ICBC Breeding Bird Trip to Hawkeye Wildlife Area

June 11's Iowa City Bird Club Breeding Bird Atlas trip to Hawkeye Wildlife Area, mostly near the Gun Club Ponds, which are located along Greencastle Avenue, a quarter-mile south of Swan Lake Rd produced several interesting birds:

1 Blue Grosbeak – along the east side of Greencastle Avenue, 100 yards south of Gun Club Ponds. It appeared to be a first-summer male with considerable brown coloration.  Blue Grosbeaks are fairly uncommon in Johnson Co.  This bird was relocated by a number of observers later in the weekend.

1 Black-and-white Warbler, a silent male was seen in a willow thicket at the same location as the grosbeak

1 Least Flycatcher – calling from west side of road just north of Gun Club Ponds

1 Prothonotary Warbler - east side of road at Gun Club Ponds

1 Willow Flycatcher

3 Lark Sparrows

2 Orchard Orioles

34 American White Pelicans

Many Cedar Waxwings and Dickcissels

Also nesting was confirmed for Eastern Kingbird, American Robin, Brown Thrasher, Field Sparrow, and Common Grackle.

There have been several other interesting birds were seen in our area in the last week.

Bewick's Wren seen in the Kalona area, and a

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was seen near West Branch.