Report of the Records Committee for 2003

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Report of the Records Committee for 2003

Ann M. Johnson

The Records Committee reviewed 30 records from 2003; of these, 26 were accepted and 4 were not. One old record from 1989 was reviewed for the first time and was accepted. Hooded Oriole was added to the state list (#407).

Committee members for 2003 with years in which their terms expire were: Paul Hertzel (2003), Jim Sinclair (2004), Thomas H. Kent (2005), Lee Schoenewe (2006), James J. Dinsmore (2007), Aaron Brees (2008) and Ann M. Johnson (secretary, appointed by the committee). Matt Kenne was nominated by the Committee and appointed by the Board of Directors to fill a regular term beginning in 2004.

As field identification techniques continue to become more sophisticated, there is more interest in identifying some birds to the sub-specific level. The committee is beginning to look at some of these records, such as the Audubon’s subspecies of Yellow-rumped Warbler (03-09), in order to better define the avifauna of the state.

The four-digit number (year and sequence number) assigned to each record reviewed by the Records Committee is included for future reference. Records are classified as follows: A = Accepted (-S = specimen, -P = photograph, -R = recording, -D = documentation) and NA = Not Accepted. In order to be Accepted, a record must receive 7 votes on the initial review or 6 votes on a subsequent review. The subcategories A-S, A-P, and A-R indicate that physical evidence supports the identification, and records are subclassified based on a majority vote. References to IBL are the page of the Field Reports in Iowa Bird Life where the record is cited. P- numbers refer to the IOU Photo File entry number. Published notes and previous citations may contain more details. An * indicates a previously uncited documentation.

2003 RECORDS ACCEPTED

Barrow’s Goldeneye: 22 Mar at New Lake in Woodbury Co. (03-02, IBL 73:78).

Laughing Gull: 11 Oct at Saylorville Res. in Polk Co. (03-22, IBL 74:15).

Little Gull: 21 to 22 Apr at Coralville Res. in Johnson Co. (03-03, P-1018, IBL 73:80) and 29 Apr at Spirit L. in Dickinson Co. (03-06, IBL 73:80).

Black-headed Gull: 2 Aug at Spirit L. in Dickinson Co. (03-17, IBL 74:16).

Mew Gull: 23 Oct at Red Rock Res. in Marion Co. (03-25, IBL 74:16).

Iceland Gull: 22 Dec at Linger Longer Rest Area in Lee Co. (03-30, IBL 74:44).

Ferruginous Hawk: 14 Oct at Union Hills WMA in Cerro Gordo Co. (03-24, *Carolyn Fischer, IBL 74:13) and 10 Dec and 18 Dec at Hitchcock N.A in Pottawattamie Co. (03-28 and 03-29, IBL 74:43).

Black-necked Stilt: 5 May at New Lake in Woodbury Co. (03-07, IBL 73:79) and 16 May near Spencer in Clay Co. (03-11, IBL 73:79).

Whimbrel: 27 May at Cardinal M. in Winneshiek Co. (03-14, IBL 73:80).

Red Knot: 1 to 9 Sep at Red Rock Res. in Marion Co. (03-18, IBL 74:14) and 8 to 14 Sep at Johnston in Polk Co. (03-20, IBL 74:14).

Ruff: 7 May NE of Jefferson in Greene Co. (03-08, *Mike Overton, IBL 73:80).

Red Phalarope: 14 Sep at Owego Wetlands in Woodbury Co. (03-21, IBL 74:15).

Burrowing Owl: 20 Apr to 20 Jul SE of Percival in Fremont Co. (03-15, P-1022, IBL 73:134).

Selasphorus Hummingbird: 3 Sep in Plymouth Co. (03-19, *Bill Huser, IBL 74:17).

Varied Thrush: 13 Oct at Ames in Story Co. (03-23, IBL 74:19).

Bohemian Waxwing: 22 Nov in Clayton Co. (03-26, IBL 74:19).

Yellow-rumped [Audubon’s] Warbler: 11 May at Ledges S. P. in Boone Co. (03-09, IBL 73:84).

Black-headed Grosbeak: 26 Jan to 2 February sw of Danville in Des Moines Co. (03-01, P-1017, IBL 73:37,86).

Lazuli Bunting: 15 May at Algona in Kossuth Co. (03-10, IBL 73:86) and 25 May at Spirit L. in Dickinson Co. (03-12, P-1019, IBL 73:86).

Hooded Oriole: 25 May at Fairbank in Buchanan Co. (03-13, P-1020, IBL 73:86).

OLD RECORDS REVIEWED FOR THE FIRST TIME AND ACCEPTED

Burrowing Owl: 22 Jul 1989 near Waterloo in Black Hawk Co. (03-AA, P-1021, IBL 73:134).

2003 RECORDS NOT ACCEPTED

California Gull: Since the mantle color was noted as light gray and not even slightly darker than nearby Ring-billeds and Herrings, some members felt that a small, sub-adult Herring Gull could not be ruled out (03-27, IBL 74:16).

Burrowing Owl: While there was evidence of possible nesting in a NW Iowa field, no bird was ever observed by the reporter. A second-hand description was too brief to be conclusive (03-16, IBL 73:134).

Fish Crow: This species continues to be problematic for the committee since calls are difficult to describe well enough to differentiate them from begging young or female American Crows (03-04, IBL 73:82).

Common Raven: A sighting by an observer with much experience with ravens was intriguing but lack of some critical details left too much doubt as to species. The committee was unsure if this was a Common Raven, a sick American Crow, or perhaps a Chihuahuan Raven (03-05, IBL 73:82).