Paul Skrade, Torre Hovick, and I did a Big Day today covering parts of Boone, Carroll, Greene, and Polk counties. We tallied 170 species that included 19 species of waterfowl, 21 species of shorebirds, and 20 species of warblers. Highlights included:
1 female Surf Scoter off Saylorville dam 1 Common Loon at Big Creek L. 1 Eared Grebe at Harrier M. 1 Little Blue Heron in Boone Co. (previously reported locale) 1 Swainson's Hawk at Harrier M. 1 Sandhill Crane at Dunbar Slough many small flocks of American Golden-Plover in agricultural fields (it was definitely a migration day for this species) 3 Willets and 3 Ruddy Turnstones at Dunbar Slough 1 Common Tern at Snake Creek M. 1 Willow Flycatcher at Dunbar Slough 1 American Pipit at Dunbar Slough 1 Blue-winged Warbler at Ledges SP 1 Golden-winged Warbler and 1 Prothonotary Warbler at Saylorville At 7:20 p.m. our list stood at 169 and we figured that was the way it would end. Then, just as we pulled into the Skrade driveway, a Cooper's Hawk flushed from overhead to become number 170. It was a great way to end the day! Passerine migration had slowed from the previous 3 days with few warblers and just 1 (!) Swainson's Thrush. Some of the big misses were bitterns, Great Egret, cuckoos, Eastern Wood-pewee, and Cedar Waxwing. Steve ********** Stephen J. Dinsmore Department of Natural Resource Ecology & Management Iowa State University 339 Science II Ames, IA 50011 Phone: 515-294-1348 E-mail: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Web: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~cootjr/ --- Please contribute your sightings to our list; it is only as good as members make it! --- Birding channel recommendation for FRS/GMRS radio use: Primary selection; channel 5/0 , alternate selection; channel 6/0 --- This mailing list is sponsored by the Iowa Ornithologists' Union. Membership available on-line at http://www.iowabirds.org/iou/membership.asp. ----- You are currently subscribed to ia-bird as: [email protected]
