Iowa RBA birds reported from Monday, August 27, through Friday, August 31, 2012:
-RARE Species Mentioned (documentation required) ACCIDENTAL: **SWALLOW-TAILED KITE** -Additional Species Mentioned Eared Grebe American Golden-Plover Black-bellied Plover American Avocet Buff-breasted Sandpiper Ruddy Turnstone Willet WESTERN SANDPIPER Red-necked Phalarope Common Tern BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER Blue Grosbeak (East) ***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 AMERICAN-GOLDEN-PLOVER was seen at Swan Lake at Hawkeye WA on the 24th. 2 BLUE GROSBEAKS were seen at Waterworks Park on the 25th. They are present at the far end ( west end ) of the big pond at the four-way intersection. The park may be found by going north on Dubuque St from exit 244 I-80 to just before crossing the Iowa River. They were seen again on the 27th. They were last seen on the 29th. 7 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS were seen along the east side of the farm access road to Sand Point on the 25th. 4 RUDDY TURNSTONES and a WESTERN SANDPIPER were seen at Matson Pond on the 26th. Directions: from exit #4 off I-380. Proceed west on F-28 about 7 3/4 mi. Go right on gravel Cemetery Rd. Follow Cemetery Rd. about one mile. Turn right on Swan Lake Rd. This is not marked as such, but there is a small sign that says " Wildlife Restoration." Proceed about one mile to a 'T' intersection. Go right about 1/4 mile to a parking lot on the right. Walk west ( right ) down into a vegetated swale and follow to the pond. 2 WILLETS were seen at Swan Lake at Hawkeye WA on the 26th. LINN COUNTY: A BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER was seen at Squaw Creek Park on the 31st. This was at the very west end of the main wooded trail. That's next to the parking lots and restrooms at the southwest corner. *NORTHEAST:* * * WINNESHIEK COUNTY: 2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS were seen at Cardinal Marsh on the 28th. BLACK HAWK COUNTY: 2 COMMON TERNS were seen at East Lake at George Wyth SP on the 30th. * * *SOUTHEAST*: LEE COUNTY: 2 WILLETS were seen at the Green Bay Bottoms along the Mississippi River on the 27th. *SOUTH CENTRAL*: WARREN COUNTY: A BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was seen at Diehl Pond on the 28th. *CENTRAL:* * * *TAMA COUNTY:* *2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS and a BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER were seen at Otter Creek Marsh on the 24th.* * * *The SWALLOW-TAILED KITE, which was seen by many during the IOU meeting on the 25th at Otter Creek Marsh, was relocated on the 27th. It was last seen on the 29th.* * * *POLK COUNTY:* *12 AMERICAN AVOCETS were seen at Saylorville on the 26th.* * * *A WESTERN SANDPIPER, a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, and 3 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were seen at Jester Park on the 26th.* * * * * * * *NORTHWEST:* * * *KOSSUTH COUNTY:* *Highlights from Union Slough NWR on the 26th included a BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, and 8 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES.* * * *CLAY COUNTY:* *Highlights from Trumbull Lake on the 27th included EARED GREBE, 15 AMERICAN AVOCETS, RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, and BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER.* * * * * * * * * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next scheduled report of the Iowa Rare Bird Alert will be for Friday, September 7, 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]
