First thing this morning I found approximately 13,000 Snow Geese in one flock at Kirchner Prairie. All five species of goose were found in northwest Iowa today with a small group of six Cackling Geese as a yipping flyover at Barringer Slough. There were an estimated 8600 Gadwall on Trumbull Lake to easily take the duck high count, 124 Common Mergansers for a concentration on Elk Lake, and two Trumperter Swans flying about Blue Wing Marsh for an Anatidae total of 25 species.
I thought of counting Common Grackles today and was overwhelmed early on. I counted Rusty Blackbirds instead and had a total of 88 in six locations ranging from six at Barringer Slough to 26 at Blue Wing Marsh. Two Eastern Meadowlarks were vocalizing near restored wetlands at Dewey's Pasture complex in Palo Alto county. There were no Smith's Longspurs in three good fields walked, however. Altogether 67 species were seen for a good total on a gorgeous day afield. Lee A. Schoenewe Spencer --- 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]
