Iowa Master Naturalists

Wildflowers have started blooming at Hartman Reserve Nature Center in Cedar Falls. Both white trout lily and spring beauty flowers are pollinated by a variety of native bees. Can you identify other plant species in the photo?

How to Use Bark to Identify Trees

How to Use Bark to Identify Trees Bark is a handy feature for identifying trees. Billy Beck, Iowa State University assistant professor and extension forestry specialist, shares his top 3 thin...

Osprey will return ‘home’ to Eastern Iowa

Unlike most raptors, ospreys are able to dive into water to catch live fish. Their dark mask is believed to reduce glare from the water. Here is another interesting bird article by Brandon Caswell. He points out that ospreys carry a fish so that it aligns with the bird’s body, reducing aerodynamic drag - and providing a handy ID tip!

Osprey will return ‘home’ to Eastern Iowa April also is an excellent month to view waterfowl like ducks, geese and swans, as well as grebes

Coyotes tend to avoid humans and pets, but aggressive coyotes could be dangerous and should be reported. The bulletin below gives excellent tips, no April foolin’! 😉

IMN Grad Jody T (Fall 2021) in conjunction with Sidekick Coffee and Books in Iowa City has organized a book drive to to stock the FW Kent Park library with the books they need for children's programming. Bring your kids to the "Reptile Meet and Greet" at the bookstore on Sat, April 30 (10 AM-11:30) and purchase a book for a great cause!

What Do Birds Use To Duct Tape Their Nests Together?

Did you know - Hummingbirds use spider web in constructing their nests. “Spider silk not only acts as a glue, holding the other bits together, but it’s flexible enough to accommodate the growing bodies of nestlings.” Let’s leave outdoor spiders webs undisturbed as much as possible.

What Do Birds Use To Duct Tape Their Nests Together? A flexible, resilient material for construction and repair . . . yes, we're talking about spider silk.

Calling all photographers, from brand new to expert, the Iowa Roadside Management program is looking for photos of the below native and non-native plants for the 2023 calendars, a collaboration with Trees Forever! The theme this year is ‘Plant this, not that,’ and we are looking for photos of the species listed below. Pictures do not have to be taken in Iowa since the calendar also covers Trees Forever's service area in Illinois. We are also looking for images of pollinators and wildlife interactions with the native species listed and people managing the invasive species listed.

If you are interested in submitting a photo for consideration, please email it to [email protected]. Deadline is April 30, 2022. All selected photos will be accompanied by name recognition in the calendar and the photographer will receive five calendars. These materials are used for educational purposes and are never sold. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.

If you've been in our neck of the woods this week, you may have seen the return of American white pelicans, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, to the Iowa River on their migration path.

Pelicans are some of the largest (9-foot wingspan) and heaviest (11-19 lbs) flying bird species, even larger than bald eagles, but that doesn't stop them from being excellent at soaring. These birds are so graceful, they put ballet dancers to shame.

It's critical that we protect wetlands and waterways for pelicans and other migratory birds to complete their journey.

📸 American white pelican on the Iowa River, Jason Taylor.

#wildlifewednesday #wetland #migratorybirds #pelicans #iowa #conservation #birds

Photos from Sycamore Greenway Friends's post

Man discovers 11-pound woolly mammoth tooth on Northwest Iowa construction site

https://www.kwwl.com/news/top-stories/man-discovers-11-pound-woolly-mammoth-tooth-on-northwest-iowa-construction-site/article_b7c4aef4-a632-11ec-9d5f-af663168fbed.html

Man discovers 11-pound woolly mammoth tooth on Northwest Iowa construction site SHELDON, Iowa (KWWL) -- A man made a once-in-a-lifetime discovery at a construction site in Northwest Iowa, after finding a woolly mammoth tooth!

National Register of Historic Places adds Wickiup Hill sites. https://www.linncountyiowa.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2679

Photos from Bur Oak Land Trust's post

Spongy moth becomes new name for invasive pest, ending longtime slur use

https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2022/03/spongy-moth-becomes-new-name-for-invasive-pest-ending-longtime-slur-use.html

Spongy moth becomes new name for invasive pest, ending longtime slur use The Entomological Society of America on Wednesday, March 2, announced that spongy moth will be the new common name for the invasive insect that was previously known as gypsy moth.

Comfortably ensconced in their protective ootheca, or egg case, through the winter chill, dozens to hundreds of praying mantis eggs await warmer temperatures before hatching. Not to be swayed by the occasional unseasonably warm winter day, baby mantids will wait for a couple of weeks of consecutive days in the 70s before hatching, generally in June or July.

Have you noticed animal tracks in our recent snow?
https://www.iowadnr.gov/About-DNR/DNR-News-Releases/ArticleID/166/Go-Exploring-14-Iowa-Wildlife-Tracks-to-Look-For

When adding trees or flowers to your yard, be sure to include a couple of these. All winged things, large and small, will thank you.

Volunteer Spotlight:
IMN grad, John D (Fall 2018), has taken his capstone project and run with it! He recently led a program on Tree ID for the Des Moines public library system. His popular What’s that Tree Guide is now in its second edition. John is just one of many IMN grads working to make Iowa a greener and more nature-literate place.
Thanks, John, for your great work!

Registration is now open for the Spring 2022 Iowa Master Naturalists basic training course. This course is hosted by Story County Conservation, and will be held at their McFarland park facility near Ames. This course begins Mar 19 and will combine "in person" and online instruction. For more details, or to register, go to http//:www.iowamasternaturalists.org

2022 Environmental Summit - Climate Change - The Conservation Foundation

2022 Environmental Summit - Climate Change - The Conservation Foundation Join us on Tuesday, January 25th for the 2022 Environmental Summit with Keynote Speaker, Doug Tallamy.

Aldo Leopold - The Aldo Leopold Foundation

Aldo Leopold - The Aldo Leopold Foundation Considered by many to be the father of wildlife ecology and the United States’ wilderness system, Aldo Leopold was a conservationist, forester, philosopher, educator, writer, and outdoor enthusiast. Among his best known ideas is...

Hovering raptors in Iowa

In winter, Iowa has about 14 raptor species, including the eastern red-tailed hawk. Great article by Brandon Caswell!

Hovering raptors in Iowa 14 different species of eagles, hawks and falcons can be spotted in the state this winter

A unique wetland in northwest Iowa was turned into farmland. A conservation easement is reviving it.

From the Iowa Native Plant Society: Thank you again to those who were able to join us for our December 7th webinar, Conservation Partnerships: Restoring One of Iowa's Largest Known Fens! The recording has been uploaded to our website for viewing! Please feel free to share with those who may be interested. http://www.iowanativeplants.org/webinar.php

Read more about Neppl Fen restoration here: https://www.iowapublicradio.org/environment/2021-12-09/a-unique-wetland-in-northwest-iowa-was-turned-into-farmland-a-conservation-easement-is-reviving-it

A unique wetland in northwest Iowa was turned into farmland. A conservation easement is reviving it. A unique wetland in northwest Iowa that was heavily farmed for 70 years is showing early signs of a comeback.

The Ultimate Iowa Waterfalls Road Trip Is Right Here And You’ll Want To Do It

Here’s a fine plan for next spring!

The Ultimate Iowa Waterfalls Road Trip Is Right Here And You’ll Want To Do It Take advantage of this fun road trip idea before the weather changes. Winter is coming!

It's the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year and the start of astronomical winter. In Iowa, the solstice day will last 9 hours, 9 minutes, and 38 seconds from sunrise to sunset. For comparison, in Anchorage, the day lasts only around 5 and a half hours, while in Honolulu they will enjoy nearly eleven hours of daylight.

#wintersolstice #shortestday #longestnight

At dusk, crows roost together in trees. This gathering is believed to be for socializing, to communicate about food sources, and establish breeding partners for the spring. There is also protection in numbers from predators such as the great horned owl.

Winter is a great time for watching woodpeckers; five of our area's seven woodpecker species can frequently be seen throughout the year, even in the coldest months.

In addition to little Downy Woodpeckers, watch for their bigger lookalikes Hairy Woodpeckers as well as common Red-bellied Woodpeckers. Less common at backyard feeders but still present are Red-headed Woodpeckers and the big Pileated Woodpecker.

Occasional sightings of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers--normally just passing through during migration--and Northern Flickers--considered year-round residents but less abundant in winter--round out our area's woodpecker family.

“Turkey were once wiped out in Iowa. Around 1910, the last known wild Iowa turkey was seen in Lucas County. In the 1960s, the bird was reintroduced successfully with birds transplanted from Missouri... turkeys quickly adapted to Iowa’s diverse landscape.” For more turkey facts, see https://www.iowadnr.gov/About-DNR/DNR-News-Releases/ArticleID/154/Cool-Things-You-Didn’t-Know-About-Wild-Turkey

Discover a Johnson County oasis at Kent Park

Discover a Johnson County oasis at Kent Park F.W. Kent Park offers year-round education, recreation, exploration in abundance.

The Longest Lunar Eclipse in 580 Years Takes Place This Friday—Here’s How and When to Watch It

Calling all night owls! This week features the longest lunar eclipse in over 500 years. A “Beaver Moon” lunar eclipse will begin around midnight Thursday, reaching its peak around 3am Friday morning, and continuing until about 6am Friday. A “Beaver Moon” is a full moon in November, when beavers are getting ready for winter. A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth’s shadow is cast on the moon.

The Longest Lunar Eclipse in 580 Years Takes Place This Friday—Here’s How and When to Watch It Mark your calendars, the Beaver Moon eclipse is a must-see—and it's the longest of the century!

Naturalists are sometimes accused of having an unusual sense of fun; after all, it takes a special type of person to give up their Sunday morning to pick up other other people's trash. But despite the chilly, blustery weather, the clean-up of our adopted stretch of highway north of Amana was both fun and productive. Our efforts prevented nearly 400 lb of trash from entering Iowa's waterways, and the afterparty at the Amana Brewhaus was pretty sweet too! Thanks to Justin for organizing this, and to Jason, Joe, Mark, Ben, Jeff, Dan, Ginny for all their hard work!
Elisabeth

Textures of a Compass Plant (Silphium laciniatum) stem and leaves. The tall, thick stem covered in dense hairs, along with the deeply serrated leaves, make this plant easy to pick out even long after the flowers have gone to seed.

Join IMN grads this coming Sunday, Nov 14 for a clean-up of our adopted stretch of highway 151. We will meet at 10:00 AM at the Amana Post office (4015 G St, Amana, IA 52203) for a project kick-off and safety briefing. Dress for the weather including sturdy footwear. Bring gloves and a trash grabber if you have them. Safety vests, gloves, and garbage bags will be provided. Family, friends are welcome to join us for this event. Afterwards, there is the option for a group meal in Amana. Thanks to Justin V (IMN class 2015) for organizing this event. Hope to see you Sunday!

Neal Smith, Iowa’s longest-serving US House member, dies

Iowa’s large wildlife refuge near Des Moines was championed by him, and later named for him - the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge.

Neal Smith, Iowa’s longest-serving US House member, dies DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Neal Smith, who grew up in a tiny southeast Iowa town and served as a World War II bomber pilot before becoming a successful lawyer and then the state’s longest-serving U.S. House member, has died.