Iowa RBA birds reported from Saturday, January 14, through Friday, January 20, 2012:
-RARE Species Mentioned (documentation required) CASUAL: *GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL* -Additional Species Mentioned White-winged Scoter Glaucous Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Snowy Owl Short-eared Owl Red Crossbill White-winged Crossbill Common Redpoll ***NEW!**************** For more up to date information on rarities in the state of Iowa, visit the Iowa Birds and Birding website at www.iowabirds.org. A list of rare birds is placed on the home page with the location of the rarity and most recent date of observation. This is updated several times per day. This is a handy tool for anyone making a birding trip or otherwise into the state of Iowa. ************************ Species in ALL CAPS can be classified into three categories in the state of Iowa: 1) UNRECORDED, ACCIDENTAL or Casual; 2) A RARE but regular species; or 3) record early or late date or unusual for time of year. Any species with three asterisks (***species***) would represent a first record for Iowa (UNRECORDED) and should be observed and documented very carefully. Species with two asterisks (**species**) are species that are either ACCIDENTAL, CASUAL, or a rare regular species, and should also be documented. Species with one asterisk (*species) should have some details of the observation provided. *EAST*: SCOTT COUNTY: WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were seen at Fairmount Cemetery on the 14th. They were last seen on the 15th. They were joined by a single RED CROSSBILL on the 18th. LINN COUNTY: A SNOWY OWL was seen at the Eastern Iowa Airport on the 14th. This bird was last seen on the 16th. JOHNSON COUNTY: A SNOWY OWL was seen in Iowa City on the 16th. It was last seen atop the south side of the Ecumenical Towers building. SCOTT COUNTY: A WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was seen from Lindsay Park on the 16th. *SOUTHEAST*: LEE COUNTY: A GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL continues to be seen at Captain Kirks at the Ft Madison riverfront on the 16th. WAPELLO COUNTY: A GLAUCOUS GULL and a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL were seen below the dam at Ottumwa on the 18th. *CENTRAL:*** * * *POLK COUNTY:* *A SNOWY OWL was seen 0.4 miles South of 118th Ave on NW 26th Street, which is East of Polk City on the 14th.* * * *2 COMMON REDPOLLS were seen at the Saylorville visitor center on the 14th. They were last seen on the 15th.* * * *5 COMMON REDPOLLS were seen at the Johnston pits on the 15th. They were last seen the 16th.* * * *STORY COUNTY:* *A SNOWY OWL continues to be seen on the 14th. Directions: From I-35 13thStreet exit in Ames go east to 570th Ave. (about 1/4 of a mile). Go north for about a 1 1/4 past 210th St. This bird was last seen on the 15th.* * * * * * * * * *SOUTHWEST:* * * *PAGE COUNTY:* *A SNOWY OWL was seen along 230th St near Farragut on the 15th.* * * * * * * *WEST:* * * *CARROLL COUNTY:* *20 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were seen at the Carroll Cemetery on the 16th.* * * * * * * * * *NORTHWEST:* * * *KOSSUTH COUNTY:* *A SNOWY OWL was seen on a post along 220th in Kossuth County, near St. Benedict on the 14th.* * * *2 SHORT-EARED OWLS were seen along County Rd P20 on the 14th. The first one was between 120th St and 130th St and the other between 110th and 120th St.* * * *40 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were seen at Riverview Cemetery on the 19th.* * * *IDA COUNTY:* *A SNOWY OWL continues to be seen at the Great Plains Dairy as recently as the 16th.* * * *DICKINSON COUNTY:* *A SNOWY OWL was seen near the intersection of 240th St. and 240th Ave. SE of Milford on the 17th.* * * *WOODBURY COUNTY:* *8 SHORT-EARED OWLS were seen at Owego on the 17th.* * * *A SHORT-EARED OWL was seen at Luton North WA on the 17th.* * * *A SNOWY OWL was seen at 320th and just east of Fayette along the dead end road on the 17th.* * * * * * * * * * * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next scheduled report of the Iowa Rare Bird Alert will be for Friday, January 27, 2012 for the weekly report. Should any UNRECORDED or ACCIDENTAL species be reported, an update will be posted. John Bissell Grimes, Iowa [email protected] <[email protected]> 515-986-9796 --- 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/PayDues.aspx. ----- You are currently subscribed to ia-bird as: [email protected]
