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Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Sharp-shinned Hawk at Jackson Township, 1989
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Administrative records Correspondence Field notes
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Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc
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1989-07-19
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1993-08-05
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Rare birds documentation form
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Records Committee review of a Sharp-shinned Hawk at Jackson Township in Hardin County on July 19, 1989. Includes a record review document with votes, correspondence about the bird sighting by David Conrads to Carl Bendorf, and a documentation form submitted to the committee.
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Conrads, David J.
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Sharp-shinned Hawk
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Jackson Township
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NE 1/4 of NE 1/4 SEC 13 T-88N R-20W Jackson Twp Hardin Co.
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Upland forest, steep ravine
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The documentation form by David J. Conrads is the earliest and the one that forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Keith Franzen and Nixon Wilson. | Elimination of similar species: Due to its significantly smaller size than a Cooper's Hawk, we concluded that it was a HY male Sharp-shinned Hawk. We also listened to "A Field Guide to Bird Songs" and although the Sharp-shinned recording was that of 175 "kek-kek-kek" warning/alarm call, the Cooper's Hawk recording was that of a food begging call which was very similar but of a significantly lower pitch than that of the bird we observed. | The original documentation form event lasted from 14:30:00/14:31:00.
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Iowa Ornithologists' Union | MS 166
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8
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27
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Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Summer Tanager at Iowa City, 1998
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Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Correspondence Field notes Photographs
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Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc
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1998-01-11
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2000-11-24
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Rare birds documentation form
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Records Committee review for a Summer Tanager at Iowa City in Johnson County, IA on January 11, 1998. Includes a record review document with votes, a photo, an article in Field Notes, an article in Iowa Bird Life, an e-mail from Mary E. Noble to Jim Fuller, and two documentation forms submitted to the committee.
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Kent, Thomas H. (Thomas Hugh), 1934-
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Summer Tanager
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Iowa City
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315 S. 7th Ave. Iowa City, Iowa
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Urban area, small back yard with several feeders and brush cover.
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The documentation form by Thomas H. Kent is the earliest and the one that forms the basis of this record. Another documentation form by Jim Fuller was submitted later. Other observers include Mary Noble and Dick Tetrault. | Elimination of similar species: The overall coloration and plainness indicate a female or immature bird. The lack of prominent gray in the auriculars and light bill color argue against Hepatic Tanager. The bill length, head shape, and relative paleness of the wings favor Summer Tanager over Scarlet Tanager. The lack of prominent wing bars appears to exclude Western Tanager. The apparent lack of orange tint suggest a bird from the West or perhaps an immature. The Summer Tanager photographed at Pleasant Valley in Scott County on 2 December 1990 was more orange-yellow than the Iowa City bird. The latest Midwest record for Scarlet Tanager in books of these states was 26 Nov in Minnesota. There are a few winter records of Summer Tanager: in Tennessee (4) 5, 18, 21 Dec and 2 Feb-15 Mar; in Michigan 1 Dec; in Missouri 3-10 Jan 1987. There are also winter records from Florida and the Texas Coast. This does not constitute an exhaustive search for winter records. | The original documentation form event lasted from 08:10:00/08:15:00.
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Iowa Ornithologists' Union | MS 166
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13
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28
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Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Mississippi Kite at Cedar Rapids, 1983
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Administrative records Correspondence Field notes
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Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc
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1983-04-23
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1993-09-01
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Rare birds documentation form
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Records Committee review of a Mississippi Kite at Cedar Rapids in Linn County, IA on April 23, 1983. Includes a record review document with votes, summary of review, correspondence about bird sightings, and a documentation form submitted to the committee.
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Walton, Robert
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Mississippi Kite
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Cedar Rapids
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2.3 miles west of junction 218 on hiway 30 ( approx. 24 miles west of Cedar Rapids)
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wet cropland (corn stubble field with water puddles)
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The documentation form by Randy Walton is the earliest and the one that forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Sandy Walton. | Elimination of similar species: Shape and size of bird was similar to prairie and peregrine falcons. The lack of any facial markings, the grayish coloration and presence of the black dorsal wing tips eliminate the falcons. | The original documentation form event lasted from 17:15:00/17:20:00.
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Iowa Ornithologists' Union | MS 166
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8
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26
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Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Western Flycatcher at Lake Ahquabi State Park, 1992
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Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Correspondence Field notes Photographs
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Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc
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1992-11-14
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1999-10-15
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Rare birds documentation form
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Records Committee review for a Western Flycatcher at Lake Ahquabi State Park in Warren County, IA on November 14, 1992. Includes a record review document with votes, an article in American Birds, excerpts from Western Birds, articles in Pennsylvania birds, an article in Iowa Bird Life, correspondence relevant to bird sighting and review, eight photographs, and four documentation forms submitted to the committee.
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Johnson, Ann
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Empidonax Flycatchers
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Lake Ahquabi State Park
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Lake Ahquabi State Park, Warren County, IOWA
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Woodland edge consisting primarily of honeysuckle and junipers
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The documentation form by Ann Johnson is the earliest and the one that forms the basis of this record. Other documentation forms by Thomas H. Kent, Jim Fuller, and Brian Blevins were submitted later. Other observers include Ross Silcock, Peter Petersen, Kelly McKay, Corey Blevins, Jim Scheib, Jim Sinclair, John Daniel, Tim Schantz, Cal Knight, Bernie Knight, Chuck Fuller, David Youngblut, Beth Brown, Sherry Dragula, Bill Overland, Jane Overland, John Miller, Eugene Armstrong, Eloise Armstrong, and unidentified other observers. | Elimination of similar species: The date of observation is historically good for a vagrant western flycatcher species, so this was in the back of my mind in assessing the characteristics observed. The presence of both eye ring and wing bars, in addition to size and shape, indicate that the bird fits the Empidonax complex. The combination of green back, yellow throat and pure orange lower mandible with no markings would eliminate Least, Hammond's, Dusky, Gray, Buff-breasted, Alder, and Willow Flycatchers. A juvenile Acadian can be eliminated by the short primary extension, color of the wings, size and shape of the eye ring, and active behavior. Only three species are indicated by the green upper parts and yellow under parts. Two are separable only by voice. The choices were between Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and Western (Cordilleran and Pacific-slope) Flycatcher. Back color is greener in Yellow-bellied and more olive in Western. Although the back looked olive, this was rather subjective. According to the Audubon Master Guide, behavior would be more indicative of a Yellow-bellied in that the bird was not flicking both tail and wings. According to Kaufman, however, behavior is quite variable. Three characteristics made me lean more toward Western complex. They were peaked appearance to the head (usually smooth and rounded in Yellow-bellied); almond-shaped eye ring (round, narrow, and more even in Yellow-bellied); and browner wings than eastern Empidonax. The color of the wings is again subjective, but the contrast between wing color and wing bars was less than the black/white (or even black/buff in fall birds) of eastern birds. Even with the variability that may occur in any Empidonax, it is unlikely that these three characteristics, which are common to the Western Flycatcher, would appear simultaneously in a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. Further support is found in the Audubon Master Guide to Birding where it states in the description of Western Flycatcher, "...olive wash on the breast, flanks, and especially the sides tends to highlight a midventral yellow stripe" - one of the more obvious characteristics when viewed at close range from the front. IF the call notes heard belonged to this bird, it would indicate a Cordilleran Flycatacher, the most likely vagrant. None of us were able, however, to get the bird to call as we were observing it. Cal Knight played a tape and the bird became very agitated but did not call. | The original documentation form event lasted from 11:00:00/14:00:00 on November 14, 1992 and 11:30:00/13:45:00 on November 15, 1992.
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Iowa Ornithologists' Union | MS 166
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12
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35
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