Wildlife Diversity News A Publication of the Iowa DNR Wildlife Diversity Program Perfect Day in the Field

Edited by Erica Eaves
Wildlife Diversity News

A Publication of the Iowa DNR Wildlife Diversity Program
Perfect Day in the Field

It was a gorgeous day to be outside, especially for August. Yesterday it was 100 degrees in the shade, and the day had been spent near the southern border of Iowa searching for evidence of nesting birds for the Breeding Bird Atlas. Today was being spent in the field, too, only the location had changed to northern Iowa in Floyd County. It rained last night, and the temperature was 30 degrees cooler this morning. It seemed a good day to visit the woods, so the search was on for birds in oak woodlands along a scenic stretch of the Cedar River – at Idlewild Wildlife Area. The birds seemed to be celebrating the rain and coolness. Family groups were busily feeding, and many birds were singing. While walking a trail along the Cedar River, the characteristic tea-kettle, tea-kettle, tea-kettle song of a Carolina Wren was heard emanating from a nearby shrubby area on the bank of the river. As the singing bird was approached, food–begging calls of a young wren were heard, and a family group of Carolina Wrens was quickly spotted. One adult wren held a squished green caterpillar in its bill, and a persistent youngster badgered the adult until it finally gave in and delivered the food package to the youngster’s gaping mouth.

While enjoying the antics of the wren family, another family group was observed foraging for insects about 25 feet beyond the wrens. A pair of Black-and-white Warblers and their 3 stub-tailed youngsters were busily picking bugs from the stems and leaves of some dogwood shrubs. Above the feeding birds stood a massive White Oak tree with large horizontal branches. The family group of warblers soon were seen gleaning insects on the trunk and lower branches of this wonderful old oak tree. A family of rather loquacious Black-capped Chickadees also inhabited the oak tree, and they made it a point to scold the human intruder who was observing them. Upon closer scrutiny of the contents of the oak tree branches, it was discovered that the tree was alive with bird activity. Families of Downy Woodpeckers, White-breasted Nuthatches and Eastern Wood Pewees were all busily bugging. A ticked-off Red-eyed Vireo, a male Baltimore Oriole and a small gang of Blue Jays joined the chickadees voicing their displeasure with the human’s presence. Other birds in the oak tree voicing irritation included a pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers, a male Hairy Woodpecker, and a male Northern Cardinal. A male American Redstart also joined the group, but he seemed more intent on capturing a meal than wasting energy scolding.

The early morning light, filtering through the branches of the oak tree, was nearly perfect for observing details of the various bird behaviors. The whole scene seemed a bit surreal, and the glistening leaves, still damp from the earlier rain-shower, formed an interesting back-drop for the flitting birds - with flecks of red, blue, orange and yellow dotting the various shades of green offered by the tree’s canopy. The colorful animated show, along with a cacophony of bird songs and sounds, was rather like attending a bird circus. This was indeed a memorable outing and the kind of day that an admirer of birds lives for.

After five glorious years in the field gathering data for Iowa’s Breeding Bird Atlas, this was the last day spent in the field by this particular observer. Not being one to believe in coincidence, this observer feels very fortunate to be blessed by such an extraordinary and perfect day - spent happily amongst the feathered-beings with whom we share our earth-home.
-Bruce Ehresman
Wildlife Diversity Avian Ecologist
Iowa Department of Natural Resources