[mou] Fillmore County Beaver Creek WMA

[Alt, Mark]

Went to Beaver Creek WMA in Fillmore County tonight, 3 miles from Iowa. =
I counted 43 separate flocks of Blackbirds that flew over us tonight, =
and I am guessing there were an average of 30 birds per flock. 80% of =
the birds I could ID were Red-winged Blackbirds, the others I could ID =
were Common Grackles. I saw some birds that were mixed in that could =
have been Rusty Blackbirds but I cannot tell by call alone and they were =
all on the move. So, in 2 hours from 1 spot, I saw over 1200 Blackbirds, =
migration is booming. When we got to the field at 4:00 PM, there were no =
Red-wings in sight, none singing or displaying. By 6:00 PM, they were =
everywhere singing. Rich Peet recorded at least 12 different call notes =
and songs for Red-winged Blackbirds alone. A flock of 15 Robins moved =
through, 3 flocks of Horned Larks flew over, their two note musical call =
notes throwing me off at first. Lapland Longspurs rattled overhead. 3 =
Killdeers were seen, along with a Rough-legged Hawk (light morph), an =
American Kestrel (male) and a 1st year Bald Eagle. We recorded an =
overhead call note that had a Blue bird quality to it, but was not the =
Eastern call I am familiar with. After listening to Bill Evans' night =
call note CD, it may have been a group of Mountain Bluebirds. Single =
note calls, slightly less musical than Eastern calls. Not definitive =
enough to warrant a seasonal report listing, but I can at least call out =
the maybes here in this forum. Get a copy of his recordings, it is worth =
the cost many times over. Good Birding.