Wolf's Corner

A Wood Thrush was detected by our MOTUS station on 7 October. This bird was banded on 27 June 25 at Spring Lake Park Reserve, Dakota County, Minnesota by Sarah Kendrick (USFWS). There was a false detection in New Hampshire on 4 July, so the first detection after leaving Minnesota was actually at our site. The thrush was next detected on 8 October, at College Mound (Missouri Dept of Conservation), Macon County, Missouri. Later that same day, it was also detected at Big Muddy NWR (Overton Bottoms North Unit), Cooper County, MO. The last detection was on 14 October, at Dahomey NWR, Bolivar County, Mississippi. From this point, the bird either perished somewhere southward or managed to head to Winter grounds without being detected.

We also had a detection on 18 April, but the details are hidden. We think it was a Green-winged Teal that had been tagged by a University of North Dakota study.

Currently, the guts of the unit are in for repair.

A total of 63 avian species was recorded this month, ranking this month as the 2nd highest December among 29 years of records. This total is 15 species less than last month and 2 more than December 2024. December 2016, with 67 species remains as the highest December. December 1997, a partial month, has the lowest total with 12 species. If you disregard that year, then December 2003, with 27 species, is the lowest.

Listed below, following the species’ names, are the date(s) of sighting(s), plus the occasional miscellaneous information regarding numbers, gender (♂=male, ♀=female), age (im=immature, ad=adult, y=yearling), color phase (b=blue, w=white), and location (BY=back yard, FY=front yard). The order follows the 66th Supplement (2025) to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds and the 25th Supplement to the 7th Edition (1998).

AVIAN

SNOW GOOSE: 5 (1 b), 23 (1 im)

ROSS’S GOOSE: 1 (1), 3 (1)

CACKLING GOOSE: 1 (3), 3-5 (1), 6 (2), 22 (3), 27 (1)

CANADA GOOSE: 1 (519), 2 (747 + BY 76), 3 (1208 + BY 177), 4 (1011 + BY 66), 5 (1108), 6 (447),

14 (FY 24), 15 (844 + BY 2), 16 (200 + BY 195), 17 (1295 + BY 94), 18 (41 + BY 1), 19 (1050 + BY

40), 20 (1321), 21 (1448), 22 (1729 + BY 183), 23 (1782 + BY 361), 24 (2505 + BY 62), 25 (2132),

26 (2240 + BY 19), 27 (2471), 28 (1071 + BY 3), 29 (1882 + BY 51), 30 (2564 + BY 184), 31 (3289

+ BY 212)

TRUMPETER SWAN: 1 (14 ad), 2 (24 ad + 3 im), 3 (29 ad + 2 im), 5 (22 ad + 8 im), 6 (21 ad + 9 im),

15 (40 ad + 6 im), 16 (43 ad + 6 im), 17 (48 ad + 6 im), 19 (49 + 6 im), 20 (50 ad + 6 im), 21 (57 ad

+ 6 im), 22 (58 ad + 9 im), 23 (47 ad + 6 im), 24 (49 ad + 9 im), 25 (38 ad + 6 im), 26 (20 ad + 6

im), 27 (38 ad + 6 im), 28 (35 ad + 6 im), 29 (3 ad), 30 (76 ad + 10 im), 31 (100 ad + 15 im + FY 6)

TUNDRA SWAN: 5-6 (1 ad)

WOOD DUCK: 16-18 (1♂)

GADWALL: 1-2 (1♂), 3 (2♂ + 4♀), 4-6 (1♀), 17-20 (1♂)

NORTHERN SHOVELER: 2 (2♂), 3 (1♂)

MALLARD: 1 (134), 2 (236), 3 (226 + by 24), 4 (59♂ + 37♀), 5 (46♂ + 29♀), 6 (32♂ + 21♀), 15 (123),

16 (106), 17 (255), 18 (201), 19 (164), 20 (251), 21 (102), 22 (123), 23 (49), 24 (45), 25 (9),

26 (55), 27 (11), 28 (4♂ + 6♀), 29 (49), 30 (96), 31 (75)

AMERICAN BLACK DUCK: 31 (1)

NORTHERN PINTAIL: 18 (1♀)

GREEN-WINGED TEAL: 1 (1♂), 2 (1♂ + 1♀)

CANVASBACK: 1 (10♂ + 3♀)

REDHEAD: 1 (13)

RING-NECKED DUCK: 1 (72), 2 (79), 3 (4♂ + 5♀), 26 (1♂)

LESSER SCAUP: 1 (5), 4 (1♀), 5 (1♂ + 3♀), 25 (1♀)

BUFFLEHEAD: 1 (10♂ + 4♀), 2 (6♂ + 4♀), 3 (2♂ + 2♀), 4-5 (3♀)

COMMON GOLDENEYE: 1 (7♂ + 7♀), 2 (3♂ + 3♀), 3 (2♂ + 1♀), 4 (4♂ + 4♀), 5 (1♂ + 3♀), 6 (2♂

+1♀)

HOODED MERGANSER: 1 (6♂ + 5♀), 2 (9♂ + 12♀), 3 (9♂ + 10♀)

COMMON MERGANSER: 4 (3♂ + 1♀), 5 (1♂ + 5♀), 6 (2♂ + 7♀), 19 (1♀)

RED-BREASTED MERGANSER: 2 (1♀)

RUDDY DUCK: 1 (3♂ + 2♀)

RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 19 (1)

PIED-BILLED GREBE: 2-5 (1)

MOURNING DOVE: 1 (BY 2), 2 (3), 3 (2 + BY 1), 4 (7), 5 (1), 6 (2), 15-16 (BY 1), 17 (1 + BY 2),

18 (BY 2), 19 (1 + BY 1), 20 (9 + BY 2), 21 (2 + BY 6), 22 (1 + BY/FY 6), 23 (5 + BY 4), 24 (BY 3),

25 (BY 2), 27 (BY 3), 28 (BY 4), 29 (BY 1), 30 (10 + BY 1), 31 (3 + BY 1)

AMERICAN COOT: 1 (2), 2 (7), 3 (15), 4 (2), 5 (4), 6 (1), 15 (1), 16-26 (2), 29-30 (2), 31 (1)

RING-BILLED GULL: 1 (4), 3 (2), 22 (1), 28 (1)

GREAT BLUE HERON: 26 (1)

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: 24-25 (BY 1), 31 (1)

COOPER’S HAWK: 2-3 (1 ad), 5 (1 + BY 1), 6 (1 ad), 15 (1 im)

BALD EAGLE: 1-2 (1 ad), 3 (1 ad + BY 1 ad), 4 (1 im), 5 (1), 6 (1 ad), 15 (2 ad + 1 im), 16 (1 im),

17 (1 ad), 18 (1 ad + FY 1 ad), 20 (2 ad), 21 (1 im), 22 (1 ad + BY 1 ad), 23 (1 ad + BY 1 im),

24 (1 ad), 26 (1 ad), 28 (1 ad), 29 (BY 1 im), 30 (1 ad + 3 im), 31 (1 ad)

RED-TAILED HAWK: 1-2 (1), 4 (1), 5 (2), 6 (1), 17 (1), 19-20 (1), 21 (2), 30 (BY 1)

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK: 3 (1)

BARRED OWL: 2 (BY 1), 4 (BY 1), 7 (BY 1), 18 (BY 1), 20-21 (BY 1)

BELTED KINGFISHER: 1-2 (1), 6 (2)

RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: 1 (1 + BY 1♂), 2 (1), 3 (1♂), 5 (1♀), 15 (1), 16 (BY 1♀), 18-20 (1),

21 (BY 1), 22 (3), 23 (2), 24 (BY 1), 25 (1 + BY 1♂ + 1♀), 27 (1 + BY 1♀), 30 (3 + BY 1♀), 31 (1 +

BY 1)

DOWNY WOODPECKER: 1 (1 + BY 2♂), 2 (1♂ + BY 1♂), 3 (1♂), 4 (BY 1♂), 5 (2), 15 (1♂ + BY 1♂ +

1♀), 16 (2♀ + BY 1♂), 17 (BY 1♂), 18 (BY 1♂ + 1♀), 19 (3♂ + 3♀), 20 (2♂ + 2♀), 21-22 (1),

23 (1♂), 24 (1), 25 (BY 1♂), 30 (3♂ + 1♀)

HAIRY WOODPECKER: 5 (1♂), 30 (1♀)

NORTHERN FLICKER (Yellow-shafted): 16 (1), 18 (1), 19 (BY 1), 20 (1), 21 (1 + BY 1), 23 (3)

MERLIN: 30 (1)

NORTHERN SHRIKE: 17 (1)

BLUE JAY: 2 (2 + BY 1), 5 (1), 15 (6), 16 (BY 1), 17 (1), 18 (2), 19 (1 + BY 1), 21 (2 + BY 1), 22 (BY

1), 23 (2), 24 (BY 1), 25 (1 + BY 2), 26 (2), 31 (1)

AMERICAN CROW: 1 (2), 2 (1), 3 (2 + BY 1), 4 (2), 5-6 (3), 15-16 (2), 17 (6), 18 (2), 19 (15), 20 (6),

21 (3), 23-24 (1), 25 (2 + BY 2), 26 (3), 27 (4), 28 (4 + BY 1), 29 (1 + BY 2), 30 (3 + BY 3), 31 (3 +

BY 1)

BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE: 1 (1 + BY 1), 2 (BY 2), 3 (1 + BY 1), 4-5 (BY 2), 15 (1 + BY 1), 16 (3 +

BY 2), 17 (BY 2), 18-19 (1 + BY 1), 20 (5), 21-22 (BY 1), 24 (BY 1), 25 (1 + BY 2), 26 (BY 1),

27 (BY 2), 28 (2 + BY 1), 29 (BY 1), 30 (BY 2), 31 (BY 1)

CEDAR WAXWING: 3 (19), 15 (1), 25 (1 + FY 1)

WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 1 (BY 1), 3 (1), 15 (1), 18 (1), 20 (2), 22-23 (1), 25 (3), 26 (1),

30 (2), 31 (1)

EUROPEAN STARLING: 1 (49 + BY 5), 2 (9), 5 (5), 6 (14), 15 (4), 16 (26 + BY 2), 17 (49), 18 (52 +

FY 77), 19 (19 + BY 29), 20 (119), 21 (26 + BY/FY 137), 22 (46 + BY 1), 23 (71), 24 (135), 25 (107

+ BY 26), 26 (87), 29 (1 + BY 1), 30 (11), 31 (13)

EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 2 (1♂), 4 (3), 20 (1), 23 (10), 25 (7), 31 (4)

AMERICAN ROBIN: 1 (1 + BY 1), 2 (16), 3 (5), 5 (BY 1), 6 (30), 15 (26 + BY 1), 16 (19 + BY 5),

17 (102 + BY 1), 18 (39 + FY 4), 19 (6 + BY 2), 20 (88), 21 (24 + BY/FY 11), 22 (30 + BY 2),

23 (14 + BY 1), 24 (36 + BY/FY 2), 25 (24 + BY/FY 27), 26 (4), 27 (1 + BY 3), 28 (17 + BY 1),

31 (11)

HOUSE SPARROW: 1 (7 + BY 6), 2 (18 + BY 6), 3 (5 + BY 6), 4 (BY 3), 5 (3 + BY 2), 6 (5 + BY 2),

15 (6 + BY 2), 16 (11 + BY 5), 17 (10 + BY 5), 18 (12 + BY 3), 19 (8 + BY 10), 20 (13), 21 (20 + BY

5), 22 (18 + BY 8), 23 (14 + BY 1), 24 (10 + BY 10), 25 (35 + BY 7), 26 (4 + BY 3), 27 (4 + BY 8),

29 (25 + BY 3), 30 (13 + BY 9), 31 (17 + BY 5)

HOUSE FINCH: 1 (BY 5), 2 (1 + BY 5), 3 (BY 7), 4 (2 + BY 8), 5 (3 + BY 7), 6 (1 + BY 2), 15 (1), 16 (4

+ BY 6), 17 (16 + BY 7), 18 (12 + BY 8), 19 (18 + BY 8), 20 (4 + BY 2), 21 (9 + BY 6), 22 (BY 5),

23 (32 + BY 2), 24 (2 + BY 3), 25 (12 + BY 9), 26 (33 + BY 12), 27 (3 + BY 8), 28 (BY 7), 29 (19 +

BY 4), 30 (16 + BY 11), 31 (11 + BY 9)

PINE SISKIN: 2 (BY 4), 15 (BY 1), 17 (BY 8), 19 (BY 1), 20 (19), 21 (4), 24 (BY 1), 25 (BY 4), 26 (1+

BY 2), 30 (3 + BY 14), 31 (BY 2)

AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 1 (5), 2 (BY 3), 3-4 (1), 6 (3), 15 (2), 17 (2), 18 (1), 19 (9), 20 (7), 21 (BY 1),

23 (2), 25 (BY 2), 26 (1), 29 (3), 30 (4 + BY 2), 31 (7)

AMERICAN TREE SPARROW: 1 (30), 2 (2 + BY 1), 3 (19), 4 98), 5 (6), 6 (11), 16 (4), 17 (3), 18 (19),

19 (14), 20-22 (12), 23 (9), 24 (5), 25 (20), 26 (4), 27 (13), 28 (2), 29 (32), 30 (76), 31 (7)

DARK-EYED JUNCO (Slate-colored): 1 (13 + BY 5), 2 (11 + BY 11), 3 (5 + BY 5), 4 (9 + BY 5), 5 (7 +

BY 8), 6 (9 + BY 6), 14 (BY 2), 15 (5 + BY 3), 16 (10 + BY 7), 17 (5 + BY 4), 18 (11 + BY/FY 16),

19 (11 + BY 5), 20 (9 + BY 1), 21 (28 + BY 6), 22 (5 + BY 11), 23 (4 + BY 6), 24 (2 + BY/FY 10),

25 (11 + BY/FY 11), 26 (19 + BY 5), 27 (4 + BY 8), 28 (BY 6), 29 (7 + BY 4), 30 (46 + BY 13),

31 (16 + BY 6)

WHITE-THROATED SPARROW: 26 (1)

SONG SPARROW: 3-6 (1), 15 (1), 16 (2), 19-20 (1), 21 (3), 30 (6)

SWAMP SPARROW: 24 (1)

RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD: 23 (24)

RUSTY BLACKBIRD: 20 (2)

YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (Myrtle’s): 23 (1)

NORTHERN CARDINAL: 1 (1♀), 2 (3♂ + 1♀ + BY 1♂ + 1♀), 3 (BY 1♂ + 1♀), 4 (1♀ + BY 1♂ + 1♀),

5 (1♂ + BY 1♂ + 1♀), 6 (1), 14 (BY 1♂), 15 (BY 2♂ + 1♀), 16 (1♂ + BY 1♀), 17 (1♂ + BY 1♂ +

1♀), 18 (BY 1♂ + 1♀), 19 (1♂ + BY 1♂ + 1♀), 21 (1♂), 22 (3♂ + BY 1♂), 23 (1♂ + BY 1♂), 24 (BY

1♂ + 2♀), 25 (2♂ + BY 1♂), 26 (2♂ + 1♀ + BY 1♂ + 1♀), 27-29 (BY 1♂ + 1♀), 30 (1♂ + BY 1♂ +

2♀), 31 (2♂ + 1♀ + BY 1♂)

MAMMALIAN

EASTERN COTTONTAIL: 1 (1 + BY 2), 2 (BY 3), 3 (BY 4), 4 (BY 5), 5 (BY 1), 6 (1), 7 (BY 2), 8 (BY

1), 14 (FY 1), 15 (FY/BY 2), 16 (BY 2), 17-18 (BY 1), 19 (2 + BY 2), 20 (1), 21 (BY 1), 24 (BY 1),

26 (BY 1), 27 (1), 28 (1 + BY 2), 29 (BY 1), 30 (BY/FY 2), 31 (1 + BY 2)

EASTERN FOX SQUIRREL: 1 (BY 5), 2 (2 + BY 8), 3 (BY 4), 4 (1 + BY 4), 5 (BY 7), 6 (1 + BY 3),

7 (BY 1), 8 (BY 2), 9 (BY 1), 10 (BY 2), 15 (1 + BY 1), 16-17 (1 + BY 4), 18 (1 + BY 5), 19 (BY 8),

20 (3 + BY 3), 21 (1 + BY 4), 22 (BY 4), 23 (1 + BY 5), 24 (3 + BY 6), 25 (1 + BY 6), 26 (1 + BY 5),

27 (1 + BY 4), 28 (BY 1), 29 (1 + BY 4), 30 (4 + BY 5), 31 (2 + BY 5)

RED FOX: 3 (BY 1)

NORTHERN RACCOON: 18-19 (BY 1), 21 (BY 2), 22 (BY 1), 25 (BY 1)

WHITE-TAILED DEER: 1 (BY 1♀ + 2 y), 2 (BY 1♂ + 1), 3 (1♀ + BY 2♂ + 3), 4 (BY 1♂ + 2), 5 (5 + BY

+ 3♀ + 2 y), 6 (BY 1♂ + 3), 7 (BY 3), 8 (BY 2), 9 (BY 3), 15 (19 + BY 3), 16 (9), 17 (3 + BY 2), 18 (3

+ BY 3), 19 (BY 1♂ + 2), 20 (9 + BY 1♂ + 1), 21 (4♂ + 6 + BY 3♂ + 2 + 2 y), 22 (BY 2), 23 (1♂ + BY

5), 24 (1), 25 (BY 1♂ + 1), 26 (1♂ + 3 + BY 1♂ + 1), 27 (2), 28 (BY 1♂), 29 (BY 1♀ + 2 y), 30 (3 +

Wolf's Corner

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