[Birdnet] Long-tailed Jaeger at Quail Creek S.P. 10/18

[Rick Fridell]

Hello everyone,

Thanks to Josh for posting the jaeger sighting for me this morning.  I
noticed a juvenile jaeger flying around Quail Creek State Park (Washington
Co.) this morning (10/18) on my way up to a meeting in Cedar City.  I
managed to make it back this afternoon, this time with optics, and soon
noticed the jaeger was a juvenile light-phase Long-tailed Jaeger.  It
managed to stay mostly along the opposite shoreline (of course), flying
along the cliffs, and occasionally fluttering down to the water surface.  It
would occasionally rest on the water for short periods. I think I managed to
get some blurry, but identifiable, photos.  It was surprisingly difficult to
track while flying, and I would often lose it for a while against the cliffs
on the east side of Quail Creek reservoir.  The pale head and strongly
barred undertail coverts were quite obvious when it is perched on the water,
and the pale belly, chest, and white underwing barring were apparent in
flight.

I last observed the jaeger this afternoon about 6:10 with Josh Kreitzer and
family.

I plan to check and see if the bird is present on my way to work first thing
in the morning, and will give Tim Avery (and others) a call if it is
present.

Regards,

Rick Fridell
Hurricane, UT