Early this afternoon I observed a pair of Horned Grebes swimming together through the westernmost stretch of water on Swan Lake (located in Swan Lake State Park, just 3 miles south of Carroll). After crouching low in the tall grass on the shoreline and waiting patiently for a few minutes, the pair came within several yards of where I sat hiding. When the sun hit just right, the male's breeding plumage, which, of course, has yet to reach its full vibrance, distinguished him easily from his Eared counterpart. I spied on the pair for a good 5-10 mintues before I stood up and came into full view. Seeming not the slightest bit perturbed by my sudden appearance, the pair simply kept paddling along. Elsewhere in the park, I spotted both a Cooper's and Sharp-Shinned Hawk, separately, of course. Song, Harris's, and Fox Sparrows weren't exactly making themselves scarce. Yesterday evening, I spotted a Common Loon on the water. At dusk, he began yodeling, but sadly, these pleasant sounds were soon drowned by the blare of a car stereo. I know that I'm preaching to the choir here, but that is so obnoxious!!
I hope that everyone has the chance to get out and enjoy the sunshine and the unseasonably warm temperatures while they last! Happy Birding To All! Rachel Simmons Carroll --- 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]
