story and photos by Lowell Washburn
Posted: February 2, 2010 White-Tailed Jackrabbit, photo by Lowell Washburn

As a signature inhabitant of the open prairie, the white-tailed jackrabbit maintains a unique and historic niche on the North Iowa landscape. Unlike the more familiar cottontail, the 'jack really isn't a rabbit at all, but is rather the state's only native species of wild hare.

Brown in summer, white in winter, the jackrabbit is well adapted to remaining invisible to predators, including to its chief enemy the coyote. Virtually weatherproof in winter, jackrabbits typically live life in the open where they fashion small depressions to lie in. The effective, surround view perspective makes it virtually impossible for predators to put the sneak on resting jacks. Highly resourceful, jacks will occasionally excavate makeshift snow caves on the lee side of drifting snow. But unless the weather really gets tough, the impressive 8 to 9 pound adults are more likely to be seen sitting in front of rather than inside their caves. Even as howling January winds plunged the chill index into negative double digits this hardy jackrabbit, photographed near Ventura, was perfectly content to relax in the open air. When it comes to coping with the elements, they just don't come any tougher than this.

But extreme changes in land use are one thing that jackrabbits have not been able to cope with. During the 1960s, white-tailed jackrabbits sometimes attained population densities exceeding 100 animals per square mile, while populations of up to 30 per square mile were not uncommon. Mirroring the dramatic reduction in Iowa's oats, alfalfa, and pasture habitats, jackrabbits have all but disappeared from much of their former range. No jackrabbits were observed during the DNR's statewide 2008 August Roadside Game Survey, and only one jackrabbit was seen during the 2009 survey.

Posted: January 19, 2010

The bald eagle has made a tremendous comeback in Iowa. The Iowa DNR has on record at least 254 bald eagle nests that have been active within the last couple years. This is compared to exactly one nest in 1977, which was the first after more than 70 years. All these nests do pose a bit of a problem for the DNR. Keeping track of 254 known nests, and likely more, is a lot harder than the 50 nests from not that long ago.

"In the 1990s we had a pretty good idea of where all the eagle nests were and what was going on with them. Now with the number of nests tripled, the nests we are aware of are likely just the tip of the iceberg and we have little data on how successful and productive those nests are," said Stephanie Shepherd, wildlife diversity biologist with the Iowa DNR. Shepherd is coordinating an effort to get a better handle on Iowa's eagle nesting population.



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From the Iowa DNR
Posted: January 19, 2010

Our 'January thaw' is welcome news to most Iowans. However, weeks of snow cover and bitter cold conditions have done a number on many of the state's 80,000-plus ponds.

Fish in those ponds process oxygen in the water to 'breathe.' In warm weather, that oxygen is produced through photosynthesis as sunlight reaches underwater vegetation. Diffusion of oxygen also comes as air meets the water surface. Springs and a current through any body of water provide oxygen, too.

With the double whammy of early winter ice and snow, Mother Nature has nailed a lid on many ponds.

"We went out to monitor levels in some ponds for an early season base; to compare late winter readings to them. We found that they were already at levels we often find late in the winter," explains Scott Gritters, fisheries biologist with the Department of Natural Resources.

Levels below three parts per million cause stress on fish. If it gets below two parts per million for an extended period, fish start dying. In northeast Iowa, Gritters has seen readings of 1 to 2.5; at the bottom and top of a pond's water column. "When we drop a camera in that water, we see fish just sitting there motionless. It's a big concern; we have a lot of winter left," cautions Gritters. It's a concern that crosses the state, especially where snow cover is thicker; in central and western Iowa.

There are solutions. An aerator is a good one; though it should be installed before cold weather blows in. The quickest solution is to simply shovel off a section of the pond. The larger the clearing, the more sunlight is allowed to beam through to the vegetation below. The downside, of course, is that the cleared section gets covered each time it snows.

Long term solutions include land management around the pond. A buffer strip above it will reduce runoff of leaves, detritus from crop fields and manure from livestock in the vicinity. Building the pond deep enough to stand up to years of runoff is also an effective choice.

The toll usually doesn't show up until the spring thaw. Of course, some fish die in just about any Iowa winter. When it is serious enough that large numbers of game fish wash up on shore, though, it means a part of a valuable investment is lost...as well as some great outdoor recreation.

Report Shows New State Resort Operating At Loss
POSTED: 11:21 am CST January 11, 2010
UPDATED: 11:49 am CST January 11, 2010
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DES MOINES, Iowa -- A new state audit report on the Honey Creek Resort shows the resort operated at a loss during its first year in business.



The report released Monday shows Honey Creek's operating loss at $884,412 for the period of Sept. 18, 2008, to June 30, 2009.

The report was completed by State Auditor David Vaudt's office. It shows Honey Creek Resort reported operating revenues of $3,104,679, which included $1,344,054 from lodging, $1,292,423 from restaurant operations and $294,941 from golf course operations.

Total operating expenses for Honey Creek Resort for the period totaled $3,989,091, and included $473,538 for lodging, $1,346,295 for restaurant operations and $459,996 for golf course operations.

A copy of the audit report is available from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, in the Office of Auditor of State and on the Auditor of State’s Web site at Here.
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