Winter Wonderland

Even though this winter was the least wintery winter we've seen in Iowa for quite awhile, that didn't stop us from seeing the most snowy owls here on record. We experienced what's called an irruption. All that means is that the population of a certain kind of bird (in this case the snowy owl) grew so much that they're forced to migrate out of their normal hunting grounds to find food. The snowys irrupt every 3-5 years (woaw- that conjures up an image of birds vomiting lava), so snowy owls in Iowa are nothing new. But this years irruption was a doozie! Missouri's record for snowy owl sightings in a year was 8, this year they've already blown that number out of the water with 40 sightings. And we're not even two months into the year yet.

Experts say that thousands  these 2 ft tall, white birds crossed the border from Canada to the U.S. this year. One even ended up in Hawaii (the first one ever!) where they shot it because they were scared it would interfere with airplane landings and take offs. =/

The mass migration was so huge that Denver Holt, the head of the Owl Research Institute, has called it "the most significant wildlife event in decades." I think he might be alittle bit biased. I'd call the fact that, according to  the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), one quarter of all the mammals on Earth are at risk of extinction is marginally more significant. But that's another story for another time.

The irruption started late in the fall and it's expected to end by March or April. So there's still a chance for you to see these magnificent birds for yourself! Since snowy owls are used to living in the arctic tundra, look for them in open spaces like plowed fields, airfields, golf courses, lake shores, and parks. Rough-legged hawks also live in the tundra and have similar prey choices to the snowy owls, so look for them as well.

I was lucky enough to get to treat a snowy owl this year at the clinic. It wasn't only my first snowy, it was also my first amputation, and (not coincidentally) the first surgery I've thought I might pass out during. But that's also another story for another time. So I'll leave you with a few interesting facts about snowy owls.

They are the only owls that hunt both during the day and at night, which makes sense considering that they live in an area where the sun doesn't set until after midnight during the summer and doesn't come up until after noon during the winter. They have spots (like the picture above) until they are sexually mature (approx. 2 years old) at which point the males lose all of their spots and the females lose most of their spots. The snowy owl is also known as the arctic owl or the great white owl. A group of owls can be called a bazaar, a glaring, a parliament, a stooping, or a wisdom of owls. 

A Land Down Under

This last year has been a very interesting one in my life. I graduated from college and got my first job in my chosen field. That job is as the Lab Tech for the Macbride Raptor Project. Lab Technician, however, isn't really a fair job description since my job includes so much more. I'm more like a Lab Tech, PR Representative, tour guide, Vet Tech, teacher, janitor, party planner, grant writer, volunteer coordinator,etc. Now don't get me wrong, everyone who works there takes on all of these responsibilities and more sometimes. I'm not trying to say that I do more than my fair share, if anything as a part-time employee, I do less. My degree is in Veterinary Technology so I find myself learning on the fly quite a bit.

One of my first tasks was to take the foreign exchange students from Australia for a tour of the Raptor Center. During the ride to the park, they kept pointing out the road kill for the others to see. They were so excited to see a raccoon that it didn't matter if it was dead. Luckily, I knew that we had a family of raccoons that regularly ate at our bird blind, so I took them there first and we got the treat of seeing a mama raccoon with her three babies.

I'm used to people reacting to our display birds, but these girls were awe-struck by everything from squirrels to butterflies to cardinals. I really got into it and started actively searching for animals that I normally see so often, I sometimes forget to notice them. I was amazed by how much fun I was having enjoying everyday, run of the mill, common wildlife. I suggest that everybody go out and do it!

 After that, I spent the rest of the summer seeking out opportunities to find wildlife. One of my favorite activities became rescuing snakes that were sunbathing on bike trails by picking them up and putting them in the grass where they would be safe. Suki, my Border collie/Australian shepherd mix quickly figured out what I was doing and she started to run ahead to find them for me. As a herding dog, she would never hurt them, she'd just sit down next to the snake and make sure I saw it. 

Suki relaxing after a nature walk

Now obviously, we don't all have access to Australians who will remind us to enjoy what we've been taking for granted. But I've found that small children react pretty much the same way. And most of us do have access to children.
 The Sioux Medicine Man, Black Elk said; "Grown men can learn from very little children for the hearts of the little children are pure. Therefore, the Great Spirit may show them many things which older people miss."

Here's a list that I've started of wildlife that is most active at different times of the year. It is by no means complete & it is specific to the Mid-west:

Jan- Look for Snowy owls, rough-legged hawks and Saw-whet owls that have come south for the winter. Also look for Bald Eagles feeding below dams and in open water areas. Fox and coyote mating season starts in late Jan.
Feb- Snowy owls, Rough-legged hawks and Saw-whet owls are still in the area but starting to move back north. Deer are shedding their antlers (these make great dog treats). Bald Eagles are staking out their territory and working on their nests. Cardinals and Chickadees begin their mating calls. Chorus frogs start singing.
March- Turkey vultures return once the snow melts. Robins and bluebirds return. Owls will have nestlings (since nestlings have to eat every few hours- this is your best chance to see owls during the day). Woodcock mating display flights begin. Coyote pups are starting to explore.
April- Waterfowl are migrating. Goslings are hatching. Fox pups are coming out. Eagles have nestlings. Garder snakes are waking up from hibernation. Bobcat mating begins.
May- Red-tail hawks are nesting. Neo-tropical birds are migrating (this includes hummingbirds, warblers and orioles- put out orange slices to attract orioles). Mourning doves are cooing and mating. Bobolinks return from Argentina. Fireflies start coming out.
June- Peak butterfly and hummingbird months. Herons are nesting. Bullfrogs and tree frogs are singing. Qual and turkey are hatching. Fawns are being born.
July- Peak butterfly and hummingbird months. Goldfinch are nesting.
Aug- Muskrats are building huts and storing food. Shorebirds start migrating. Look for large flocks of swallows. Blue-winged teal and doves begin congregating for migration. Pelicans and hummingbirds start migration.
Sept- Squirrels are cutting acorns from trees. Monarchs are migrating to Mexico. Wood ducks are migrating.
Oct- Hawks are migrating. Squirrels are starting to build leaf nests.
Nov- Peak duck migration. Deer are in rut (this is the time of year when deer are most aggressive)
Dec- Rough-legged hawks, Snowy owls and Saw-whet owls return for the winter.