Good evening all, Took the long way home from West Des Moines to Sioux City. Started off at Saylorville seeking Common Tern, Palm Warbler, and Clay-colored Sparrow. Struck out on all three. Lots of bird activity but it seems that most warblers left the area sometime before we arrived at 8:00AM. We did manage 38 Caspian Terns amongst the numerous Franklin's Gulls and not so numerous Ring-billed gulls. Also, a FOY single Chestnut-sided Warbler.
Swan Lake State Park (also lots of bird activity but little in the way of diversity or warblers): NO Snowy Egret FOYPalm Warbler FOYGlossy Ibis Yellow Warbler 1 American Redstart 6 Yellow-rumped Warbler 50+ ***Black-headed Grosbeak*** Caveat: Looked like a Baltimore Oriole when I first saw it but then the white wing patches made me think Rose-breasted Grosbeak--hum but it was orange and black. It was flying SE we were going N. As I looked back it seemed headed directly for the windbreak just north of the first farm on the east side of Hwy 71. When we turned around at 280th and went back we could not get any response or relocate the bird. Not sure even if it landed. Seems unlikely habitat with all that open farmland but.... If anyone cares to give a shot at relocating this bird, here are the directions. First farm south of Brushy Creek along Hwy 71 (this would be about 1/3 of a mile north of 290th in Carroll County If you have a GPS or which to find the location using yahoo or google here are the coordinates 41.940068 -94.878423 Woodbury was pretty much a bust except of one long Sora at Owego. Anyway God Bless, Paul Roisen Sioux City, IA Woodbury County 712-276-0371(H) 712-301-2817(C) --- 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]
