[Birdtalk] Bear River MBR This Morning

[Kristin Purdy]

My early arrival (7:00 am) at Bear River MBR in Box Elder County this 
morning paid dividends with three owls by 7:24. That's my kind of day 
considering that I rarely make it out that early. The first two were 
Short-eared Owls between a half-mile and a mile west of the Canadian Goose 
Club on the road to the refuge. The first bird perched placidly on a 
fencepost during my cautious and prolonged approach and I got great looks. 
The second bird was flying over the road further west. Both appeared to head 
north to the tamarisk-lined river channel; perhaps there's a communal roost 
up there.

The third owl was a Barn perched on the Tundra Swan sign near the start of 
the auto tour loop. The bird was facing west and appeared to be asleep. I'm 
always amazed to see how far a Barn Owl's wingtips project past its tail 
(3-4"). The bird made no move as I slowly pulled up adjacent to her and I 
even idled there for a few seconds before she whipped her head to the right 
and opened her eyes wide. I didn't want her to flush, so I pulled away 
slowly and she stayed perched on the sign.

Later I met a Bear River volunteer named Brian at the education center. He 
said that last evening he saw and photographed a Barn Owl perched on the 
Tundra Swan sign. Funny!

Many adult Western and Clark's Grebes have accessorized their backs with two 
tiny, pale gray fluffy baby grebe heads. Many more grebes remain on nest 
platforms well out in the water. The rule of thumb was that if a grebe 
wasn't sitting on a platform, a Forster's Tern was. I didn't see one 
juvenile Aechmophorus grebe in the water swimming; the only juvenile grebes 
I saw swimming were Eared.

Best viewing for shorebirds is along the road from the extreme south point 
of the auto tour loop at the observation platform northeast for .2-.3 miles, 
looking north into Unit 2. I studied a flock of about 150 dowitchers there 
for about an hour and a half, a foolish endeavor considering they're all 
adults in worn breeding plumage. Bars? Spots? What are those? Orange? 
Rufous? What's that? But it was a good exercise for later in the season when 
adults molt into basic plumage and when the hatch-year birds arrive. I'm 
sure loads and loads and loads of Short-billed will reveal themselves by 
then. I can only say that none of today's dowitchers showed the lower white 
breast and belly, eliminating some possible Short-billed.

Except for Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, there were few other shorebirds 
along this section early in the morning. Later small numbers of Baird's, 
Western, Least and Spotties had moved in along with both species of 
yellowlegs again. The spot is also a favorite of Black Terns; many landed 
there later in the morning. Not one still sports unblemished breeding 
plumage. All are developing some version of dalmation plumage.

Another good spot to watch is into Unit 2 from the west side of the loop 
where the water is a little deeper. Many pods of pelicans were feeding in 
the unit accompanied by their opportunistic entourage of Double-crested 
Cormorants, Great Blue Herons, Franklin's Gulls and Forster's Terns.

Lots of herons and egrets were in Unit 3 east of the auto tour loop; I saw 
one Great Egret among the Great Blue Herons, Snowy Egrets and Black-crowned 
Night-herons.

Bear River MBR is accessed from I-15, exit 363.

Kris