Iowa Wildlife

Saw my first male ringneck pheasant sitting on the side of the road. We thought it was unusual that it was out in the open, so vulnerable along the side of the road, but once the car door opened, after watching it for a couple minutes, the bird exploded off the ground, ran 10 feet and flew yonder into a neighboring field. Boy, are they fast and beautiful. Their speed reminds me of roadrunners in the Southwest.

We also heard western chorus frogs beginning to call on the way home for the first time since we arrived, a sign that spring is near. Two nights ago, we saw a fox curled up sleeping along the side of the road ~ 1/8 mile away.

-Matt