IOWA & MISSOURI 
This stunning male Western Tanager, one of two that appeared in Iowa in spring 
2009, was present 9-10 (here 10) May at Cherokee, Cherokee County. Photo- 
graph by Paul 0. Roisen. 
and Winneshiek (EB) in Iowa, and lingering 
ads. at S.C.R. (KM, m.ob.) and E.B.C.A. (BJ, 
m.ob.) were suggestive of nesting in Missouri. 
The spring shorebird migration was at best 
average, and many species moved through the 
Region later than normal. Among the few no- 
table early records were a Solitary Sandpiper 
in Butler, MO 22 Mar (tCBa), a Greater Yel- 
lowlegs in Wanm, I A 7 Mar (AB), a White- 
rumped Sandpiper at S.O.C.A. 24 Apr (BJ), 
single Dunlins at R.M.B.S. 22 Mar GPU) and 
at Saylorville 2 Apr (SJD, JG), and single Wil- 
son’s Phalaropes at Riverton 21 Mar (FOR, 
KDy) and at Horseshoe L., Buchanan, MO 25 
Mar (LL). Iowa hosted 2 Snowy Plovers this 
spring, one in Woodbury 22-27 Apr (tPOR, 
ph.) and one at Saylorville 25-27 Apr (tJB, 
m. ob.). Piping Plovers appeared at one Mis- 
souri and four Iowa locations after 19 Apr. 
The northward march of Black-necked Stilts 
slowed this spring; there were four Missouri 
reports of 1-2 birds along the Mississippi R. in 
Lincoln and St. Charles 8 Apr-16 May. Farther 
n. in Iowa, there were reports of one at Hawk- 
eye 29 Apr (Chris J. Caster et ah), 2 at Cone 
Marsh, Louisa 1 May Oantes Fuller), and one 
at Riverton 14-15 May (KDyJG). In Missouri, 
American Avocets were conhned to Holt, with 
a maximum of 27 on 9 May (MBR et ah), ex- 
cept for 2 on 14 May at R.M.B.S. O^E)- They 
were more widespread in Iowa, where most 
reports came from the s. half of the state and 
where the peak count of 28 came from Say- 
lorville 25 Apr (AB et ah). Willets were wide- 
ly reported in Missouri 5 Apr-9 May, with a 
peak of 100 at L. Jacomo, Jackson 26 Apr 
(Sandra Wallace, ph.). Smaller numbers oc- 
curred across Iowa 18 Apr-31 May. Whimbrel 
reports included one at R.M.B.S. 14 May 
QWE) and a flock of 6 at Forney L., Fremont 
15 May (tKDy, ph.). Hudsonian Godwits 
were plentiful along the Missouri River Valley, 
with peak counts of 141 at 
Riverton on 8 May (KDy) and 
116 in Holt, MO 9 May (DE et 
ah). Aside from a single report 
in Missouri, all Marbled God- 
wits were in Iowa, with an im- 
pressive movement on 17 May 
that included 18 at Saylorville 
(SJD,JG) and 29 at Dan Green 
Slough, Clay (Lee A. Schoe- 
newe). A record-early Ruddy 
Turnstone appeared 26 Apr at 
Saylorville (BE); elsewhere 
there were 1-2 birds at three 
Missouri locales 9-19 May and 
1-9 birds at five Iowa locales 
16-30 May. The 213 Stilt Sand- 
pipers in Holt, MO 9 May was 
a good spring count (DE). 
Buff-breasted Sandpiper is a rare spring mi- 
grant in the Region; the only reports were one 
at Dunbar Slough, Greene, lA 2 May (CJF) 
and 2 at S.C.R. 22 May (MBR et ah). Single 
Ruffs appeared in each state: a stunning 
black-maned male in alternate plumage at 
O.S.C.A. 22-25 Apr (tBill Reeves, m.ob., ph.) 
and a molting male at Cone Marsh, Louisa, lA 
28 Apr (tjim Forde, ph.). Red-necked 
Phalaropes were reported at nine locales in 
Iowa 10-31 May; the only Missouri report in- 
volved 9 in Holt 14 May (MBR, Jon King). 
The only Laughing Gull was a single ad. 
along the Mississippi R. in Scott, lA 11 May 
(Steve M. Freed). An ad. Little Gull at 
R.M.B.S. 11 May was an especially rare find so 
late in spring (Dan Kassenbaum, m.ob.). Large 
gulls exited the Region quickly, mostly during 
the rapid ice melt in mid-Mar. Tardy Herring 
Gulls included single first-cycle birds at 
R.M.B.S. 30 May (BR) and at Saylorville 31 
May (DTh). A Thayer’s Gull lingered until 2 
Apr at Saylorville (SJD), and Iowa hosted 3 
Glaucous Gulls, with the last on 24 Mar at Fort 
Madison, Lee QWR). Away from the Missouri 
R., single Least Terns appeared at R.M.B.S. 14- 
16 May QWE, MT) and at Ames, Story, lA 29 
May (SJD). Other terns appeared in good num- 
bers in Iowa, with 55 Caspians at Saylorville 
17 May (SJD, JG) and 1000 Blacks in Linn 14 
May (BSc). Common Terns appeared in num- 
bers in both states; up to 13 in Missouri 8-15 
May and up to 5 in Iowa 29 Apr-27 May. 
DOVES THROUGH WAKWINGS 
Eurasian Collared-Doves now occur Region- 
wide and were noted expanding into rural ar- 
eas in both states. White-winged Doves were 
noted in both states. In Missouri, there were 
six reports, including returning birds near a 
nest site in Mississippi QWE). In Iowa, singles 
appeared in Decatur 5 Apr (Nathan Miller) 
and in Page 25-27 May (KDy). On the heels of 
a good winter showing. Snowy Owls lingered 
in both states. Oddly, the latest birds were in 
Missouri, singles in Caldwell 15 Mar (SK, 
m.ob.) and in Livingston 19 Mar (SK). Four 
single Snowies in the n. half of Iowa were de- 
tected in a narrow window, 3-7 Mar. Long- 
eared Owls nested unsuccessfully in Liv- 
ingston, MO, near a site where they have nest- 
ed previously (SK). Chuck-will’s-widows 
were considered plentiful in Missouri, with a 
high count of 8 in Holt 9 May (DE); one was 
more unusual in Fremont, lA 22 May (KDy). 
Empidonax flycatchers made the news in both ; 
states this spring. Yellow-bellied Flycatchers ’ 
were well reported in Iowa 18-30 May, where- 
as 3 reported in cen. and w. Missouri 13-22 
May were more unusual. Alder Flycatchers i 
were also well reported from Iowa 17-31 May i 
but went unreported in Missouri. Willow Fly- 
catchers appeared in good numbers in both ; 
states, with high counts of 19 in Palo Alto, lA , 
27 May (SSP) and 5 at R.M.B.S. 30 May (BR). m 
Western Kingbirds continue to spread east- ; 
ward in Missouri, with eight reports 25 t 
Apr-31 May outside their normal haunts 
along the nw. edge of the state. An unusually 
early Scissor-tailed Flycatcher appeared 18 ' 
Mar in Jasper, MO Qeff Cantrell). 
Few Loggerhead Shrikes were reported in 
Missouri, although reports from 20 Iowa 
counties indicate a better- than-average spring 
showing. Northern Shrikes lingered in 14 
Iowa counties, with the last reported in Han- 
cock 30 Mar (PH); 5 Missouri individuals lin- 
gered through 15 Mar in St. Charles GPU et i 
al). White-eyed Vireos are scarce in n. Mis- 
souri and Iowa, so reports of 9 in Livingston, 
MO 9 May (SK) and 5 in Johnson, lA 30 May 
(CRE) were notable. Bell’s Vireo has a patchy 
distribution in the Region and is most com- 
mon along the floodplain of the Missouri R., 
where 13 in Woodbury, lA on 24 May (TLu) 
made a good count. A Black-billed Magpie 
nest was discovered at the Broken Kettle 
Amazingly, 2 Fork-tailed Flycatchers appeared 
in the Region this spring. The first was an ad. 
male near Dysart, Tama, lA 25-27 Apr (tMary Ann Grego- 
ry, m.ob., ph.), just 17 months after the state's first was 
discovered only miles away. Missouri's first was an imm. 
near Muskrat L., Buchanan 26-28 Apr (tConnie C. Thomp- 
son, m.ob., ph.). Both birds were well photographed and 
both of the highly migratory savana subspecies. The si- 1 
multaneity of these records suggests that their appear- I 
ances involved common circumstances, almost certainly a 
combination of reverse-migratory impulses and conti- 
nental weather patterns, as has been postulated in the lit- 
erature for some time. 
438 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
