Big Bluestem Flyer

Newsletter of the Big Bluestem Audubon Society

Volume 46, Number 1 September-October 2010

Programs Fall Field Trip Schedule

Meeting Place - Extension & 4-H Building, ISU Campus All field trips are free and open to the public. They are fun
Starting Time: 7:00 P.M. and a great learning experience for both beginning and
The building is located at the southwest corner of 13th St. and Stange experienced birders, so attend and bring along a friend!
Road. Enter on the first street south of 13th Street (Wanda Daley Drive) Unless otherwise indicated, field trips depart at 8:00 a.m.
from the public parking lot west of (behind) the Ames Wild
Birds Unlimited, located south of the railroad tracks at 213
September 16, 2010 Duff Ave. Please arrive before the departure time to arrange
Carol Williams - Biking and Hiking Trails in Story County carpooling. Contact Jeff Nichols for more information at
515-795-4176 or ozarksbirder@hotmail.com.
October 21, 2010
Steve Dinsmore - Birds & Natural history of Costa Rica September 18, 2010 Voas Nature Area (Dallas
November 18, 2010 County)
Larry Dau - Birding Portugal Voas represents a diverse habitat consisting of prairie,
(The Tagus Estuary and Alentejo region) marsh and woodland with many bird species possible.
December 16, 2010
Short photo presentations by BBAS members and attendees October 16, 2010 - Dunbar Slough Wildlife
at Story County Conservation Center- McFarland Park Management Area (Greene County)
Dunbar slough with marsh and wetlands provides a
January 20, 2011 perfect habitat for water birds.
Jerry Toll - Hitchcock Nature Center and Hawk Watch
February 17, 2011 November 6, 2010 - Jester Park and Saylorville
Linda Zelatel - Traveling India Lake (Polk County)
Provides many habitats for birds including woods,
March 17, 2011 grassland and the massive Saylorville Lake. Rare gull
Ty Smedes - Woodland Warblers of Iowa species are a possibility.
April 21, 2011
Carl Kurtz - Photography Techniques in a Digital Age
May 19, 2011
Rebecca Christoffel - Impact of White Nose Syndrome on
America’s Bat Populations

Ruffed Grouse at Minong Wi

Photo by Larry Dau

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 - Officers and Committees; President’s Corner; Membership Form

Page 3 - Programs Planned; Other Events of Interest
Page 4 - President’s Corner$ continued; Iowa Audubon’s Pelican Gala Fundraiser
Page 5 - Field Trip Reports; Bird-A-Thon 2010 a Success
Page 6 - New Members of National Audubon Society
 Big Bluestem Audubon President’s Corner
Society of Central Iowa
Welcome to the 2010-11 Season for Big Blue Stem Audubon. I hope everyone has had
Officers a great summer. With the exception of two new Board members, all of our BBAS officers
President: Larry Dau are the same as last year: Gary Erbes, Vice President; Stu Huntington , Treasurer;
515-275-4963 Shane Patterson , Secretary; Hank Zaletel and Matt Wetrich as Board Members. Kelly
lgdau@netins.net Barnett and Mary Doud have been replaced on the Board by Katie Pattee and Rebecca
Vice-President: Gary Erbes Christoffel. A big thank you goes out to Kelly and Mary for their many years of service
gmerbes@gmail.com on the Board for BBAS! Another big thank you goes out to Jeff Nichols who will again
Secretary: Shane Patterson lead and plan our field trips and to Dave Edwards, our web master.
515- 232-4682
shane7896@yahoo.com I wanted to mention the loss of a long time BBAS member, Ed Carbrey. Ed was very
Treasurer: Stu Huntington active in BBAS and a good friend to all. Ed was very talented in all his endeavors and led
515-296-0248 a very unique life. He attended nearly every meeting and will be greatly missed.
huntin@iastate.edu
I am writing this column in late July. Joan and I have just returned from the cabin in NW
Board Members Wisconsin. At the cabin night time temperatures were in the upper 50’s to low 60’s and
Rebecca Christoffel we slept with the windows open and covered with 2 blankets. Now we return to Iowa
515-294-7429 with 105 degree heat index, high humidity and being closed inside with the air
christof@iastate.edu conditioning. We are thinking we should turn around and head back north!
Katie Pattee
515-232-5629 The cabin was fun this year, since we could stay longer periods of time, due to Joan and
pkpattee@gmail.com I both being retired. We had unique experiences at the cabin with a very large Black
Hank Zaletel Bear visitor, a successful Pileated Woodpecker nest 200 feet from our door, Southern
515-382-5427 Flying Squirrels in every night and a Loon nest 1000 feet from our dock.
madowl@midiowa.net
Matt Wetrich Continued on page 4
641-919-6061
matt@naturebymatt.com
Lloyd Crim Clip and Join
515-432-5026 Remember to give gift memberships!
lcrim@opencominc.com
Special Assignments
Membership Application Form
Archivist
Hank Zaletel
515-382-5427 New member of the National Audubon Society. You will
madowl@midiowa.net receive the Audubon magazine, the Big Bluestem Flyer,
Bird-a-thon
Nick Osness membership card. — $20
Conservation Please make your check payable to
ational Audubon
Bruce Ehresman Society and include “Chapter Code H-57” on the check
515-296-2995
Bruce.ehresman@dnr.iowa.gov OR
Field Trips
Jeff Nichols Subscribe to the Big Bluestem Flyer for one year and
515-795-4176 participate in some Big Bluestem Society Activities — $10
ozarksbirder@hotmail.com
Restrictions are that you will not be a National Audubon Society member or
Publicity & Outreach
have voting privileges, and you cannot be an officer or committee chair.
Gary Erbes
gmerbes@gmail.com Please make your check payable to Big Bluestem Audubon
Schools Liaison Society.
Amy Yoakum
515-232-2516 Send your check and this coupon to:
ayoakum@storycounty.com Big Bluestem Audubon Society
Newsletter Editor P.O. Box 543, Ames IA 50010
Stefany Hulsebus
515-720-9322
stefany_h@yahoo.com Name
Audubon Membership Contact Address
Larry Dau
515-275-4963 City State ZIP
lgdau@netins.net
Webmaster
Phone E-mail
David Edwards Please do not use this form for renewals For Official Use Only
515-292-3790
dcejce@dandje.org to the ational Audubon Society. C0ZH570Z

2 Big Bluestem Flyer September-October 2010

 Big Bluestem Audubon Society
2010-2011 Programs Planned
September 16, 2010
Carol Williams - Biking and Hiking
Trails in Story County
Carol will give us an update of recent
trail projects in Story County and give
information about the trails available to
the public, including the Heart of Iowa
Trail.
October 21, 2010
Steve Dinsmore - Natural history of
Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is home to an incredibly
diverse bird community with more than
900 species recorded. Steve will
summarize findings from several trips
to Costa Rica that visited six of the
twelve Life Zones. Although the focus
will be on birds, I'll also share sightings
of other wildlife and some of the plants.
November 18, 2010
Larry Dau - Birding Portugal (The
Tagus Estuary and Alentejo)
The Tagus Estuary is a vitally
important and major migration stop for
aquatic birds in Europe. The Alentejo
includes habitats of stunning natural
beauty and to many for estepary and
rock loving species. Presentation will
include information about the areas
and photos of birds seen.
December 16, 2010
Story County Conservation Center
at McFarland Park, Ames
Short photos presentations by BBAS
members and attendees. Also, bring
holiday goodies to share at the
refreshment table. Story County
Conversation would greatly appreciate
donations of cash or bird food for their
feeding stations at McFarland Park..
Bring your images for everyone to
enjoy.
January 20, 2011
Jerry Toll - Hitchcock Nature Center
Raptor Banding Project
Jerry will cover the long-term raptor
population monitoring efforts being
conducted in the fall at Hitchcock
Nature Center. Describe the capture
and banding process of raptors at the
station. Describe the Saw-whet Owl
banding effort. Discuss current and
future research projects and their
results.
3 Big Bluestem Flyer
Meeting Place/Time
4H Building on ISU campus / 7:00 PM
February 17, 2011
Linda Zelatel - Traveling India Other events of
Join Linda Zaletel on her travels
through India and the towns of Leh interest
(situated at a height of 11,499 feet),
Dharsmala (known as Little Lhasa) and September 11, 2010
New Delhi. Her goal was to increase IOWA AUDUBON’S PELICAN GALA
her bird list and to absorb the Hindu, FUNDRAISER
and Tibetan cultures of these
6:00 - 9:00 PM, Saturday, at
interesting regions of India.
McFarland Park Conservation Center
Presentation by Carrol Henderson:
March 17, 2011
Ty Smedes - Woodland Warblers of “Oology and Ralph’s Talking Eggs”
Iowa
Presentation will include images of Area Christmas Bird Counts
warblers catching insects & worms, Ames CBC
singing to attract a mate or defend a Saturday, December 18th
territory, and feeding young. Ty will Saylorville CBC
discuss migration routes, wintering Sunday, December 19th
areas, and best times/places to Boone CBC
observe warblers, along with Saturday, January 1, 2011
recommended books and videos which
can help the enthusiast identify and BBAS Board Meetings Schedule
learn more about these stunning (tentative)
passerines. Intimate images of resident (All meetings begin at 6:30 PM,
Prothonotary Warblers, nesting, and 4-H Building, ISU Campus)
feeding young, at his own Beaver October 20th, 2010
Bottoms Wetland, just south of February 9, 2011
Granger will be included. Join us, and April 13th at 4-H
enjoy warbler behaviorism at its best.
April 21, 2011
Carl Kurtz - Photography
Techniques in a Digital Age
Carl will discuss photography
techniques and how photography has
changed using digital cameras and
media. Carl will share his expertise
giving tips for successful nature and
bird photography.
May 19, 2011 Little Blue Heron found in
Rebecca Christofel - Impact of White Boone County during
Bird-a-Thon
Nose Syndrome on America’s Bat Photo by Larry Dau
Populations
White nose syndrome, a highly
contagious fungal disease sweeping
across the U.S., is impacting scores of
hibernating bat populations. With a
fatality rate of 80-100%, this disease
threatens the existence of cave-
dwelling bats. Learn what steps that
Iowa has taken to try to protect our bat
populations, and the current status of
our bat populations.
Great Blue Heron eating small
Bullhead, Story County
Photo by Larry Dau
September-October 2010
President’s Corner… continued from page 2

We have another great slate of programs planned for this year.
Details about the presenters, programs and dates are included in
this issue. Remember the meetings now start at 7:00 PM with
the programs usually starting around 7:30 PM.
Fall migration should be getting well under way very soon.
Shorebirds are already appearing in the sheet water left by our
heavy summer rains. Also, large groups of mixed swallow
species are gathering on the rural telephone wires. Cooler and
dryer weather has to be on the way, so get out and enjoy the
outdoors, and do a little birding! Better yet, attend some of our
planned field trips. The field trip schedule for Fall is included in
this issue.
Joan and I are leaving August 6th for Portugal. We are visiting a
former exchange student, Paula Cruz, that lived with our family
in 1989. She is now 40-years old and wants for us to come over
for her belated birthday celebration. While there, I will be going
on a 2 day bird watching trip to the Tagus Estuary and Alentejo
areas. The Tagus is a major European migration stop for
shorebirds and migration is beginning. The Alentejo area has
many rare upland and grass land birds. So we are excited to
see Paula and her family. I am also excited about the bird
watching possibilities. When we leave Portugal, we are stopping
over in Ireland for 4 days. So, expect to see photos in the near
future!
I urge you to participate in BBAS and attend as many of our
meetings as possible. The meetings are fun and informative.
Thanks,
Larry Dau

IOWA AUDUBON’S PELICAN GALA FUNDRAISER

Saturday, September 11, 2010, 6:00 - 9:00 PM, at McFarland Park Conservation Center
Presentation by Carrol Henderson: Oology and Ralph’s Talking Eggs
Carrol Henderson has been supervisor of the one of the finest programs of its kind in the eggs that Ralph accumulated during his life.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources nation. During the past 34 years Henderson Ralph collected eggs from prairie and wetland
Nongame Wildlife Program since 1977. He has developed a statewide program for the birds in central Iowa and traded those eggs
has a B.S. in zoology from Iowa State conservation of nongame wildlife that has with oologists from around the world. Eggs
University and a Master of Forest Resources received both national and international from the Handsaker collection tell a
degree in ecology from the University of recognition. fascinating story about the birds that laid
Georgia. His graduate work was conducted at This Zearing, Iowa, native has authored 12 them, the oologists who collected them and
the University of Costa Rica, and his thesis books including topics on wildlife the remarkable progress that has been made
was on "Fish and Wildlife Resources of Costa woodworking, lakeshore landscaping, the in the conservation of wild birds during the
Rica, with notes on Human Influences." science of flight and Costa Rican wildlife field past century. The egg collection has now
In 1977, Carrol was hired to create and guides. The book and topic of his Sept. 11 been donated to the Peabody Museum of
develop Minnesota’s new Nongame Wildlife program, “Oology and Ralph’s Talking Eggs,” Natural History at Yale University.
Program. He continues in that role and has is based on Henderson’s story about farmer, Contact Shane Patterson for more
developed a comprehensive program for naturalist, hunter, fisherman and oologist information (shane7896@yahoo.com,
Minnesota’s nongame and endangered Ralph Handsaker of Colo, Iowa, and the 515-232-4682).
wildlife species that has been recognized as incredible collection of thousands of wild bird

Buying from the businesses listed on this page not only benefits the birds but also helps our local economy and provides funding for Big
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.

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 Donation
Up tp $15 $1.50
$15 and over $3.00
$35 and over $5.00
Over $70 $7.50

Brekke’s offers Big Bluestem Audubon Society a

donation when bird seed or other bird products are
purchased.
Present this coupon with your purchase and a
donation will be given to BBAS.

Offer good until June 30, 2011

4 Big Bluestem Flyer September-October 2010

 Field Trip Reports By Jeff Nichols
March 27, 2010 - Northern Story and southern Hamilton counties
We started our trip list with a flock of Cedar Waxwings seen foraging for berries in a tree
near the meeting place behind the Ames Wild Birds Unlimited. We then walked some of the
trails at Ada Hayden Heritage Park, briefly observing an American Mink, before proceeding to
Little Wall Lake, Anderson Lake, and ending at Richard's Marsh. Along the way we saw
Common Loon, a good variety of geese and ducks, and several Rusty Blackbirds. 50 bird
species seen, six participants.
Northern Pearly-
Eye Butterfly at April 10, 2010 - Smith's Longspur Search at Neal Smith NWR
Mcfarland Park
Photo by Wolf The April field trip to Neal Smith NWR was held jointly with Des Moines Audubon and co-led
Oesterreich by Refuge Biologist Karen Viste-Sparkman and myself. There were twenty-eight participants
(five from Big Bluestem), and the weather couldn't have been nicer (calm, clear, 50s). We
first walked a large burned field just south of 96th Ave (east of Pacific St) where we enjoyed
close-up views of a dozen or so Lapland Longspurs, some
in alternate (breeding) plumage, and two or three Smith's
Longspurs. We had even better luck with Smith's
Longspurs in a short-grass field south of 88th Ave, also
east of Pacific St. We flushed around 30 birds, and had
scope-filling views of several SMLOs foraging in the grass
and in the open in an adjacent soybean field. Also of
interest were four Swainson's Hawks that were attracted to
Prairie burn at Neal Smith Lapland Longspur at Neal the prairie burn being conducted near the Prairie Learning
Refuge Smith Refuge Center (Refuge HQ). Two of the Swainson's were dark
Photo by Gary Erbes Photo by Gary Erbes
morph birds. 41 species seen.

June 5, 2010 - Birders' Brunch at McFarland Park

Audubon members at a field trip
Photo by Gary Erbes
Once again, inclement weather looked ready to cause cancellation of our annual
Birders' Brunch outing, but the weather just barely cooperated long enough for
us to bird around the lake at McFarland Park and enjoy a picnic brunch. Bird
diversity and numbers were lower than past years, with only 46 species seen
altogether. Our only warblers were Yellow Warbler and Common Yellowthroat. Of
interest were a cooperative Green Heron, an elusive Grasshopper Sparrow, and a
heard-only Wood Thrush. Also of interest was a Northern Pearly-Eye, a lifer
butterfly for several of us.

Photos and Content for Newsletter

Please send me any photos you have of events, birds, wildlife, habitat or BBAS members in the field that you would like to see 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 final Big Bluestem Flyer editing and creating the documents in publisher format.
We appreciate her expertise and help. Larry

Bird-A-Thon 2010 a Success!

Bird-A-Thon this past May was a big success. Seven teams competed in this fund
raising event. A total of 180 species were found, the highest total in the past four years.
The team “Pishing in the Wind” pulled off a last minute win with 135 species being seen,
just beating out team “The Baffled Birders“ 134 species count. Some rare and
uncommon species were found including Ross’s Goose, Little Blue Heron, White-faced
Ibis, Marbled Godwit, Wilson’s Phalarope, Caspian Tern, Loggerhead Shrike, Henslow’s
Sparrow, Summer Tanager, Cape May Warbler and Worm-Eating Warbler.

This fund raising competition raises money to help our organization fund projects
including education packets for local schools and conservation land purchases. This
year we raised over $2700, nearly $1000 higher than the 2009 Birdathon. Indigo Bunting in Boone County
Photo by Larry Dau
We also gained several new members for BBAS. If you weren’t able to get out and
participate in this year’s event, consider joining us next year. Participants have lots of fun, see a large number of bird species and
raise money for very worthwhile conservation projects. Larry Dau

5 Big Bluestem Flyer September-October 2010

New Members of National Audubon Society
Ames: Norma Bode

Ankeny: Karen Altman, Marci Flaugh, Debra Garner,

Marge Jensen, Ron Krainovich, Evelyn Rigby, Meg Smart,
Debra West, Bruce Worswick

Boone: Darcy Schroeder, Tony Maves, Annette Mueterthies,

Phyllis Nordholm

Grand Junction: Vernon Fritz

Grimes: Ruth Stevens

Polk City: Bonnie McCaughey

Williams: Virginia Hoelscher

Red-Bellied Woodpecker Boone County
Chicago, IL: David Berrier, Linda Tartof Photo by Larry Dau

Volume 46 No. 1 September-October 2010

unless you renew.

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

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We welcome new members!

Ames, IA 50010-0543
PO Box 543
Big Bluestem Audubon Society
Larry Dau, President
Big Bluestem Flyer