Spring Migration at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve

Spring is in the air at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve.

In early April, I started seeing yellow-bellied sapsuckers. This is a unique woodpecker in Iowa because they drill a series of tap holes in a tree and then come back to drink the sap and to eat any insects that get trapped in it. Later in the month yellow-rumped warblers started to arrive in large numbers. Warblers normally eat insects, but we had quite a few cold days when insects weren’t flying. I was fascinated to see a yellow-rumped warbler getting his nourishment by hanging on to the side of a tree and drinking sap from the yellow-bellied sapsucker hole. Later that morning I saw another yellow-rumped doing the same thing at a different hole. Seeing bird behavior that is new to me is part of what keeps bird watching intriguing.

Yellow-bellied sapsucker

Yellow-rumped warbler

The woods started to come alive with singing birds. It was fun to spot the songsters such as eastern towhee and Carolina wren. Quieter birds can be hard to see and I was pleased to find my second warbler of the year, a pretty palm warbler.

Eastern towhee

Carolina wren

Palm warbler

I also saw broad-winged hawks soaring overhead. These hawks spend their winters in Mexico south to Brazil. Returning hawks roost in forests overnight as they head north, and then lift off in the morning to continue their journey. On April 21st I saw five broad-wings winging their way north.

Broad-winged hawk

Turkey Creek Nature Preserve provides wonderful habitat not just for birds, but also for wildflowers. It’s been a challenge for me to try to photograph and ID them. There are photos for bloodroot, Dutchman’s breeches, Virginia bluebells, trout lily, and phlox.

Bloodroot

Dutchman’s breeches

Virginia bluebells

Trout lily

Phlox

In April I was pleased to add six species to the eBird list for Turkey Creek: yellow-bellied sapsucker, chipping sparrow, broad-winged hawk, osprey, double-crested cormorant and ring-necked pheasant. This brings the eBird species list to 89.

May is the biggest month for migration in Iowa. It’s a great month to get outdoors, to hike, and to look for newly arrived warblers, flycatchers and vireos. It will be interesting to see which birds are found at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve.