I spent the day birding in Scott, Clinton, and Jackson counties. Of the 18 warbler species, the most numerous were American Redstart and Tennessee Warbler, followed by Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, and Blackpoll Warbler. But, the shorebirds and water birds (including Little Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, and Red-necked Phalarope) stole the show.
Princeton Wildlife Area, Scott County: 3 Cape May Warblers 1 Prothonotary Warbler Ben Martinsen Area, Clinton County: 3 Short-billed Dowitchers 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 Willow Flycatcher 1 Prothonotary Warbler Rock Creek Marsh, Camanche, Clinton County: 1 Snowy Egret 3 Dunlins Eagle Point Park, Clinton County: 1 Yellow-throated Warbler singing near the lodge Bulger's Hollow, Clinton County: Many American White Pelicans and Double-crested Cormorants seen near their island nesting colonies Farm pond on S side of 170th St., just west of 425th Ave., Clinton County: 47 Cattle Egrets Goose Lake, Clinton County: 1 Trumpeter Swan 1 Little Blue Heron (mostly white with a few blue-gray feathers) 1 Common Moorhen 2 Sandhill Cranes (one on nest) 1 Bell's Vireo 1 Yellow-headed Blackbird Green Island Wildlife Area, Jackson County: 1 Hooded Merganser 1 Cattle Egret 2 Sandhill Cranes 12 shorebird species including 7 Hudsonian Godwits 2 Dunlins 41 Short-billed Dowitchers 3 Wilson's Phalaropes 1 Red-necked Phalarope (10 years to the day since my last spring sighting!) 2 Bonaparte's Gulls 1 Franklin's Gull 8 Caspian Terns 1 Prothonotary Warbler 4 Yellow-headed Blackbirds Almost all the marsh habitat at Green Island is under water, and most of the birds were in a flooded field near the western edge of the wildlife area, on the east side of 501st Ave. As the water recedes this area should continue to provide great habitat for shorebirds. Chris Edwards Solon, IA [email protected] --- 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]
