow Bunting 67Northern Cardinal 299Red-winged Blackbird 15meadowlark sp. 36Rusty Blackbird 5Common Grackle 4Brown-headed Cowbird 5Purple Finch 15House Finch 90Common Redpoll 2Pine Siskin 9American Goldfinch 125House Sparrow 782

Coordinator: Stephen Dinsmore

Saylorville Christmas Bird CountDecember 16, 2007

Boone Christmas Bird CountJanuary 5, 2008

Thirty-eight field observers and feederwatchers at 18 locations (the most ever)participated in the 22nd Boone CountyChristmas Bird Count, on Saturday, January 5,2008, the latest calendar date that weve ever

held the count.Count day began with our eight owlingparties facing frozen fog, but this didnt deterthem or the owls. The morning started foggy,but by lunchtime, the sun broke through, andthe afternoon turned out to be one of the mostpleasant of all the Boone County counts,reaching a high temperature of 41F.

The weeks before the count were quite cold,with considerable snow and ice, likely reducingthe numbers of remnant fall migrants andresulting in no robins or gulls and fewwaterfowl. However, bird numbers wereespecially high for hawks and eagles, doves,and owls. The number of species reported, 56

on count day and one more during the countweek, was slightly above average.

Id like to thank all the participants, for theirdedication and enthusiasm, but especially JoyceBahrenfus, for helping contact feeder watchersand camps, Karl Jungbluth, for finding a newrestaurant (La Carreta) for our count party, andLarry Dau, for recruiting new feeder watchers.Greater White-fronted Goose 1; only thesecond report of this species for the countCanada Goose 34Mallard 1

Ring-necked Pheasant 29Wild Turkey 154; highest since Jan. 91Bald Eagle 56Northern Harrier 3Sharp-shinned Hawk 9; record highCoopers Hawk 3

Accipiter species 1Red-tailed Hawk 91; record highRough-legged Hawk 8Buteo species 2American Kestrel 26; record highHawk species 1Rock Pigeon 426; highest since Jan. 95Eurasian Collared-Dove 44; record highMourning Dove 185; record high (by far)Eastern Screech-Owl 21Great Horned Owl 35; record highBarred Owl 16; record high

Long-eared Owl 5Northern Saw-whet Owl 5Belted Kingfisher 4Red-headed Woodpecker 3Red-bellied Woodpecker 134Downy Woodpecker 195Hairy Woodpecker 93Northern Flicker 11Pileated Woodpecker - 5Northern Shrike 3Shrike species 1; taken together, the fourshrikes are a recordBlue Jay 151American Crow 1103Horned Lark 5Black-capped Chickadee 538

Tufted Titmouse 81; second highest on recordRed-breasted Nuthatch 33; second highest onrecordWhite-breasted Nuthatch 348; record highBrown Creeper 5Carolina Wren 5; down from last years 12, but

remarkably high considering the cold winterGolden-crowned Kinglet 2Eastern Bluebird 2European Starling 2587Cedar Waxwing 30American Tree Sparrow 457Song Sparrow 19Swamp Sparrow 2White-throated Sparrow seen only during countweek; first time missed since Jan. 99Harriss Sparrow 7Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco 1578Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco 1Lapland Longspur 1Northern Cardinal 332Red-winged Blackbird 1Meadowlark species 9; second highest onrecordRusty Blackbird 1; photographed in east part ofcirclePurple Finch 18House Finch 51Pine Siskin 5American Goldfinch 268House Sparrow 1002

Total number of birds 10247; fourth highest

Com piler: Ma rk Widrlec hner


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Present the coupons below at the time of your purchase and a donation will be given to BBAS.Donations will fund the various habitat restoration and educational projects undertaken by BBAS.

Brekke's Town & Country Store, Inc.1 1/2 miles east of I-35 on new U.S. 30 and 1/4 mile north

Hours: 8-6 M-F, 8-4 Sat. (515) 232-7906

Purchase DonationUp tp $15 $1.50$15 and over $3.00$35 and over $5.00Over $70 $7.50

Brekkes offers Big Bluestem Audubon Society adonation when bird seed or other bird products arepurchased.Present this coupon with your purchase and adonation will be given to BBAS.

Offer good until April 30, 2008

Membership Application forms

Clip and JoinDont forget gift memberships!

New member of the National Audubon Society. You will

receive theAudubon magazine, theBig Bluestem Flyer,membership card. $20Please make your check payable to National AudubonSociety and include Chapter Code H-57 on the check

Subscribe to theBig Bluestem Flyer for one year andparticipate in some Big Bluestem Society Activities $10Restrictions are that you will not be a National Audubon Societymember or have voting privileges, and you cannot be an officer orcommittee chair. Please make your check payable toBig Bluestem

Audubon Society.

Send your check and this coupon toKaty Patterson, Membership Chair201 E Oneil Dr, Ames, IA 50010

Name _______________________________________________Address _____________________________________________City_____________________ State____ ZIP_______________Phone ________________ E-mail _______________________

Please do not use this form for renewals

to the National Audubon Society.

OR

AmesMrs. Mildred A. Cooper

Alisha SatreMs. Shirley M. Huck

Mary Jane Hatfield & Richard Mercer

BoutonMr. Jim Nelson

NevadaMr. Andrew J. Swanson

Des MoinesDr. Keith Summerville

Cathy and Clark McMullen

213 Duff Ave Ames, IA 50010(515) 956-3145 www.wbu.com/ames

Donate $5 of Your Next Purchase toBig Bluestem Audubon Society

BIRDSEED FEEDERS BIRDBATHS OPTICS NATURE GIFTS

March 2008Donate $5 from your

purchase of$25 or more

Specially-pricedmerchandise

excluded

Valid 1/1 - 1/31/08

$5BIRDBUCK

April 2008Donate $5 from your

purchase of$25 or more

Specially-pricedmerchandise

excluded

Valid 2/1 - 2/29/08

$5BIRDBUCK

Welcome New members

March-April 2008 Big Bluestem Flyer 5


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IfyouhaveanXafteryournameonyourmailinglabel,thiswillbeyourlast

issueoftheFlyerunlessyourenew.

Non-ProfitOrg.U.S.PostagePaid

PermitNo.131Ames,Iowa

BigBluestemFlyerDavidC.Edwards,EditorBigBluestemAudubonSocietyPOBox543Ames,IA50010-0543

Wewelcomenewmembers!

March-April 2008Volume 43 No. 4

Ames Reads Leopold

This "happening" will occur onSaturday, March 8, 1-5 PM, in the

Ames Public Library Auditorium.Citizens from Ames will read aloudpassages from Leopold's Sand Countyand other writings. Many of the readingswill be illustrated with slides from theLeopold Foundation collection of

Leopold, his family, the famous shack,wildlife and more. The event is sponsoredby the Aldo Leopold Foundation, TheLeopold Center for SustainableAgriculture, ISU's Department of NaturalResources Ecology Management, andISU's Wildlife Extension program.

This is the first of what we hope willbe an annual event in Ames. "Reading

Leopold" started seven years ago in Lodi,Wisconsin and now dozens of towns andcities in Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinoishave joined in.

Erv Klaas

Notes from December 2007BBAS Board Meeting

BBAS budget as of 12/4/07 was$7,337.50.

The annual Pelican Gala and Festivalwill be held in early Sept., 2008

Fundraising options were discussed,such as ordering and selling BBAS items

or having a garage saleThe general membership meeting placewas discussed and it was agreed that theISU Extension 4-H building will continueto be the meeting location

BBAS board approved funding: $100to Vera Blevins of Bat World Heartland(past speaker) for flight cages, $500 toJon Stravers (past speaker) for Red-shouldered Hawk and neotropical-migrant research along the MississippiRiver, $100 to George Wyth SP birdseedfund (past field trips there for Saw-whetOwl and Red-shouldered Hawk), and$1000 to Colo Bog expansion project.

Birdathon is to be held on 5/12/08Next board meetings are, 4/2, and 7/23

(planning meeting); all are welcome.

March-April 2007 Big Bluesterm Flyer Big Bluestem Audubon Society

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