Date: 3/15/25 10:30 am From: Clayton Will <willcfish...> Subject: [ia-bird] August 31, 2024 -Rock Wren I found at the entry to Sunken Grove WMA, Buena Vista County
I wrote this up and wanted to share this sighting of the Rock Wren I found at the entry to Sunken Grove WMA, Buena Vista County. It was quite a rush when I saw what it was. I titled this: "Gravel Road Rock Wren". A little before 9 AM on August 31, 2024 I had missed my corner to Sunken Grove WMA so decided to go around the mile instead of turning around. Shortly after turning back West toward the main entry with the sun behind me and driving my usual birding speed of 25 MPH I crested a small rise and noticed over a quarter mile ahead near Sunken Grove entry there were half grown pheasants on either side of the road with something small hopping around between them in a way I'd never seen before. I hit the car brakes and zoomed in on the little bird with my Nikon P950 and immediately realized it was a Rock Wren. I took video and photos from that distance and then tried to approach closer but it was gone as were the pheasants when I got halfway to them. I was happy to get the documentation I did. I returned several days in a row hoping to see it again without success. So now when a bird flies from the roadside as I approach it makes me wonder. "Hmmm" "What might that have been!" It is one of five ever seen in Iowa with pictures and the 20th record. Like Dana Siefer told me when I called to tell him. "There's not any expected habitat for a Rock Wren for many miles in that area."
Clayton Will Madrid Iowa, Storm Lake at that time.
