[Birdnet] Common Terns and Bonaparte's Gulls

[kristinpurdy at comcast.net]

Quite a few COMMON TERNS and Bonaparte's Gulls rested with Forster's Terns and California and Ring-billed Gulls in the playas south of the Willard Bay south dike in Box Elder County today. Even after some of the birds flushed because some woman shut her door too loudly (oops; that was me), I still counted about 15 Common Terns and 10 Bonaparte's Gulls. 

A few shorebird species (avocets, Killdeer, a Long-billed Curlew and Greater Yellowlegs) were there along with a couple Snowy Egrets and White-faced Ibis.

This area is between Willard Bay and Harold Crane WMAs and birders must pass the playas on the left when headed out to bird the area west of Willard Bay. I wasn't headed out there, however.

Earlier in the day I hiked a portion of the Skyline Trail that runs between the North Ogden Divide and the private Pineview Marina in Weber County. The purpose of my hike was to watch for migrating raptors on this first day after a cold front passed through. Bad idea. I didn't see one. But the hike was fabulous and I felt as though I could see the curvature of the earth from up there. The trailhead is at 6200 feet and I set up my non-hawk hawkwatch about 2 1/2 miles later at 7700 feet. 

Along the way, I saw good numbers of Mountain and Black-capped Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Steller's Jays, and a Clark's Nutcracker on the ridge. I believe a bird sounding off once with a Too-too-too-too-too was a Northern Saw-whet Owl who was receiving too-too much attention from a band of vocal Red-breasted Nuthatches. I saw a couple of engaging Brown Creepers on the way down and throughout the hike,  Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers and a Northern Flicker. 

I could also see the water in the playas south of Willard Bay from the ridge, so I headed there from the North Ogden Divide to see what species were loafing at the water's edge.

The Skyline Trail can be reached via I-15 exit 349. Turn east and drive until you reach Washington Blvd. Turn north on Washington and then east on 3100N. 3100N. takes you through the North Ogden Divide and you'll find the trailhead at the summit of the pass on the south side of the road before you begin the descent to Ogden Valley.

The playa areas south of Willard Reservoir can be reached from I-15 exit 351. Turn west when exiting the interstate and watch for the sign to Willard Bay's South Marina. Turn right onto 4000N. in Farr West and drive 2 1/2 miles until the road ends at a T intersection. Turn right again and then zig north and zag west until you're driving west and the Willard Bay dike is on your right. The gulls and terns were along the water's edge about a half mile after the road crosses over the channel.

Kris
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