Multiple waterfowl species were on Saylorville reservoir this morning, including (finally) the Western Grebe. At least one Common Loon was present, with a mixed raft of Am. Coots, Double Crested Cormorants, Ruddy Ducks, Scaup, Ring-necked Ducks, Redheads, Canvasbacks, Hooded Merganser, Northern Pintail, Mallard, Gadwall, Blue-winged Teal, Ring-billed Gulls (though that goes without saying, even though I did say it anyways). There may have been some scoters there as well, I don't think I saw any but I'm not familiar with scoters and the water was just choppy enough that getting good looks at the more distant ducks was difficult...
A Imm. Bald Eagle was seen overlooking the ducks and taking a number of exploratory flights past them but no clear attack was made. I also had a large first winter Gull of unknown species. It was completely brown and was at least half again as large as an adult Ring-billed Gull (maybe a Herring Gull as that would be most likely by range and timing); it flew straight into the sun and south of the dam, so I had little time to pick out any of the more diagnostic field marks. Jacob Newton Ames, IA --- 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]
