Northeastern Iowa Forest Monitoring

Principal Investigator: Stephen J. Dinsmore

Student Investigator: Two undergraduate field technicians

Collaborators: Katy Reeder, Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Duration: 15 April 2013 to 30 June 2016

Funding Source(s): Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Goals and Objectives:

  • Monitor breeding birds with Multiple Species Inventory and Monitoring (MSIM) protocols to gauge responses to forest habitat management.
  • Monitor butterflies with Visual Encounter Surveys (VES) to gauge responses to forest habitat management.

Progress:

Bird surveys were focused on sampling the breeding bird community, and we thus limited to the primary nesting season for Iowa (late May through early August). We repeated surveys in 2015, but with a total of 132 point counts in 44 stands in the period 19 May to 14 August detecting a total of 4,211 individuals of 72 species (Table 2). Species with the greatest number of detections in 2015 included American Crow (199), Northern Cardinal (164), and American Robin (159). However, surveys also detected 14 SGCN birds including Black-billed Cuckoo, Red-headed Woodpecker, Least Flycatcher, Bell’s Vireo, Wood Thrush, Blue-winged, Cerulean, and Hooded warblers, and Yellow-breasted Chat.

Butterfly surveys were focused during the primary summer flight season for most species. We repeated butterfly surveys in 2015 when we sampled 44 stands 3 times (132 total VES) in the period 22 May through 14 August and documented 607 individuals of 30 species across all sites (Table 4). Weather was more favorable than in 2013 with respect to flight seasons on most species. Species with the greatest number of detections included Red Admiral (36), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (30), and Great Spangled Fritillary (24). No target species were found. Surveys detected 2 additional SGCN butterflies: Aphrodite Fritillary and Monarch. We also completed one vegetation survey per stand between 15 July and 20 August.

Table 1. Summary of the number of bird detections by sampling location, Open Woodlands SWG-C project in northeastern Iowa, 2015. A * denotes Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) in the Iowa Wildlife Action Plan (Zohrer 2006)

Common name

Blackhawk Point WMA

Bloody Run Creek WMA

Cardinal Marsh

Clear Creek WMA

Coldwater Creek WMA

Coon Creek WMA

Falcon Springs WMA

French Creek WMA

Indian Bluffs/Picture Rocks

Lansing WMA

North & South Bear Complex

Pine Creek WMA

Sny Magill WMA

Upper Iowa River WMA

Waterloo Creek WMA

Canada Goose

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3

 

 

1

 

 

2

Mallard

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ring-necked Pheasant

1

1

 

3

 

4

1

 

 

 

2

 

1

 

4

Wild Turkey

1

3

 

2

 

3

 

1

2

5

1

2

5

2

5

Great Blue Heron

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

1

Turkey Vulture

 

 

 

 

1

 

2

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

 

1

Bald Eagle*

            

 

              

1

Red-tailed Hawk

  

1

        

 

    

1

2

1

    

2

Mourning Dove

  

4

1

6

2

7

1

2

2

6

5

4

5

  

8

Black-billed Cuckoo*

          

1

 

            

1

  

Yellow-billed Cuckoo*

3

7

  

7

1

5

 

2

7

2

1

3

3

  

1

Barred Owl

            

 

  

2

            

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

  

2

  

1

  

2

 

  

3

1

2

      

1

Red-headed Woodpecker*

    

2

2

  

1

 

  

1

  

2

  

2

    

Red-bellied Woodpecker

3

8

7

15

3

29

1

5

10

10

14

4

11

2

16

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

  

1

1

1

1

1

 

1

    

2

  

1

  

1

Downy Woodpecker

1

5

2

3

1

22

3

2

10

5

3

5

5

1

3

Hairy Woodpecker

  

5

2

1

  

7

 

1

  

2

7

  

1

  

2

Northern Flicker

2

5

3

4

1

9

1

2

  

1

4

2

3

  

7

Pileated Woodpecker

5

5

  

1

1

11

 

3

3

4

6

3

2

6

7

Eastern Wood-Pewee

3

14

5

9

1

33

3

1

19

15

16

8

7

6

17

Least Flycatcher*

  

3

1

1

  

4

 

 

2

  

5

1

2

  

1

1

Eastern Phoebe

1

10

2

3

2

7

1

3

7

6

8

5

1

1

2

Great Crested Flycatcher

1

12

2

6

1

12

1

8

3

5

8

1

4

1

2

Bell's Vireo*

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yellow-throated Vireo

3

3

1

2

1

9

 

2

2

1

4

 

3

1

 

Warbling Vireo

 

 

2

2

2

2

 

 

 

1

2

 

1

 

6

Red-eyed Vireo

2

14

7

10

1

23

 

5

8

11

9

5

6

5

8

Blue Jay

6

11

3

12

1

29

2

2

6

8

10

4

10

2

16

American Crow

4

24

6

17

3

44

2

4

9

12

24

6

15

3

26

Tree Swallow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

Barn Swallow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

Black-capped Chickadee

2

9

4

14

2

29

1

6

7

13

14

6

10

2

7

Tufted Titmouse

  

6

  

1

  

9

 

2

3

4

6

4

4

  

3

White-breasted Nuthatch

4

13

3

11

  

29

 

4

6

8

10

4

4

2

5

House Wren

  

4

3

1

1

11

2

2

11

4

2

1

5

  

8

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

  

3

      

6

 

1

9

  

1

    

1

2

Eastern Bluebird

  

3

1

1

  

2

 

          

1

1

1

Wood Thrush*

  

1

  

2

  

1

 

 

 

  

10

2

          

American Robin

3

19

6

8

1

41

1

2

6

13

18

4

10

3

24

Gray Catbird

1

9

3

8

  

39

 

5

4

7

16

7

10

1

21

Brown Thrasher

          

1

 

                

Cedar Waxwing

    

1

1

  

9

 

  

3

2

3

1

1

1

7

Ovenbird

4

15

4

9

 

14

1

4

9

9

4

2

9

6

12

Blue-winged Warbler*

3

4

1

3

2

9

 

 

2

2

4

2

6

2

7

Common Yellowthroat

3

7

4

5

2

26

1

3

11

1

9

4

7

2

14

Hooded Warbler*

 

 

1

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

American Redstart

2

8

1

1

1

26

1

1

10

3

13

7

3

2

7

Cerulean Warbler*

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

1

 

1

Northern Parula

            

 

  

1

            

Yellow Warbler

2

2

1

1

1

15

 

1

1

1

6

7

2

6

1

8

Yellow-throated Warbler

          

1

 

                

Yellow-breasted Chat*

1

          

 

              

2

Eastern Towhee

4

17

1

10

1

28

2

4

6

12

11

9

6

4

12

Chipping Sparrow

1

3

2

8

  

2

3

  

2

4

6

1

1

2

9

Field Sparrow*

7

6

3

1

1

18

1

1

1

8

7

1

6

1

14

Vesper Sparrow

1

1

1

2

1

4

1

1

  

1

3

1

1

  

5

Lark Sparrow

            

 

      

1

        

Song Sparrow

2

7

2

1

1

21

 

2

6

5

7

4

6

  

11

Summer Tanager

 

 

 

1

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scarlet Tanager

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13

 

 

 

 

1

 

Northern Cardinal

5

17

5

14

3

32

2

7

17

10

15

10

14

2

11

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

1

8

3

5

2

16

1

2

9

8

8

5

8

2

9

Indigo Bunting

4

1

1

 

1

11

1

1

18

1

2

2

1

1

2

Bobolink*

            

 

        

2

      

Red-winged Blackbird

  

2

1

1

  

2

 

  

1

3

9

4

6

  

17

Eastern Meadowlark*

            

 

      

1

2

      

Common Grackle

      

1

  

1

 

  

2

      

1

    

Brown-headed Cowbird

  

1

1

2

  

7

 

2

5

2

  

2

1

2

2

Baltimore Oriole

1

3

2

1

  

5

 

  

4

1

2

1

4

2

3

American Goldfinch

3

10

  

4

1

13

 

  

11

1

4

4

6

  

15

House Sparrow

  

1

      

1

1

      

1

      

1

 

Table 2. Summary of the number of butterfly detections by sampling location, Open Woodlands SWG-C project in northeastern Iowa, 2015. A * denotes Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) in the Iowa Wildlife Action Plan (Zohrer 2006). The certification type indicates whether the specimen(s) were vouchered (V), a sight record (S), a good sight record (GS), or captured and released (C).

 

Species

Certification Type

Blackhawk Point WMA

Bloody Run Creek WMA

Cardinal Marsh

Clear Creek WMA

Coldwater Creek WMA

Coon Creek WMA

Falcon Springs WMA

French Creek WMA

Indian Bluffs/Picture Rocks

Lansing WMA

North & South Bear Complex

Pine Creek WMA

Sny Magill WMA

Upper Iowa River WMA

Waterloo Creek WMA

Silver-spotted Skipper

C

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silver-spotted Skipper

GS

1

 

 

1

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

 

3

Silver-spotted Skipper

S

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

1

Silver-spotted Skipper

V

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

Common sooty wing

GS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

Northern Broken-Dash

V

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Juniper Hairstreak

GS

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer Azure

GS

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

 

 

1

 

2

1

 

3

Summer Azure

PS

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer Azure

S

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

 

1

1

Summer Azure

V

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

Eastern-tailed Blue

U

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Banded Hairstreak

GS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

Banded Hairstreak

V

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

 

Hackberry Emperor

C

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hackberry Emperor

GS

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

1

1

 

1

1

Hackberry Emperor

S

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

 

Hackberry Emperor

V

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

Tawny Emperor

S

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

Silver-bordered Fritillary

S

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common wood nymph

GS

1

 

 

1

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

3

Common wood nymph

S

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

Common wood nymph

V

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silvery Checkerspot

GS

1

1

 

 

 

1

1

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

Silvery Checkerspot

S

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

Silvery Checkerspot

V

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

Monarch*

GS

 

 

2

1

 

 

 

 

1

1

 

1

 

 

 

Monarch*

S

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Viceroy

GS

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

 

 

1

Viceroy

S

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Red-spotted Purple

GS

 

 

2

 

 

1

1

2

 

1

1

1

2

1

2

Red-spotted Purple

S

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

 

 

 

1

 

Red-spotted Purple

U

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red-spotted Purple

V

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

Little wood satyr

C

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little wood satyr

GS

2

1

1

 

 

1

 

2

 

1

 

2

 

 

2

Little wood satyr

S

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little wood satyr

V

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Pearl Crescent

C

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Pearl Crescent

GS

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pearl Crescent

S

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

Pearl Crescent

U

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Eastern Comma

GS

 

1

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

1

1

1

 

1

Eastern Comma

S

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

Eastern Comma

V

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

1

 

 

 

 

 

Question Mark

GS

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Question Mark

S

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

1

1

 

 

1

Aphrodite Fritillary*

S

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aphrodite Fritillary*

V

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great Spangled Fritillary

GS

3

1

 

1

 

5

 

 

 

1

1

1

2

 

3

Great Spangled Fritillary

S

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

1

 

1

 

Great Spangled Fritillary

U

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Red Admiral

GS

 

 

4

 

2

4

1

1

1

5

6

3

 

3

4

Red Admiral

U

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

1

American Lady

C

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

American Lady

S

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

Giant Swallowtail

C

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giant Swallowtail

GS

1

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

Giant Swallowtail

V

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

GS

1

1

 

1

 

4

1

 

1

4

4

4

3

1

3

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

S

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

U

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black Swallowtail

GS

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black Swallowtail

S

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

1

 

 

 

 

Black Swallowtail

V

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Orange Sulphur

GS

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clouded Sulphur

GS

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little yellow

GS

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cabbage White

GS

 

 

2

1

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cabbage White

S

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

Future Plans:

This project is now complete and a final report has been submitted.

Funding Organization: 

Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)

Duration: 

04/15/2013 to 06/30/2016

Principal Investigator(s): 

Dr. Stephen Dinsmore