[Birdtalk] Washington County Friday and Saturday

[Tim Avery]

On Friday (10/19) Steve and Cindy Sommerfeld and I traveled to Washington County
to see the LONG-TAILED JAEGER found by Rick Fridell at Quail Creek.  After
finding the jaeger we spent the rest of the day, as well as Saturday morning
birding a number of Washington County locations.  We met up with Rick Fridell
briefly at Quail Creek, and on Saturday, birded Lytle Ranch with Joel and Kathy
Beyer as well as Larene Wysse, David Wheeler, and Paul Hicks (of Washington
state). Below are highlights and notes from the trip.

Quail Creek Reservoir
Observation date: 10/19/07 / Number of species: 11

After arriving at what's left of the reservoir, we started scanning the water
for the bird.  It took 4 or 5 scans of the water before we finally found the
bird several hundred yards away on the water.  Over the next 2 hours we watched
it flying around the lake, sitting on the water, getting chased by a jerk on
jet-ski, and feeding on a large bluegill.  At one point the bird made a pass
over us on the beach, jsut 25 feet above our heads.  Great looks at a great
bird.

 Eared Grebe - Podiceps nigricollis     100
 Western Grebe - Aechmophorus occidentalis     20
 LONG-TAILED JAEGER - Stercorarius longicaudus     1
 American Pipit - Anthus rubescens     2

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stratton Pond
Observation date: 10/19/07 / Number of species: 13

The pond was covered with diving and dabbling ducks as it often is during the
winter, and continued it reliability with both HOODED MERGANSER and GREATER
SCAUP. A "Myrtle's subspecies" Yellow-rumped Warbler was chipping in the trees
by the water.

 Redhead - Aythya americana     15
 GREATER SCAUP - Aythya marila     2
 Lesser Scaup - Aythya affinis     25
 HOODED MERGANSER - Lophodytes cucullatus     6
 Ruddy Duck - Oxyura jamaicensis     1
 Yellow-rumped Warbler - Dendroica coronata     1

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tonaquint Nature Center
Observation date: 10/19/07 / Number of species: 9

For those who haven't been to Washington County, Tonaquit is the reliable locale
for ABERT'S TOWHEE and as usual one was hopping around in the path by the deck.
I have stopped by the park 15 times this year and gotten the bird each time
there.

 Gambel's Quail - Callipepla gambelii     15
 Abert's Towhee - Pipilo aberti     1

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seegmiller Marsh Complex & Springs Estates Pond
Observation date: 10/19/07 / Number of species: 34

The pond at Springs Estates was covered with waterfowl, mostly Mallard and
American Wigeon. Three COMMON MOORHEN were heard in Seegmiller, as well as a
couple GREEN HERON.  Several Virginia Rail's were heard, as well as what
sounded like a Sora clicking in one area.

 Redhead - Aythya americana     10
 Ring-necked Duck - Aythya collaris     3
 Ruddy Duck - Oxyura jamaicensis     1
 Green Heron - Butorides virescens     2
 Black-crowned Night-Heron - Nycticorax nycticorax     4
 Virginia Rail - Rallus limicola     2
 Sora - Porzana carolina     1
 Common Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus     3
 Great Horned Owl - Bubo virginianus     1
 Black Phoebe - Sayornis nigricans     1
 Verdin - Auriparus flaviceps     2
 Yellow-rumped Warbler - Dendroica coronata     15
 Abert's Towhee - Pipilo aberti     2

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lytle Ranch Preserve
Observation date: 10/20/07 / Number of species: 31

As with many past occasions, Lytle was on the slow side, the day after what
sounded like a pretty good day based off reports from the Beyer's and Larry
Tripp. The highlight of the morning was a "Yellow-shafted" Northern Flicker in
the orchard (which initially had everyone scurrying to make sure it wasn't a
Gilded).  Thankfully Kathy got a good look at the bird to eliminate the other
possibility.  And for my own sanity, I was relieved at seeing a PHAINOPEPLA
near the "reservoir", a bird that has eluded me the past 3 months. Also for the
first time I saw PINE SISKIN at the ranch, near the reservoir as well.

 Red-naped Sapsucker - Sphyrapicus nuchalis     7
 Ladder-backed Woodpecker - Picoides scalaris     3
 Verdin - Auriparus flaviceps     10
 Black-tailed Gnatcatcher - Polioptila melanura     1
 Mountain Bluebird - Sialia currucoides     1
 Crissal Thrasher - Toxostoma crissale     1
 PHAINOPEPLA - Phainopepla nitens     1
 Yellow-rumped Warbler - Dendroica coronata     15
 Lincoln's Sparrow - Melospiza lincolnii     2
 Pine Siskin - Carduelis pinus     7

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ivins Reservoir
Observation date: 10/20/07 / Number of species: 13

A shockingly large flock of RING-NECKED DUCK were occupying the dwindling "pond"
on the edge of the reservation.  I did a quick scna and count and estimated
there were at least 300 Ring-necked Ducks on the water.

Ring-necked Duck - Aythya collaris     300
Lesser Scaup - Aythya affinis     20
Ruddy Duck - Oxyura jamaicensis     15

Parts of this report were generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

Cheers

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