There was no colorful sunrise.  No brilliant transition of night turning to day.  Instead, there was just a gradual increase of light among the solemn hues of an overcast morning.   I was sitting at the edge of a small wetland located within a mature stand of oaks.  The shallow oasis is a one my favorite
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One robin may not make a spring, but when the turkey vultures return to Max Clausen’s barn, you can rest assured the season has changed.  Clausen’s barn is located on The Nature Conservancy’s Clausen’s Cove Area which adjoins Clear Lake’s south shore.  For the past five years, vultures have returned to make their nests in
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This year’s Spring Turkey Seasons begin April 9th with a special youth only hunt, followed by the first of four regular hunting seasons beginning April 12.  The final segment of the five-part, spring season concludes May16.  The seasons allows both shotgun and bow hunting, and Iowa hunters may purchase a total of two spring turkey
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The spring waterfowl migration is one of my favorite events on the annual outdoor calendar.  Anxious to get to northern nesting grounds, the first flocks of ducks began dotting the Iowa skies as soon as area wetlands began to thaw.  Once open water appears, migrant numbers steadily escalate as temperatures warm.  A mixed flock of northbound
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It’s an old familiar phrase that can apply to a lot of things.  This week, it applied to backyard birding. Following a complete snow melt and solid string of spring-like temperatures, backyard bird activity had declined.  Feeders that had enjoyed popularity through the cold weather winter months had become predictably quiet.  Only a half dozen or
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It was early March, and Iowa’s spring thaw was gathering a full head of steam.  Even in the north, snow cover was going fast.  Another day, maybe two, and it would all be gone.  Camouflaged beneath the tawny canopy of last year’s vegetation, the cottontail held its nerve, sitting tight until we nearly stepped on it. 
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Nearly everyone has a favorite sign that says spring is on the way.  It might be melting snow drifts, a noisy echelon of northbound geese, or the sighting of the season’s first robin.  This year, I’m adding chipmunks to the list.  That’s right, I said chipmunks. I know, of course, that chipmunks are still supposed to
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Pushing hard on the heels of a retreating winter, migrating trumpeter swans are moving northward.  For area wildlife enthusiasts, the sight and sound of wild swans is a heart stirring event. With peak weights exceeding thirty pounds, the trumpeter swan is North America’s largest waterfowl.  Although swans were an abundant nesting species at the time of
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There are some things in life that I’ve learned not to take for granted.  Winter weather is one of those things.  Hard to believe that, just one week ago, Northern Iowa was receiving eight inches of beautiful new powder.  Stale rural landscapes were once again transformed into spectacular winter wonderlands.  Responding to the conditions, late
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For those who abhor cold weather, backyard bird feeding is the perfect winter pastime.  You get to enjoy the daily activities wild birdlife but, instead of braving the elements, you do it from the warmth of your living room -- and without the cumbersome hassle of coats, boots, mittens and handwarmers. Winter bird feeding is as simple, or as complicated,
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Pursuing the red fox is a challenging pastime.  My latest attempt at catching one was a classic example.  Following a week of cat and mouse, the sighting of fresh tracks, but no fox, was all I had to show.  I finally caught the big male on January 31 -- the very last day of this year’s season.  Since I’m
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The barred owl’s signature greeting -- “Who cooks for you?  Who cooks for you all?” – would be hard to mistake for any other sound.   That distinctive call is currently echoing through winter woodlands statewide.  Although once a rare sound across much of Iowa, the baritone hooting is becoming increasingly familiar to both rural and urban residents.   Look Into
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