[Birdnet] Rare Ducks at Antelope Island

[MarJean Muhlestein]

I just got back from AI (Sat.) and also spotted the Long-Tailed Duck, and possibly the Black Scoter on the North side of the bridge, and several Lesser Scaup.  I'm not sure for positive about the Black Scoter, I originally thought it was a Ruddy Duck, and it was on my way back, so I did not take time to get a really good look. If I'd know the Black Scoter had been seen I would have stopped and looked better.  Another great highlight were 1000's of Tundra Swans flying over the visitor center area going North, probably on their way to visit Betsy at the Bear River Refuge. They kept coming, and coming in droves of "V's". There was another huge flock of Northern Shovelers on the north side. I only spent about 2 hours out there, driving around the camping loops etc. NO RANCH today.

List:

Am. Kestral
Herring Gull
Calif. Gull
Ringed Bill Gull
LT Duck
Black Scoter
Eared Grebes
Am. Goldfinch
Tundra Swans
Magpie
Meadowlarks

MarJean



  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Kristin Purdy<mailto:kristinpurdy at comcast.net> 
  To: birdnet at utahbirds.org<mailto:birdnet at utahbirds.org> 
  Sent: Friday, November 14, 2008 6:13 PM
  Subject: [Birdnet] Rare Ducks at Antelope Island


  John Bellmon, Keith Evans, Jack Rensel and I had a great day birding Jensen 
  Nature Park in west Layton and Antelope Island State Park in Davis County 
  today. Best sightings include Jack Binch, Doug Roberts and Cal Robbins. Our 
  bird list is below, with notes for the species in caps (rare or seasonally 
  rare) after the list.

  Kris

  Canada Goose
  Mallard
  Northern Shoveler
  Lesser Scaup
  SURF SCOTER
  BLACK SCOTER
  LONG-TAILED DUCK
  Bufflehead
  Goldeneye sp.
  Ruddy Duck
  Pied-billed Grebe
  American White Pelican
  DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT
  Bald Eagle
  Northern Harrier
  Sharp-shinned Hawk
  Golden Eagle
  American Kestrel
  Prairie Falcon
  Virginia Rail
  American Coot
  American Avocet
  Bonaparte's Gull
  Ring-billed Gull
  California Gull
  Herring Gull
  Rock Pigeon
  Great Horned Owl
  Northern Flicker
  Loggerhead Shrike
  Black-billed Magpie
  Common Raven
  Horned Lark
  Rock Wren
  American Robin
  European Starling
  American Pipit
  Cedar Waxwing
  Spotted Towhee
  VESPER SPARROW
  Song Sparrow
  White-crowned Sparrow
  Red-winged Blackbird
  Western Meadowlark
  YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD
  GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE
  House Finch
  Pine Siskin
  American Goldfinch
  House Sparrow

  SURF SCOTER - One female on the north side of the big bridge near the 
  marina. Doug Roberts was blessed with three there.

  BLACK SCOTER - The first sighting was a right-place-at-the-right-time 
  sighting. We had left the bridge and continued west when a duck flying low 
  over the water from the northwest and landing on the north side of the 
  bridge caught our attention. It screamed to be checked, and turned into the 
  female Black Scoter. She only stayed there, diving, for a few minutes, and 
  then took off east and then south over the causeway. On the way home, we 
  found her again south of mm 1.

  LONG-TAILED DUCK - A female in the morning south of the big bridge, and a 
  male there in the afternoon.

  DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT - We figured this bird would be heading south as 
  soon as he or she realizes the lake holds no fish.

  VESPER SPARROW - Jack flushed one from near the rocks at the parking lot 
  between the Ladyfinger Point parking lot and the turnoff to the visitor's 
  center.

  YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD - At least a half dozen in a big flock of Red-wings 
  in the stubble field east of the entrance kiosk parking lot.

  GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE - A baker's dozen on the roof of the park building at 
  Jensen Nature Park. The park is also the location where we saw the coots and 
  grebes. The park is located on Bluff Drive about a mile and a half southeast 
  of the Antelope Drive/Bluff Road intersection. 


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