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

Rare bird sighting for Prairie Falcon north of Fairfield in 1999	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1999-03-16	1999-05-14	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Rare bird sighting for a Prairie Falcon north of Fairfield in Jefferson County, IA on March 16, 1999. Document contains additional species sighting information.	Fuller, James L	Prairie Falcon King Rail	Otter Creek Marsh State Wildlife Refuge Fairfield				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	35
Rare bird documentation form for Thayer's Gull at Red Rock Dam, 1993	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1993-11-13	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Thayer's Gull at Red Rock Dam in Marion County, IA on November 13, 1993.	Pinkston, Randall, 1956-	Thayer's Gull	Red Rock Dam	Lake Red Rock dam, Marion County, Iowa		The documentation form by Randall Pinkston is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Jim Fuller. \| Elimination of similar species: Compared with first-winter Herring Gull above. Pale Thayer's may be confused with same-aged Iceland Gull, but Iceland typically much paler than this individual. Iceland should also show pale, mottled tertials and tail which are concolor with the upperparts. This bird's tertials and tail were unpatterned (except at the edges of the tertials) and darker than the remainder of the upperparts. Iceland's folded primaries are paler than the remainder of the mantle, not darker as in this bird. Slaty-backed, Glaucous-winged, and Glaucous-winged X Western hybrid Gulls all larger, have more massive bills, less likely in Iowa. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 10:15:00/10:40:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	35
Documentation of an extraordinary bird sighting, Thayer's Gull, November 13, 1993	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1993-11-13	1993-11-27	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Documentation supporting the sighting of a Thayer's Gull at Red Rock Reservoir in Marion County, IA contributed by Thomas H. Kent on November 13, 1993.	Kent, Thomas H. (Thomas Hugh), 1934-	Thayer's Gull	Lake Red Rock				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	35
Rare bird documentation form for Thayer's Gull at Red Rock Reservoir, 1993	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1993-11-13	1993-11-16	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Thayer's Gull at Red Rock Reservoir in Marion County, IA on November 13, 1993.	Cecil, Robert I.	Thayer's Gull	Lake Red Rock	Tailwaters, Red Rock Res.	Tailwaters/River	The documentation form by Bob Cecil is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Tom Kent and Dick Tetrault. \| Elimination of similar species: 1st winter Herring Gull has a very dark secondary bar, often has lighter head, and generally has a much more 'contrastry' appearance involving darker and lighter shades of brown. Overall, the 1st winter Herring is darker brown. \| The original documentation form event occurred in the afternoon.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	35
Rare bird documentation form for Thayer's Gull at Iowa City, 1993	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1993-01-19	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Thayer's Gull at Iowa City in Johnson County, IA on January 19, 1993.	Kent, Thomas H. (Thomas Hugh), 1934-	Thayer's Gull	Iowa City	Iowa City, Johnson Co., Iowa.	partially open Iowa River	The documentation form by Thomas H. Kent is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Jim Fuller. \| Elimination of similar species: I distinguished this bird from Herring Gull based on smaller body size, smaller head and bill, shorter wing span, uniform light tan coloration, medium brown (not black) outer primaries, translucent primaries from below, and medium brown tail band. I distinguished it from Iceland Gull by the brown outer primaries, relatively more tan coloration, and medium brown tail band. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 11:40:00/11:50:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	35
Details for Accipiters during a Christmas Bird Count at Burlington, 1992	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1992-12-19	N/A	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Details for sightings of two Cooper's Hawks, Thayer's Gull and a Sharp-shinned Hawk at the Burlington area in Des Moines County, IA on December 19, 1992 by an unknown author.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union	Cooper's Hawk Thayer's Gull Sharp-shinned Hawk	Burlington Sacred Heart Cemetery Burlington Municipal Airport				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	35
Details for unusual bird sighting, 1992	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1992-11-08	N/A	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Rare bird sighting for a Thayer's Gull by Jim Fuller at Red Rock Reservoir in Marion County, IA on November 8, 1992.	Fuller, James L	Thayer's Gull	Red Rock Dam				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	35
Documentation form for extraordinary bird sightings in Iowa, Thayer's Gull, February 7, 1992	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1992-02-07	N/A	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Documentation form supporting the sighting of a Thayer's Gull at Lock and Dam 14 contributed by Bob Cecil on February 7, 1992.	Cecil, Robert I.	Thayer's Gull	Lock and Dam 14				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	35
Rare bird documentation form for Thayer's Gull at Lock and Dam 15 in Davenport, 1992	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1992-01-17	1992-01-19	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Thayer's Gull at Lock and Dam 15 in Davenport in Scott County, IA on January 17, 1992.	Cecil, Robert I.	Thayer's Gull	Lock and Dam 15	Lock and Dam 15, Davenport, Iowa. Rusty Pelican Restaurant	River	The documentation form by Bob Cecil is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: See above discussion. [...] The wingtip pattern is what caught my attention. There was much less darkening to the outer primaries than on accompanying gulls. [...] When viewed fro [sic] underneath, the wingtips of the subject bird were white to the tips, with the exception of very narrow black tips at the tips of the primaries. This was very different from the adult Herring/Ring-bills which had substantial black towards the end of the underwings. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 10:30:00/10:45:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	35
Rare bird documentation form for Thayer's Gull at Lock + Dam 15, 1992	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1992-01-17	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Thayer's Gull at Lock and Dam 15 in Davenport in Scott County, IA on January 17, 1992.	Kent, Thomas H. (Thomas Hugh), 1934-	Thayer's Gull	Lock and Dam 15	Lock + Dam #15, Davenport, IA	Mississippi River	The documentation form by Thomas H. Kent is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Jim Fuller and others. \| Elimination of similar species: Herring Gull-see above. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 15:30:00/15:35:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	35
Details for unusual bird sighting, 1992	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1992-01-09	1992-01-17	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Rare bird sighting for a Thayer's Gull by Jim Fuller at Lock and Dam 15 near Davenport in Scott County, IA on January 9, 13, and 17, 1992.	Fuller, James L	Thayer's Gull	Lock and Dam 15				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	35
Rare bird documentation form for Thayer's Gull at Lock and Dam 19, 1990	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1990-11-06	1990-11-09	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Thayer's Gull at Lock and Dam 19 in Keokuk in Lee County, IA on November 6, 1990.	Cecil, Robert I.	Thayer's Gull	Lock Number 19	Behind Lock and Dam 19 at Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa	River	The documentation form by Robert Cecil is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: Too small, to [sic] uniform in color for Herring. Slight darkening at wingtips eliminates Iceland. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 07:45:00/08:00:00 and 13:30:00/13:40:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	35
Rare bird documentation form for Thayer's Gull at Island View at Rathbun Reservoir, 1986	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1986-12-20	1986-12-23	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for three Thayer's Gulls at Island View Park at Rathbun Reservoir in Appanoose County, IA on December 20, 1986.	Dinsmore, Stephen J.	Thayer's Gull	Island View Park	Rathbun Reservoir, Appanoose Co. (Island View East and West Areas)	sitting on ice and feeding on open water 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 Ray Cummins. \| Elimination of similar species: The first-year birds were separated from first-year Iceland Gull by the distinct tail band and the darker primaries and from first-year Herring Gull by head shape, bill size, more uniform body color, and the silvery-white underwing. The adult bird was separated from an adult Iceland Gull by size, bill shape, and more black (still not too much, though) in the wingtips and from an adult Herring Gull by head shape, bill size, and paler wingtips. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 10:05:00/10:30:00 and 13:30:00/13:54:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	35
Rare bird documentation form for Prairie Falcon east of Hawarden, 1990	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1990-11-23	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Prairie Falcon east of Hawarden in western Sioux County, IA on November 23, 1990.	Van Dyk, John, 1936-	Prairie Falcon	Hawarden	some five miles east of Hawarden in western Sioux County.		The documentation form by John Van Dyk is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| The original documentation form event occurred in the morning.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	35
Rare bird documentation form for Prairie Falcon at the junction of Interstate 29 and U.S. 30 west of Missouri Valley in 1981	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1981-10-10	1981-10-31	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Rare bird documentation form for a Prairie Falcon at the junction of Interstate 29 and U.S. 30 west of Missouri Valley in Harrison County, IA on October 10, 1981.	Schaufenbuel, Joseph P.	Prairie Falcon	Interchange 75				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	35
Rare bird documentation form for Prairie Falcon at St. Joseph's Hospital (abandoned) in Sioux City, 1997	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1997-12-18	1998-01-02	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Prairie Falcon at St. Joseph's Hospital (abandoned) in Sioux City in Woodbury County, IA on December 18, 1997.	Huser, Bill F.	Prairie Falcon	St. Joseph Hospital (historical)	St. Joseph's Hospital (abandoned), Sioux City, Woodbury, IA	tall brick buildings with broken windows providing roosting sites for hundreds of Rock Doves. Numerous perches and open space for flight.	The documentation form by Bill Huser is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Jerry Probst and Bob Moritz. \| Elimination of similar species: The distinct tear marks eliminated all hawks but falcons and also eliminated the Merlin. Long wings, relative to the tail, and body size eliminated Gyrfalcon. Size and direct comparison eliminated Kestrel. Lack of dark "helmet" eliminated Peregrine Falcon. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 16:45:00/16:50:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	35
Rare bird documentation form for Prairie Falcon in Cerro Gordo County, 1997	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1997-02-22	1997-02-23	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Prairie Falcon in Cerro Gordo County, IA on February 22, 1997.	Thelen, Rob	Prairie Falcon	Cerro Gordo Wind Farm	1/2 m. S of 210th + Cardinal, Cerro Gordo Co.	Dead Cottonwood in Farmland (Open)	The documentation form by Rob Thelen is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Joe Clark. \| Elimination of similar species: This Falcon had the Dark Armpits. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 11:30:00/11:33:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	35
Rare bird documentation form for Prairie Falcon east of Wall Lake, 1996	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1996-03-12	1996-06-02	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Prairie Falcon east of Wall Lake in Sac County, IA on March 12, 1996.	Thelen, Rob	Prairie Falcon	Wall Lake	1 m. East of Wall Lake	Gravel pits, Railroad Tracks, and Farmland	The documentation form by Rob Thelen is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Natasha Thelen. \| Elimination of similar species: Merlin - was to [sic] big to be a Merlin didn't have strong tail bars. Peregrine - didn't have strong face marks or cap on head. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 16:30:00/17:15:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	35
Rare bird documentation form for Prairie Falcon northeast of Spirit Lake, 1995	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1995-12-31	1996-01-02	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Prairie Falcon northeast of Spirit Lake in Dickinson County, IA on December 31, 1995.	Thelen, Ed	Prairie Falcon	Spirit Lake	NE of Spirit Lake - Dickinson County	Gravel roadside - on telephone pole	The documentation form by Ed Thelen is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: Peregrine & Gyrfalcon don't have dark axillars. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 12:00:00/12:15:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	35
Rare bird documentation form for Prairie Falcon south of Yale, 1995	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1995-04-16	1995-04-30	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Prairie Falcon south of Yale in Guthrie County, IA on April 16, 1995.	Widner, Russ	Prairie Falcon	Yale	South of Yale IA	Bean Field	The documentation form by Russ Widner is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Norm Larsen. \| Elimination of similar species: The size, manner of flying + facial coloration eliminate even a [illegible] female Kestrel. The size, facial pattern, probable axillary pigmentation + lack of strong tail bars eliminate Merlin. The head + face pattern + lack of a broad sideburn a helmet, coloration + somewhat shallower wing beat rule against Peregrine. The face pattern, wing shape, manner of flying + lack of a white rump patch eliminate Harrier. \| The original documentation form event occurred around 15:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	35
Rare bird sighting for Prairie Falcon at Hitchcock Nature Area in 1994	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1994-10-25	1994-12-12	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Rare bird sighting for a Prairie Falcon at Hitchcock Nature Area in Pottawattamie County, IA on October 25, 1994.	Padelford, Babs Padelford, Loren	Prairie Falcon	Hitchcock Nature Area				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	35
Rare bird documentation form for Prairie Falcon between Treynor and Carson, 1995	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1995-03-03	1995-03-04	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Prairie Falcon between Treynor and Carson in Pottawattamie County, IA on March 3, 1995.	Kent, Thomas H. (Thomas Hugh), 1934-	Prairie Falcon	Treynor Carson	between Treynor and Carson on highway 92, Pottawattamie Co., IA	gently rolling hills; small stream with scattered trees.	The documentation form by Thomas H. Kent is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Jim Fuller and Dick Tetrault. \| Elimination of similar species: The falcon shape was clear to us. The bird was flying directly into a strong southwest wind, but I don't think an accipiter's wing could be that pointed even in a strong wind. The bird was too large and plain to be a kestrel and the flight pattern and behavior were unlike any of the many kestrels seen that day. The light color and open farmland habitat favor Prairie over Peregrine. A Merlin would be smaller and darker. However, I would not have identified this bird as to species with out seeing the underwing pattern. \| The original documentation form event occurred at approximately 12:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	35
Rare bird documentation form for Prairie Falcon at Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge, 1993	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1993-10-29	1993-10-31	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Prairie Falcon at Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge in Kossuth County, IA on October 29, 1993.	Kent, Thomas H. (Thomas Hugh), 1934-	Prairie Falcon	Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge	Union Slough N.W.R., Kossuth Co., IA	long narrow slough	The documentation form by Thomas H. Kent is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: The underwing markings and apparent light coloration argue against Peregrine Falcon. The date and location are appropriate for Prairie Falcon in Iowa. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 16:50:00/17:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	35
Rare bird documentation form for Prairie Falcon east of Lost Island Lake, 1993	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1993-04-03	1993-04-07	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Prairie Falcon east of Lost Island Lake in Palo Alto County, IA on April 3, 1993.	Kent, Thomas H. (Thomas Hugh), 1934-	Prairie Falcon	Lost Island Lake	East of Lost Island Lake, Clay County [actually Palo Alto County], Iowa	farmland near glacial lakes	The documentation form by Thomas H. Kent is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Lee Schoenewe, Bob Cecil, and Harold White. \| Elimination of similar species: This was the best view I have ever had at the underwing of Prairie Falcon. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 17:45:00/18:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	35
Rare bird sighting for Prairie Falcon at Clay County in 1993	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds Wildlife conservation	1993-04-02	N/A	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Rare bird sighting for a Prairie Falcon at Clay County, IA on April 2, 1993.	Cecil, Robert I.	Prairie Falcon	Clay County				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	35