Successful nesting Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Clinton Co,

[Matt Wetrich]

Birders,

Wednesday, Oct. 7, I spoke with Clinton County Naturalist, Mark Roberts about a special sighting he had. Whatever your feelings are about eBird, you can chalk this find up to eBird. Mark just starting "eBirding" 3 days prior, as he is making a point to "up his birding skills and knowledge". Thanks to this new found path in his birding journey, he has been taking more notice of what birds are around and how many there are of them. Because of this, he slowed down to count birds at the sewage lagoons south of Grand Mound. He was able to snap a photo (taken Oct. 7, attached) of a sighting he was fairly certain was a bit out of the norm of a family of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks  -  2 adult and 9 chicks.

Mark and I discussed whether or not to pass this info on in a public forum such as this listserv. I told him that unless he took the necessary steps on his eBird report, it would be seen by others anyway, especially to those who have their eBird "rare bird" settings turned on (depending what the eBird reviewer for that area does with it). The "location" Mark used when submitting the checklist is not the exact spot; he did this on purpose, not sure at the time if the exact location should be shared. Given the setting of where the birds are, we felt it was probably okay to pass it along here. The lagoon is fenced in and off limits to enter. It is right next to the highway and can easily be seen into through the fence. If you are interested in seeing this family, PLEASE respect the fact that it is only okay to view the lagoon from one side and do not enter the property otherwise. Please also pull completely off of any road you are birding from to keep everyone safe.

The chicks appear to be mere days old. Mark told me that via coworkers and others in the area, that a pair of adults was seen attempting to nest 25 north of this spot this summer, which seemed to have failed. Is this the same pair with a second attempt? Another pair all together? Who knows, but it is certainly late for a pair of waterfowl to be nesting in Iowa, BUT not late for this species in their normal range, much farther south.

Quite the find, one that I suspect we'll see more of in the coming years of our rapidly changing climate.

Bird on!

Matt Wetrich

Naturalist, Carroll County Conservation

[a...@hologrambirds.com]

This is pretty interesting after the first nesting record in Iowa last year in southwest Iowa. Clinton County is what - 300 miles give-or-take east of Mills County? The extension of Black-bellied Whistling Duck into Iowa was well documented in a recent article in Iowa Bird Life. I’ll just put in a plug now. If you find this kind of information interesting, as well as knowing more about Iowa’s birds, I encourage you to become a member of the Iowa Ornithologists’ Union and receive or have on-line access to Iowa Bird Life, the quarterly journal. Joining is easy at https://iowabirds.org/IOU/Membership.aspx.

 

Ann Johnson

Norwalk (Warren County)

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[Ric Zarwell]

To add some info to the range extension of Black-bellied Whistling Duck:  In mid-September a female with 12 ducklings was found and photographed at Myrick Marsh, within La Crosse, WI.  This is approx. 33 miles north and slightly east of the NE corner of Iowa.  At that time I wasn’t aware that this species nested so late in the year, let alone so far north in the U.S.

Ric

Ric Zarwell

Email:  Birdi...@gmail.com 

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[Mory Jahangir]

The mystery of the Whistling Ducks in La Crosse continues, in that all the ducklings and the adults disappeared the following day and haven't been seen since. We keep wondering what became of them? It is hard to imagine that a predator got all of them. I am hoping they found their way to the Mississippi River and floated to New Orleans. Wishing them a happy life.

Mory Jahangir

La Crosse, Wisconsin.

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Mory Jahangir
mory.j...@gmail.com