Birds Mentioned:
Lapland Longspur
Horned Lark
COMMON CRANE (Nebraska)
Oldsquaw
Northern saw-whet owl
Merlin
Tundra Swan
Trumpeter Swan
Golden Eagle
Brown Thrasher
Great-tailed Grackle
Long-eared Owl
Horned Grebe
Greater Scaup
Northern Flicker (Hybrid)
Northern Goshawk
Bald Eagle (Nests)
Short-eared Owl
Northern Shrike
Loggerhead Shrike
Waterfowl of all the common species are abundant and widespread at this time
on the state's lakes and rivers, especially in the south. LAPLAND LONGSPURS
and HORNED LARKS also seem to be quite widespread along roadsides and in
fields. The best bird this week is the OLDSQUAW which continues at Iowa
City. In Nebraska, the COMMON CRANE in Kearney County was still being seen
on the 14th. Contact the Nebraska RBA at (402) 292-5325 for updates.
In the southeast in Johnson County, the female OLDSQUAW continues its
residence on the Iowa River at Iowa City through the 14th, when it was seen
near the UI Art Museum. At Hickory Hill Park in Iowa City, a SAW-WHET OWL
was found on the 13th in a small cedar tree about 200 yards down the hill
straight east of the shelter at the Dodge Street entrance. A MERLIN was
spotted in Pleasant Valley Township on the 13th. In Louisa County, seven
adult TUNDRA SWANS and an adult TRUMPETER SWAN with a green neck tag were
present at Cone Marsh on the 13th.
In the central in Tama County, an immature GOLDEN EAGLE was a flyover at
Otter Creek Marsh on the 11th, while in Hamilton County, seven TRUMPETER
SWANS were flyovers at Anderson Lake near Jewell on the 12th. In Boone
County, Mike Hovlik and Amy Yokum were still hosting the BROWN THRASHER in
their yard at 615 Washington in Madrid last week. In Guthrie County,
TRUMPETER SWANS were seen at Bay's Branch, and a GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE was
spotted flying north from Lakin Slough, both on the 13th.
In the northeast in Jones County, a LONG-EARED OWL was found in a small
wooded area in the northeast corner of Muskrat Slough on the 12th. In Linn
County, two HORNED GREBES were at Cedar Lake in Cedar Rapids, and a female
GREATER SCAUP was at Pleasant Creek Recreation Area north of Palo, both on
the 12th. In Butler County, the NORTHERN FLICKER hybrid between RED and
YELLOW-SHAFTED varieties was still visiting the feeders at the Nature Center
in Heery Woods near Clarksville last week. In Winneshiek County, a NORTHERN
GOSHAWK was spotted about three miles east of Decorah on the 10th, while on
the 11th in Cerro Gordo County, a MERLIN was sighted about a mile west of
Mason City. In Allamakee County, active BALD EAGLE nests can be viewed from
a distance by taking Army Road east out of New Albin about a mile and
looking to the left, and by looking east from hiway 26 near the Lansing
Wildlife Area.
In the northwest in Emmet County, a SHORT-EARED OWL was seen in a field
about four miles north of Gruver on the 11th. In Palo Alto County, a
NORTHERN SHRIKE was sighted at Dewey's Pasture and an early LOGGERHEAD
SHRIKE was seen about ten miles away, both on the 11th.
Jim Fuller (319)338-3561
ioufuller@aol.com