Iowa RBA birds reported from Saturday, February 18, through Friday, February 24, 2012:
-RARE Species Mentioned (documentation required) ACCIDENTAL: **BULLOCKS ORIOLE** CASUAL: *KUMLIENS GULL* *ICELAND GULL* *GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL* -Additional Species Mentioned Tundra Swan (Central) Northern Goshawk Thayers Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Glaucous Gull Snowy Owl 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*: CLINTON COUNTY: A SNOWY OWL was seen about a quarter mile north of 1748 442nd Ave south of Andover on the 22nd. SCOTT COUNTY: A KUMLIENS GULL was seen at Lock and Dam 15 on the 22nd. Highlights from Lock and Dam 14 on the 22nd included GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, ICELAND GULL, THAYERS GULL, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, and a GLAUCOUS GULL. LINN COUNTY: 4 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were seen at Squaw Creek Park on the 23rd. *SOUTHEAST*: WAPELLO COUNTY: A BULLOCKS ORIOLE continues to frequent Ottumwa feeding stations as recently as the 20th. *CENTRAL:*** * * *POLK COUNTY:* *A TUNDRA SWAN was seen at Hallett Pits on the 18th.* * * *A SNOWY OWL continues to be seen along NW 26th Street about 1/2-3/4 of mile south of 118th Avenue on the 18th.* * * *A NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen at Maffitt Reservoir on the 19th.* * * *A SNOWY OWL was seen on the southbound Elkhart exit (exit 96) sign on Interstate 35 on the 23rd.* * * *BOONE COUNTY:* *3 COMMON REDPOLLS were seen at a residence near Ledges SP on the 19th.* * * * * *NORTHWEST:* * * *DICKINSON COUNTY:* *15 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were seen at Lake Park Cemetery on the 18th.* * * *OSCEOLA COUNTY:* *17 COMMON REDPOLLS were seen at the Sibley Cemetery on the 18th.* * * *WOODBURY COUNTY:* *40 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were seen in Graceland Cemetery in Sioux City on the 21st. They were last seen on the 22nd.* * * * * * * * * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next scheduled report of the Iowa Rare Bird Alert will be for Friday, March 2, 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]
