I couldn't make it up to the marsh until 6:20 this evening but it was still worth the late effort! The first bird I flushed was a Smith's Longspur. It flew a short ways then stood there and I got great looks at it (of course, since I didn't have my camera). On my second north-south pass through the field I flushed a Sprague's Pipit. It flew really high then dropped back down towards the west end of the field. When I got back to my car I heard another Sprague's flight call coming from the west side of the field. Not sure if it was the same bird I flushed or a different one. Thanks for the new Polk Co. bird, Aaron!! Good birding... Jay Gilliam Norwalk In a message dated 10/7/2012 12:45:45 P.M. Central Daylight Time, [email protected] writes:
This morning I found at least three Sprague's Pipits and two Smith's Longspurs at Errington Marsh. They were in the field with the short, sparse vegetation at the north end of the area and could occasionally be seen and heard from the road when they moved around the field. Both species are most easily located and identified by their flight calls and are difficult to view on the ground. I will try to post some photos to my flickr page shortly. Aaron Brees Saylorville, IA _http://www.flickr.com/photos/abrees/_ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/abrees/) --- 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] --- 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]
