-RBA
*Iowa
*Iowa Statewide
*12 Aug 2006
*IAST0608.12
-Transcript
-RARE Species Mentioned (documentation required)
ACCIDENTAL:
**RUFF** (potential 13th state record)
CASUAL
**MEW GULL** (potential 12th state record)
**RED KNOT**
-Additional Species Mentioned
Common Merganser
Gray Partridge
American Bittern
Least Bittern
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
*Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Mississippi Kite
Peregrine Falcon
Piping Plover
American Avocet
Willet
*Hudsonian Godwit
*Marbled Godwit
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
**WESTERN SANDPIPER**
Baird's Sandpiper
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
*Short-billed Dowitcher
*Long-billed Dowitcher
Wilson's Phalarope
Red-necked Phalarope
Franklin's Gull
*Common Tern
Least Tern
Black-billed Cuckoo
*Eurasian Collared-Dove
Loggerhead Shrike
Northern Mockingbird
Great-tailed Grackle
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Coverage: Iowa Statewide
Date: 12 August 2006
Compiler and Transcriber: Danny Akers
Email: BirdManDan1231@hotmail.com
For more information on Iowa birds and birding, visit www.iowabirds.org/
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. Occasionally, these asterisks may only apply to certain regularly
occuring species at certain times of the year. Species in the ACCIDENTAL and
CASUAL categories are listed in order of accepted occurance in the state,
with the rarest species at the top. Species in the ACCIDENTAL category will
also have the accepted or potential state record number next to the species
name.
-Weekly Summary for Saturday, August 12th, 2006:
Thrity-five (35) species are mentioned in the report this week. One
Accidental species was reported. A molting adult RUFF was found on 31 Jul at
Pinchey Bottoms and was seen through the 2nd. It has been commented by
several observers that this bird was in the most alternate plumage they had
ever seen. Photos of the bird can be viewed at
http://www.iowabirds.org/photo-gallery/index.asp and
http://www.angelfire.com/ab6/birdpics/ruff.html . This bird will likely be
the 13th state record. Two Casual species were also reported: a MEW GULL in
Tama County, a potential 12th state record, and a RED KNOT in Marion County.
Several other noteworty birds were reported, including 2 YELLOW-CROWNED
NIGHT-HERONS in Kossuth County, a flock of 20 HUDSONIAN GODWITS in Marion
County, a MARBLED GODWIT in Tama County, an adult WESTERN SANDPIPER in
Johnson County, and both DOWITCHERS in Polk County. The Shorebird Migration
Tally continues to climb, now with 32 species reported. Without a doubt,
Pinchey Bottoms has been the hotspot thus far, but there is much of the
season yet to come.
-Here is the Iowa Rare Bird Alert from Tuesday, August 1st to Saturday,
August 12th, 2006:
NORTH CENTRAL:
CERRO GORDO COUNTY: A PIPING PLOVER and a WILSON'S PHALAROPE were the
highlights of 13 species of shorebirds at Zirbel Slough on the 1st. A
PEREGRINE FALCON was also buzzing around. A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was along
190th, south and east from Zirbel Slough.
At Teal Basin on the 2nd was a WILLET and a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER.
A LEAST BITTERN, a WILSON'S PHALAROPE, and a few FRANKLIN'S GULLS were the
highlights at Zirbel Slough on the 7th.
Highlights of twelve species of shorebirds at Zirbel Slough on the 11th
included four RED-NECKED PHALAROPES and 2 WILSON'S PHALAROPES.
KOSSUTH COUNTY: A large amount of rainfall in early August filled Union
Slough N.W.R. On the 2nd however, highlights included two AMERICAN BITTERNS,
two YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, WILSON'S and
RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, and 2 COMMON TERNS.
NORTHEAST:
BLACK HAWK COUNTY: A pair of GRAY PARTRIDGE and a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE were
present along East Mount Vernon Road between Sage Road and Schenk Road north
and east of Waterloo.
WINNESHIEK COUNTY: A RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was the shorebird highlight at
Cardinal Marsh, near Ridgeway, on the 12th.
EAST CENTRAL:
LINN COUNTY: A few shorebirds were present at Cedar Lake on the 1st,
including a RUDDY TURNSTONE as the highlight, but also with 2 SEMIPALMATED
PLOVERS.
JOHNSON COUNTY: At Hawkeye Wildlife Area on the 2nd were 5 PIPING PLOVERS
and 4 LEAST TERNS (including a first year bird). Two SANDERLINGS and ten
RUDDY TURNSTONES were also present in the same area. All of these were
observed northwest and west of Sand Point. The area was accessed via the
Half Moon Ave. parking lot.
Highlights from the previously described area in Hawkeye Wildlife Area on
the 3rd included 2 EURASIAN TREE SPARROWS, a PIPING PLOVER, a WILLET, and 5
RUDDY TURNSTONES. Early in the afternoon, 5 AMERICAN AVOCETS were distantly
viewed south of the DNR Headquarters Parking lot along Amana Rd. Shorebirds
along the long pool that parallels Amana Rd. (just west of
Blaines Cemetery Rd.) included 10 species, one of which was an adult WESTERN
SANDPIPER.
SOUTH CENTRAL:
MARION COUNTY: A molting adult male RUFF was found at Pinchey Bottoms, near
Swan, on 31 Jul. The bird was observed by several that evening and was
relocated and seen by several observers through 2 Aug.
Along with the RUFF on the 1st, was a flock of 20 GODWITS, all presumably
HUDSONIANS. A white rump was observed on at least six of these birds. A
SNOWY EGRET and a GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE were highlights here as well.
A high count of 97 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS were tallied at Pinchey Bottoms on
the 2nd. A HUDSONIAN GODWIT was also present, as was the RUFF. A PEREGRINE
FALCON and a WILSON'S PHALAROPE were also of note. At Rathbun Reservoir was
a PIPING PLOVER, 2 WILLETS, 3 RUDDY TURNSTONES, a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, a
WILSON'S PHALAROPE, and a LEAST TERN. The birds at Red Rock were widely
scattered along the south shore of the lake from the dam west to the first
main campground.
Highlights at Pinchey Bottoms on the 10th included a juvenile RED KNOT and a
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE. The RED KNOT was relocated later in the day. Also
present later were 5 each of RED-NECKED and WILSON'S PHALAROPES, a SNOWY
EGRET, and a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO.
WARREN COUNTY: An immature LITTLE BLUE HERON was at the Diehl Ponds on the
4th. Ten species of shorebirds were also present.
CENTRAL:
POLK COUNTY: At Jester Park on the 2nd was a PIPING PLOVER, several
SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, and 3 SANDERLINGS. Later in the day, highlights here
included a SANDERLING, 5 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS, 19 SHORT-BILLED and 3
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, a WILSON'S PHALAROPE, 2 COMMON TERNS, and a LEAST
TERN.
Eleven AMERICAN AVOCETS were resting off the Jester Park boat ramp on the
6th.
On the 7th, a RUDDY TURNSTONE was present at Oak Grove Beach. A PIPING
PLOVER was at Cherry Glen and a SANDERLING was in the same area.
Two SANDERLINGS were at Cherry Glen on the 8th. At Oak Grove was a RUDDY
TURNSTONE and 2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS.
A COMMON MERGANSER was observed on the point off of Lakeview Access on the
11th and a PIPING PLOVER was at Sandpiper Beach.
Two MISSISSIPPI KITES were observed on the southside of Des Moines on the
12th. One was over the intersection of Leach Ave and SW 5th St and the other
was over the intersection of Leach Ave and South Union.
TAMA COUNTY: A MARBLED GODWIT was the highlight among nine species of
shorebirds at Otter Creek Marsh on the 5th. The Godwit was in the pool next
to the barn. Water levels were reportedly very low and the dikes need
mowing.
An immature MEW GULL was found at Otter Creek Marsh on the 8th. The bird was
associating with other Ring-billed Gulls near the barn area. It could not be
relocated later in the day. If accepted, this would be the first Iowa record
outside of a 23 Oct-12 Mar time period.
DALLAS COUNTY: Six EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were reported from a residence in
Adel on the 11th. A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was discovered at Brenton Arboretum
near Dallas Center. The bird was about 50 yards in from the entrance gate in
some small trees and brush that border a drainage ditch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next scheduled report of the Iowa Rare Bird Alert will be for Saturday,
August 19th for the weekly report. Should any UNRECORDED or ACCIDENTAL
species be reported, an update will be posted.
*Iowa
*Iowa Statewide
*12 Aug 2006
*IAST0608.12
-Transcript
-RARE Species Mentioned (documentation required)
ACCIDENTAL:
**RUFF** (potential 13th state record)
CASUAL
**MEW GULL** (potential 12th state record)
**RED KNOT**
-Additional Species Mentioned
Common Merganser
Gray Partridge
American Bittern
Least Bittern
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
*Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Mississippi Kite
Peregrine Falcon
Piping Plover
American Avocet
Willet
*Hudsonian Godwit
*Marbled Godwit
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
**WESTERN SANDPIPER**
Baird's Sandpiper
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
*Short-billed Dowitcher
*Long-billed Dowitcher
Wilson's Phalarope
Red-necked Phalarope
Franklin's Gull
*Common Tern
Least Tern
Black-billed Cuckoo
*Eurasian Collared-Dove
Loggerhead Shrike
Northern Mockingbird
Great-tailed Grackle
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Coverage: Iowa Statewide
Date: 12 August 2006
Compiler and Transcriber: Danny Akers
Email: BirdManDan1231@hotmail.com
For more information on Iowa birds and birding, visit www.iowabirds.org/
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. Occasionally, these asterisks may only apply to certain regularly
occuring species at certain times of the year. Species in the ACCIDENTAL and
CASUAL categories are listed in order of accepted occurance in the state,
with the rarest species at the top. Species in the ACCIDENTAL category will
also have the accepted or potential state record number next to the species
name.
-Weekly Summary for Saturday, August 12th, 2006:
Thrity-five (35) species are mentioned in the report this week. One
Accidental species was reported. A molting adult RUFF was found on 31 Jul at
Pinchey Bottoms and was seen through the 2nd. It has been commented by
several observers that this bird was in the most alternate plumage they had
ever seen. Photos of the bird can be viewed at
http://www.iowabirds.org/photo-gallery/index.asp and
http://www.angelfire.com/ab6/birdpics/ruff.html . This bird will likely be
the 13th state record. Two Casual species were also reported: a MEW GULL in
Tama County, a potential 12th state record, and a RED KNOT in Marion County.
Several other noteworty birds were reported, including 2 YELLOW-CROWNED
NIGHT-HERONS in Kossuth County, a flock of 20 HUDSONIAN GODWITS in Marion
County, a MARBLED GODWIT in Tama County, an adult WESTERN SANDPIPER in
Johnson County, and both DOWITCHERS in Polk County. The Shorebird Migration
Tally continues to climb, now with 32 species reported. Without a doubt,
Pinchey Bottoms has been the hotspot thus far, but there is much of the
season yet to come.
-Here is the Iowa Rare Bird Alert from Tuesday, August 1st to Saturday,
August 12th, 2006:
NORTH CENTRAL:
CERRO GORDO COUNTY: A PIPING PLOVER and a WILSON'S PHALAROPE were the
highlights of 13 species of shorebirds at Zirbel Slough on the 1st. A
PEREGRINE FALCON was also buzzing around. A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was along
190th, south and east from Zirbel Slough.
At Teal Basin on the 2nd was a WILLET and a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER.
A LEAST BITTERN, a WILSON'S PHALAROPE, and a few FRANKLIN'S GULLS were the
highlights at Zirbel Slough on the 7th.
Highlights of twelve species of shorebirds at Zirbel Slough on the 11th
included four RED-NECKED PHALAROPES and 2 WILSON'S PHALAROPES.
KOSSUTH COUNTY: A large amount of rainfall in early August filled Union
Slough N.W.R. On the 2nd however, highlights included two AMERICAN BITTERNS,
two YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, WILSON'S and
RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, and 2 COMMON TERNS.
NORTHEAST:
BLACK HAWK COUNTY: A pair of GRAY PARTRIDGE and a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE were
present along East Mount Vernon Road between Sage Road and Schenk Road north
and east of Waterloo.
WINNESHIEK COUNTY: A RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was the shorebird highlight at
Cardinal Marsh, near Ridgeway, on the 12th.
EAST CENTRAL:
LINN COUNTY: A few shorebirds were present at Cedar Lake on the 1st,
including a RUDDY TURNSTONE as the highlight, but also with 2 SEMIPALMATED
PLOVERS.
JOHNSON COUNTY: At Hawkeye Wildlife Area on the 2nd were 5 PIPING PLOVERS
and 4 LEAST TERNS (including a first year bird). Two SANDERLINGS and ten
RUDDY TURNSTONES were also present in the same area. All of these were
observed northwest and west of Sand Point. The area was accessed via the
Half Moon Ave. parking lot.
Highlights from the previously described area in Hawkeye Wildlife Area on
the 3rd included 2 EURASIAN TREE SPARROWS, a PIPING PLOVER, a WILLET, and 5
RUDDY TURNSTONES. Early in the afternoon, 5 AMERICAN AVOCETS were distantly
viewed south of the DNR Headquarters Parking lot along Amana Rd. Shorebirds
along the long pool that parallels Amana Rd. (just west of
Blaines Cemetery Rd.) included 10 species, one of which was an adult WESTERN
SANDPIPER.
SOUTH CENTRAL:
MARION COUNTY: A molting adult male RUFF was found at Pinchey Bottoms, near
Swan, on 31 Jul. The bird was observed by several that evening and was
relocated and seen by several observers through 2 Aug.
Along with the RUFF on the 1st, was a flock of 20 GODWITS, all presumably
HUDSONIANS. A white rump was observed on at least six of these birds. A
SNOWY EGRET and a GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE were highlights here as well.
A high count of 97 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS were tallied at Pinchey Bottoms on
the 2nd. A HUDSONIAN GODWIT was also present, as was the RUFF. A PEREGRINE
FALCON and a WILSON'S PHALAROPE were also of note. At Rathbun Reservoir was
a PIPING PLOVER, 2 WILLETS, 3 RUDDY TURNSTONES, a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, a
WILSON'S PHALAROPE, and a LEAST TERN. The birds at Red Rock were widely
scattered along the south shore of the lake from the dam west to the first
main campground.
Highlights at Pinchey Bottoms on the 10th included a juvenile RED KNOT and a
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE. The RED KNOT was relocated later in the day. Also
present later were 5 each of RED-NECKED and WILSON'S PHALAROPES, a SNOWY
EGRET, and a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO.
WARREN COUNTY: An immature LITTLE BLUE HERON was at the Diehl Ponds on the
4th. Ten species of shorebirds were also present.
CENTRAL:
POLK COUNTY: At Jester Park on the 2nd was a PIPING PLOVER, several
SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, and 3 SANDERLINGS. Later in the day, highlights here
included a SANDERLING, 5 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS, 19 SHORT-BILLED and 3
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, a WILSON'S PHALAROPE, 2 COMMON TERNS, and a LEAST
TERN.
Eleven AMERICAN AVOCETS were resting off the Jester Park boat ramp on the
6th.
On the 7th, a RUDDY TURNSTONE was present at Oak Grove Beach. A PIPING
PLOVER was at Cherry Glen and a SANDERLING was in the same area.
Two SANDERLINGS were at Cherry Glen on the 8th. At Oak Grove was a RUDDY
TURNSTONE and 2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS.
A COMMON MERGANSER was observed on the point off of Lakeview Access on the
11th and a PIPING PLOVER was at Sandpiper Beach.
Two MISSISSIPPI KITES were observed on the southside of Des Moines on the
12th. One was over the intersection of Leach Ave and SW 5th St and the other
was over the intersection of Leach Ave and South Union.
TAMA COUNTY: A MARBLED GODWIT was the highlight among nine species of
shorebirds at Otter Creek Marsh on the 5th. The Godwit was in the pool next
to the barn. Water levels were reportedly very low and the dikes need
mowing.
An immature MEW GULL was found at Otter Creek Marsh on the 8th. The bird was
associating with other Ring-billed Gulls near the barn area. It could not be
relocated later in the day. If accepted, this would be the first Iowa record
outside of a 23 Oct-12 Mar time period.
DALLAS COUNTY: Six EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were reported from a residence in
Adel on the 11th. A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was discovered at Brenton Arboretum
near Dallas Center. The bird was about 50 yards in from the entrance gate in
some small trees and brush that border a drainage ditch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next scheduled report of the Iowa Rare Bird Alert will be for Saturday,
August 19th for the weekly report. Should any UNRECORDED or ACCIDENTAL
species be reported, an update will be posted.