[Birdnet] American Redstart at Willard Bay

[Kristin Purdy]

Hit-or-miss Willard Bay State Park in Box Elder County was a hit today with
nine species of warblers including a female AMERICAN REDSTART. She was
foraging like a flycatcher and flutter-dropping in the trees over the stream
channel south of the nature trail parking lot. I saw her only briefly along
a trail that leads to Eagle Beach; later I saw her again and was able to
watch her until a Gray Catbird chased her deep into a hawthorne. Darn
catbird!

The path I mentioned above is a don't-miss spot when you visit the park.
>From the nature trail parking lot, take the gravel path that leads west
until it curves south and T-bones; turn left (south). From there to Eagle
Beach has always been very productive for me, especially around the stream
channel.

Another highlight was a surprising Red-breasted Nuthatch; it seems early for
this species to be so low in elevation. I can easily say this was the
richest-colored nuthatch I've seen; his breast was nearly as red as a
robin's and his black, blue and white head pattern contrasted strongly. I
also saw a Bewick's Wren at the west end of the path where the shoreline
used to be before the reservoir dropped so precipitously. Don't laugh, but I
can't remember seeing a Bewick's Wren in Utah before, so the bird was a real
treat. I was pishing to bring out of the tall alfalfa a skulker that I
thought was a Song Sparrow. The pishing first brought out a Green-tailed
Towhee, then the Bewick's Wren, then a House Wren, and then a Song Sparrow
skeddadled out of sight again.

The other eight warbler species I saw in the park today included:

Orange-crowned Warbler (just one)
Nashville Warbler (3)
Yellow Warbler (15-20)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (a few)
Townsend's Warbler (1, who found what must be the only juniper in the park
at campsite Cottonwood Campground's campsite #23 where I watched her for
10-15 minutes)
MacGillivray's Warbler (6-7)
Common Yellowthroat (2)
Wilson's Warbler (20-25)

Other birds in the riparian area:

Ring-necked Pheasant
Mourning Doves
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
presumed Hammond's Flycatcher
Western Wood-pewee
Warbling Vireos
Black-billed Magpies
Barn Swallows
Northern Rough-winged Swallows
Black-capped Chickadees
American Robins
Gray Catbirds (loads)
Cedar Waxwings
Western Tanagers (loads)
Chipping Sparrows
Song Sparrows
Lazuli Buntings
House Finches
American Goldfinches

A brief scan along the shoreline produced:

Canada Geese
Western and Clark's Grebes
American White Pelicans
Double-crested Cormorants
Great Blue Herons
GREAT EGRET
Snowy Egrets
White-faced Ibis
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpipers
Least Sandpipers
Gull sp.
Caspian Tern
Forster's Terns

And finally, no trip to Willard Bay would be complete without a stop at the 
Flying
J at to watch the Great-tailed Grackles investigate the trash at the picnic
area.

The main entrance to Willard Bay State Park is located west of I-15 at exit
357.

Kris