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 White-winged Scoter at Union Grove State Park, 1986	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1986-11-10	1986-11-18	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a White-winged Scoter at Union Grove State Park in Tama County, IA on November 10, 1986.	Proescholdt, Mark	White-winged Scoter	Union Grove State Park	Union Grove State Park - (Tama Co.)	small lake with brush and weeds along edges on north end	The documentation form by Mark Proescholdt is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Beth Proescholdt, Phyllis Harris, and Ramona Sommerlot. \| Elimination of similar species: An immature Surf Scoter lacks the distinctive white wing patch. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 11:10:00/11:23:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	12
Rare bird documentation form for Ibis species at Union Grove State Park, 1985	Field notes Forms (documents)	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1985-09-30	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for an Ibis species at Union Grove State Park in Tama County, IA on September 30, 1985.	Fuller, James L	Glossy Ibises	Union Grove State Park	Union Grove St. Park - Tama County	Lake	The documentation form by Jim Fuller is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Cal Knight. \| Elimination of similar species: Small Herons - bill shape.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	24
Rare bird documentation form for Ibis species at Union Grove State Park, 1985	Field notes Forms (documents)	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1985-09-29	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form an Ibis species at Union Grove State Park in Tama County, IA on September 29, 1985.	Dinsmore, Stephen J.	Glossy Ibises	Union Grove State Park	Union Grove SP, Tama Co.	shallow, marshy area on edge of lake	The documentation form by Steve Dinsmore is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Erik Munson, Mark Proescholdt, Russel Hays, and Hank Zaletel. \| Elimination of similar species: All other herons eliminated by uniformly dark brown color and long, decurved bill. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 15:00:00/16:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	24
Rare bird documentation form for White-winged Scoter at Union Grove Lake, 1986	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1986-11-10	1986-11-28	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a White-winged Scoter at Union Grove Lake in Tama County, IA on November 10, 1986.	Proescholdt, Beth	White-winged Scoter	Union Grove Lake	Union Grove Lake, Tama County	a small lake with a cluster of houses along one side.	The documentation form by Beth Proescholdt is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Phyllis Harris, Ramona Sommerlot, and Mark Proescholdt. \| Elimination of similar species: as we saw it fly with white wing patches + distinct white facial spots there was nothing else to confuse with it. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 13:30:00/13:31:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	12
Rare bird documentation form for Pine Warbler at Hancher Auditorium at the University of Iowa, 1992	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1992-12-20	1992-12-22	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for two Pine Warblers at Hancher Auditorium at the University of Iowa in Johnson County, IA on December 20, 1992.	Fuller, James L	Pine Warbler	Hancher Auditorium	Under white and scotch pines at edge of Hancher Auditorium parking lot, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Johnson County).		The documentation form by Jim Fuller is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Jim Scheib, Matt Prather, Thomas Kent, and many unidentified observers. \| Elimination of similar species: The combination of light eye ring, whitish wingbars, unstreaked back, and light belly and vent should separate this species from any other warbler. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 08:55:00/09:20:00 and 12:55:00/13:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	29
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Pine Warbler at Hancher Auditorium at Iowa City, 1992	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes Photographs	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1992-12-20	1994-10-18	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for two Pine Warblers at Hancher Auditorium at Iowa City in Johnson County, IA on December 20, 1992. Includes a record review document with votes, an article in Iowa Bird Life, three photographs, and three documentation forms submitted to the committee.	Fuller, James L	Pine Warbler	Hancher Auditorium	Under white and scotch pines at edge of Hancher Auditorium parking lot, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Johnson County).		The documentation form by Jim Fuller forms the basis of this record. Other documentation forms by Thomas H. Kent and Randall Pinkston were submitted. Other observers include Carl Bendorf, Dick Teterault, Jim Scheib, Matt Prather, and many unidentified observers. \| Elimination of similar species: The combination of light eye ring, whitish wingbars, unstreaked back, and light belly and vent should separate this species from any other warbler. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 08:55:00/09:20:00 and 12:55:00/13:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	13	20
Rare bird documentation form for Saw-whet Owl near Swan Lake in Johnson County, 1978	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1978-12-16	1978-12-19	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Saw-whet Owl near Swan Lake in Johnson County, IA on December 16, 1978.	Newlon, Carol S.	Northern Saw-whet Owl	Swan Lake	under bridge on swan lake rd between swan lake + babcock lake rd		The documentation form by Carol S. Newlon is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Thomas Staudt, Ruth Williams, Mona Brown, and Noel Brown. \| Elimination of similar species: a screech owl would have had ear tufts, a boreal would certainly not have been expected here and would have had black rims around the facial discs. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 12:15:00/12:20:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	55
Rare bird documentation form for Northern Goshawk at Waterloo, 1984	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1984-10-03	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Northern Goshawk at Waterloo in Black Hawk County, IA on October 3, 1984.	Moore, Francis L.	Northern Goshawk	Waterloo	U.S. Highway 20 and Airport Blvd., Waterloo, Black Hawk Co., IA	Open fields and marshy land near George Wyth S.P.	The documentation form by Francis L. Moore is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: N. Harrier glides quite a bit with a slight dihedral and has a white rump, this bird flew like an Accipiter with a flap, flap, flap sail with the glide short and no dihedral to the wings. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 17:37:00/17:40:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	25
Rare bird documentation for American Magpie at Tyson Bend, 1974	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1974-10-14	1974-11-25	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation for an American Magpie at Tyson Bend in Harrison County, IA on October 14, 1974.	Loth, Edward W.	Black-billed Magpie	Tyson Bend Wildlife Area	Tyson Bend, 4 mi. west of Modale, Harrison County, Iowa	General: Wooded area of Missouri River flood plain. Specific: A series of cattail marshes interspersed with willows and cottonwoods.	The documentation form by Edward W. Loth is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: None - the only bird I am familiar with that is black and white and has a long tail. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 17:30:00/17:31:00 and 18:20:00/18:21:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	83
Rare bird documentation form for Savannah Sparrow north of Lucas, 1981	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1981-12-19	1982-01-07	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Savannah Sparrow north of Lucas in Lucas County, IA on December 19, 1981.	Gilbert, Bill H. Gilbert, Mary Ann	Savannah Sparrow	Lucas	Two to three miles north of Lucas, Iowa, on roadside		The documentation form by Bill Gilbert and Mary Ann Gilbert is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: [...] Distinctive yellow stripe running to back of head eliminated other species. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 11:00:00/11:15:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	55
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Ruff west of Mount Ayr, 1995	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1995-04-22	2000-11-18	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Ruff west of Mount Ayr in Ringgold County, IA on April 22, 1995. Includes a record review document with votes, an article in Iowa Bird Life, and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Sinclair, Jim	Ruff	Mount Ayr	Two miles west of Mt. Ayr on Rt 2, Ringgold Co.	Bean stubble	The documentation form by Jim Sinclair is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Richard Trieff. \| Elimination of similar species: Looked like no other shorebird I have ever seen. \| The original documentation form event occurred around 09:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	9
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Sprague's Pipit north of Missouri Valley, 1978	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1978-04-11	1994-01-28	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Sprauge's Pipit north of Missouri Valley in Harrison County, IA on April 11, 1978. Includes a record review document with votes, a request for reconsideration of record, an article in Iowa Bird Life, and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Gochenour, Ruth A.	Sprague's Pipit	Missouri Valley	Two miles north of Missouri Valley, Iowa	Plowed field - corn stubble - Soil wet from rain - deep grassy ditches on both sides of rd.	The documentation form by Ruth Gochenour is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Another observer was Naomi Svenningsen. \| Elimination of similar species: American Pipit, Vesper Sparrow - Legs-flesh colored - not clark - Lacked cinnamon shoulder patches - and streaking on back as described in #6. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 11:00:00/11:10:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	13	13
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Pacific Loon at Twelve Mile Lake, 1995	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1995-10-26	2000-11-20	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Pacific Loon at Twelve Mile Lake in Union County, IA on October 26, 1995. Includes a record review document with votes and two documentation forms submitted to the committee.	Kent, Thomas H. (Thomas Hugh), 1934-	Pacific Loon	Twelve Mile Lake	Twelve Mile Lake, Union Co., IA	Artificial lake, fairly deep water, typical of southern Iowa lakes.	The documentation form by Thomas Kent is the earliest and the one that forms the basis of this record. Other documentation forms by Jim Fuller were submitted later. \| Elimination of similar species: We based our identification on size, small uniform bill, lack of white around and in front of the eye, sharp separation of light and dark on the neck, and fine chin strap. The bird was too bulky for a Red-throated Loon and did not have a very thin, upward pointing bill. We were more concerned about excluding Common Loon. The Common Loons we saw later at Rathbun Reservoir had white around the eye, more irregular and less distinct separation of light and dark on the neck, and much more massive bills with bulbous thickening near the tip. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 07:25:00/07:40:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	7	7
Rare bird documentation form for Hooded Warbler at Turkey Creek Wildlife Area, 1982	Field notes	Birds--Behavior Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1982-07-22	1982-07-23	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Hooded Warbler at Turkey Creek Wildlife Area in Cass County, IA on July 22, 1982.	Hensley, R. Craig	Hooded Warbler	Turkey Creek	Turkey Creek Wildlife Area	Near an oxbow, dominant trees were elm, silver maple, cottonwood. along the edge of the woods.	The documentation form by Craig Hensley is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: The only species that I believed was similar was the yellow warbler, in fact, when I first saw it without binoculars, I thought that it was a yellow warbler. However, this bird lacked the red streaks from its body. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 15:00:00/15:20:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	41
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 Northern Shrike at Trumbull Lake, 1993	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1993-11-11	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Northern Shrike at Trumbull Lake in Clay County, IA on November 11, 1993.	Schoenewe, Lee A.	Northern Shrike	Trumbull Lake	Trumbull Lake, Clay County	Top of dead tree in open cattail marsh	The documentation form by Lee A. Schoenewe is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: Loggerhead Shrike - Thinner mask and larger bill \| The original documentation form event occurred around 14:20:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	75
Rare bird documentation form for Western Grebe at Trumbull Lake, 1991	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1991-10-12	1991-10-19	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for two Western Grebes at Trumbull Lake at Clay County, IA on October 12, 1991.	Schoenewe, Lee A.	Western Grebe	Trumbull Lake	Trumbull Lake, Clay Co., Iowa	shallow lake with marshy perimeter	The documentation form by Lee A. Schoenewe is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Nancy Schoenewe, Dennis McFarland, and Sandy McFarland. \| Elimination of similar species: Clark's Grebe - Black surrounded eye size, red eye & long bill eliminated other grebes. Bill & Long neck - loon. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 12:00:00/15:30:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	32	15
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Clark's Grebe at Trumbull Lake, 1994	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1994-05-13	1996-04-25	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Clark's Grebe at Trumbull Lake in Clay County, IA on May 13, 1994. Includes a record review document with votes, an Iowa Bird Life, and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Brewer, Marion M.	Clark's Grebe	Trumbull Lake	Trumble Lake	Lake	The documentation form by Marion W. Brewer is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: Western, White in front, over & behind eye. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 12:30:00/12:50:00 and 13:15:00/13:48:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	7	9
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Black-headed Grosbeak at Decorah, 1982	Administrative records Correspondence Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1982-07-29	1993-09-01	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Black-headed Grosbeak at Decorah in Winneshiek County, IA on July 29, 1982. Includes a record review document with votes, a letter from Bruce Peterjohn to Tom Kent, a summary of the review, and a letter from Jeri McMahon to Tom Kent.	McMahon, Jeri	Black-headed Grosbeak	Decorah	Trout River, near Decorah		A letter from Jeri McMahon to Tom Kent forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: The female rose-breasted grosbeak, plus juveniles, were also present that day, so I could compare the 2 species very well. It was not an im. male rose-breasted, although I saw several of those.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	14	3
Rare bird documentation form for Lesser Black-backed Gull at Trickle Slough at Spirit Lake, 1999	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1999-11-06	1999-11-21	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Lesser Black-backed Gull at Trickle Slough at Spirit Lake in Dickinson County, IA on November 6, 1999.	Schoenewe, Lee A.	Lesser Black-backed Gull	Trickle Slough	Trickle Slough, Spirit Lake, Dickinson County	Sandy point surrounded by open water	The documentation form by Lee A. Schoenewe is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Gary Grange. \| Elimination of similar species: Greater Black-backed - size relative to Herring Gulls; Herring/Thayers - flight pattern + long wings in flight + perched \| The original documentation form event lasted from 14:40:00/15:10:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	36
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of California Gull at the Trickle Slough Area of Big Spirit Lake, 1998	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1998-10-13	2000-11-24	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review of a California Gull at the Trickle Slough Area of Big Spirit Lake in Dickinson County, IA on October 13, 1998. Includes a record review document with votes and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Schoenewe, Lee A.	California Gull	Trickle Slough Area	Trickle Slough Area of Big Spirit Lake	Natural lake with point of land	The documentation form by Lee A. Schoenewe is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Eugene Armstrong and Eloise Armstrong. \| Elimination of similar species: Thayer's Gull - head shape, bill size and leg color \| The original documentation form event lasted from 15:40:00/16:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	10	18
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Eurasian Collared Dove at Rutland, 1999	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1999-06-15	2000-11-28	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for six Eurasian Collared Doves at Rutland in Humboldt County, IA during late June, 1999. Includes a record review document with votes and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Smeltzer, John F.	Eurasian Collared Dove	Rutland	Town of Rutland, Humboldt County, Iowa	Seen repeatedly and photographed at bird feeder/waterer.	The documentation form by John F. Smeltzer, Jr. is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include entire Smeltzer family (wife, daughter, son, father, mother, and brother). \| Elimination of similar species: Mourning dove.....they were too large and the wrong color. Common pigeon.....too small, wrong color as well. Ringed dove......domestic and too fragile for the environment they were surviving in.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	12	9
Rare bird documentation form for Northern Goshawk at Oxford, 1978	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1978-01-22	1978-02-03	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Northern Goshawk at Oxford in Johnson County, IA on January 22, 1978.	Folk, G. Edgar	Northern Goshawk	Oxford	town of Oxford, Johnson County, Iowa	Extensive open pasture with groves of trees.	The documentation form by G. Edgar Folk, Jr. is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include an unidentified person. \| Elimination of similar species: I stated above why it was not a Coopers Hawk. The only bird I could confuse it with would be the Coopers Hawk, and this specimen was far too large and too light-colored for that. \| The original documentation form event occurred around 15:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	25
Rare bird documentation form for Merlin at Sioux Center, 1989	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1989-10-03	1989-10-04	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Merlin at Sioux Center in Sioux County, IA on October 3, 1989.	Van Dyk, John, 1936-	Merlin	Sioux Center	top of a dead tree in a neighbor's yard.		The documentation form by John Van Dyk is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include his wife Susan Van Dyk. \| Elimination of similar species: The bird was about the size of a Kestrel, but lacked the bold facial markings. \| The original documentation form event occurred in the afternoon for more than twenty minutes.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	32
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting of Black-bellied Whistling-Duck at Tomahawk Marsh, 1998	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes Maps (documents) Photographs	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1998-04-10	2000-11-24	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review of a Black-bellied Whistling-Duck at Tomahawk Marsh in Sac County on April 10, 1998. Includes a record review document with votes, a photograph, an article in Iowa Bird Life, a map of one of the sightings, and seven documentation forms submitted to the committee.	Reisz, Russell	Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	Tomahawk Marsh Wildlife Management Area	Tomahawk Marsh, Sac County, Iowa	marsh, wetland	The documentation form by Russell Reisz is the earliest and the one that forms the basis of this record. Other documentation forms by Peter Ernzen, Thomas H. Kent, Jim Fuller, Dick Tetrault, Chris Edwards, and Mark Proescholdt were submitted later. Other observers include Beth Proescholdt. \| Elimination of similar species: Fulvous Whistling-duck is the most similar species. This species was eliminated because it has a different bill color and a different leg color than the Black-bellied Whistling-duck. The Fulvous Whistling-duck also lacks the white wing patch and the dark belly of the Black-bellied Whistling-duck. These were all points of identification for the species seen at Tomahawk Marsh. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 19:58:00/19:58:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	8	3