[Birdtalk] 17Oct07-Lakefront: Jaegers, Scoters & Gulls (long)

[Tim Avery]

A quick explanation of why there was not post from someone else about the
following sightings, and why I didn't post these sightings to BIRDNET.  The
main reason is that NONE of the birds seen during the lakewatch were
chase-able.  These birds were seen flying out over the lake and were seen for
only a few minutes.  The area where I conducted the lakewatch is on the NE
corner of the Marina at Antelope Island.  For some time I have thought this may
be a good place to do a lakewatch during a storm, and today proved (in my mind)
that it may be...

Yesterday I had decided I was going to do a lakewatch from the War Memorial
Beach along the causeway today, based off the predicted N-NW winds in the 10-15
MPH range.  However, last night the weather report called for the winds to
shift out of the south overnight, with 6-8 MPH winds most of today.  SO instead
of getting up at the crack of dawn I slept in a couple hours, only to get
online and see that winds were howling out of the NW at 15-20 MPH over the
lake.  With that I hopped in my car and hit the road.  As I pulled onto the
causeway the mudflats on the north were saturated with water, all the way to
the phragmites, and were conversely covered with waterfowl, gulls and
shorebirds.  I made a couple stops, including about 10 minutes at the 1st
bridge, where a flock of what looked like 19 DUNLIN flew past me heading west,
and then cut south over the causeway.

Between MM 1-2  on the southside of the causeway on the mud were 2 AMERICAN
GOLDEN-PLOVER about 50 feet out onto the mud, making for great looks.  Oddly,
no Black-bellied were seen today.

http://timaverybirding.com/photos/octo07/agpl_00.jpg

I arrived at the beach just after 10:00am and sat in my car with my scope
propped up to the window.  It worked really well with the winds, and I was able
to continually scan east-west, and west-east checking through the passing
gulls, and ducks for any oddballs.

HIGHLIGHTS:

10:23am - a juvenile SABINE'S GULL coursed by about 100 yards off shore, heading
southwest.  About 10 minutes later an adult BONAPARTE'S GULL in basic plumage
came flying by as well.  In the 3 hour count over 3,000 gulls journeyed past
the beach, all heading southwest along the shoreline.  99% were California, the
rest Ring-billed.

http://timaverybirding.com/photos/octo07/sagu_15.jpg

10:40am - a flock of 6 DARK-WINGED SCOTERS past heading southwest, about 250
yards off shore.  The birds all appeared to have lighter bellies, leading me to
believe they were juvenile SURF SCOTERS.

11:07am - a juvenile JAEGER appeared out of the northeast harassing a California
Gull.  The jaeger appeared obviously smaller than the gull and was very dark.
The bird chased the gulls for several minutes before letting up and continuing
on a southwest course, about 400 yards off shore.  I watched the bird until it
was lost in the convection.  Normal flight style was consistent, with
Parasitic, but the bird was too far away for a positive ID.

11:28am - after getting off the phone from discussing the bird with both Colby
and Kris, another JAEGER past through my scope view again on the tail of a
California Gull.  This pair was at least 150 yards closer on the initial view,
and this jaeger appeared to have very broads wings, with a much heavier keel.
This bird also appeared to be a juvenile.  The initial chase lasted a good 3
minutes, before the jaeger shearwatered along the small whitecaps headed west.
I was able to watch the bird fly against the yellow hills to the NW for a couple
minutes, before it headed south around the island and out of view.  This
individual was consistent with a Pomarine, in both flight style, and structure,
but was again, a bit far out for a positive ID in the so-so light.

http://timaverybirding.com/photos/octo07/jaeger_01.jpg

11:57am - a flock of 4 juvenile DARK-WINGED SCOTERS passed heading southwest.
Again, I believe these birds were likely Surf Scoter.

During the entire count 1,000's of dabbling ducks were observed headed
southwest.  Most were too far out to ID, or lost in the convection.  I would
estimate that more than 10,000 dabblers past the beach this morning, the
majority being Northern Shovelers.  However, Teal, Mallard, Gadwall and several
other species were observed.

Below is a list of other highlights seen along the causeway and just outside the
entrance station.

Location:     Antelope Island  Causeway
Number of species:     46

Blue-winged Teal - Anas discors     1
Redhead - Aythya americana     7
Ring-necked Pheasant - Phasianus colchicus     10
Horned Grebe - Podiceps auritus     2 (South/East side of last bridge)
Eared Grebe - Podiceps nigricollis     1750
Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus     12
Prairie Falcon - Falco mexicanus     2
Black-necked Stilt - Himantopus mexicanus     3
Greater Yellowlegs - Tringa melanoleuca     2
Willet - Tringa semipalmata     7
Lesser Yellowlegs - Tringa flavipes     4
Marbled Godwit - Limosa fedoa     6
Sanderling - Calidris alba     13
Western Sandpiper - Calidris mauri     12
Least Sandpiper - Calidris minutilla     7
Baird's Sandpiper - Calidris bairdii     17
Long-billed Dowitcher - Limnodromus scolopaceus     2500

And as I was leaving the causeway...

http://timaverybirding.com/photos/octo07/coyote_01.jpg

In the fields on the right, about 300 yards before the entrance station on
Antelope Drive, was a large mixed flock of Starlings and Blackbirds.  I
estimated between 12,000-15,000 birds were present, mostly Starling, with
around 2,500 Red-winged Blackbird and 500 Brewer's Blackbirds.

Cheers

Tim
Salt Lake City, UT
tanager at timaverybirding.com
http://www.timaverybirding.com
http://www.timavery.com