[Birdtalk] A Wet Trip to Willard Bay and Bear River

[STEPHEN T CARLILE]

I took the day off work (21 May 2007) to do some spring birding.  Last time I did this (April) it was also very rainy and cold.  Nothing really unusual, except an American Bittern.  Here are the highlights.

West side of Willard Bay (bumpy and muddy)

Black Tern - 2
Eastern Kingbird - 3
Snowy Plover - 2
Also hundreds of White-faced Ibis and lots of Forster's Terns, Franklin Gulls, and Snowy Egrets

Willard Bay Campground

Gray Flycatcher - 1
Olive-sided Flycatcher - 1
Catbird - 8 (three singing males, two with tagalongs, partners?)
Eastern Kingbird - 2
Great-tailed Grackle - 4 (not unusual, but two birds carrying nesting material; also present at the Flying J amongst the semi's)
Lots of Bullock's Orioles and Black-headed Grosbeaks

Bear River

American Bittern - 1 (along the walkway, 100 yards south of the Visitors Center, very vocal - first heard from the south Visitors Center observation deck)
Great Egret - 1
Blue-winged Teal - 2
Eastern Kingbird - 5
Great-tailed Grackle - 2 (at the Visitor's Center)

Hear is the full list (68 species) - Canada Goose, Gadwall, Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Redhead, Ruddy Duck, Ring-necked Pheasant, California Quail, Pied-billed Grebe, Eared Grebe, Western Grebe, Clark's Grebe, American White Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, American Bittern, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, White-faced Ibis, Turkey Vulture, Northern Harrier, American Kestrel, American Coot, Snowy Plover, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Wilson's Phalarope, Franklin's Gull, California Gull, Forster's Tern, Black Tern, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Gray Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, Eastern Kingbird, Black-billed Magpie, Common Raven, Tree Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Barn Swallow, Marsh Wren, American Robin, Gray Catbird, European Starling, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow Warbler, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Black-headed Grosbeak, Red-winged Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Bullock's Oriole, House Finch, American Goldfinch, and House Sparrow.

Thanks,

Stephen
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