Documents • Iowa State University • Avian Archives of Iowa Online

Title	Genres	Topics	Date (Start)	Date (End)	Type	Description	Creator/Author	Birds	Locations	Locality	Habitat	Remarks

Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Mew Gull at Red Rock Reservoir Dam, 1994	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1994-12-11	1996-04-25	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review of a Mew Gull at Red Rock Reservoir Dam in Marion County, IA on December 11, 1994. Includes a record review document with votes, an article in Iowa Bird Life, and four documentation forms submitted to the committee.	Dinsmore, Stephen J.	Mew Gull	Red Rock Dam	below Red Rock Reservoir dam, Marion Co., IA	spillway	The documentation form by Steve Dinsmore forms the basis of this record. Other documentation forms by Jim Sinclair, Ray Cummins, and Thomas H. Kent were submitted. Other observers include Tim Schantz, Jim Fuller, and many unidentified observers. \| Elimination of similar species: The only species with which this bird could be confused is Ring-billed Gull. The tail and wing patterns, generally darker coloration, large eye, and smaller bill all eliminate first-winter Ring-billed Gull. Identification to subspecies was based on tail pattern and more extensive dark color on head and underparts. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 07:20:00/08:30:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	23
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Red Knot at Big Wall Lake in 1967	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes	Birds--Identification Rare birds	1971-01-01	1994-02-04	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Records Committee review for Red Knot at Big Wall Lake in Wright County, IA on May 20, 1967. Includes a record review document with votes and the original sighting record found in the publication An Annotated List of the Birds of Iowa by Woodward H. Brown and seen by Ron Muilenburg.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union Records Committee	Red Knot	Big Wall Lake				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	1
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Red Knot at Goose Lake in 1967	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes	Birds--Identification Rare birds	1971-01-01	1994-02-04	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Records Committee review for Red Knots at Goose Lake in Greene County, IA on May 5, 1967. Includes a record review document with votes and the original sighting record found in the publication An Annotated List of the Birds of Iowa by Woodward H. Brown and seen by John Faaborg.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union Records Committee	Red Knot	Goose Lake				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	1
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Red Knot at Goose Lake in 1937	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes Photographs	Birds--Identification Rare birds Zoological specimens	1938-04-01	1994-02-04	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Records Committee review for a Red Knot at Goose Lake in Hamilton County, IA on September 6, 1937. Includes a record review document with votes, the original sighting record found in the publication American Knot in Iowa in Auk 55:275-276 by T.G. Scott also identified by George O. Hendrickson and collected by R.L. Roudabush, and referenced by another publication.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union Records Committee	Red Knot	Anderson Goose Lake				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	1
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Red Knot at Lost Island Lake in 1934	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes	Birds--Identification Birds--Migration Rare birds	1935-07-01	1994-02-04	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Records Committee review for fourteen Red Knots at Lost Island Lake in Palo Alto County, IA on May 21, 1934. Includes a record review document with votes, the original sighting record found in the publication The 1934 spring migration of shore birds through Clay and Palo Alto counties Iowa in the Iowa State College Journal of Science 9:609-616 by L.J. Bennett also seen by Paul L. Errington, and referenced by another publication.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union Records Committee	Red Knot	Lost Island Lake				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	1
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Red Knot at Iowa before 1879	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes	Birds--Identification Birds--Migration Rare birds	1879-01-01	1994-02-04	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Records Committee review for Red Knots in Iowa before 1879. Includes a record review document with votes, the original sighting record found in the publication Forty Years Notes of a Field Ornithologist by John Krider, and referenced by three other publications.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union Records Committee	Red Knot	Iowa				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	1
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Red Knot in Iowa before 1870	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes	Birds--Identification Rare birds	1870-01-01	1994-02-04	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Records Committee review for Red Knot in Iowa before 1870. Includes a record review document with votes, the original sighting record found in the publication A Catalogue of the Birds of Iowa by J.A. Allen in White's Geological Survey in 1870 and referenced by three other publications.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union Records Committee	Red Knot	Iowa				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	1
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Mew Gull at Lock and Dam 19 at Keokuk, 1998	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1998-12-21	2000-11-24	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Mew Gull at Lock and Dam 19 at Keokuk in Lee County, IA on December 21, 1998. Includes a record review document with votes and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Dinsmore, Stephen J.	Mew Gull	Lock Number 19	Lock and Dam 19, Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa	feeding below dam of a large river	The documentation form by Stephen J. Dinsmore is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers were Aaron Brees and many unidentified other observers. \| Elimination of similar species: The combination of a smaller bill, more extensive dark brown color on the underparts, darker gray mantle, and solidly dark rectrices eliminated the similar Ring-billed Gull. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 12:25:00/13:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	23
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Mew Gull at Saylorville Reservoir, 1998	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1998-12-20	2000-11-24	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Mew Gull at Saylorville Reservoir in Polk County, IA on December 20, 1998. Includes a record review document with votes and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Dinsmore, Stephen J.	Mew Gull	Saylorville Lake	Saylorville Reservoir, Polk County, Iowa	feeding in spillway and resting on large reservoir	The documentation form by Stephen J. Dinsmore is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Another observer was Kay Niyo. \| Elimination of similar species: The only similar species (Ring-billed Gull) was eliminated by the combination of slightly smaller size, smaller bill, more extensive brown color on the underparts, and pattern of the rectrices. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 13:46:00/14:08:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	23
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Mew Gull at Red Rock Reservoir Dam, 1997	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1997-12-20	2000-11-24	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Mew Gull at Red Rock Reservoir Dam in Marion County, IA on December 20, 1997. Includes a record review document with votes and two documentation forms submitted to the committee.	Dinsmore, Stephen J.	Mew Gull	Red Rock Dam	Red Rock Reservoir, Marion Co., IA	large reservoir	The documentation form by Stephen J. Dinsmore forms the basis of this record. Another documentation form by Michael D. Overton was submitted. Other observers include Maridel Jackson, Ann Johnson, Aaron Brees, Gordon Brand, and many other unidentified observers. \| Elimination of similar species: The wing pattern, size, and lack of black marks on the face eliminated any of the smaller gulls (i.e. Bonaparte's). The small size and smaller bill size eliminated California Gull. Ring-billed Gull was eliminated on the basis of the darker mantle and upperwings, large, dark eye, and bill color and shape. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 15:30:00/16:40:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	23
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Mew Gull at Saylorville Reservoir, 1996	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1996-11-29	2000-11-22	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review of a Mew Gull at Saylorville Reservoir in Polk County, IA on November 29, 1996. Includes a record review document with votes, an article in Iowa Bird Life, and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Dinsmore, Stephen J.	Mew Gull	Saylorville Lake	Saylorville Reservoir, Polk Co., IA	large reservoir	The documentation form by Stephen J. Dinsmore is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: The wing pattern, size, and lack of black marks on the face eliminated any of the smaller gulls (i.e. Bonaparte's). The small size and smaller bill size eliminated California Gull. Ring-billed Gull was eliminated on the basis of the darker mantle and upperwings, large, dark eye, and bill color and shape. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 16:03:00/16:41:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	23
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Mew Gull at Lake Rathbun, 1995	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1995-11-04	2000-11-20	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review of a Mew Gull at Lake Rathbun in Appanoose County, IA on November 4, 1995. Includes a record review document with votes and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Cummins, Raymond L.	Mew Gull	Rathbun Lake	Lake Rathbun Appanoose Co.	Sandy beach with about 50 other gulls including Ring-billed, Franklin's, Bonaparte's and the 1st winter Mew Gull. After about 20 min the bird departed to the north with about a dozen other gulls. Did not see them take off.	The documentation form by Ray Cummins is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: See Ring-billed Gull comparicons [sic] above. [...] The size was slightly but noticeably smaller than all the Ring-billeds present. The head was more rounded in appearance than the ring-billeds. The bill was smaller in portion than the Ring-billeds, both shorter and thinner. [...] The tail was black, but not as black as side by side comparisons with the adult Ring-billeds. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 07:45:00/08:05:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	23
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Mew Gull at Fairport Fish Hatchery, 1995	Administrative records Correspondence Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1995-09-08	2000-11-20	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review of a Mew Gull at Fairport Fish Hatchery in Muscatine County, IA on September 8, 1995. Includes a record review document with votes, correspondence from Peter Petersen to Thomas H. Kent, and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Petersen, Peter C.	Mew Gull	Fairport State Fish Hatchery	Fairport Fish Hatchery, Muscatine Co. IA	Fish rearing ponds + adj. Miss. River	The documentation form by Peter C. Petersen is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: Ring-billed Gull- much more black on primary tips, black ring on yellow bill \| The original documentation form event lasted from 08:05:00/08:10:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	23
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Black-headed Gull at Jemmerson Slough, 1996	Administrative records Field notes Photographs	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1996-06-23	2000-11-22	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Black-headed Gull at Jemmerson Slough in Dickinson County, IA on June 23, 1996. Includes a record review document with votes, a photograph, and three documentation forms submitted to the committee.	Schoenewe, Lee A.	Black-headed Gull	Jemmerson Slough Wildlife Management Area	Jemerson [sic] Slough, Dickinson County	Newly restored wetland with mudflats and raised island	The documentation form by Lee Schoenewe is the earliest and the one that forms the basis of this record. Other documentation forms by Jim Fuller and Mark Proescholdt were submitted later. Other observers include Harold White, Ed Thelen, and Tom Stone. \| Elimination of similar species: Franklin's Gulls by close comparison; Bonaparte's by head color + dark underwing \| The original documentation form event lasted from 16:15:00/17:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	21
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Mew Gull at Lakeview Recreation Area at Saylorville Reservoir, 1993	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1993-12-20	1996-01-25	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review of a Mew Gull at Lakeview Recreation Area at Saylorville Reservoir in Polk County, IA on December 20, 1993. Includes a record review document with votes, an article in Iowa Bird Life, and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Dinsmore, Stephen J.	Mew Gull	Lakeview Recreation Area	Saylorville Reservoir, Polk Co., IA-on jetty at Lakeview Rec. Area	perched on jetty with other gulls	The documentation form by Stephen J. Dinsmore is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Susan Grove, Eugene Armstrong, and Eloise Armstrong. \| Elimination of similar species: On the basis of size and general plumage characters, this species could only be confused with Ring-billed Gull, hundreds of which were available for direct comparison. The combination of slightly smaller size, distinct head shape, bill color and shape, dark eye, and slightly darker mantle and upperwings are sufficient to eliminate Ring-billed Gull. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 15:42:00/16:53:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	23
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Mew Gull at Whitebreast Recreation Area at Red Rock Reservoir, 1993	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1993-12-19	1995-07-25	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Mew Gull at Whitebreast Recreation Area at Red Rock Reservoir in Marion County, IA on December 19, 1993. Includes a record review document with votes, an article in Iowa Bird Life, and three documentations submitted to the committee.	Johnson, Ann	Mew Gull	Whitebreast Recreation Area	Whitebreast Recreation Area, Red Rock Reservoir, Marion Co., IA	Sandy area at edge of open water	The documentation form by Ann Johnson forms the basis of this record. Other documentation forms by Russ Widner and Jim Fuller were submitted. Other observers include Dick Tetrault and Roy Godwin. \| Elimination of similar species: Size eliminated any gull larger than a Ring-billed. Although structurally the bird more closely represented one of the larger hooded gulls, they were eliminated by the lack of any hood or auricular spot. Furthermore, most hooded gulls with a tail band would also show a strong carpal bar. Laughing Gull could be eliminated by the more diminuative [sic] bill and leg color. Although some individuals seem to carry a vestige of their more motley juvenile plumage into first winter, Ring-billed Gull was eliminated by size, head and bill structure, and clear-cut as opposed to more diffuse tail band. I originally identified this bird as a Mew Gull based on my experience studying structural differences between Ring-billed and Mew gulls on the west coast. I have never seen a first-year Mew Gull, however. In researching the Mew on my return home, I concluded that the bird in question was not dark enough, nor brown enough, to be of the west coast sub-species. By virtue of its strong similarity to a Ring-billed Gull, this bird was most likely the European sub-species known as the Common Gull. Although according to Grant the bill description comes closer to L.c. brachyrhynchus, I assume that this bird's bill coloration was still changing from juvenile plumage. Apparently the Common Gull appears on occasion on the east coast and is therefore probably as likely a vagrant to Iowa as is the western form. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 10:30:00/10:40:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	23
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Mew Gull at Sandpiper Recreation Area at Saylorville Reservoir, 1990	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1990-10-13	1993-07-17	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Mew Gull at Sandpiper Recreation Area at Saylorville Reservoir in Polk County, IA on October 13, 1990. Includes a record review document with votes and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Lowder, Ken	Mew Gull	Sandpiper Recreation Area	Sandpiper Rec. Area, Saylorville Reservoir, Polk Co., IA.	Sand spit	The documentation form by Ken Lowder is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Peter Wickham and John Daniel. \| Elimination of similar species: Ring billed Gull (second winter) - light iris & yellow legs; head shape; white in primaries \| The original documentation form event lasted from 14:15:00/15:30:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	23
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Mew Gull at Lock and Dam 14, 1982	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Correspondence Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1982-12-19	1993-09-01	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review of a Mew Gull at Lock and Dam 14 in Scott County, IA on December 19, 1982. Includes a record review document with votes, an article in Iowa Bird Life, a summary of the review, comments and correspondence on the sighting, and five documentation forms submitted to the committee.	Kent, Thomas H. (Thomas Hugh), 1934-	Laughing Gull	Lock and Dam 14	Lock and Dam 14, Scott Co. Iowa	Mississippi River	The documentation form by Thomas H. Kent forms the basis of this record. Other documentation forms by Thomas J. Staudt, Peter C. Petersen, Tim Dwyer, and Francis L. Moore were submitted. Other observers include Don Moeller, Jean Moeller, Mary Lou Petersen, Bob Linden, Clark Scott, and Larry Linder. \| Elimination of similar species: Separated from Ring-bill by gray head and mantle, wing-tip, size, character of terminal tail band, and bill color and shape. Separated from Franklin's by wing tip pattern (in face of nearly white tail, ie 2nd year bird) \| The original documentation form event lasted from approximately 09:40:00/09:50:00 and 14:15:00/14:45:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	23
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Bonaparte's Gull at Ottumwa, 1989	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1989-01-01	1993-08-05	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Bonaparte's Gull at Ottumwa in Wapello County, IA on January 1, 1989. Includes a record review document with votes and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Hoskins, Nelson R.	Bonaparte's Gull	Ottumwa	Ottumwa, Ia.	Des Moines River, Below Hydro-dam	The documentation form by Nelson Hoskins is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: Franklin's gull - above mentioned markings. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 08:45:00/08:55:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	22
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Black-headed Gull at Spirit Lake, 1999	Administrative records Field notes Photographs	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1999-10-01	2000-11-28	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Black-headed Gull at Spirit Lake in Dickinson County, IA on October 1, 1999. Includes a record review document with votes, two photographs, and two documentation forms submitted to the committee.	Schoenewe, Lee A.	Black-headed Gull	Spirit Lake	North Shore Spirit Lake, Dickinson Co.	Rock jetty, fishing pier + shallow bay + marsh	The documentation form by Lee A. Schoenewe forms the basis of this record. Another documentation form by Jim Fuller was submitted. Other observers include many unidentified observers. \| Elimination of similar species: Bonaparte's - Bill color and underwing smudging \| The original documentation form event lasted from 13:20:00/13:40:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	21
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Black-headed Gull at Dickinson County Landfill, 1999	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1999-07-10	2000-11-28	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review of a Black-headed Gull at Dickinson County Landfill in Dickinson County, IA on July 10, 1999. Includes a record review document with votes and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Schoenewe, Lee A.	Black-headed Gull	Dickinson County Landfill	Dickinson County Landfill	Open field	The documentation form by Lee A. Schoenewe is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Bill Huser and five unidentified members of the Loess Hills Audubon Society. \| Elimination of similar species: Franklin's Gull and Bonaparte's Gull - Dark brown head and wing pattern w/ dark underneath. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 11:45:00/12:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	21
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Black-headed Gull at Crandalls Beach at Spirit Lake, 1998	Administrative records Field notes Photographs	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1998-10-11	2000-11-24	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review of a Black-headed Gull at Crandalls Beach at Spirit Lake in Dickinson County, IA on October 11, 1998. Includes a record review document with votes, a photograph, and two documentation forms submitted to the committee.	Schoenewe, Lee A.	Black-headed Gull	Crandalls Beach	Crandall's Beach on Spirit Lake, Dickinson Co.	lake shore		Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	21
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Black-headed Gull at Kettleson Hogsback Area, 1998	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1998-05-17	2000-11-24	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Black-headed Gull at Kettleson Hogsback Area in Dickinson County, IA on May 17, 1998. Includes a record review document with votes, a field report, and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Thelen, Ed	Black-headed Gull	Kettleson Hogsback Wildlife Management Area	Swan Pen - Dickinson County	Wetland - open water not many emergents 2 islands	The documentation form by Ed Thelen is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: Bonapartes Gull - size and color of hood Franklins - color of hood, wing markings (upper and lower) \| The original documentation form event lasted from 08:00:00/20:15:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	21
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Black-headed Gull at Jemmerson Slough Wildlife Management Area, 1997	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1997-07-16	2000-11-24	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review of a Black-headed Gull at Jemmerson Slough Wildlife Management Area in Dickinson County, IA on July 16, 1997. Includes a record review document with votes, an article in Iowa Bird Life, and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Proescholdt, Mark	Black-headed Gull	Jemmerson Slough Wildlife Management Area	Jemmerson Slough area - Dickinson County	Small water area with land for gulls to roost on	The documentation form by Mark Proescholdt is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Another observer is Ed Thelen. \| Elimination of similar species: No other gull quite like this one. A Bonaparte's Gull is smaller, has a black bill, and lacks the dark smudge on the underwings. \| The original documentation form event lasted from approximately 10:20:00/11:05:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	21
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Black-headed Gull at Red Rock Reservoir, 1996	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1996-11-03	2000-11-22	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Black-headed Gull at Red Rock Reservoir in Marion County, IA on November 3, 1996. Includes a record review document with votes and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Johnson, Ann	Black-headed Gull	Lake Red Rock	Red Rock Reservoir, Marion Co., IA	Large lake	The documentation form by Ann Johnson is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: Only one other North American gull has a leading white edge to the upperwing- Bonaparte's. Size and jizz helped differentiate this bird from the Bonaparte's, but the dark underwing eliminated the smaller species. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 12:30:00/12:33:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	21