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 Tundra Swan at Red Rock Reservoir, 1988	Administrative records Field notes Forms (documents)	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1988-12-18	1993-08-04	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review of a Tundra Swan at Red Rock Reservoir in Marion County, IA on December 18, 1988. Includes a record review document with votes and two documentation forms submitted to the committee.	Johnson, Ann	Tundra Swan	Red Rock Dam	Des Moines River below Red Rock Dam - Marion Co., Iowa	river with sandbars	The documentation form by Ann Johnson is the earliest and the one that forms the basis of this record. Another documentation form by Steve Dinsmore was submitted later on Jan 6, 1989. Other observers include Erik Munson, Wyman Borts, and Jim Sinclair. \| Elimination of similar species: Mute swan immature eliminated by bill color. Trumpeter swan eliminated by the presence of many white feathers at this date and concave bill shape. Unable to determine size difference. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 14:00:00/14:15:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	8	13
Documentation form for extraordinary bird sightings in Iowa regarding a Red-necked Grebe, 1987	Field notes Forms (documents)	Birds--Identification Rare birds	1987-05-12	N/A	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Rare bird documentation form by Francis Moore regarding a Red-necked Grebe at Sweet Marsh in Bremer County, IA on May 12, 1987.	Moore, Francis L.	Red-necked Grebe	Sweet Marsh				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	13
Rare bird documentation form for Red-necked Grebe at Lake Cona-Toma, 1999	Field notes Forms (documents)	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1999-04-16	1999-05-27	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Red-necked Grebe at Lake Cona-Toma in Mason City in Cerro Gordo County, IA on April 16, 1999.	Fischer, Carolyn J.	Red-necked Grebe	Lake Cona Toma	Lake Cona-Toma, Mason City	small lake with homes around it -	The documentation form by Carolyn Fischer is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Rita Goranson and Jan Walter. \| Elimination of similar species: Horned Grebe - smaller size bird, no horns. Eared Grebe - smaller size, too dark all over.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	13
Rare bird documentation form for Red-necked Grebe at Colo Ponds, 1998	Field notes Forms (documents)	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1998-06-28	1998-07-08	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Red-necked Grebe at Colo Ponds in Story County, IA on June 28, 1998.	Proescholdt, Mark	Red-necked Grebe	Colo Bogs Wildlife Management Area	Colo Ponds - Story County	Flooded farm field - south side of highway	The documentation form by Mark Proescholdt is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Eugene Armstrong, Eloise Armstrong, Pam Allen, Reid Allen, and Hank Zaletel. \| Elimination of similar species: Hooded Merganser discussed. Not shaped like ducks. Too big for 3 little grebe species. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 15:45:00/17:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	13
Rare bird documentation form for Red-necked Grebe at Anderson Lake, 1996	Field notes Forms (documents)	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1996-07-04	1996-07-15	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Red-necked Grebe at Anderson Lake in Hamilton County, IA on July 4, 1996.	Proescholdt, Mark	Red-necked Grebe	Anderson Goose Lake	Anderson Lake - East of Jewell - (Hamilton Co.)	small marshy pond across R.R. tracks from big marsh	The documentation form by Mark Proescholdt is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Hank Zaletel. \| Elimination of similar species: No other grebes are like this one. Not a duck. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 19:50:00/20:30:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	13
Documentation form for extraordinary bird sightings in Iowa, May 28, 1994	Field notes Forms (documents)	Birds--Identification Rare birds	1994-05-28	N/A	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Rare bird documentation form for four Red-necked Grebes by Marion Brewer at Trumbull Lake on April 14, 1994 and Grover Lake on May 27, 1994.	Brewer, Marion M.	Red-necked Grebe	Trumbull Lake Grovers Lake				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	13
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Eurasian Wigeon at Sweet Marsh, 1984	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes Forms (documents)	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1984-04-15	1993-09-01	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review of a Eurasian Wigeon at Sweet Marsh in Bremer County, IA on April 15, 1984. Includes a record review document with votes, an article in Iowa Bird Life, a summary of review, and eight documentation forms submitted to the committee.	Main, Stephen	Eurasian Wigeon	Sweet Marsh	Sweets Marsh, NW section, Tripoli, IA	Marsh - see above	The documentation form by Stephen Main is the earliest and the one that forms the basis of this record. Other documentation forms by Elaine Main, Francis L. Moore, Robert K. Myers, Thomas H. Kent, Thomas J. Staudt, Peter C. Petersen, and Carl J. Bendorf were submitted later. Other observers include Roberta Oppedahl and Lucille Liljedahl. \| Elimination of similar species: have previously seen American Wigeon, Shoveler (present this time) and Redhead. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 11:00:00/12:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	8	14
Rare bird documentation form for Eared Grebe at Lake Anita State Park, 1981	Field notes Forms (documents)	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1981-11-06	1981-11-30	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for three Eared Grebes at Lake Anita State Park in Anita in Cass County, IA on November 6, 1981.	Hensley, R. Craig	Eared Grebe	Lake Anita State Park	Lake Anita State Park, located one(1) mile south of Anita	Large, open lake	The documentation form by R. Craig Hensley is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: The pied-billed grebe is the only other relative that is commonly encountered in Cass County. This species was ruled out due to body size and proportions and the different beak. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 08:10:00/09:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	14
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Eurasian Wigeon at De Soto National Wildlife Refuge, 1995	Administrative records Field notes Forms (documents)	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1995-10-27	2000-11-20	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review of a Eurasian Wigeon at De Soto National Wildlife Refuge in Harrison County, IA on October 27, 1995. Includes one record review document with votes and a documentation forms.	Hulsebus, Terry J.	Eurasian Wigeon	DeSoto Lake	De Soto Nat'l. Wildlife Refuge	Oxbow Lake - nearshore	The documentation form by Terry J. Hulsebus is the earliest and the one that forms the basis of this record. Another observer was Mindy Sheets. \| Elimination of similar species: American wigeon - located in close proximity. Close comparison was very helpful. \| The original documentation form event occurred around 15:30:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	8	14
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Eurasian Wigeon at Riverton Area, 1991	Administrative records Field notes Forms (documents)	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1991-03-06	1993-07-17	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review of a Eurasian Wigeon at Riverton Area in Fremont County, IA on March 6, 1991. Includes a record review document with votes, an Iowa Bird Life article, and two documentation forms submitted to the committee.	Dinsmore, Stephen J.	Eurasian Wigeon	Riverton Wildlife Management Area	Riverton W.A., Fremont Co., IA		The documentation form by Stephen J. Dinsmore is the earliest and the one that forms the basis of this record. Another documentation form by Eugene Armstrong was submitted later. Other observers include Eloise Armstrong, and Ross Silcock \| Elimination of similar species: The combination of reddish head with buffy crown, gray mantle and flanks, black rump and undertail, and stubby, bluish-gray bill eliminates other waterfowl. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 10:35:00/11:05:00, 12:05:00/12:25:00, and 16:40:00/17:22:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	8	14
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Eurasian Wigeon at Spirit Lake, 1985	Administrative records Correspondence Field notes Forms (documents)	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1985-04-01	1993-09-03	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review of five Eurasian Wigeons at Spirit Lake in Dickinson County, IA on April 1, 1985. Includes a record review document with votes, a summary, correspondence about the bird sighting, and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Foote, LaVonne	Eurasian Wigeon	Spirit Lake	In a marsh about 7 miles west of Spirit Lake, Iowa on Highway No. 9 on the South side of the road.	marsh	The documentation form by LaVonne Foote is the earliest and the one that forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Mavis Wunder and Jan Ortmeier. \| Elimination of similar species: American wigeon - Easy to tell apart as male colors are so different. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 13:00:00/13:30:00 and 15:30:00/16:05:00 on April 1, 1985 as well as 11:21:00/12:15:00 on April 2, 1985.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	8	14
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Garganey at IPS Fly Ash Pits, 1991	Administrative records Field notes Forms (documents)	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1991-05-11	1993-07-17	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review of a Garganey at IPS Fly Ash Pits, Woodbury County, IA on May 11, 1991. Includes a record review document with votes and two documentation forms submitted to the committee.	Probst, Jerry	Garganey	New Lake	IPS Fly Ash Pits	Open pond flyash shore	The documentation form by Jerry Probst is the earliest and the one that forms the basis of this record. Another documentation form by Bill Huser was submitted later. Other observers include Bob Livermore, Dave Stage, Bob Moritz, and Art Huser. \| Elimination of similar species: The eyebrow stripe eliminated bluewing teal also the other field marks did not indicate a hybrid. Direct size comparison with other ducks in area eliminated all other ducks and geese. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 13:30:00/14:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	8	15
Rare bird documentation form for Western Grebe at Sandy Beach Area at Coralville Reservoir, 1977	Field notes Forms (documents)	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1977-10-27	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Western Grebe at Sandy Beach Area at Coralville Reservoir in Johnson County, IA on October 27, 1977.	Halmi, Nicholas S.	Western Grebe	Sandy Beach Public Use Area	Coralville Reservoir, E of Sandy Beach area, Johnson Co.	deep portion of reservoir	The documentation form by Nicholas Halmi is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Dr. Carter, Mike Newlon, Carol Newlon, Peter Petersen, and Mary Lou Petersen. \| Elimination of similar species: Red-necked Grebe: smaller, shorter bill, ventral aspects of neck not slate but gray. Horned grebe (one nearby for direct comparison): much smaller, shorter neck and bill. White wing patch, not long stripe. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 15:25:00/15:45:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	15
Rare bird documentation form for Western Grebe at Ruthven, 1979	Field notes Forms (documents)	Ornithology Rare birds	1979-06-15	1979-06-18	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation for a Western Grebe at Ruthven at Palo Alto County, IA on June 15, 1979.	Dinsmore, James J.	Western Grebe	Mud Lake	Mud Lake, 4 mi. N of Ruthven, Iowa	fresh water lake in open water	The documentation form by James Dinsmore is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Steve and Mark Dinsmore. \| Elimination of similar species: Common Loon. This bird was no big enough, neck was too long and bill too thin for winter plumage loon. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 15:00:00/15:30:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	15
Rare bird documentation for Western Grebe at Trumbull Lake, 1980	Field notes Forms (documents)	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1980-06-05	1980-06-11	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation for a Western Grebe at Trumbull Lake in Clay County, IA on June 5, 1980.	Dinsmore, James J.	Western Grebe	Trumbull Lake	Trumbull Lake, Clay County	open water area of a large lake that is fringed with cattail & bulrush	The documentation form by James Dinsmore is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Ed Miller. \| Elimination of similar species: Common Loon- bill too thin, neck too long and slender for a loon the break between dark and light plumage was quite distinct rather than the gradual merging you often see in winter plumage loons. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 20:30:00/20:40:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	15
Rare bird documentation form for Western Grebe at DeSoto Bend National Wildlife Refuge, 1980	Field notes Forms (documents)	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1980-11-01	1980-11-03	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation for Western Grebe at DeSoto Bend National Wildlife Refuge in Harrison County, IA on November 1, 1980.	Robinson, John C., 1959-	Western Grebe	De Soto Lake	De Soto Bend National Wildlife Refuge Harrison County	Oxbow lake - bordered by second-growth poplar stands, it was seen in the open portion of the lake, where the water depth was about 5 to 10 feet.	The documentation form by John C. Robinson is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Bob Frederick and Rebecca Rogge. \| Elimination of similar species: Common Loon - Loons are much larger, have thicker necks, & hold their necks in a different posture. Red-necked Grebe - This species does not have a distinctly white neck. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 15:30:00/16:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	15
Rare bird documentation form for Western Grebe at Sandy Beach at Coralville Reservoir, 1981	Field notes Forms (documents)	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1981-05-10	1981-05-23	Rare birds documentation form	Rae bird documentation for a Western Grebe at Sandy Beach at Coralville Reservoir in Johnson County, IA on May 10, 1981.	Newlon, Michael C.	Western Grebe	Sandy Beach Public Use Area	Sandy Beach, Coralville Reservoir, Johnson Co. IA	large reservoir, surrendered by forest and cropland	The documentation form by Michael Newlon is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Carol Newlon, Cal Knight, Bernie Knight, and Thomas Kent. \| Elimination of similar species: Long neck & pointed bill indicate a grebe: large size & color patterns eliminate other grebes. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 15:00:00/15:20:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	15
Rare bird documentation form for Western Grebe at Rush Lake, 1981	Field notes Forms (documents)	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1981-06-29	1981-07-03	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for six Western Grebes at Rush Lake in Osceola County, IA on June 29, 1981.	Kent, Thomas H. (Thomas Hugh), 1934-	Western Grebe	Rush Lake	Rush L., Osceola Co, IA	Lake with extensive marshy edge N. side of lake	The documentation form by Thomas H. Kent is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Douglas Harr. \| Elimination of similar species: None similar. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 08:10:00/08:25:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	15
Rare bird documentation form for Western Grebe at Saylorville Lake, 1984	Field notes Forms (documents)	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1984-10-26	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Western Grebe at Saylorville Lake in Polk County, IA on October 26, 1984.	Engebretsen, Bery	Western Grebe	Saylorville Lake	Saylorville Lake	Lake, at dam	The documentation form by Bery Engebretsen is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: too small, slender for Loon species. Head, bill neck, characteristic of this species. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 07:40:00/07:50:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	15
Rare bird documentation form for Western Grebe at Silver Lake Access, 1991	Field notes Forms (documents)	Ornithology Rare birds	1991-08-14	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for Western Grebe at Silver Lake Access at Silver Lake in Worth County, IA on August 14, 1991.	Carter, Dennis L.	Western Grebe	Silver Lake Access	Silver Lake Access, Silver Lake, Worth Co., Iowa	Lake	The documentation form by Dennis Carter is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Curt Nelson. \| Elimination of similar species: I know of no species that would be similar, except possibly Red-necked Grebe in winter plumage. The sharply defined black cap and black stripe down the back of the neck were unliked [sic] this other grebe. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 11:50:00/12:15:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	15
Rare bird documentation form for American White Pelican at Oakville, 1997	Field notes Forms (documents)	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1997-12-23	1998-01-13	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for an American White Pelican at Oakville in Louisa County, IA on December 23, 1997.	Ohde, Bill	American White Pelican	Oakville	Iowa River, 1 mile NW of Oakville, Louisa County, Iowa	large shallow river with sandbars, forested shorelines.	The documentation form by Bill Ohde is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Ron Cross. \| Elimination of similar species: Our first thought was swan when we saw the the [sic] large white bird in the water. We first used binoculars and immediately saw the huge orange bill. Then I got out the spotting scope to take a close look. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 11:30:00/15:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	16
Rare bird documentation form for American White Pelican at Bettendorf, 1997	Field notes Forms (documents)	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1997-12-21	1998-01-04	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a American White Pelican at Bettendorf in Scott County, IA on December 21, 1997.	McKay, Kelly	American White Pelican	Bettendorf	Bettendorf, IA. shoreline of Missisippi River, Scott County		The documentation form by Kelly J. McKay is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Jim Kingman, Chris Kingman, Keith Blunt, Donna Blair, and Mary Foulk. \| Elimination of similar species: All swans - dark torsi and they all lack the lark dark punched bill and black primaries and secondaries. Snow Goose - much smaller and lacks the large pale punched bill and black secondaries. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 12:45:00/12:55:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	16
Rare bird sighting for American White Pelican at Glenwood Lake in 1991	Field notes Forms (documents)	Bird watchers Bird watching Birds--Identification Rare birds	1991-06-01	N/A	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Rare bird sighting by Douglas Rose for two hundred or more American White Pelicans at Glenwood Lake in Mills County, IA on June 1, 1991. Document includes additional species sighting information.	Rose, Douglas L.	American White Pelican Cattle Egret Common Nighthawk Tree Swallow Chipping Sparrow Northern Shoveler	Fremont County Glenwood Glenwood Lake Park Mineola				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	16
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of King Eider at De Soto National Wildlife Refuge, 1985	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Correspondence Field notes Forms (documents)	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1985-11-10	1993-09-03	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review of a King Eider at De Soto National Wildlife Refuge in Harrison County on November 10, 1985. Includes a record review document with votes, diagrams and drawings, an article in Iowa Bird Life, correspondence over the sighting and identification, and nine documentation forms submitted to the committee. Within the documentation forms, sightings of both King Eider and Common Eider are reported.	Bray, Tanya	King Eider	DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge	DeSoto NWR, Washington County, Ne.--Harrison County, Ia.		The documentation form by Tanya Bray is the earliest and the one that forms the basis of this record. Other documentation forms by Jim Dinsmore, Stephen Dinsmore, Robert K. Myers, Jim Fuller, Francis L. Moore, Beth & Mark Proescholdt, W. Ross Silcock, Tom Kent, Peter C. Petersen, and Babs Padelford were submitted later. Other observers include Mark Dixon, Scott Patton, B.J. Rose, Loren Padelford, and Emil K. Nattalle. Elimination of similar species: Larger than White-winged Scoter in direct comparison. This bird also seemed "heavier" and more massive than the scoter. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 16:00:00/16:30:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	8	17
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Common Eider at Red Rock Reservoir, 1995	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Correspondence Field notes Forms (documents) Photographs	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1995-01-27	2000-11-18	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review of a Common Eider at Red Rock Reservoir in Marion County, IA on January 27, 1995. Includes a record review document with votes, correspondence over the sighting, photos, drawings of the bird sighting, articles in Iowa Bird Life, Field Notes, and other publications, and twelve documentation forms submitted to the committee.	Dinsmore, Stephen J.	Common Eider	Red Rock Dam	Des Moines River below Red Rock dam - Marion Co., Iowa	open stretch of river	The documentation form by Stephen J. Dinsmore is the earliest and the one that forms the basis of this record. Other documentation forms by Jim Dinsmore, Thomas H. Kent, Jim Fuller, Reid Allen, Ann Johnson, Mark Proescholdt, Chris Edwards, Peter C. Petersen, Ray Cummins, Robert Cecil, and Diane Porter were submitted later. \| Elimination of similar species: See above discussion (Description). Steller's Eider eliminated by size. Female and immature King Eider eliminated by pattern of barring on flanks, size of bill, position of eye, faint white supercilium, and pattern of feathering on bill. Spectacled Eider eliminated by facial pattern and bill shape. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 13:45:00/15:05:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	8	18