Date: 10/11/24 11:09 am From: Doug & Nina Harr <dnharr...> Subject: [ia-bird] Spectacular sparrow day in N. Boone Co.
After spending the past 2 days at the Iowa Nature Summit in Des Moines, this morning I went into northern Boone Co. just to do some road birding before running errands. When nearing the Boone/Hamilton Co. line 2 mi. SW of McHugh wetlands (private), then driving east to Bjorkboda Marsh, I managed to ID at least 9 species of sparrows in about 15 minutes. There were so many that it's likely there were others I missed.
Large numbers were everywhere along the roadsides and at the edge of the marshes. Best was one location right at the corner of R Ave. and 100th St. where I saw from my car window all the following in one bunch of shrubs and three-square bullrushes: *2 Swamp Sparrows, 5 Harris's Sparrows, 2 White-crowned Sparrows, 4 White-throated Sparrows, 8 Savannah Sparrows, 1 Fox Sparrow, & 1 Dark-eyed Junco. *Then, heading on to Bjorkboda Marsh I saw both a *Vesper Sparrow* and a* Clay-colored Sparrow. *Savannah Sparrows (photo of 1 attached here) were absolutely everywhere in northern Boone Co, where I estimate having seen nearly 150 along just a 6-mile stretch of roads. So it was a *spectacular* sparrow morning!
A couple of other nice things to see just into Hamilton Co., west of the Masterson Wildlife Area, were 6* Sandhill Cranes* and a* Northern Harrier*.
