Iowa RBA: 10-30-09

[John and Anna Bissell]

Iowa RBA birds reported from Saturday, October 24, through Friday,
October 30, 2009:

-RARE Species Mentioned (documentation required)

ACCIDENTAL:
**CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR**




CASUAL:
*GYRFALCON*




-Additional Species Mentioned
Gray Partridge
White-winged Scoter
Eared Grebe
Western Grebe
RED-THROATED LOON
Northern Goshawk
PRAIRIE FALCON
Golden Eagle
American Avocet
Sanderling
Lesser Black-backed Gull
SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER
SPOTTED TOWHEE
Nelsons Sparrow
SMITHS LONGSPUR



***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:
An EARED GREBE was seen at Coralville Lake from Scales Pointe on the 25th.

An adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL continues to be seen below the
Coralville Reservoir dam from the west overlook as recently as the
26th.

LINN COUNTY:
A WESTERN GREBE was seen at Pleasant Creek SP on the 25th. It was last
seen on the 27th.




SOUTHEAST:

KEOKUK COUNTY:
A NELSONS SPARROW was seen at Fuller Green Valley on the 24th.




SOUTH CENTRAL:

MARION COUNTY:
2 WESTERN GREBES and a RED-THROATED LOON were seen at Red Rock on the
24th. The RED-THROATED LOON was seen at the end of Inwood Drive, at
the east side of Whitebreast's entrance.




CENTRAL:

POLK COUNTY:
Highlights from Saylorville on the 24th included 4 AMERICAN AVOCETS, 3
SANDERLINGS and an EARED GREBE.

4 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS were seen at Saylorville on the 26th.

SMITHS LONGSPURS were seen at Oak Grove RA at Saylorville on the 26th.

A SPOTTED TOWHEE was seen in a hedgerow along the road into Oak Grove
access at Saylorville on the 28th.

JASPER COUNTY:
12 SMITHS LONGSPUR and a PRAIRIE FALCON were seen at Neal Smith NWR on
the 24th. For anyone wanting to relocate the SMITHS LONGSPURS, one of
the fields is on 88th Ave. east of Pacific St.  Going east from
Pacific, it is on the right side after you cross a ditch and go up the
hill.  There is a parking area at the NE corner of the field.  This is
the edge of the refuge, so PLEASE BE CAREFUL NOT TO TRESPASS into the
neighboring bean field on private land--this includes parking.  If you
don't want to pull into the small, muddy, parking area, please park on
the
shoulder adjacent to the refuge.  The refuge field consists of mostly
grasses and is mowed short.  There is a waterway through the middle of
the field.  We saw the longspurs (both species, in separate flocks)
near the east edge of the field.




WEST:

POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY:
Highlights from the Hitchcock Hawkwatch on the 23rd included 4
NORTHERN GOSHAWKS and a GOLDEN EAGLE.

A PRAIRIE FALCON was seen at the Hitchcock Hawkwatch on the 24th.

An adult gray morph GYRFALCON was seen at the Hitchcock Hawkwatch on the 21st.

A GOLDEN EAGLE was seen at the Hitchcock Hawkwatch on the 25th.




NORTHWEST:

KOSSUTH COUNTY:
2 CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPURS were seen at the intersection of 270th
St and 120th Ave on the 24th. Also present were 50 SMITHS LONGSPURS
and 5 GRAY PARTRIDGE.

60 SMITHS LONGSPURS were seen near St Benedict WA on the 28th.

WOODBURY COUNTY:
An adult SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER was seen in the town of Luton on
the 25th. Directions are as follows: It was sitting on a power line on
the east side of K42, a paved road heading south of town (the only
paved road heading south of town). There is a small grass field to the
east of the power lines and he was often seen in there. This bird was
relocated in the same area on the 26th.

104 SMITHS LONGSPURS were seen in a mowed field on the south side of
Luton WMA on the 25th. ~50 were still there on the 26th.

A NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen in the county on the 26th. It was in the
same general area as the above mentioned SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER.




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The next scheduled report of the Iowa Rare Bird Alert will be for
Friday, November 6, 2009 for the weekly report. Should any UNRECORDED
or ACCIDENTAL species be reported, an update will be posted.


John Bissell
Grimes, Iowa
john.annabissell@...
515-986-9796