I spent a few hours birding southern Clarke County today. I birded one of my favorite routes looking for raptors for most of the time. There is a gravel road in the far southern portion of the county that runs from the west county line to the east county line and is always excellent for raptors and other open country birds. It is named Benson St. west of I35 and Mormon Trail east of the interstate. It is mostly open country and goes through large grassland areas, some deep timber, and also has a couple of feedlots along it. With the exception of a few kestrels and red-tails, all of the birds listed below were seen on this route. Ring-necked Pheasant- 1 Bald Eagle- 5 (all in one location feeding on a carcass) Northern Harrier- 5 (3 female, 2 male) Red-tailed Hawk- 12 (one dark morph Western type) Rough-legged Hawk- 7 (all light morphs) American Kestrel- 16 Horned Lark- 4 Eastern Bluebird- 9 (two groups) American Robin- 12 Song Sparrow -1 Meadowlark sp.- 2 Rusty Blackbird- 9 (feedlot at Benson and 160th Ave) Brown-headed Cowbird- 38 (feedlot at Benson and 160th Ave) Good birding... Jay Gilliam Norwalk, IA [email protected]_ (mailto:[email protected]) _http://jayspix.smugmug.com/Bird%20Photos/176462_ (http://jayspix.smugmug.com/Bird%20Photos/176462)
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