Iowa RBA birds reported from Saturday, October 27, through Friday, November 2, 2012:
-RARE Species Mentioned (documentation required) CASUAL: *CALIFORNIA GULL* -Additional Species Mentioned Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Red-throated Loon Pacific Loon Eared Grebe Western Grebe Red-necked Grebe Northern Goshawk FERRUGINOUS HAWK Black-bellied Plover Lesser Black-backed Gull TOWNSENDS SOLITAIRE Brewers Blackbird Common Redpoll White-winged Crossbill ***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: A WESTERN GREBE was seen at Coralville Lake on the 31st. NORTHEAST: BLACK HAWK COUNTY: BREWERS BLACKBIRDS were seen near the Cedar River Natural Resource Area on the 27th. SOUTHEAST: LEE COUNTY: A CALIFORNIA GULL was seen on the breakwater above the Mississippi River dam in Keokuk on the 1st. SOUTH CENTRAL: MARION COUNTY: Highlights from Red Rock on the 27th included 2 WESTERN GREBES, a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, and 11 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS. CENTRAL: POLK COUNTY: A COMMON REDPOLL was seen at Red Feather Prairie on the 27th. A BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER was seen at Jester Park on the 27th. It was seen again on the 30th. 2 SURF SCOTERS were seen at Saylorville on the 28th. Highlights from Saylorville on the 2nd included 2 PACIFIC LOONS, a RED-THROATED LOON, a RED-NECKED GREBE, and an EARED GREBE. STORY COUNTY: A NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen on the Iowa State University campus on the 29th. WEST: POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY: A FERRUGINOUS HAWK was seen at the Hitchcock hawkwatch on the 26th. A WESTERN GREBE and a SURF SCOTER were seen at Lake Manawa on the 28th. 2 WESTERN GREBES, a SURF SCOTER, and 5 EARED GREBES were there on the 1st. NORTHWEST: DICKINSON COUNTY: 2 SURF SCOTERS and an EARED GREBE were seen at Spirit Lake on the 27th. A WESTERN GREBE and a RED-THROATED LOON were seen at Spirit Lake on the 30th. A TOWNSENDS SOILTAIRE was seen at Marble Beach Park on the 30th. 9 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were seen at Lake Park Cemetery on the 1st. CLAY COUNTY: A BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER was seen at Trumbull Lake on the 27th. OBRIEN COUNTY: A TOWNSENDS SOLITAIRE was seen on the 28th at the following location: a half mile east of the T intersection of Waterman Blvd along 470th St. CALHOUN COUNTY: 3 WESTERN GREBES were seen on a pond east of the town of Knierim on Highway 20 on the 28th. KOSSUTH COUNTY: 50 BREWERS BLACKBIRDS were seen at Union Slough NWR on the 31st. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next scheduled report of the Iowa Rare Bird Alert will be for Friday, November 9, 2012 for the weekly report. Should any UNRECORDED or ACCIDENTAL species be reported, an update will be posted. John Bissell Grimes, Iowa [email protected] 515-423-6108 --- 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]
