[Birdnet] Sand Hollow SP - Lesser Black-backed Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Trumpeter Swan 1/3/09

[Rick Fridell]

Hello Everyone,

I'm back in town and was catching up on emails this morning, when I read the
first birds of the year post....so I decided to see what my first three 2009
Utah birds would be.  The first were a couple of Dark-eyed Juncos in the
front yard as it was getting light.  Next, I decided to drop by Stratton
Pond and saw two bald eagles flying over and the third was a male Hooded
Merganser foraging on the pond. I think those three should give even Tim's
list a run for the money.

Anyway, impressed with the gull activity at Stratton Pond (Ring-bills and a
first-year Herring), I decided to also visit Quail Creek and Sand Hollow
State Parks. It's very cold and windy, so the lakes are choppy and I didn't
spend any time scanning for ducks and loons.  I was amazed however, to find
SIX species of gulls at Sand Hollow State Park.  I've gone some years in
Washington County with only five species!  The most impressive was my first
Washington County Lesser Black-backed Gull, a third-winter bird perched on
the emergent sandstone outcroppings below the main parking lot.  It was with
the continuing first-winter Glaucous-winged Gull and a large flock of
Ring-billed Gulls.  Also present among the hundreds of Ring-billed Gulls
were a handful of adult California Gulls, 6 Bonaparte's Gulls, and a
third-year Herring Gull. I managed to get some long distance photos of the
Lesser Black-backed Gull for documentation.

Also, on the backside of the reservoir there was an adult Trumpeter Swan
with a flock of 15 Tundra Swans.

Happy New Year!

Rick Fridell
Hurricane, UT