Big Bluestem Flyer

Newsletter of the Big Bluestem Audubon Society

Volume 44, Number 4 March - April 2009

Programs Field Trips

Meeting Place
Extension & 4-H Building, I S U, Ames
The building is located at the southwest corner of 13th Street
and Stange Road. Enter off of Stange Road on the first street
south of 13th Street (Wanda Daley Drive)
March 19
Steve Hummel
Iowa's Aquatic Insects - Little Critters of Great
Importance
Iowa has a great variety of aquatic insects in it's
standing and flowing waters. Many are used in
determining the quality of water and play an important
role in food chains.
Short Presentation
Royce Bitzer: A Quick Tour of the Landscapes of Israel and
Jordan
April 16
David Marquis
Living With Caged Birds
David will describe how one tends the needs of large
tropical caged birds that often demand a prime place
in the home. A few of his caged friends will accompany
him.
Short Presentation
Larry Dau: A Photo Review of Sparrows
All field trips are free and open to the public.
Meet at 8:00 a.m. in the public parking lot west of
(behind) the Ames Wild Birds Unlimited, located south of
the railroad tracks at 213 Duff Ave. Please arrive before
the departure time to arrange carpooling. Contact Jeff
Nichols (515-795-4176, or
ozarksbirder@hotmail.com) for more information.
March 28 (Saturday)
Colo Bogs Complex and Hendrickson Marsh
April 25 (Saturday)
Note: Meet at WBU at 5:30 p.m.
Arrive at the Sand Hill Prairie of Chichaqua ~6:15.
Daytime grassland and marsh birding along the Sand Hill
trails for newly arrived Henslow’s, grasshopper, and
LeConte’s sparrows, marsh wren, etc. until the sun has
set. (Sunset is around 8 p.m. at that time of year.)
Observe woodcock flight displays immediately after that
during twilight/dusk
May 9 Saturday)
Bird-a-thon (See Newsletter Insert)
June 6 (Saturday)
Birders’ Brunch at McFarland Park (Story Co.)

May 21
Roseanne Healy
Fabulous fungi of Iowa woodlands
BBAS member Rosanne Healy will talk about the
diversity of fungi in Iowa's woodlands, and perhaps
make some converts to mushroom mania. After all,
the diversity of fruiting is at its most spectacular in
late summer when the birds are most difficult to see.
But wait! You can multitask - identify by song while
mushroom hunting. Come find out more about these
ephemeral, at times lovely, sometimes grotesque, and
always interesting fruits of the woods.

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

Page 2 Page 3
Officers and Committees Boone Bird Count
President’s Corner Coupons
Membership Form Page 4
Field Trip Report
 Big Bluestem Audubon President’s Corner
Society of Central Iowa It won’t be long before returning ducks and then shorebirds indicate that there will be life after
winter. Some bluebirds are arriving, and cardinals are already singing territorial songs. Ignore the
Officers robins as an indicator because hundreds have stayed in the area all winter.
President: David Edwards At the official annual BBAS meeting in May the membership in attendance elects officers and
515-292-3790 board members. All officers are elected for one year, and board members have two-year staggered
dcejce@dandje.org terms. We are forming a nominations committee, chaired by John Pohlman, to encourage your
Vice-President: Larry Dau participation. Note that the current holders of the President, Secretary, and Treasurer positions do
515-275-4963, not seek re-election. We ask all of you to think about who you would like to lead the group in the
lgdau@netins.net future. This a good time for new directions to be considered and implemented. It is likely that
Secretary: Shane Patterson BBAS will change next year from the current practice of mailing newsletters to everyone to some
515- 232-4682 combination of electronic communications with interested members. Related to that, the current
shane7896@yahoo.com newsletter editor and mailer will also be retiring (again) from those roles, retaining only the
Treasurer: Michael Meetz BBAS webmaster role
515-382-2534 At the beginning of May, at the height of the warbler migration, we plan once again to host an
mmeetz@iastate.edu Audubon Birdathon. Proceeds from this event have been the most important source of funds for
Board Members the BBAS education and conservation missions. We encourage all members to take part, either by
Mary Doud participating in a team or by pledging funds for the cause. We expect that the total number of
515-795-4176 species seen will be in the neighborhood of 150 this year. Look for more information on our
BorealBirders@hotmail.com website.
Kelly Weichers David Edwards
319-231-6999
goinfishin@hotmail.com
John Pohlman Clip and Join
515-232-6816,
itsartjohn@isunet.net
Tim Grotheer Membership Application forms
515-233-9873
tgrotheer1@msn.com
Lloyd Crim
515-5026 New member of the National Audubon Society. You will
lcrim@opencominc.com receive the Audubon magazine, the Big Bluestem Flyer,
Special Assignments membership card. — $20
Archivist Please make your check payable to National Audubon
Hank Zaletel
515-382-427
Society and include “Chapter Code H-57” on the check
madowl@midiowa.net OR
Bird-a-thon
Subscribe to the Big Bluestem Flyer for one year and
participate in some Big Bluestem Society Activities — $10
Restrictions are that you will not be a National Audubon Society
Conservation member or have voting privileges, and you cannot be an officer or
Bruce Ehresman committee chair. Please make your check payable to Big Bluestem
515-296-2995 Audubon Society.
Bruce.ehresman@dnr.iowa.gov
Field Trips Send your check and this coupon to
Jeff Nichols Big Bluestem Audubon Society
515-795-4176 PO Box 543, Ames IA 50010
ozarksbirder@hotmail.com
Publicity & Outreach Name _______________________________________________
Larry Dau
515-275-4963,
Address _____________________________________________
gdau@netins.net City_____________________ State____ ZIP_______________
Schools Liaison Phone ________________ E-mail _______________________
Amy Yoakum Please do not use this form for renewals
515-232-2516
ayoakum@storycounty.com
to the National Audubon Society.
Newsletter Editor & Membership
David Edwards Newsletter Material Deadlines
515-292-3790 Because we would like to have the newsletter to each member before the first day of its
dcejce@dandje.org coverage, the editor needs to have material at least two weeks before that. Hence the deadline
for the next issue will be the 17th of April.

Visit our website at http://bigbluestemaudubon.org

2 Big Bluestem Flyer March - April 2009

 Boone Christmas Bird Count Results, January 3, 2009
SPECIES # Brown Creeper 11
Canada Goose 422 hc Carolina Wren 1
Ring-necked Pheasant 11 Winter Wren 2
Wild Turkey 49 Eastern Bluebird 42
Bald Eagle 31 Hermit Thrush 2 hc
Sharp-shinned Hawk 4 American Robin 1229 hc
Cooper's Hawk 2 European Starling 2447
Red-tailed Hawk 60 Cedar Waxwing 621 hc
Rough-legged Hawk 8 American Tree Sparrow 196
American Kestrel 3 Fox Sparrow 3
Hawk species 1 Song Sparrow 3
Rock Pigeon 152 Lincoln's Sparrow 12 fto
Eurasian Collared-Dove 7 White-throated Sparrow 5
Mourning Dove 86 Harris's Sparrow 9
Eastern Screech-Owl 3 Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco 1244
Great Horned Owl 2 Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco 3 hc
Barred Owl 7 Northern Cardinal 239
Owl species 2 Red-winged Blackbird 17
Belted Kingfisher 2 Meadowlark species 2
Red-headed Woodpecker 6 Common Grackle 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 166 Blackbird species 6
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 7 hc Purple Finch 38
Downy Woodpecker 151 House Finch 73
Hairy Woodpecker 64 Pine Siskin 40
Northern Flicker 54 American Goldfinch 352
Pileated Woodpecker 8 thc House Sparrow 552
Northern Shrike 3 thc
Blue Jay 218 # of birds 9826
American Crow 498 # of species (count day) 55
Horned Lark 9
Black-capped Chickadee 363 hc = highest count
Tufted Titmouse 64 thc = tied highest count
Red-breasted Nuthatch 11 fto = first time observed
White-breasted Nuthatch 202 Mark Widrlechner

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.

Donate
1 1/2 miles east of I-35 on new U.S. 30 and 1/4 mile north
15%
of your next Hours: 8-6 M-F, 8-4 Sat. (515) 232-7906

purchase* to Purchase Donation

Up tp $15 $1.50
Big Bluestem $15 and over $3.00
$35 and over $5.00
Audubon Society Over $70 $7.50
*Coupon must be presented at time of purchase.
Valid only on regularly-priced merchandise. Brekke’s offers Big Bluestem Audubon Society a
One coupon per purchase.
May not be combined with any other offer. donation when bird seed or other bird products are
Valid only at Wild Birds Unlimited of Ames.
purchased.
Valid through June 30, 2009
Present this coupon with your purchase and a
213 Duff Ave Ames, IA 50010 (515) 956-3145
donation will be given to BBAS.
Mon-Wed 9:30-5:30 Thurs 9:30-8
Fri 9:30-5:30 Sat 9-5 Sun 12-4
BIRDSEED • FEEDERS • BIRDBATHS • OPTICS • NATURE GIFTS Offer good until April 30, 2009

March - April 2009 Big Bluestem Flyer 3

 Northeastern Minnesota field trip, 16-19 January 2009
Our group of 7 left Ames before daylight Friday morning in sub-zero temperatures. We had early
success with a Snowy Owl in southern Minnesota, where we also found several sizeable mixed
flocks of Snow Bunting, Lapland Longspur, and Horned Lark. We arrived in northeastern
Minnesota in late afternoon, and immediately headed to the Sax-Zim bog to search for owls.
Shortly before dark, we found a Great Gray Owl hunting along the roadside. The next morning we
returned to the Sax-Zim area, locating another Great Gray Owl and, after quite a lot of searching,
a Northern Hawk Owl, followed quickly by a second. In the Sax-Zim area we also found Pine
Grosbeak, Evening Grosbeak, Black-backed Woodpecker, Black-billed Magpie, Common Raven,
Gray Jay, Northern Shrike, Pine Siskin, and many Common Redpoll. In the late afternoon, we
quickly scanned what little open water we could find in the Duluth Harbor, but didn't find anything
Northern Hawk Owl
Steven D’AMato unusual.

We spent Sunday in the Superior National Forest in a futile search for Spruce Grouse. Consolation birds were a
large and cooperative flock of Bohemian Waxwing in Ely, more Pine Grosbeak and Evening Grosbeak, and many
large flocks of White-winged Crossbill and Common Redpoll. Red-breasted Nuthatch were ubiquitous.

Monday morning we checked the harbor area in Two Harbors, finding a first-winter
Glaucous Gull among the Herring Gulls. A Barrow's Goldeneye had been reported on Sunday
in the Duluth Harbor, and we found this rare duck again after a brief search through the
hundreds of Common Goldeneye swimming in the ship channel. We continued our journey
southward and detoured to Prescott, WI, where White-winged Scoter and Harlequin Duck had
been found the previous day. We relocated the scoter, but missed the Harlequin. We found 50
species on our trip, and a good time was had by all.
Jeff Nichols
Common Goldeneye

Volume 44 No. 4 March - April 2009

unless you renew.

issue of the Flyer
this will be your last
mailing label,
your name on your
If you have an “X” after

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

We welcome new members!

Ames, IA 50010-0543
PO Box 543
Ames, Iowa Big Bluestem Audubon Society
Permit No. 131 David C. Edwards, Editor
U. S. Postage Paid Big Bluestem Flyer
Non-Profit Org.