[Birdtalk] Willard Bay Birding

[kristinpurdy at comcast.net]

I birded areas around Willard Bay State Park in Box Elder County today and just a tad in the campgrounds. The highlights:

A male COMMON YELLOWTHROAT hanging out with a large flock of White-crowned Sparrows on the short dirt road to the headquarters. It seems pretty late for this warbler. I'm not sure of the last time I saw a male Common Yellowthroat that barely had any mask plumage. The mask looked more like a faded Peregrine-type helmet. 

Three HORNED GREBES; two in the open water west of the marina and one in the pond north of the park. No Eared Grebes today, which bummed me out, because Western, Clark's, and Pied-billed were also present. I would have liked a five-grebe day.

A big swirling flock of BONAPARTE'S GULLS over the open water east of Eagle Beach. The gulls were enjoying good fishing. I watched one bird drop into the water and come up with a small silvery fish, and the chase was on. Several other Bonaparte's pursued the fisher until the gull dropped the fish; another gull picked it out of the water. The scenario was repeated three more times. A couple Bonaparte's also harassed a mini-armada of nine Red-breasted Mergansers that swam near the beach. Every time the gulls swooped at the ducks, they dove. 

Four hen HOODED MERGANSERS; three at the pond north of the park and one at a pond in the park proper. That last bird didn't seem to belong in a shallow seasonal pond thickly surrounded with Russian olives and cattails. But don't tell her that as this spot remains the most reliable location for this species each winter. Oops--wait a minute! Maybe not--I don't think I've seen Hoodies at Willard Bay before.

I have a theory about the Great-tailed Grackle I saw at the Flying J today. Perhaps this species has joined the Avian Adopt-A-Convenience-Store-Parking-Lot program. From what I saw, the bird was doing a great job keeping the place trash-free, except of course, for the bird. 

The main entrance to Willard Bay State Park is at I-15 exit 351. 

Kris
 
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