[Birdtalk] Burn done at Bear River Refuge

[Betsy_Beneke at fws.gov]

Hi Everyone,

The prescribed burn commenced about 11:00am on Wednesday morning, and was
completed at about 7:00pm that evening.  The auto tour route is completely
open to the public once again.  (and I cleaned the bathrooms)

It was fun to watch all the rodents scurrying and harriers having a field
day!  Easy pickings in some places.  Was also interesting to see swallows
swooping right through the columns of smoke, grabbing insects that were
chased out.

We're dumping water on the units as fast as we can - many of the areas that
had been dry are now flooded, or in the process, and bird response is good.
THE GULLS!  Uff-da there are lots of them making use of the newly flooded
areas!  A sea of white in some places.  I did see one Sabine's gull off the
main refuge road, not far from the wooden information kiosk.  There are
huge rafts of marbled godwits in Unit 3C, which is east of the auto tour
route - visible from that eastern-most leg of the tour.  I also noted quite
a few long-billed curlews out there as well.

Betsy Beneke
Outdoor Recreation Planner
Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
2155 West Forest Street
Brigham City UT  84302
435.734.6436  office
http://bearriver.fws.gov

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