Wolf's Corner

For the period of roughly the 15th through the 20th of September, high numbers of Monarchs were migrating through our area. If you had looked upwards, many Monarchs could be seen flying high in the sky. Many overnighted in concentrations in trees at the Park. As the morning hours warmed up, Monarchs could be seen drifting off, continuing their migration. Many would make it to their wintering site in Mexico, while others would breed one more time in states to the south of Iowa, with their progeny making the flight to Mexico.

A total of 104 (+ 6 sp.) avian species was recorded this month, ranking this month as the 11th highest September among 29 years of records. September 2007 with 126 species remains as the highest September, while September 1998 and 2002 are the lowest with 61 species. This total is 3 species less than last month and 17 less than September 2025.

Based on citations in the 3rd Edition of “The Birds of Story County, Iowa,” by Stephen J. Dinsmore and Hank Zaletel (2001), plus my personal updates to the records, the single female Lesser Scaup on the 17th may be a new extreme early Fall record for Story County (former record set on 22 Sep 2005 at AHHP).

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), 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

CANADA GOOSE: 6 (2), 8 (2), 9 (10), 10 (79), 11 (31), 12 (38), 13 (82), 14 (31 + BY 1), 15 (5),

16 (65), 17 (41), 18 (78), 19 (30), 20 (6), 21 (6), 22 (38), 23 (89), 24 (35), 25 (46)

WOOD DUCK: 5 (16), 6 (29), 7 (20), 8 (35), 9 (30), 10 (60), 11 (19), 12 (21), 13 (13), 14 (18), 15 (14),

16 (19), 17 (12), 18 (16), 19 (4), 20 (11), 21 (7), 22-23 (5), 24 (8), 25 (2)

BLUE-WINGED TEAL: 9 (85), 10 (28), 12 (29), 13 (17), 16 (4), 20 (2), 21 (4), 23 (4), 24 (2), 25 (4)

MALLARD: 5 (3), 7 (3), 8 (4), 9(17), 10 (3), 11 (18), 12 (11), 13 (2), 14 (3), 19-20 (5), 24 (6), 25 (1)

LESSER SCAUP: 17 (1♀)

Duck sp.: 10 (13), 20 (5), 22 (2)

RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 9-10 (2), 12 (3), 15 (1), 17 (1), 20 (1)

PIED-BILLED GREBE: 9 (99), 10 (11), 11 (1), 12 (57), 13 (8), 14 (2), 15 (1), 21 (1), 22 (2), 25 (1)

MOURNING DOVE: 5 (4), 6 (7 + BY 2), 7 (3), 8 (13), 9 (9), 10 (28), 11 (10), 12 (5), 13 (10), 14 (1),

15 (3), 16 (11), 17-18 (2), 19 (3), 21-22 (2), 23 (3), 24 (21 + BY 1), 25 (5 + BY 1)

ROCK PIGEON: 12 (2)

COMMON NIGHTHAWK: 5 (1)

CHIMNEY SWIFT: 7 (14), 8 (1), 9 (6), 11 (2), 12 (1), 20 (1)

RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD: 7 (1), 8 (3), 9 (1), 10-11 (3), 12 (5), 13 (4), 14 (3), 15-16 (2),

17 (4), 18 (1), 19 (2), 20 (4 + FY 1), 21 (3), 22 (3 + BY 1), 23 (2 + BY 1), 24 (4), 25 (1 + BY 2)

SORA: 8-9 (1), 20 (1), 22 (2), 23 (1)

AMERICAN COOT: 10 (1), 20 (1), 24-25 (1)

KILLDEER: 6 (3), 10 (1), 12 (3), 19 (1), 23-24 (1)

SOLITARY SANDPIPER: 23 (1)

CASPIAN TERN: 18 (3)

FORSTER’S TERN: 12 (1)

RING-BILLED GULL: 9 (2), 10 (3), 12 (2), 13 (3), 21 (1)

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: 10 (2), 14-15 (2), 22 (1)

AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN: 14 (23), 16 (97), 17 (1)

GREEN HERON: 5 (1), 6 (5), 7 (2), 8 (4), 9 (3), 10 (2), 11 (3), 13-14 (1), 16-17 (4), 18 (1), 19 (3),

20 (2), 21 (4), 22-23 (3), 24 (2), 25 (1)

GREAT EGRET: 8-12 (1), 14-21 (1), 24 (1)

GREAT BLUE HERON: 5 (6), 6 (9), 7 (8), 8 (7), 9 (10), 10 (12), 11-12 (7), 13-14 (4), 15-16 (7), 17 (8),

18 (7), 19 (10), 20-21 (7), 22 (5), 23 (8), 24 (6), 25 (4)

TURKEY VULTURE: 5 (1), 10 (15), 11 (2), 12 (13), 14 (2), 15 (1), 16 (2), 17 (BY 1), 19 (1), 21 (1),

23-24 (1)

OSPREY: 8-10 (1), 13-14 (1), 17 (1), 18 (2), 19-20 (1), 21-22 (2), 24-25 (1)

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: 15 (1 im), 17 (1 im)

COOPER’S HAWK: 8 (1 im), 12 (2 im), 16 (1 ad), 17 (1 im), 20 (1 im + BY 1 im), 23 (1 im), 25 (1 im)

BALD EAGLE: 7 (1 ad), 12 (1 ad), 13 (2 im), 14 (2 ad), 15-16 (1 ad + 1 im), 19 (1 ad), 22 (1 ad), 23 (1

im)

BROAD-WINGED HAWK: 15 (1), 16 (5), 17 (1), 21 (1)

RED-TAILED HAWK: 11 (1)

Buteo sp.: 7 (1)

BARRED OWL: 15 (BY 1), 22 (BY 1), 24 (1)

BELTED KINGFISHER: 5 (1), 6 (4), 7 (3), 8-10 (2), 13-14 (2), 15 (1♀), 16 (5), 17 (2), 18-21 (3),

22-23 (1), 24 (3), 25 (2)

YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER: 17 (1)

RED-HEADED WOODPECKER: 5 (1 ad), 6-7 (2 ad + 1 im), 8-9 (3 ad + 1 im), 10 (2 ad + 1 im + 1),

11 (1 ad), 12 (1 ad + 4 im), 13-14 (2 ad + 2 im), 15 (2 ad + 1 im), 17 (1 ad + 1 im), 18 (1 ad), 19 (1

ad + 1 im), 20 (2 im), 21 (1 im)

RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: 6 (1), 8-9 (1), 10 (2), 11-12 (1), 24 (1)

DOWNY WOODPECKER: 6 (2), 8 (BY 1♀), 10 (6), 11 (1), 12 (5), 13 (3), 16 (2), 17 (5), 18 (1), 19 (2),

20 (1), 25 (2)

HAIRY WOODPECKER: 12 (1), 13 (2), 16 (1), 19 (1), 21 (1)

NORTHERN FLICKER (Yellow-shafted): 12 (1), 13 (4), 14-16 (1), 17 (2), 19 (1), 21-22 (1), 24 (1)

MERLIN: 6 (1♀), 13 (1♀), 16 (1♀), 21 (2)

Falcon sp.: 17 (1)

GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER: 6 (1), 10 (1), 16 (1), 19 (1♀)

OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER: 5-6 (2), 7 (1), 9 (1), 23-24 (1)

EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE: 5 (1), 10-12 (1), 18 (1 + BY 1), 19 (1), 20 (BY 1), 21 (5), 22 (7), 23 (4),

23 (3)

LEAST FLYCATCHER: 9 (2), 10 (1), 15 (1), 18 (1), 21 (1)

Empidonax sp.: 13 (1)

BELL’S VIREO: 10 (1)

YELLOW-THROATED VIREO: 25 (1)

BLUE-HEADED VIREO: 15 (1), 19 (1), 21 (1), 24 (1)

PHILADELPHIA VIREO: 21 (2)

EASTERN WARBLING VIREO: 6-8 (2), 9-11 (1)

RED-EYED VIREO: 5 (1), 7 (1), 10 (1), 12 (1), 13 (1 + BY 1), 16 (1 + BY 1), 18 (1 + BY 1), 19 (3),

20 (BY 1), 21 (2), 22 (3), 23 (4), 24 (1)

BLUE JAY: 6 (2 + BY 2), 7 (1), 8 (1 + BY 2), 9 (6 + BY 3), 10 (6 + BY/FY 3), 11 (4 + BY 2), 12 (4),

13 (4 + BY 2), 14 (BY 2), 15 (BY 1), 16 (8 + BY/FY 2), 17 (4), 18 (3 + BY 2), 19 (1 + BY 1), 20 (1),

21 (2 + BY/FY 2), 22 (1 + BY 1), 23 (4), 24 (2), 25 (5)

AMERICAN CROW: 6 (1), 7 (2), 8-9 (1), 10 (3), 11 (1), 12-13 (3), 14 (1), 15 (BY 1), 16-17 (1), 18 (1 +

BY 1), 19 (3), 20 (1), 21 (2), 22 (BY 1), 23 (5), 24 (3 + FY 1)

BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE: 7-9 (BY 1), 12 (1), 13 (2 + BY 3), 14 (BY 2), 16 (BY 1), 18 (BY 1),

21 (1), 25 (BY 1)

TREE SWALLOW: 8 (14), 11 (10), 12 (3), 16 (6), 17 (2), 18 (6), 19 (1), 24 (54)

NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW: 17 (1)

PURPLE MARTIN: 5 (7), 6 (3), 7 (1), 10 (4), 11 (11), 12 (6), 13 (11)

BARN SWALLOW: 5 (1), 6 (6), 7 (7), 8 (2), 9 (6), 10 (18), 11 (11), 12 (6), 13 (11), 19 (2), 22 (5), 24 (4)

CLIFF SWALLOW: 6 (5), 7 (1), 10 (2), 12 (5)

Swallow sp.: 5 (6), 6 (2), 7 (6), 8 (36), 10 (3), 11 (76), 12 (37), 14 (3), 17 (34), 19 (31), 20 (2), 22 (20),

24 (5), 25 (8)

RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET: 13 (1), 15 (1), 23 (1)

CEDAR WAXWING: 6 (4), 7 (1), 9 (3), 10 (17), 11 (31), 15 (37), 16 (35), 17 (38), 18 (30), 19 (83),

20 (35), 21 (32), 22 (19), 23 (43), 24 (6), 25 (3)

WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 6-9 (1), 10 (3), 11 (1), 13 (1), 16 (1 + BY 1), 17 (2), 21-22 (2), 24 (2)

CAROLINA WREN: 14 (BY 1)

NORTHERN HOUSE WREN: 5 (1), 9-10 (5), 11 (1), 12 (4), 13 (3), 15 (2), 16 (1), 20 (1), 21 (3), 25 (1)

WINTER WREN: 25 (1)

MARSH WREN: 9 (1), 15 (1), 19 (1), 21 (1)

GRAY CATBIRD: 6 (4), 7 (3 + BY 1), 8 (1), 9 (12), 10 (14), 11-12 (4), 13 (9), 14 (1), 15 (7), 16 (3),

17 (6 + BY 1), 18 (4 + FY 1), 19 (9 + BY 1), 20 (11), 21 (7), 22 (12), 23 (4), 24 (12), 25 (4)

BROWN THRASHER: 10 (BY 3), 11-12 (BY 1), 18 (BY 1), 21 (1 + BY 1), 22-24 (BY 1), 25 (BY 2)

EUROPEAN STARLING: 5 (2), 6 (10), 7 (17), 8 (3), 9 (27), 10 (6), 11 (57), 12 (21), 13 (35), 14 (31),

15 (16), 16 (7), 17 (37), 18 (11), 19 (15), 20 (5), 21 (32), 22 (6), 23 (23), 24 (38), 25 (43)

EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 8 (4), 9 (2), 12 (4), 21 (3)

SWAINSON’S THRUSH: 9 (1), 17 (1)

WOOD THRUSH: 10 (1)

AMERICAN ROBIN: 6 (1), 9 (1), 10 (12), 11 (5), 12 (1), 16 (1), 17 (2), 19 (3), 20 (1), 21 (2), 22 (3),

23 (5), 24 (8)

HOUSE SPARROW: 5 (57), 6 (5), 7 (3), 8 (17 + BY 2), 9 (5 + BY 4), 10 (11), 12 (1), 13 (18), 14 (2 +

BY 1), 15 (44), 16 (10), 18 (1 + BY 1), 19 (12 + BY 1), 20 (6), 21 (9 + BY 3), 22 (1 + FY 4), 23 (2),

24 (1), 25 (2)

HOUSE FINCH: 5 (BY 1), 6 (7 + BY 5), 7 (2 + BY 4), 8 (7 + BY 3), 9 (21 + BY 6), 10 (14 + BY 1), 11 (6

+ BY 3), 12 (4 + BY 1), 13 (14 + BY 8), 14 (7 + BY 9), 15 (15 + BY 7), 16 (11 + BY 4), 17 (5 + BY

3), 18 (2 + BY 6), 19 (6 + BY 3), 20 (2 + BY 7), 21 (8 + BY 14), 22 (4 + BY 5), 23 (4 + BY 4), 24 (4 +

BY 2), 25 (5 + BY 7)

PINE SISKIN: 13 (1)

AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 5 (14), 6 (18), 7 (4), 8 (9), 9 (13), 10 (26), 11 (20), 12 (29), 13 (31), 15 (54),

16 (9), 17 (16), 18 (4), 19 (19), 20 (13), 21 (42), 22 (21), 23 (30), 24 (19), 25 (15)

CHIPPING SPARROW: 6 (1), 10 (1), 15 (3), 18 (1)

WHITE-THROATED SPARROW: 13 (BY 1), 23 (1), 25 (1)

SONG SPARROW: 5 (1), 10-11 (2), 12 (1), 13 (3), 21 (1)

LINCOLN’S SPARROW: 13 (2), 20 (1), 23 (1)

RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD: 5 (2), 10 (18), 13 (3), 21 (2), 22 (4), 23 (16), 24 (14), 25 (4)

BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD: 6 (1), 10 (1♂)

COMMON GRACKLE: 24 (2)

OVENBIRD: 10 (1), 21 (1)

NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH: 24 (1)

GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER: 24 (1)

BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER: 9-10 (1), 16 (1), 18-19 (1), 21 (1), 24-25 (1)

TENNESSEE WARBLER: 13 (1)

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: 9 (1), 19 (1), 24 (1)

NASHVILLE WARBLER: 9 (2), 13 (4), 14-15 (3), 16 (BY 1), 17-18 (1), 21 (3), 22 (2), 23-24 (1)

MOURNING WARBLER: 8 (1)

COMMON YELLOWTHROAT: 5 (1), 8 (1), 9-10 (5), 11-12 (3), 13 (5), 15 (2), 17 (2), 18-19 (1), 21 (2),

22 (1), 24 (5)

AMERICAN REDSTART: 15 (2), 16 (1), 20 (3), 22 (2), 25 (2)

NORTHERN PARULA: 24 (2)

MAGNOLIA WARBLER: 9 (2), 11 (1), 21 (2), 22 (4), 23 (2), 24 (3)

BAY-BREASTED WARBLER: 22 (2)

BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER: 21 (1), 23 (1), 24 (2)

CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER: 15-16 (1), 19 (1), 21 (1), 22 (2)

BLACKPOLL WARBLER: 21-2 (1), 24-25 (1)

BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER: 15 (1), 21 (2), 22 (1), 23 (3)

CANADA WARBLER: 21 (1)

WILSON’S WARBLER: 10 (1), 19 (2), 22 (2)

Warbler sp.: 22 (1), 24 (1), 25 (4)

NORTHERN CARDINAL: 5 (BY 2), 6 (2 + BY 1), 7 (1 + BY 2), 8 (3 + BY 2), 9 (2 + BY 4), 10 (5 + BY

2), 11 (1 + BY 3), 12 (BY 1), 13 (3 + BY 1), 14 (2 + BY 3), 15 (4 + BY 4), 16 (BY 3), 17 (3 + BY 4),

18 (6 + BY 3), 19 (1 + BY 2), 20 (BY 3), 21-22 (1 + BY 4), 23 (BY 2), 24 (2 + BY 2), 25 (BY 2)

ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK: 10 (1 + BY 1♀), 13 (3), 14-15 (1), 17 (1), 18 (1 + BY 1), 19 (BY 1),

20 (1), 21 (6), 22 (4), 23 (1)

MAMMALIAN

EASTERN COTTONTAIL: 5 (3), 6 (3 + FY 1), 7 (3 + BY/FY 2), 8 (2 + BY 1), 9 (4 + BY 2), 10 (BY/FY

4), 11 (5 + BY 1), 12 (1), 13 (3 + BY 1), 14 (2 + BY 1), 15 (BY/FY 2), 16 (FY 1), 17 (2 + FY 1),

18 (2 + BY 1), 19 (BY 1), 20 (6 + BY 2), 21 (1 + BY 1), 23 (2), 24 (7 + FY 1)

EASTERN CHIPMUNK: 7-9 (BY 1), 13 (BY 2), 14 (BY 1), 15 (BY 2), 16 (BY 1), 18-23 (BY 1), 24 (1 +

BY 1), 25 (BY 1)

EASTERN FOX SQUIRREL: 6 (BY 1), 7 (1 + BY 2), 8 (BY 1), 9 (2 + BY 2), 10 (2 + BY 1), 11 (BY 1),

13 (BY 1), 14 (1 + BY 1), 15 (3), 16 (BY 2), 17 (1 + BY 1), 18 (3 + BY 1), 19 (4 + BY 1), 20 (1 + BY

1), 22 (BY 2), 23 (4 + BY 1), 24 (2 + BY 1), 25 (BY 1)

AMERICAN BEAVER: 12 (1), 18 (1)

NORTHERN RACCOON: 3 (BY 2), 25 (BY 1)

NORTHERN RIVER OTTER: 24 (1)

WHITE-TAILED DEER: 3 (BY 1♂ + 2♀), 4 (BY 2♀), 5 (1♀), 6 (3♀ + 1 f + BY 2♀ + 2 f), 7 (1♀), 8 (BY

2♀), 9 (1 f + BY 2♀), 10 (BY 2♀), 12 (2♀ + BY 2♀ + 2 y), 13 (BY 2), 14 (1♀ + 2 y + BY 1♀ + 2 y),

15 (BY 2♀), 16 (1♀ + 1 y), 17 (1♀ + BY 2♀ + 2 y), 19 (1♀ + 1 y), 21 (3♀ + BY 1♀), 22 (3♀ + 1 y +

BY 2♀), 23 (1♀ + 1 y + BY 2♀ + 2 y), 24 (2♀ + BY 1♀), 25 (BY 2♀ + 2♂ y), 26 (BY 1♀ + 1 y),

28 (BY 1♀ + 1♂ y), 29 (BY 2♀ + 2♂ y), 30 (BY 1♀)

REPTILIAN

PLAINS GARTER SNAKE: 5 (1)

SNAPPING TURTLE: 14 (1)

WESTERN PAINTED TURTLE: 5 (26), 6 (12), 7 (3), 8 (24), 9 (7), 10 (42), 11 (19), 12 (15), 14 (5),

15 (3), 17 (9), 18 (3), 19 (6), 20 (1), 23 (10), 24 (3)

RED-EARED SLIDER: 5 (1), 8 (2), 10 (1), 11 (3), 12 (2), 19 (2), 23 (6)

WESTERN SPINY SOFTSHELL: 10-11 (1)

AMPHIBIAN

AMERICAN TOAD: 9 (1), 18-19 (1)

BLANCHARD’S CRICKET FROG: 7 (1), 18 (1)

AMERICAN BULLFROG: 5 (17), 6 (3), 7 (10), 8 (65), 9 (31), 10 (42), 11 (49), 12-13, 15 (4), 17 (11),

19 (11), 20 (13), 23 (2), 24 (7), 25 (4)

NORTHERN LEOPARD FROG: 5 (1), 10 (2), 12 (2), 19 (2)

LEPIDOPTERA

SILVER-SPOTTED SKIPPER: 6 (1), 8 (2), 18 (FY 1), 19 (1)

LEAST SKIPPER: 11 (1)

Skipper sp.: 5 (FY 1)

BLACK SWALLOWTAIL: 5 (1), 8 (1), 12 (1)

CABBAGE WHITE: 5 (3 + FY 1), 7 (BY 1), 10 (2 + FY 1), 12 (1), 14 (2), 24 (FY 1)

ORANGE SULPHUR: 5 (11), 6 (3), 8 (5), 9 (4), 10 (8), 11 (4), 12 (16), 17 (2), 19 (1 + BY 1), 23 (2)

PEARL CRESCENT: 5 (3), 8 (1), 10 (1), 12 (2)

PAINTED LADY: 10 (2), 11 (1), 12 (2), 15 (2), 17 (3), 18 (1), 23 (1 + FY 1)

RED ADMIRAL: 8 (1), 12 (1), 19 (1)

COMMON BUCKEYE: 5 (2), 6 (1), 8 (1), 12 (1)

VICEROY: 5 (3), 10 (5), 11 (2), 12 (3), 15 (1)

MONARCH: 5 (26), 6 (17), 7 (3), 8 (15), 9 (12), 10 (25), 11 (18), 12 (13), 13 (BY 1), 14 (25), 15 (194+),

16 (176+), 17 (97+ + BY/FY 2), 18 (45), 19 (7 + BY 1), 20 (133+), 21 (4), 23 (4 + BY 1), 24 (19)

CELERY LEAFTIER: 16 (1)

CHICKWEED GEOMETER: 5 (3), 6 (2), 7 (3), 8 (5), 9 (2), 10 (4), 11-12 (1), 14-15 (2), 16 (1), 17 (2),

18 (1), 19 (4)

TOBACCO HORNWORM (CAROLINA SPHINX): 23 (1)

SPOTTED GRASS MOTH: 19 (1)

ODONATE

POWDERED DANCER: 6 (1), 10 (2)

FRAGILE FORKTAIL: 8 (BY 2), 19 (1)

COMMON GREEN DARNER: 5 (4), 8 (14), 9 (13), 12 (2), 14 (2), 16 (6), 17 (18), 18 (1), 19 (2 + BY 2),

Wolf's Corner

Links to previous reports