Iowa City bird Club Trip to Ryerson's Woods 5/21

This trip was listed as a birdwatching trip, but in a place like Ryerson's as much time is spent on the plants as the birds, especially on a day when birds were quiet.  The group was fortunate to have some real plant experts  along and probably identified more pants than birds.  The group saw 31 species of birds:  Cooper's Hawk, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Great Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, House Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, American Robin, Gray Catbird, Golden-winged Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, American Redstart, Common Yellowthroat, Song Sparrow, Scarlet Tanager, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, American Goldfinch, and House Sparrow.  Six warblers were seen so migration is still going on, but we are just about at the end of this spring's show.

Ryerson's Woods is a park owned by Iowa City.  In the next few months, Ryerson's Woods may become the first state preserve located with city limits.