[Birdnet] No Blue-headed Vireo at Garr

[Kristin Purdy]

The Blue-headed Vireo dragnet that spread across Garr Ranch at Antelope 
Island State Park in Davis County today included John Bellmon, Keith Evans, 
Pomera Fronce, Dave Hanscom, Dennis Shirley, Arnold Smith and me. Alas, 
despite all those sets of eyes, we did not see the bird.

We did, however, see many Warbling Vireos, the RED-EYED VIREO in the Russian 
Olive at the southeast corner of the south pasture and John saw a CASSIN'S 
VIREO.

There were several empids about that may not have gotten a lot of attention 
due to the search for the celebrity vireo, but Dave reported a Gray 
Flycatcher in the brush pile in the south pasture and Arnold and I saw a 
non-empid Western Wood-pewee in the Chinese Elms over the picnic area.

We had to work very hard for the birds we did see including six species of 
warblers: Nashville, Yellow, Yellow-rumped, MacGillivray's, Wilson's and a 
Yellow-breasted Chat. Each of those species may have just offered one 
representative except the Yellow-rumped. No kidding, there were few birds at 
the ranch today.

Sparrows included Lark, Chipping and Song. Hummers included Rufous fighting 
over the feeders; the subadult male defending the feeder is missing 
significant patches of feathers on his throat and lower breast making him 
look like he's got big black spots on his underparts. A juvenile 
Black-chinned also landed on a fence about six feet in front of me, and then 
patiently waited her turn until a Monarch Butterfly finished probing the 
thistle that the hummer wanted.

We saw or heard several Marsh Wrens and heard a couple Virginia Rails; 
Dennis also saw a WINTER WREN in the brush beyond the Red-eyed Vireo's tree 
after the remainder of the party had left.

The most phenomenal sighting of the day included two owls and part of a 
third. Pomera spotted an adult Great Horned Owl with a prey item high in the 
cottonwoods southeast of the spring house; the bird was not terribly happy 
with our presence and repeatedly mantled its prey. The prey bird appeared 
large, perhaps half the size of the GHO (although partially consumed 
already), with tarsi feathered with buffy-colored feathers down to the 
curling toes and talons. Dennis suggested the prey bird was a Long-eared 
Owl; later I saw feathers with the anchor pattern that Long-ears sport on 
their breast feathers and Arnold got a good look at a wing, causing us also 
to conclude that the bird was an LEO.

The adult GHO was a neat eater. Pomera and I watched the bird choke down a 
large LEO chunk with feathers, but later when we inspected the ground, we 
couldn't find any prey remains there.

The third owl was a juvenile GHO that flew low into the trees from the 
direction of the barn while we were watching the drama of life and death 
over our heads. The juvenile GHO must have called a raspy "Yeeee!" for the 
next hour or so. Oddly enough, neither owl got much attention from other 
birds that might have been in the grove. I didn't hear one bird mob either 
owl.

Despite the fact that we didn't see the Blue-headed Vireo, the trip was 
worth it for the owl drama.

John, Keith and Arnold also obligingly had staked out about a dozen 
Semi-palmated Plovers and a handful of Baird's and Western Sandpipers at the 
north side of the No Swimming bridge when Pomera and I and then Dennis 
pulled up behind them.

Antelope Island State Park is located 7 miles west of I-15 at exit 332. The 
daily entrance fee is $9.00.

Kris