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 documentation form for Red-throated Loon at Spirit Lake, 1999	Field notes Forms (documents)	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1999-06-28	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Red-throated Loon at Spirit Lake in Dickinson County, IA on June 28, 1999.	Schoenewe, Lee A.	Red-throated Loon	Spirit Lake	Spirit Lake, Dickinson County	open water	The documentation form by Lee A. Schoenewe is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: Common Loon + Pacific Loon - size, upturned bill & brownish, speckled neck. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 16:35:00/16:55:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	8
Rare bird documentation form for Red-throated Loon at Red Rock Reservoir, 1999	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1999-11-03	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Red-throated Loon at Red Rock Reservoir in Marion County, IA on November 3, 1999.	Fuller, James L	Red-throated Loon	Whitebreast Recreation Area	Red Rock Reservoir (Marion County) Off Whitebreast Point.		The documentation form by Jim Fuller is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observer includes Tom Kent. \| Elimination of similar species: Pacific Loon is generally darker, shows less white on the side of the neck and face, and usually exhibits a chin strap. Winter adult Pacific does not show light flecking on the back. Common Loon is larger with a larger bill, and shows an angular head outline. The dark-white line on the side of the neck is irregular and indistinct, compared to the Red-throated. Both other loons hold their bills horizonatally [sic]. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 14:00:00/14:30:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	8
Rare bird documentation form for Red-throated Loon at Saylorville Reservoir, 1999	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1999-11-07	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for two Red-throated Loons at Saylorville Reservoir in Polk County, IA on November 7, 1999.	Dinsmore, James J.	Red-throated Loon	Saylorville Dam	Saylorville Reservoir, off of west end of dam	freshwater lake	The documentation form by Jim Dinsmore is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Bery Engebretsen and Dennis Thompson. \| Elimination of similar species: I spent a long time puzzling over these birds, both in the field and later when I had several references to consult. None of the guides I looked at showed a bird that looked like these. Common (a small one): removed on the basis of size (birds too small for Common Loon), the thinner and bicolored bill, and the color pattern on the neck. At this time of year, all of the Common Loons I have seen (and saw on Saylorville that day) were distinctly white on the front of the neck with some partial bands of brown extending back in to the white. Pacific Loon: Eliminated on behavior (head posture), lack of a distinct dark/white line along the side of the neck, lack of chin straps across neck, and presence of brown on front of neck. Also the gray/brown contrast between neck and back would point away from Pacific but not eliminate it. Red-throated Loon: This is what I first thought the birds were but as I viewed them, I convinced myself several times that they were Pacific Loons. However, the combination of characters listed above seem to eliminate the other two possible species and also are positive characters for the Red-throated Loon. One character that puzzled me was the size of the bill. At least some of the guides (Advanced Birding esp) show the Red-throated Loon as having a tiny bill, much smaller than on this bird but those illustrations do not match those in other guides which emphasize more the shape of the bill than the size. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 07:45:00/08:45:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	8
Rare bird documentation form for Red-throated Loon at Saylorville Lake, 1999	Field notes Forms (documents)	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1999-11-06	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Red-throated Loon at Clear Lake in Polk County, IA on November 6, 1999.	Engebretsen, Bery	Red-throated Loon	Saylorville Lake	Saylorville Lake	above dam	The documentation form by Bery Engebretsen is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Dennis Thompson and Jim Dinsmore. \| Elimination of similar species: Small loon, small head slightly upturned beak and head. White visible on flanks. Faint fleck on dark back at tips of feathers. No chin strap, but from front had faint inverted V. Head, neck brownish/gray. Darker on back of neck, top of hood, much lighter chin, front of neck, sides of neck. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 07:30:00/08:30:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	8
Rare bird documentation form for Rehead at Willow Slough in 1978	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1978-06-30	1978-07-13	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Rare bird documentation form for seven Redhead at Willow Slough in Mills County, IA on June 30, 1978.	Wilson, Barbara L.	Redhead	Willow Slough State Game Management Area				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	8
Rare bird documentation form for Red-throated Loon at Clear Lake, 1999	Field notes Forms (documents)	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1999-04-21	1999-05-27	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for two Red-throated Loons at Clear Lake in Cerro Gordo County, IA on April 21, 1999.	Fischer, Carolyn J.	Red-throated Loon	Clear Lake	Clear Lake, Clear Lake Ia	Large lake, northside	The documentation form by Rita Goranson is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Curt Nelson, Jan Walter, and Carolyn Fischer. \| Elimination of similar species: Common Loon - was also present, could see larger loon, heavy bill, Pacific Loon - straight bill, black cap extends to eye -	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	8
Rare bird documentation form for Baltimore Oriole at Bettendorf, 1997	Field notes	Bird feeders Birds--Behavior Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds Wildlife conservation	1997-12-12	1998-01-09	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Baltimore Oriole at Bettendorf in Scott County, IA from December 12, 1997 to December 27, 1997.	McKay, Kelly Statser, Jack L.	Baltimore Oriole	Bettendorf	1515 29 Street Bettendorf, Scott County, IA.	suburban yard surrounded by a wooded ravine.	The documentation form by Kelly McKay and Jack Statser is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Vera Blevins. The documentation form was written by Kelly McKay from a phone conversation with Jack Statser. \| Elimination of similar species: Orchard Oriole - smaller; much darker red-orange underparts; all dark tail. American Redstart - very much smaller; all black with orange restricted to spots on sides, wings, and tail. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 13:30:00/13:50:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	79
Rare bird documentation form for Baltimore Oriole at Cedar Rapids, 1990	Field notes	Bird feeders Birds--Behavior Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1990-12-15	1990-12-31	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Baltimore Oriole at Cedar Rapids in Linn County, IA on December 15, 1990.	Wickham, Peter P.	Baltimore Oriole	Cedar Rapids	Bird feeder, 100 Thompson Drive S.E., Cedar Rapids	Suburban area, with condominiums, private homes, lawns & trees	The documentation form by Pete Wickham is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Jim Durbin and three unidentified people with other bird feeders. \| Elimination of similar species: There are no similar species that I can think of. It wasn't a Bullock's type, which would have orange on the face and a big white wing patch.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	79
Chris Reed card to Peter C. Petersen regarding Baltimore Oriole sighting, 1981	Correspondence Field notes	Birds--Behavior Birds--Identification Rare birds Meetings	1981-01-14	N/A	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Photocopied card detailing a Baltimore Oriole sighting at Fairport in Muscatine County, IA on January 14, 1981. It is a copy of https://avian.lib.iastate.edu/documents/2323/view.	Reed, Chris	Baltimore Oriole	Fairport				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	79
Rare bird documentation form for Warbling Vireo at Grammer Grove, unknown year	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	N/A	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Warbling Vireo at Grammer Grove in Marshall County, IA on September 27, unknown year.	Proescholdt, Mark	Warbling Vireo	Grammer Grove County Wildlife Area	Grammer Grove		The documentation form by Mark Proescholdt is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: [...] The most identifying mark was its face pattern around its eye. It had a 'blank look' around its eye. [...] This is definitely different from a Phil. Vireo with dark line through its eye and the Philadelphia's 'dark loral spot'. I've seen many Warbling Vireos (and have heard more) and I'm sure that it was a Warbling Vireo that I saw. \| The original documentation form event lasted for 15 to 30 seconds.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	79
Rare bird documentation form for Orchard Oriole at Lake Manawa in 1986	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology--Technique Rare birds	1986-10-19	N/A	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Rare bird documentation form for a Orchard Oriole at Lake Manawa in Pottawattamie County, IA on October 19, 1986.	Padelford, Babs Padelford, Loren	Orchard Oriole	Lake Manawa State Park				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	78
Rare bird documentation form for Solitary Vireo at Moorehead Park, 1994	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1994-08-20	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Solitary Vireo at Moorehead Park in Ida County, IA on August 20, 1994.	Ernzen, Peter	Blue-headed Vireo	Moorehead Pioneer Park	Moorehead Park	Wooded shrubby	The documentation form by Pete Ernzen is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| The original documentation form event occurred between 12:00:00 - 13:00:00 for several minutes.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	78
Rare bird documentation form for Solitary Vireo at Brookside Park in Ames, 1982	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1982-10-27	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for two Solitary Vireos at Brookside Park in Ames in Story County, IA on October 27, 1982.	Martsching, Paul	Blue-headed Vireo	Brookside Park	Brookside Park in Ames, Story County, Iowa	General: woods Specific: woods (bottomland) a lot of trails. most of trees lost 3/4 or more of leaves.	The documentation form by Paul Martsching is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: Yellow Throated Vireo - specticles [sic] not yellow; throat not yellow White Eyed Vireo - specticles [sic] not yellow (they both had darkeyes, as does imm. White Eye) Bell's Vireo - specticles [sic] wider - prominent white wing bars \| The original documentation form event occurred once at 14:45:00 and again at 14:47:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	78
Rare bird documentation form for Great-tailed Grackle at Finn Pond in Greene County, 1984	Field notes	Birds--Identification Birds--Nests Ornithology Rare birds	1984-05-31	1984-06-04	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for six Great-tailed Grackles at Finn Pond in Greene County, IA on May 31, 1984.	Dinsmore, James J.	Great-tailed Grackle	Finn Pond Wildlife Area	Finn Pond (2 miles west of Jefferson, Greene Co)	freshwater marsh	The documentation form by Jim Dinsmore is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Mike Brown. \| Elimination of similar species: Common Grackle-size Boat-tailed Grackle- range and eye color \| The original documentation form event lasted from 08:15:00/08:30:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	77
Rare bird documentation form for Great-tailed Grackle at Forney's Lake, 1985	Field notes	Birds--Behavior Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1985-07-13	1985-07-31	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Great-tailed Grackle at Forney's Lake in Fremont County, IA on July 13, 1985.	Dinsmore, Stephen J.	Great-tailed Grackle	Forneys Lake	Forney's Lake, Fremont Co.	on mudflat area in middle of marsh	The documentation form by Steve Dinsmore is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Beth Proescholdt and Mark Proescholdt. \| Elimination of similar species: Eliminated from Common Grackle by larger size (twice the size of other nearby grackles), longer tail and flatter crown. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 19:00:00/20:15:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	77
Rare bird documentation form for Great-tailed Grackle at Forney's Lake, 1985	Field notes	Birds--Behavior Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1985-07-22	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for two to three Great-tailed Grackles at Forney's Lake in Fremont County, IA on July 22, 1985.	Myers, Robert K.	Great-tailed Grackle	Forneys Lake	Forney Lake - Freemont [sic] County	Grassey [sic] islands in lake and bushes at lake's edge.	The documentation form by Robert K. Myers is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Ross Silcock and Steve Dinsmore. \| Elimination of similar species: Much larger + longer biled [sic] than common grackle Range would probably rule out Boat-tailed Grackle. \| The original documentation form event lasted from approximately 08:05:00/09:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	77
Rare bird documentation form for Great-tailed Grackle at the Port Neal generators near Salix in 1986	Field notes	Birds--Behavior Birds--Identification Rare birds	1986-07-10	1986-07-22	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Rare bird documentation form for three Great-tailed Grackles at the Port Neal generators near Salix in Woodbury County, IA on July 10 and 17, 1986.	Huser, Bill F.	Great-tailed Grackle	MidAmerican Energy Ponds				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	77
Spring Field Report for I.O.U., J. Donald Gillaspey, 1989	Correspondence Field notes	Birds--Behavior Birds--Identification Birdsongs Rare birds	1989-03-01	1989-05-31	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Field report sent to Steve Dinsmore at IOU for J. Donald Gillaspey. It features a sighting of a Great-tailed Grackle northwest of Lamoni in Decatur County, IA on May 12, 1989.	Gillaspey, J. Donald	Upland Sandpiper Great-tailed Grackle	Lamoni				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	77
Rare bird documentation form for Great-tailed Grackle at Crawford Creek Recreation Area, 1992	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1992-05-02	1992-05-07	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Great-tailed Grackle at Crawford Creek Recreation Area in Ida County, IA on May 2, 1992.	Ernzen, Peter	Great-tailed Grackle	Crawford Creek County Recreation Area	Crawford Creek Recreational Area ICCB.	open park land, lake with cattails	The documentation form by Peter Ernzen is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: Common Grackle, not as long, more irridescent, [sic] common grackle with in [sic] 20 ft. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 09:27:00/09:29:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	77
Details for rare bird sighting, Jim Fuller, 1992	Field notes	Birds--Identification Rare birds	1992-05-08	1992-05-13	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Field reports for three sightings of Great-tailed Grackles in Iowa. First sighting is at the West gun club pond at Coralville Reservoir in Johnson County, IA on May 8, 1992, the second at Council Bluffs in Pottawattamie County, IA on May 13, 1992, and the third near the visitor's center at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge in Harrison County, IA on May 13, 1992.	Fuller, James L	Great-tailed Grackle	Coralville Lake Council Bluffs DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	77
Rare bird documentation form for Great-tailed Grackle at Wapello Township in Louisa County, 1992	Field notes	Birds--Behavior Birds--Identification Birdsongs Ornithology Rare birds	1992-04-30	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Great-tailed Grackle at Wapello Township in Louisa County, IA on April 30, 1992.	Ohde, Bill	Great-tailed Grackle	Wapello Township	SE 1/4 of section 19, T74N, R4W, Louisa County, Iowa	Rural farmstead on edge of large timber block. In tall (15') backyard shrubs.	The documentation form by Bill Ohde is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: Common grackle - this bird was nearly crow-sized, longer tailed, with the peculiar whistles and rattles. Boat-tailed grackle - song was wrong. \| The original documentation form event occurred around 09:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	77
Rare bird documentation form for Great-tailed Grackle south of Council Bluffs, 1992	Field notes	Birds--Identification Birdsongs Ornithology Rare birds	1992-05-23	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Great-tailed Grackle south of Council Bluffs in Pottawattamie County, IA on May 23, 1992.	Pinkston, Randall, 1956-	Great-tailed Grackle	Council Bluffs	Off I-29 at south Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie Co., Iowa.		The documentation form by Randall Pinkston is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Thomas Kent and Jim Fuller. \| Elimination of similar species: Boat-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus major) with more rounded crown, characteristic call notes, much less likely to occur in Iowa. Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) much smaller, different call notes, female lacks rich brown foreparts and superciliary stripe. \| The original documentation form event occurred around 09:00:00/09:05:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	77
B.J. Rose letter to Doug Rose regarding Christmas Bird Count sightings, January 16, 1993	Correspondence Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology--Technique Rare birds	1993-01-16	N/A	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Letter from B. J. Rose to Doug Rose documenting birds seen during the Glenwood Christmas Bird Count on December 27, 1992. Rose gives details for the sighting of a Great-tailed Grackle, a Chipping Sparrow, and four Yellow-rumped Warblers.	Rose, B.J.	Yellow-rumped Warbler Chipping Sparrow Great-tailed Grackle	Glenwood Bartlett Bartlett State Wildlife Management Area				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	77
Rare bird documentation form for Great-tailed Grackle at MidAmerican Energy Ponds, 1993	Field notes	Birds--Identification Birdsongs Ornithology Rare birds	1993-06-20	1993-06-26	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for at least five Great-tailed Grackles at MidAmerican Energy Ponds at Pottawattamie County, IA on June 20, 1993. There are details of another sighting of another Great-tailed Grackle near Osceola in Clark County, IA on June 26, 1993 on the documentation form.	Pinkston, Randall, 1956-	Great-tailed Grackle	MidAmerican Energy Ponds	South IPL pond, Pottawattamie County, Iowa (4+ males, 1 female); along Hwy. 2 in Nebraska City bridge area, Fremont County, Iowa (1 male)	[...] Observed in cattails at edge of IPL pond in Pottawattamie County [...]	The documentation form by Randall Pinkston is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| The original documentation form event occurred in the afternoon.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	77
Rare bird documentation form for Great-tailed Grackle at Blue Lake, 1994	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1994-03-20	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for two Great-tailed Grackles at Blue Lake in Monona County, IA on March 20, 1994.	Ernzen, Peter	Great-tailed Grackle	Blue Lake	South Blue Lake in Monona County	marshywith [sic] several trees flooded	The documentation form by Peter Ernzen is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: Both sp. of grackle were present for comparison, up to 11 birds were seen in subsequent days, and 5 nests were observed as well. \| The original documentation form event lasted from approximately 12:00:00/13:00:00	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	77