Fw: [Birdtalk] 17Aug07-Lakefront: Hummingbirds and Shorebirds

[Kristin Purdy]

What a difference a few hours makes. I hit the causeway this evening from 
6:30-8:30 after seeing the earlier violent storm scud over the lake and 
hoped new water on the flats would mean more shorebirds. North of the 
causeway from the entrance booth to about mm 5 (same place where Tim birded 
earlier in the day), I saw exactly 6 shorebirds--one female Black-bellied 
Plover and five Willets. I'm not kidding. The picture was remarkably 
different that what Tim saw; maybe that storm pushed the birds out rather 
than grounded more.

Best birding this evening was on the island watching a group of seven young 
Burrowing Owls east of the Visitor's Center. They were very active flying 
low, chasing each other and landing on rocks and in grass. From the west end 
of the causeway at the island, drive .2-.3 miles south and pull off the road 
into the parking lot on the east side. You should be near the yellow diamond 
buffalo sign with the words "Please Stay On Road". The owls are west of the 
sign using the low rocks.

Kris
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tim Avery" <tanager at timaverybirding.com>
To: <birdtalk at utahbirds.org>
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2007 9:20 PM
Subject: [Birdtalk] 17Aug07-Lakefront: Hummingbirds and Shorebirds


> If you want to skip the report, there are links to hummer pictures taken 
> at Garr
> Ranch at the end of the email.
>
> Spent this afternoon birding along the Causeway, at Garr Ranch and made a 
> brief
> stop at Glovers Lane.  Along the causeway from the entrance booth to MM5 
> on the
> north side was shallow water and mudflats perfect for shorebirds.  The 
> water
> was not there two days ago, and this large amount of water was quite a
> surprise.  Along with the water came a variety of shorebirds:
>
> 37 Snowy Plover
> 2 Semipalmated Plover
> 2 Black-bellied Plover
> 2 Killdeer
> 1 Spotted Sandpiper
> ~ American Avocet
> ~ Black-necked Stilt
> 7 Long-billed Curlew
> 2 Willet
> 8 Sanderling
> 1 PECTORAL SANDPIPER (about 200 meters north of MM6)
> 17 Baird's Sandpiper
> 31 Western Sandpiper
> 2,000 Peep species (500+ meters north)
> ~ Wilson's Phalarope
> 1,200 Red-necked Phalarope
>
> Best variety of the fall thus far, although phalarope numbers are 
> decreasing.
> The large group of peeps was a good sign, as they have been all bu absent 
> the
> last couple weeks.  If water remains in the area to the north, this next 
> week
> could be very productive for shorebirding.
>
> At Garr Ranch there was a hummingbird show.  I spent about 90 minutes 
> watching
> the 2 feeders on the porch of the old ranch house, and at times there were
> nearly 30 Hummingbirds flocking to the feeders.  The number of Rufous
> Hummingbirds made for a lot of interactions, and many a fight!  4 species 
> were
> seen in the time including:
>
> 20+ Rufous Hummingbird
> http://timaverybirding.com/photos/aug07/ruhu_05.jpg
> http://timaverybirding.com/photos/aug07/ruhu_06.jpg
> http://timaverybirding.com/photos/aug07/ruhu_07.jpg
> http://timaverybirding.com/photos/aug07/ruhu_08.jpg
> http://timaverybirding.com/photos/aug07/ruhu_09.jpg
> http://timaverybirding.com/photos/aug07/ruhu_10.jpg
> http://timaverybirding.com/photos/aug07/ruhu_11.jpg
> http://timaverybirding.com/photos/aug07/ruhu_12.jpg
> http://timaverybirding.com/photos/aug07/ruhu_13.jpg
> http://timaverybirding.com/photos/aug07/ruhu_14.jpg
>
> 2 Black-chinned Hummingbird (adult females)
> http://timaverybirding.com/photos/aug07/bchu_01.jpg
> http://timaverybirding.com/photos/aug07/bchu_02.jpg
>
> 4 Broad-tailed Hummingbird (1 or 2 adult males, 1 adult F, 1+ juveniles)
> http://timaverybirding.com/photos/aug07/btlh_07.jpg
> http://timaverybirding.com/photos/aug07/btlh_08.jpg
>
> 2 Calliope Hummingbird (2 juveniles)
> http://timaverybirding.com/photos/aug07/cahu_05.jpg
>
> Other birds around the spring:
>
> 1 Cordilleran Flycatcher
> 1 Dusky Flycatcher
> 1 Western Wood-Pewee
> 4 MacGillivray's Warbler
> 4 Wilson's Warbler
> 1 Yellow Warbler
> 1 Warbling Vireo
> Lots of Chipping and Lark Sparrows (80% juvenile)
>
> At Glovers Lane there were a couple Forster's Terns, Pelicans and the 
> other
> regulars.
>
> Good Birding
>
> Tim
> Salt Lake City, UT
> tanager at timaverybirding.com
> http://www.timaverybirding.com
>
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