My atlasing of grid blocks this weekend turned up some nice surprises.
Washington County
South Fork/Long Creek block
--the prototypical "why bother" grid block with 95% of it
planted to corn and beans---however, I did find four adult Upland Sandpipers in
the corn stubble planted no-till to beans, and they had two fledglings running
about. These birds were along Larch Ave. between 200th and 205th. I ended up
with 8 adults total in the central section of this block. There were also
Horned Larks singing in three locations nearby. There is a bit of
grassland/pasture in the SW section of the block and there I found 3 male
Bobolinks, 1 singing Grasshopper Sparrow and 1 singing Orchard Oriole.
Washington County
Goose Creek block
--this grid block actually had better habitat than many of
our "habitat" blocks. There are wonderful grasslands, wooded creeks, and a
large tree-farm with many pines. The down-side was that it is all private
land. I was persistant enough in driving the roads to find Bell's Vireos
singing from 7 locations. Six of these were bordering the NE section of the
block--three along 205th St. I also had a Northern Parula singing from a
monster sycamore along the jog in 190th St. In the same tree was an occupied
Baltimore Oriole nest. A Grasshopper Sparrow was singing along Yucca Ave.
northwest of the church. A Northern Mockingbird was singing along 210th
St.--this is a class C road, but I've been on class B's that were much worse.
A pair of Eurasian Tree Sparrows were on the County Line Road in the NE section
at the bridge. A nesting Eastern Kingbird, a pair of Orchard Orioles, a pair
of Willow Flycatchers, and two Sedge Wrens were along Willow Ave. A Henslow's
Sparrow was singing along 202nd St. near the Willow Ave intersection. Very
interesting, although not a breeder, was an Alder Flycatcher singing up a storm
along Yucca Ave. just north of 205th. He seemed to appreciate the pine edge
habitat.
Washington County
Clemons Creek Wildlife Area block
--this is a habitat block just west of the town of
Washington. It wasn't the most accesible public area however. Along Kiwi Ave
north of 240th St. there are signs that read "public hunting area" right next
to signs that read "no trespassing". Someday I'll seek out an explanation.
Along Kiwi near 240th I found a singing Chat. I parked at the shooting
range(very nice by the way), and walked a mowed trail beyond the clay bird pit
that continued into the woods as little more than a deer path. The path winds
north, eventually emerging at the north end of the ponds. Along the trail was
a singing Kentucky Warbler and a Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Unfortunately there was
little else to report for this habitat block, but that might be because I
visited late in the day and storm clouds were moving in. The woodlands at
Clemons Creek are worthy of further exploration once I get my machete sharpened.
Iowa County
English River block
--another grid block, which does have some nice woodlands
along the English River and nice grasslands in the northern third. I found a
pair of Spotted Sandpipers in a drainage area along CR 18 south of F67 and a
pair of Willow Flycatchers near the bridge. There was a singing Bell's Vireo
along the Keokuk-Iowa County Line Rd. in the SE section, just west of the
Fuller Green Wildlife Area. Along Q Ave north of F67 there was an occupied
Baltimore Oriole nest, a pair of Orchard Orioles, and more Willow Flycatchers.
Wish I had time to do this every weekend.
Chris Caster
Coralville
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