Stuart and I spent the weekend in SW Iowa, primarily Fremont County. We
visited a few BBA blocks, although it's pretty early for most species to
show much evidence of nesting. We managed not to run into Paul and
Keith, or most of the birds that they saw. Not much in the way of
warblers, but we enjoyed seeing many Baltimore Orioles, Rose-breasted
Growbeaks, Indigo Buntings, and other common migrants that have only
recently returned. Highlights:
Friday, 5/4
Blackpoll Warbler (FOY) Greenfield Lake, Adair Co.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (FOY at Waubonsie SP)
Saturday, 5/5
Waubonsie State Park:
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (2)
Summer Tanagers (heard at least 10 throughout the park)
Fremont Co. BBA blocks:
Western Kingbird (2 locations)
Bell's Vireo (singing from just about every patch of dogwood in SW
Fremont Co.)
Grasshopper Sparrow
Orchard Oriole (many of the same places as the Bell's Vireos)
Bobolink
Least Flycatcher (Riverton)
Sunday, 5/6
White-eyed Vireo (Bluff Road just north of Waubonsie)
Northern Mockingbird (Bluff Road about a mile north of Thurman)
Blue Grosbeak (near Auldon Bar in BBA block 692)
Peregrine Falcon (Auldon Bar and Forney Lake, probably the same bird)
White-rumped Sandpiper (2 at Auldon Bar, which we studied for quite a
while before the Peregrine Falcon returned to chase off the small flock
of shorebirds.)
Forney Lake:
Little Blue Heron (1 adult flying in distance)
Black-necked Stilts (3)
Cattle Egret (2)
Black Tern (1)
Clay-colored Sparrow
Harris' Sparrow
Karen Viste-Sparkman
Des Moines
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Birding channel recommendation for FRS/GMRS radio use:
Primary selection; channel 5/0 , alternate selection; channel 6/0
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