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The 117th CBC in Iowa
The 2016-2017 CBC included 34 counts from Iowa. The count period was cold to start and snow was a factor in the northeast. Severe cold on the 18th hampered some of the larger counts. Conditions then eased and large amounts of rain fell statewide on Christmas Day. Cold temperatures didn’t return until the 4th. Generally numbers were down, but Keokuk managed a near-record 99 species on the 19th. Princeton came in second place with 89. Saylorville (84), Burlington (83) and Davenport (81) were other high counts. Spirit Lake (60) led the northern counts and Rathbun (71) the southern. The species count was 139, which was spot average.
As always, there were many outstanding birds. A Slaty-backed Gull was a tremendous occurrence at Des Moines. A Great Egret at Burlington was only the second time for the Iowa CBC. An Osprey at Clinton was equally special. Clinton also hosted two Mountain Bluebirds. A Townsend’s Solitaire and a Northern Goshawk were at Mason City. Prairie Falcons were at DeSoto N.W.R. and Shenandoah, same as last year. Eight Chipping Sparrows across six counts were unprecedented. An American Pipit and two Vesper Sparrows were at Princeton. Rathbun reported a Common Loon and three Turkey Vultures were at Keokuk.
On any count there are some notable misses. Loggerhead Shrike was missed for the second straight year and Ruffed Grouse for the fifth. Glaucous Gull and Yellow-headed Blackbird were also missed. No Snowy Owls or scoters were reported.
Waterfowl had a tough count, but Trumpeter Swans were again in record numbers. They have increased by about a third in each of the last four years. Canada Geese were also in good numbers, but the other geese were reduced. Dabblers and divers were generally down also. Only the mergansers had a decent showing. A single Long-tailed Duck was at Keokuk and a count week bird was at Iowa City. American White Pelicans were primarily at Red Rock and Keokuk.
Gulls were also greatly reduced. Lesser Black-backed Gulls were at Princeton and Des Moines. A Thayer’s Gull was at Keokuk. Northern Bobwhite and Gray Partridge were hard to find. Northern Harriers were in record numbers. Nearly record numbers of Red-shouldered and Rough-legged Hawks were seen. Golden Eagles were on five counts with five at SE Clayton County. Merlins were also in good numbers. Peregrine Falcons were reported from six counts.
Eastern Screech-Owls and Northern Saw-whet Owls had excellent counts. Northern Shrikes were down somewhat. Red-breasted Nuthatches were about one-third the average. Winter Wrens were at record numbers, twice the average, and Carolina Wrens are currently on the rise. Ruby-crowned Kinglets were on three counts. It was a record year for Hermit Thrush. A Gray Catbird was at Saylorville and a Brown Thrasher at Princeton. Two Mockingbirds were at Green Island and one at Rathbun.
A Spotted Towhee was at De Soto NWR. Eastern Towhees were three counts. Except for Harris’s, all the sparrows were in very good numbers. Swamp and White-throated set new highs. Meadowlarks were also in record numbers, but the other icterids were down. A Brewer’s Blackbird was at Keokuk. Common Redpolls were only at Davenport. Pine Siskins and American Goldfinch numbers were very low. Lastly, Eurasian Tree Sparrows were found north to SE Clayton County and west to Buchanan County, Cedar Rapids, and Iowa City.