Hi All, I spent a gorgeous day of my spring vacation birding in Adair, Cass, Audubon and Guthrie Counties. Windy throughout the day and cloudy early, but conditions were best in the early afternoon in Cass Co. with temps in the mid-70s! I ended the day with 245 miles and 65 species, including 22 species of waterfowl and 7 raptors. Some highlights, All 5 Geese @ gravel pits in Adair Co. (just south of I-80 towards Greenfield) 8 Blue-winged Teal @ Lakin Slough, Guthrie Co. 1 American Black Duck @ Bays Branch, Guthrie Co. (with a flyby flock of Mallards) 2 Greater Scaup @ Littlefield RA, Audubon Co. 26 Ruddy Ducks @ Lake Anita, Cass Co. 1 Eared Grebe @ Lake Anita, Cass Co. 1 Northern Harrier in rural Adair Co. 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk @ Lake Anita, Cass Co. 1 Merlin @ Lake Anita, Cass Co. 1 Lesser Yellowlegs @ Lakin Slough, Guthrie Co. 1 Eurasian Collared-Dove in Greenfield, Adair Co. 2 Loggerhead Shrikes -1 just south of I-80, north of Anita in Cass Co. -1 at Bays Branch in Guthrie Co. Eastern Meadowlarks were numerous in Guthrie County -1 at Lake Anita in Cass Co. -none in Adair Co. Western Meadowlarks numerous in Adair County -not found in other counties today Massive flock of blackbirds at Long Pond in Guthrie Co. -18000+ Red-winged Blackbirds -multiple thousands of Common Grackles, Cowbirds, and Starlings -ZERO Rusty and/or Brewer's Blackbirds (zilch in 20 minutes of searching at dusk) 3 singing Purple Finches @ Lake Anita in Cass Co. Danny Akers Ankeny & Iowa City [email protected]
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