Iowa RBA birds reported from Saturday, March 24, through Friday, March 30, 2012:
-RARE Species Mentioned (documentation required) ACCIDENTAL: **MOTTLED DUCK** -Additional Species Mentioned Gray Partridge Cinnamon Teal Eared Grebe Northern Goshawk Sandhill Crane SORA (Record early) WHITE-WINGED DOVE NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW (Record early) MARSH WREN (Record early) PINE WARBLER YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER (Record early) LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH (Record early) Smiths Longspur Brewers Blackbird ***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*: JOHNSON COUNTY: An early SORA was seen at the little pond at Waterworks Park on N Dubuque St in Iowa City on the 28th. LINN COUNTY: An early SORA was seen at the Wickiup Nature Center on the 30th. *NORTHEAST:* * * BLACK HAWK COUNTY: 2 GRAY PARTRIDGE were seen on Sage Road about a quarter mile north of Dunkerton road north and east of Waterloo on the 28th. * * *SOUTHEAST*: LEE COUNTY: 2 PINE WARBLERS were seen at the Donnellson Unit of Shimek SF on the 24th. They were last seen on the 26th. An EARED GREBE was seen at Heron Bend South on the 24th. A NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen at the Donnellson Unit of Shimek SF on the 26th. LOUISA COUNTY: A SANDHILL CRANE was seen at Cone Marsh on the 25th. VAN BUREN COUNTY: An early LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH was seen at Ely Ford at Lacey Keosaqua SP on the 26th. *SOUTH CENTRAL*: WARREN COUNTY: SMITHS LONGSPURS and BREWERS BLACKBIRDS were seen at Diehl Ponds on the 24th . *CENTRAL:* * * *JASPER COUNTY:* *30 SMITHS LONGSPURS were seen at Neal Smith NWR on the 29th. Directions: take the paved entry road (Pacific Street) to the first stop sign. Turn right (west) at the stop sign on 88th Ave. Go about 3/4 of a mile to a two-track on the left (south) side of the road. Park here along 88th, walk the two-track. The birds were seen to the right of the two-track, although they could be using the left side as well since both areas were burned. We saw them close to the stubble field to the south, which is private property so please respect the landowner and stay out of the crop field.* * * *BOONE COUNTY:* *An early LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH and an early YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER were seen at Ledges SP on the 29th.* * * * * * * * * *SOUTHWEST:* * * *FREMONT COUNTY:* *2 MOTTLED DUCKS and a CINNAMON TEAL were seen at Forney Lake on the 28th. These birds were seen again on the 29th along with an early NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW and an early MARSH WREN.* * * * * * * *NORTHWEST:* * * *CLAY COUNTY:* *A BREWERS BLACKBIRD was seen at Deweys Pasture on the 25th.* * * *WOODBURY COUNTY:* *A CINNAMON TEAL continues to be seen at New Lake on the 25th.* * * *A WHITE-WINGED DOVE continues to be seen at the intersection of Frost and Center St in Merrill on the 29th.* * * * * * * * * The next scheduled report of the Iowa Rare Bird Alert will be for Friday, April 6, 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]
