November-December 2009 Big Bluesterm Flyer Big Bluestem Audubon Society

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Big Bluestem FlyerBig Bluestem Flyer

Volume 45, Number 2 November-December 2009

Programs

Page 2 - Officers and Committees; Presidents Corner; Membership Form

Page 3 - Pelican Festival Report; Field Trip Reports; Other Events of Interest

Page 4 - Presidents Corner Continued; Coupons

Page 5 - Trumpeter Swans Project; Pileated Woodpeckers at Ledges Park

Page 6 - New Members of National Audubon Society

Newsletter of the Big Bluestem Audubon Society

Field Trips

All field trips are free and open to the public. They are funand a great learning experience for both beginning andexperienced birders, so attend and bring along a friend!

Unless otherwise indicated, field trips depart at 8:00 a.m.from the public parking lot west of (behind) the Ames WildBirds Unlimited, located south of the railroad tracks at 213

Duff Ave. Please arrive before the departure time to arrangecarpooling. Contact Jeff Nichols for more information at 515-

795-4176 or [email protected].

November 7, 2009 Hamilton County

Bjorkboda Marsh, Bell's Mill Park and Gordon's

Marsh (Hamilton County).

January 30, 2009 Boone City Parks and

CemeteriesMeet first for breakfast at 8:00 A.M. at the

Dutch Oven Bakery in Boone (605 Story St).

We'll probably start exploring around 8:45 A.M.

February 27, 2009 Lake Red Rock

Bald Eagles, waterfowl and gulls.

Future Field Trips to be announcedin proceeding new sletters!

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:/ / bigbluestemaudubon.org

Meeting Place - Extension & 4-H Building, ISU, AmesCurrently Meetings Start at 7:30 P.M.

The building is located at the southwest corner of 13th St. and StangeRoad. Enter off of Stange Road on the first street south of 13th Street

(Wanda Daley Drive)

November 19, 2009Phyllis Mains ArcticNational Wildlife RefugeThe Arctic National Wildlife

Refuge and other Alaskawilderness has some of theworld's most valuable waterfowl and wildlife habitat. It isbeing threatened by oil andgas exploration on the NorthSlope. Phyllis will provideinformation and updates aboutrefuge and its future.

December 17, 2009Note At Story CountyConservation CenterMcFarland Park Membersnight short photo

presentations by BBASmembersBring your images and slidesfor everyone to enjoy. Lot ofholiday goodies to eat at therefreshment table. StoryCounty Conservation wouldappreciate donations of birdfood or cash donations to helpmaintain their feeding stations!

January 21, 2010Jeff Nichols From theBaltic to the Tatras: ABirding Tour of Poland

Jeff Nichols will shareobservations from a recent

birding trip to Poland. Jeff'spresentation will discuss thenatural and recent culturalhistory of Poland and illustrate

some of the country's bird lifeand natural habitats.

February 18, 2009Ron Andrews - Iowa DNRwildlife updatesRon Andrews is a notedbiologist with the IowaDepartment of NaturalResources. He will commentand give updates on thepopulation trends and statusof wildlife of Iowa in generaland some particulars onspecies of interest.

March 18, 2010Nichole Nagl IowaBreeding Bird AtlasThe Second Iowa BreedingBird Atlas began only twoyears ago, and trends arealready being set. Since2008, hundreds of volunteersthroughout the state havebeen scouring blockssearching for signs of nesting,and thousands of recordshave been entered. Comeand enjoy a presentation by

the Breeding Bird Atlas

Volunteer Coordinator to findout how you can help. Learnwhy collecting breeding birdinformation today will be vital totheir protection in the future,and find out what trends areappearing.

April 15, 2010Tom Rosburg PrairieEcology: Structure, functionand compositionTom will provide a look at the

some of the interesting ecology,

organisms and interactions inthe prairie environment.

May 2, 2010Doug Harr - Birds of PanamaDoug Harr, Iowa DNR WildlifeDiversity Program administrator,will cover the Birds ofPanama. Doug will haveinformation about birdingPanama and photos of some ofthe exotics he encountered froma recent trip.


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Membership Application Form

Big Bluestem AudubonSociety of Central Iowa

OfficersPresident: Larry [email protected]

Vice-President:Gary [email protected]

Secretary: Shane Patterson515- 232-4682

[email protected]: Stu [email protected]

Board MembersMary [email protected]

Kelly [email protected]

Hank [email protected]

Matt [email protected]

Lloyd [email protected]

Special Assignments

ArchivistHank [email protected]

Bird-a-thonNick Osness

Conservation

Bruce [email protected]

Field TripsJeff [email protected]

Publicity & OutreachGary [email protected]

Schools LiaisonAmy [email protected]

Newsletter EditorStefany [email protected]

Audubon Membership ContactLarry [email protected]

WebmasterDavid [email protected]

November-December 20092 Big Bluestem Flyer

Clip and JoinRemember to give gift memberships!

New member of the National Audubon Society. You willreceive theAudubon magazine, theBig Bluestem Flyer,membership card. $20Please make your check payable to National Audubon

Society 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 Society member orhave voting privileges, and you cannot be an officer or committee chair.

Please make your check payable toBig Bluestem AudubonSociety.

Send your check and this coupon to:Big Bluestem Audubon SocietyP.O. Box 543, 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

Presidents Corner

Joan and have just returned from a two-week trip to Northern California visitingfamily. Temperatures there were 85-95 degrees for daily highs. Today,October 11, the Ames area had a low temperature of 24 degrees and high inthe 40 degree range. What a change, and I have to say winter is pushing itsway in very early! I know winter is close since Juncos are present at myfeeders. I just looked out my window and a late Ruby Throated Hummingbirdwas at one of my feeders trying to get at the frozen nectar. I interrupted writingthis article to go out and refill the feeder with fresh and warm sugar water. Hope

he makes it!

We gathered input about two major BBAS changes at the Octobermeeting. First is changing to primarily an on-line Big Bluestem Flyer in thefuture (2010-11 season). The second change is moving the meeting start timesnext year (January 2009) to 7:00 P.M. from the traditional 7:30 P.M. TheBoards thoughts are that the newsletter change is in line with what otherorganizations are doing and is a nice going green initiative. It is also our hopethat an earlier meeting starting time would help attendance. If you were notable attend the October meeting, please send your thoughts on these changesto me or another Board member.

Continued on page 4

For Official Use OnlyC9ZH570Z


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This years Pelican Days Festival at Jester Park in Polk County wasanother success. The event was well attended during the morning andearly afternoon hours, with lower attendance in late afternoon.Volunteers with spotting scopes set up both at lakeside and at the topof the hill near the lodge. Pelican numbers were lower this year withabout one thousand present at the peak time. The lower numbers were

attributed to less abundance of Gizzard Shad as a food source. The normalshorebirds, herons, egrets and waterfowl were present. One unusual sightingwas a large flock of Caspian Terns present on a nearby sandbar. Several ofour BBAS members volunteered their skills and equipment to assist the publicin viewing and learning about the Pelicans and other birds present. PelicanFestival is sponsored by Polk County Conservation, US Army Corps ofEngineers, Des Moines Audubon and the Iowa DNR Wildlife Diversity Team.

September and October Field Trips ReportsBy Jeff Nichols

Second-attempt Birders' Brunch at Jester Park (5 September)In contrast to the weather for the failed "First-attempt Birders' Brunch," the

weather couldn't have been nicer forthis field trip. We first searched aroundCampground #4 for a stray White-eyedVireo I had seen the previous day, butwe didn't relocate it. We did find aninteresting plant along the trail calledIndian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora) whichlacks chlorophyll. Birding along the

shoreline of Saylorville Lake turned upa handful of shorebirds, waterfowl andsparrows but not much else. About 300American White Pelicans were on thelake. Our most interesting sighting wasof a cooperative Olive-sidedFlycatcher. We then found an unused

picnic shelter and enjoyed a great brunch. Of interest in a nearby tree weremany foraging Bald-faced Hornets. Sixteen participants, 46 avian species.

Marietta Sand Prairie State Preserve (3 October)Five of us journeyed east for this field trip to western Marshall County. Ourfirst stop at a cemetery north of State Center produced a few interestingspecies including a late Black-throated Green Warbler and our first Dark-eyed Junco of the season. At Marietta Sand Prairie State Preserve, wefound nine sparrow species including one Le Conte's Sparrow and manySwamp Sparrows. Raptors were relatively scarce, with only TurkeyVultures, a lone Red-tailed Hawk, two Bald Eagles (1 adult, 1 juvenile), andone American Kestrel being seen. We finished exploring the Preserve justbefore a rain squall moved into the area. We next made a brief stop at theLog Cabin historic site on Mormon Ridge, which overlooks the Iowa Rivervalley, then headed into Albion for a picnic lunch at the city park pavilion.We found 40 species during our explorations.

Other events ofinterest

BBAS Board Meeting Schedule(tentative)

(Meeting begins at 6:30 PM, State ForestNursery conference Rm)

February 10, 2010 (Wednesday)April 14, 2010 (Wednesday)

Christmas Bird Count ScheduleAmes

Saturday, December 19, 2009Contact Shane Patterson

SaylorvilleSunday December 20, 2009

Contact Steve Dinsmore

BooneSaturday, January 2, 2010

Contact Mark Widrlechner


Pelican DaysPelican Days

Festival ReportFestival Report

BBAS member volunteers at Pelican Fest

BBAS members at the Birders Brunch,Jester Park


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Continued from page 2

Presidents Corner

A change that we did approve at the last Board Meeting was reducing the number of Big Bluestem Flyer volumes from 5to 4 per year starting immediately. Our newsletters tend to go about 3 months into the future already and this change willsave about $500. Volume 1 will cover September-October, Volume 2 will cover the October-November, Volume 3 willcover January-February-March and Volume 4 will cover April-May-June.

BBAS has always tried to support conservation land purchases and educational projects. This year is no exception withthe board approving the following expenditures: Future allocation of $1,500 to the Indian Creek conservation acquisition in southern Story County. Future allocation of $500 to the Boone Forks conservation addition in eastern Webster County. A current expenditure of $1187 to Amy Yoakum at Story County Conservation for Audubon Adventures teachers kits

for the local schools.

Please note the dates of the three Christmas Bird counts in December-January and participate if you can. Your bird feeder counts are alsovaluable if you cant get out into the field.

Wishing you good birding for the remainder of fall and for what appears tobe an early winter. Keep those feeders full, and remember to bring andreport your sightings at our meetings. My sources tell me sunflower seedswill be going up in price again this year, due to low production.

Larry Dau

Visit our website at http:/ / bigbluestemaudubon.org

Brekkes 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 June 30, 2010

Buying from the businesses listed on this page not only benefits the birds but also helps our local economy and provides funding forBig Bluestem. Donations will fund our various habitat restoration and educational projects. Present the coupons here at the time of your

purchase and a donation will be given to BBAS.

Red-Tailed Hawk, Harrier Marsh, Boone Co.


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Help Needed for New Citizen Science project -

Though restoration of Trumpeter Swans throughout historic breeding areas ofthe Midwest and Great Plains has been highly successful, most of the flocksremain vulnerable. Historically, much of the interior population migrated to favor-able sites south of the 40th parallel. Today, a small percentage of the flocks areexploring and possibly pioneering routes into their historic winter range. Trum-

peter Swans are showing up in new locations, some they have not frequentedfor over 100 years. Audubon members and fellow birders are asked for help todocument and then monitor winter habitat use in twenty states of the Central,Southern and Eastern U.S. Observers are asked to REGISTER with TRUM-PETER WATCH, a program of The Trumpeter Swan Society. Identificationguidelines and data forms to be printed for field use can be found online. Photo-graphic documentation is useful but not required.

Find out more about this Citizen Science project on The Trumpeter Swan Soci-ety website (www.trumpeterswansociety.org) today! Peg Abbott, former directorof Audubon Camp in the West, coordinates the program.

Pileated Woodpeckers at Ledges Park

Bill Fribley of the Iowa DNR first noticed a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers making what appeared to be a nest hole atLedges this past March. Indeed, the birds did nest at the location Bill discovered. The site was both a poor choice and aneat choice by the pair of woodpeckers. Poor in that it was located right next to a very public park road with lots of vehi-cles and people constantly going by. It was a great location, however, for viewing and photo opportunities. The DNRhad asked that the location be kept quiet early on, in an effort not to disturb the pair. However, as the young grew andbecame very vocal, the secret was out. I sat in camouflage hidden in the woods on several occasions in April, May andJune observing and photographing the birds. I also photographed for extended lengths of time after the young ap-peared. I have a nice set of photos and some observations from the rare event I would like to share at our NovemberBBAS meeting in a ten minute segment before our scheduled presentation.

Larry

Photos and Content for Newsletter

I used some of my recent bird photos in this issue. However, I dontintend to monopolize. Please send me any photos you have of events,

birds, wildlife, habitat or BBAS members in the field that you would like tosee in the newsletter. I am also looking for short content items and

announcements that you would like to submit for the newsletter.

I would also like to mention that Stefany Hulsebus is now doing our finalBig Bluestem Flyerediting and creating the documents in publisher

format. We appreciate her expertise and help.

Larry


Trumpeter SwansTrumpeter Swans

Trumpeter Swan at Crex Meadows, WI

Osprey in Jester Park , Polk County


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IfyouhaveanXafteryournameonyourmailinglabel,thiswillbeyourlastissueoftheFlyerunlessyourenew.

Non-ProfitOrg.U.S.PostagePaid

PermitNo.131Ames,Iowa

BigBluestemFlyerLarryDau,PresidentBigBluestemAudubonSocietyPOBox543Ames,IA50010-0543

Wewelcomenewmembers!

November-December 2009Volume 45 No. 1

New Members of National Audubon Society

AmesSusan Cloud Pam Hagen Beverly Hall Ruth Harris Carol Metzler Randy Page Karen PetersonJoan Welch Lyn Wilson

BooneLori Burkhead Susan Haws Beverly Klamm Delores Lientz

BoutonWanda Taylor

GilbertVirginia Khan

LehighSharla Coleson

MadridJonathan Milocek

SlaterLinda Lee

State CenterJeff Larsen

ZearingBill Buerckley

RETURNSERVICEREQUESTED

Sandhill Cranes at Crex Meadows, WI

November-December 2009 Big Bluesterm Flyer Big Bluestem Audubon Society

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