On this cold, but beautifully sunny Saturday morning, seven birders took part in Big Bluestem Audubon's monthly field trip - this month to Boone County. Although it didn't quite feel like Spring, Spring migration did not disappoint and a good time was had by all. 74 species were found between 7:45AM and 12:30PM. We visited Harrier Marsh, Carlson Wildlife Area, Dickcissel Park, Rose Hill Cemetery and the gravel roads in between. My personal highlights were around six or so Hudsonian Godwits found with Greater Yellowlegs in a small wetland area on private land, a very cooperative Swainson's Hawk sitting on a fencerow who allowed us some great looks and photo opportunities and five Wilson's Phalaropes spinning away on a private pond south of Harrier Marsh.
Here is the full list of what we found: 1. Greater White-fronted Goose 2. Canada Goose 3. Wood Duck 4. Gadwall 5. American Wigeon 6. Mallard 7. Blue-winged Teal 8. Northern Shoveler 9. Northern Pintail 10. Green-winged Teal 11. Redhead 12. Ring-necked Duck 13. Lesser Scaup 14. Bufflehead 15. Hooded Merganser 16. Red-breasted Merganser 17. Ruddy Duck 18. Pied-billed Grebe 19. Double-crested Cormorant 20. American White Pelican 21. Great Blue Heron 22. Great Egret 23. Turkey Vulture 24. Bald Eagle 25. Northern Harrier 26. Cooper's Hawk 27. Swainson's Hawk 28. Red-tailed Hawk 29. American Coot 30. Killdeer 31. Greater Yellowlegs 32. Lesser Yellowlegs 33. Hudsonian Godwit 34. Wilson's Snipe 35. Wilson's Phalarope 36. Ring-billed Gull 37. Rock Pigeon 38. Eurasian Collared Dove 39. Mourning Dove 40. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 41. Downy Woodpecker 42. Hairy Woodpecker 43. Northern Flicker 44. American Kestrel 45. Eastern Phoebe 46. Blue Jay 47. American Crow 48. Tree Swallow 49. Barn Swallow 50. Black-capped Chickadee 51. White-breasted Nuthatch 52. Brown Creeper 53. Ruby-crowned Kinglet 54. Eastern Bluebird 55. Hermit Thrush 56. American Robin 57. European Starling 58. Yellow-rumped Warbler 59. Chipping Sparrow 60. Field Sparrow 61. Vesper Sparrow 62. Savannah Sparrow 63. Fox Sparrow 64. Song Sparrow 65. Dark-eyed Junco 66. Northern Cardinal 67. Eastern Meadowlark 68. Common Grackle 69. Brown-headed Cowbird 70. House Finch 71. Pine Siskin 72. American Goldfinch 73. House Sparrow 74. Ring-necked Pheasant (heard) Eric Ollie Ames, Story County --- 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]
