Iowa Voice

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My Observation Lists

Every bird watcher and nature observer has his or her "lists." Here are mine, complete with pull down menus.

BIRDS

American Coot

American Crow

American Goldfinch

American Kestrel

American Robin

American Tree Sparrow

American White Pelican

Bald Eagle

Barn Swallow

Belted Kingfisher

Black-Capped Chickadee

Black Vulture*

Blue Jay

Blue-Winged Teal

Bobwhite

Brown-Headed Cowbird

Brown Thrasher

Bufflehead

Canada Goose

Canvasback

Cedar Waxwing

Chipping Sparrow

Common Grackle

Common Goldeneye

Common Redpoll

Cooper's Hawk

Dark-Eyed Junco

Downy Woodpecker

Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Goldfinch - See American Goldfinch

Eastern Kingbird

Eastern Meadowlark

Eastern Phoebe

Eastern Towhee

Eurasian Coot*

European Starling

Fox Sparrow

Gray Catbird

Graylag Goose

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Hairy Woodpecker

Harlequin Duck

Hermit Thrush

Herring Gull

Horned Lark

House Finch

House Sparrow

House Wren

Indigo Bunting

Killdeer

Lesser Scaup

Lincoln's Sparrow

Mallard (Domestic)

Mallard (Wild)

Mourning Dove

Northern Cardinal

Northern Flicker

Northern Rough-Winged Swallow

Northern Shoveler

Orange-Crowned Warbler

Palm Warbler

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Red-Breasted Nuthatch

Red-Headed Woodpecker

Red-Tailed Hawk

Red-Winged Blackbird

Ring-Billed Gull

Ring-Necked Duck

Rock Pigeon

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet

Scarlet Tanager

Solitary Sandpiper

Song Sparrow

Spotted Sandpiper

Swamp Sparrow

Tufted Titmouse

Turkey Vulture

White-Breasted Nuthatch

White-Crowned Sparrow

White-Throated Sparrow

Wild Turkey

Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

Yellow-Rumped Warbler

INSECTS

Banded Argiope

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Flower Fly

Giant Wood Nymph*

House Fly

Hoverfly - See Flower Fly

Orb-Weaver Spider

Paper Wasp

Yellow Jacket

MAMMALS

American Beaver

Common Raccoon

Eastern Chipmunk

Eastern Fox Squirrel

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Groundhog - See Woodchuck

Ground Squirrel - See Eastern Chipmunk

Striped Skunk

Virginia Opossum

Woodchuck

PLANTS

Buttonbush

Clematis

Dandelion

Day Lily

Larkspur

Rose

Spider Lily - See Spiderwort

Spiderwort

Stinkhorn

REPTILES

Common Garter Snake

Painted Turtle

EVENTS / OTHER

Events

Landscapes / Rivers

Planes / Trains / Autos / Boats

Rainbows / Clouds / Sky Formations

Structures / Buildings

Sunsets / Sunrises

Weather

Daily Archives

May 2008
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
« Apr
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4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17
18	19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30	31

Archives

White-Crowned Sparrow and Song Sparrow

Friday, May 16, 2008

White-Crowned Sparrow - Zonotrichia leucophrys - also known as Le bruant à couronne blanche (French), Witkruingors (Dutch), Dachsammer (German), Passero corona bianca (Italian), and Chingolo Piquiblanco (Spanish).

Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia - also known as Bruant chanteur (French), Zanggors (Dutch), Singammer (German), Passero cantore (Italian), and Chingolo Melodioso (Spanish).

This is the first time I have seen a White-Crowned Sparrow in my yard. The Song Sparrows have been here before, but there appears to be a pair hanging around a lot this Spring. In fact, I even saw one Song Sparrow peaking into my gourd birdhouse, although I do not think a Song Sparrow would nest in a gourd up in an apple tree.

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on April 29, 2008 in Davenport, Iowa.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Posted by: Moe in: Birds, Iowa at 12:01 am

Permalink | trackback (right click and save) | 2 comments |

Red-Tailed Hawk Attacked by Blue Jay

Monday, May 12, 2008

Red-Tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis - also known as Buse à queue rousse (French), Roodstaartbuizerd (Dutch), Rotschwanzbussard (German), Poiana della Giamaica (Italian), Busardo Colirrojo (Spanish), and Rödstjärtad vrak (Swedish).

Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata - also known as Geai blue (French), Blauhäher (German), Ghiandaia azzurra americana (Italian), Urraca Azul (Spanish).

This Red-Tailed Hawk was just minding his own business, but was obviously sitting too closely to something this blue jay held dear - probably a nest. the blue jay kept “dive-bombing” the hawk, pecking him on his sides and back. In between bombings, the blue jay squawked loudly (which is what initially alerted me to their presence). In this photo, the blue jay comes in for another shot with the hawk watching intently.

The hawk eventually moved on.

Photo taken with a Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on May 4, 2008 in Davenport, Iowa.

Popularity: 28% [?]

Posted by: Moe in: Birds, In Flight, Iowa at 12:01 am

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American Goldfinch Female - Summer (Breeding) Plumage

Thursday, May 8, 2008

American Goldfinch - Carduelis tristis - also known as the Eastern Goldfinch (here in Iowa, anyway), Chardonneret jaune (French), Dominiquito viajero (Spanish), Dominiquito triste (Spanish).

Females in their summer plumage look just like the male’s in their summer plumage (bright gold with black wing bars), but the females do not have the black cap.

Male breeding / summer here.

Female non-breeding / winter plumage here.

Male non-breeding / winter plumage here.

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on May 1, 2008 in Davenport, Iowa.

Popularity: 42% [?]

Posted by: Moe in: Birds, Iowa at 12:01 am

Permalink | trackback (right click and save) | 3 comments |

European Starling on Stop Light

Monday, May 5, 2008

European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris - also known as L’étourneau sansonnet (French), Estornino pinto (Spanish), Stæren (Danish), Der Star (German), Storno (Italian), spreeuw (Dutch), Stare (Swedish).

Just monitoring traffic… You can tell this is not the first time he has hung out here.

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on May 4, 2008 in Davenport, Iowa.

Popularity: 52% [?]

Posted by: Moe in: Birds, Iowa at 12:01 am

Permalink | trackback (right click and save) | 3 comments |

Stop Sign and Hydrant in Water

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Although today was gorgeous outside (sunny and about 70), yesterday was cold and rainy, and downtown was still flooded. This is at the corner of River Drive and Warren Street in Davenport, Iowa

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on May 4, 2008.

Popularity: 53% [?]

Posted by: Moe in: Davenport, Landscapes, Weather at 5:21 pm

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Flooding in Davenport

Thursday, May 1, 2008

This is a view south from Harrison Street across River Drive (towards the Mississippi River). As you can see, the water has come up over LeClaire Park and the casino parking lot and out on to River Drive.

This is a view looking east down River Drive from the Freight House (is it still called that?) parking lot. The Figge Art Museum (left) and the Skybridge are also in view.

The Davenport Printing Company, sitting on the north side of River Drive, is bracing for possible rising flood waters (the waters were in the parking lot where I was standing and actually on to River Drive just slightly to the east of the photo).

Photos taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Canon 18-55mm Lens on April 30, 2008 in Davenport, Iowa.

More images here and here.

Popularity: 67% [?]

Posted by: Moe in: Iowa, Weather at 12:01 am

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American Robin - Partially Albino/ Leucistic

Sunday, April 27, 2008

American Robin - Turdus migratorius - also known as merle d’Amérique (French), merle erratique, Roodborstlijster (Dutch), Wanderdrossel (German), Tordo migratore (Italian), Robín Americano (Spanish).

Although he is a bit blotchey (the white spots on his back), I do not believe this is a juvenile, as usually their blotchiness is on the breast. In any event, it’s nice to have a bird that has markings that distinguish it from other birds of the same species (you know, you have the cardinal that comes to the feeder a couple times per week, but do you really know it’s the same bird?). This guy hangs out along the back fence (near the lava rock) and can be found there every day.

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on April 20, 2008 in Davenport, Iowa.

Popularity: 79% [?]

Posted by: Moe in: Birds, Iowa at 12:01 am

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European Starling In a Multi-Colored Coat

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Although messy, loud and invasive (at least in North America), the European Starling can be a very pretty bird (and comes in a myriad of colors and patterns).

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on April 16, 2008, in Davenport, Iowa.

Popularity: 88% [?]

Posted by: Moe in: Birds, Iowa at 12:01 am

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Another Domestic Mallard - “Donald Duck”

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos - also known as the Canard colvert (French), maillard (French), ainette (French), enette (French), Wilde Eend (Dutch), Stockente (German), Germano reale (Italian), Anade real (Spanish), Gräsand (Swedish), Kryakva (Russian).

According to Sibley, the domestic mallard vairations (Pekin Duck) also include the all-white, orange-billed “Donald Duck” mallard.

Another old snow photo, despite the fact that Spring is here.

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on February 10, 2008 at Leach Park in Bettendorf, Iowa.

Popularity: 91% [?]

Posted by: Moe in: Birds, Iowa at 12:01 am

Permalink | trackback (right click and save) | 2 comments |

American Goldfinch - Male - Spring Molt (Breeding Plumage) and Song (AUDIO)

Sunday, April 20, 2008

American Goldfinch - Carduelis tristis - also known as the Eastern Goldfinch (here in Iowa, anyway), Chardonneret jaune (French), Dominiquito viajero (Spanish), Dominiquito triste (Spanish).

American Goldfinches molt twice a year. Males molt once into their bright, black-capped, breeding plumage in the Spring (above), and once into their dull, non-breeding plumage in the Fall. For the male’s non-breeding plumage, which is olive brown and without the black cap, click here. The male in this photo has only a partially black cap, as he has not fully molted.

Females do not have the black cap at any time of the year. In their breeding plumage, females are duller than males but are more easily distinguished by their lack of a black cap. In their non-breeding plumage, the females distinguish themselves from the males (who have lost their black cap in their Fall molt) by their olive-green color (the males, as stated above, molt to an olive-brown).

This male sat for awhile and sang a song on top of the feeder.