[Birdtalk] Sunday Birding

[Colby Neuman]

Hi all,

Dave Slager, Tim Avery and I birded Mountain Dell, Little Dell and East
Canyon Reservoirs, Willard Bay SP and Antelope Island.  It turned into an
all day affair, but I think we can all say we had quite a bit of fun.
Highlights were many HORNED GREBES, 1 MERLIN, 1 NORTHERN SHRIKE, late-ish
AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS, a late BARN SWALLOW, a BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER,
BARROW'S GOLDENEYES and BONAPARTE'S GULLS.

Just after picking up Dave near Sunnyside and Foothill Drives in Salt Lake
at 6:40am, we spotted a MERLIN on a nearby power pole.  We then picked up
Tim and ventured onto the reservoirs.  The large RING-NECKED DUCK flock
continued at Mountain Dell Reservoir.  There were also a handful of Eared
and Pied-billed Grebes and American Coots.  We then stopped along the
highway edge between Mountain Dell and Little Dell Reservoirs.  Here we
watched 4 different moose (including 1 absolutely HUGE bull), and Dave
spotted a shrike on a distant juniper.  After probably too much time, we
finally realized it was actually an adult NORTHERN SHRIKE.  A FOS?

The basic plumaged COMMON LOON continued on Little Dell Reservoir.  Here we
watched a BELTED KINGFISHER hover periodically over an adjacent hillside.
It appeared to be flycatching, which sort of just left us bewildered!

Next, we headed to East Canyon Reservoir.  8 BARROW'S GOLDENEYES (5 males, 3
females) continued near the inlet of the reservoir.  Two
female BUFFLEHEADS and a RING-NECKED DUCK were at the inlet as well.  A
total of 24 COMMON MERGANSERS and 13 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were found
throughout the lake.  Unfortunately, we were not able to find any Hooded
Mergansers.

The pond to the north of the Willard Bay SP entrance (called Willard Pond?)
contained 4 Grebe species (including Kris' HORNED GREBE).  From this
location, Dave also spotted a distant flock of AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS
soaring over the marshes that comprise the southeastern parts of Bear River
MBR.

We did not find anything too unexpected at the Willard Bay SP campground
trees.  A SHARP-SHINNED HAWK and several lingering YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS
and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS were the most notable birds seen.   Several
BONAPARTE'S GULLS (including first winter birds) were observed from Eagle
Beach.

Next we headed to the south dike of Willard Bay SP.  Bird numbers in the
playas to the south of the dike were down from past weeks.  Four GREATER
YELLOWLEGS and 1 BONAPARTE'S GULL were the highlights.  We scoped Willard
Bay from the SW dike.  1000+ bay ducks, mergansers, grebes, and gulls were
just too far out to identify.  However, a few of the BONAPARTE'S GULLS
passed close enough for us to study a few of them.  Dave picked out a first
winter BONAPARTE'S GULL (.5+ mile out) flying along the south dike towards
us that had a much darker primary region than other first winter birds
observed earlier.  The bird eventually flew to the NW corner of Willard Bay
before Dave and I lost the bird in our scopes.  Although we wondered if we
had come across something rare, we eventually came to the conclusion that we
had come across a very boldly patterned first-winter Bonaparte's Gull.

We then made a B-line for Antelope Island.  On our way to Garr Ranch, we
observed a basic plumaged BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER along the north side of the
causeway as well our only RUDDY DUCK of the day.  Garr Ranch had little in
the way of migrants.  A VIRGINIA RAIL called from the marsh/spring area in
the center of the field that's to the south of the ranch trees.  We also
came up with at least 3 HERMIT THRUSHES in the trees and shrubs.   On our
way back across the causeway we birded the south side.  We counted a total
of 15 HORNED GREBES along the south side of the causeway (concentrated on
the west end of the causeway).  Many of the birds allowed for great views as
they were 'shrimping' along the shoreline.  Because the light was better
than on the way out, we stopped and scoped the large dabbling duck/avocet
flocks on the north side of the east end of the causeway.  Here Dave picked
out 4 WILLETS scattered about in the avocet flock.  Meanwhile, I found 2
shorebirds foraging on the far shoreline to the north (3/4+ mile).  Based on
their behavior and size, we think they were GREATER YELLOWLEGS.
Fortunately, two more made their presence known when they called flying
overhead.  During this time, we had 6 BONAPARTE'S GULLS flying south
including two that passed right overhead (a great photo op. if only Tim
wasn't prancing around a ways down the causeway).  As we were leaving the
causeway, Dave noticed a lone swallow perched on the wire.  For a moment we
thought we had potentially encountered something really rare, but alas, Tim
had to point out the 'swallow' tail.

See ebird.org for complete lists...

Colby
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