| Great Black-backed Gull |
Mississippi River Lock & Dam No. 14
About six miles upriver from Bettendorf in Scott Co. The best waterfowl viewing is from the Illinois side, 1.5 miles downriver from I-80 along Ill. Hwy. 84, on the pier at Fisherman’s Corner South R.A. You can walk out the pier after parking. Gull viewing is good here, too, but probably best from the official L&D 14 park on the Iowa side. That park's entrance is about two miles south along U.S. 67 from I-80. You can walk in quite close to the lock, and there are backwaters at the park that often hold gulls as well.
| 1/30/2012 |
| Iceland Gull |
Mississippi River Lock & Dam No. 14
About six miles upriver from Bettendorf in Scott Co. The best waterfowl viewing is from the Illinois side, 1.5 miles downriver from I-80 along Ill. Hwy. 84, on the pier at Fisherman’s Corner South R.A. You can walk out the pier after parking. Gull viewing is good here, too, but probably best from the official L&D 14 park on the Iowa side. That park's entrance is about two miles south along U.S. 67 from I-80. You can walk in quite close to the lock, and there are backwaters at the park that often hold gulls as well.
| 1/29/2012 |
| Iceland Gull |
Mississippi River Pool No. 19, Ft. Madison
Off U.S. 61/Hwy. 2, follow 20th St. to its end at the river. This is a standard Ft. Madison birding stop with no known prohibition against scoping from this location. If sun angle is a problem, return to U.S. 61, proceed upriver and cross the bridge into Illinois at Hwy. 2/Ill. 9. Take Ill. 96 downriver through Niota, and at the first bend leftward, leave 96 and continue on the gravel road straight ahead. Soon take your first right, another gravel road, and scope the backwater directly along the road (Illinois birds). Continue from here looking for places to scope the river itself through small clearings in the trees (a bit tricky).
| 1/29/2012 |
| Snowy Owl |
Polk County Snowy Owl.
It was located just north of Ankeny off Irvindale Dr. (also
called NW 16th) on NW 134th Ave. Very close to the Alleman towers. From NW
16th street you turn west on 134th Ave. and go approximately 1/4 mile.
| 1/29/2012 |