[Birdnet] Horned Grebes, Pectoral Sandpipers

[Kristin Purdy]

Sifting through about a thousand Eared Grebes along Antelope Island Causeway in Davis County put me in good stead to have two HORNED GREBES jump out at me by the time I got to the island. The were at the end of the causeway across from the marina on the south side, swimming with a small group of Eared Grebes. All the grebes had a tiny bit more molting to do to be completely in winter plumage. 

I also saw three PECTORAL SANDPIPERS foraging with a flock of Least, Western, Baird's Sandpipers and Killdeer at mm 6, north side. 

Other shorebirds out there today included Semi-palmated and Snowy Plovers, Long-billed Curlews, Willets, Black-necked Stilts, and gabillions of American Avocets. Swallows made a strong showing with high numbers of Barn, Cliff, Tree, and Violet-crowned. 

American Pipits made their first appearance of the year for me. This usually drab species are probably as buffy-colored as we'll ever see them right now on their sides and breasts. It's actually a quite warm color. 

The gull dynamic has changed. Ring-bills and California are still present in great numbers, of course, but I only saw one Franklin's.

Two of the best sightings of the day were of young falcons--one Prairie, one Peregrine--testing their skills. The Prairie Falcon chose a Long-billed Curlew and swooped over the curlew several times, forcing it into the water. Then the falcon lost interest and flew away. The Peregrine, however, didn't lose interest. The falcon pursued and then separated what I think was a Least Sandpiper from the flock I was formerly watching, plucked the bird out of the sky after several stoops, and then consumed the sandpiper while perched on a piece of driftwood and warily watching me on the road about 150 yards away.

I checked for the Pacific Golden-plover and didn't see it. I heard of two other unsuccessful attempts to find the plover on Wednesday and Thursday. 

Kris
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