[Birdtalk] Saturady Antelope Island/Garr Ranch Visit - Norhternwater Thrush and Evening Grosbeak

[STEPHEN T CARLILE]

Because of some family commitments I couldn't make it to the Utah Ornithological Society Fall Conference.  But I was able to make a quick morning visit to Antelope Island/Garr Ranch.  I haven't been able to do any "migration" birding yet this year.  I was hoping some remnants of the migration fall-out Tim experienced a few days ago was still there (e.g., the Cassin's Vireos).  Unfortunately the the "swarm" had moved on.  However, I did see a good number of birds (60 species) with the following highlights.

The Causeway - hard to see the birds with the water receding and their being so far out, but:
1.  Hundreds of Eared Grebes (no surprise)
2.  Nine Baird's Sandpipers (wingtips projecting well beyond the tail) on the south side of the culvert, just west of mile marker 5.  The birds were within 50 feet of the road and my old scope worked very well for these.
3.  Four Semipalmated Plovers at the Baird's Sandpiper location.
4.  Two Red-necked and several Wilson's Phalaropes in winter plumage on the south side of the causeway further west as you cross the "lighted bridge".

As reported by others at the second "cluster" of large rocks just after turning left towards the Garr Ranch road, below the Visitor's Center:
1. Seven burrowing owls warming in the morning sun.  Must have been a productive year.

Garr Ranch:
1.  Northern Waterthrush in the third pond/seep about 1/2 mile south of the ranch.  Watch out for the buffalo and their "leavings".
2.  An unexpected female/juvenile Evening Grosbeak.  Moved around a lot.  Very visible and vocal in the trees at the ranch house yard, south of the ranch house, and on the east side of the spring as it empties into the marsh.  That is one seed-crushing bill.
3.  Lots of Empids.  Several Western Wood-Pewees, Cordilleran Flycatchers, and Gray Flycatchers.  One positive (at least at my skill level) Hammond's and Dusky Flycatchers.
4.  Three male Townsend's Warblers (pretty birds)
5.  One Orange-crowned Warbler
6.  One Fox Sparrow at the spring (sculky little bounder)
7.  I didn't expect to see Cassin's Finches so early at this elevation.
8.  The Great Horned Owls (2) very active, in the barn and flying round in the trees behind the Spring House, one flew down to get a drink.

Complete list:  Gadwall (6+), Eared Grebe (100's), White-faced Ibis (24+), Northern Harrier, (2) Red-tailed Hawk (1), American Kestrel (2), Semipalmated Plover (4), Killdeer (3), Black-necked Stilt (50+), American Avocet (100's), Long-billed Curlew (1), Baird's Sandpiper (9), Wilson's Phalarope (5), Red-necked Phalarope (2), Franklin's Gull (12+), Ring-billed Gull, California gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove (7), Great Horned Owl (2), Burrowing Owl (7), Common Nighthawk (1), Broad-tailed Hummingbird (4 at ranch feeders), Red-naped Sapsucker (1), Western Wood-Pewee (3), Hammond's Flycatcher (1), Gray Flycatcher (5), Dusky Flycatcher (1), Cordilleran Flycatcher (5), Loggerhead Shrike (1), Black-billed Magpie (3), American Crow (1), Common Raven (1), Horned Lark, Tree Swallow (2), Cliff Swallow, Barn Swallow, Rock Wren (1), Bewick's Wren (1), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1), Sage Thrasher (2), European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler (1), Yellow-rumped Warbler (10+), Townsend's Warbler (3), Northern Waterthrush (1), Western Tanager (3), Chipping Sparrow (3), Vesper Sparrow (2), Fox Sparrow (1), Song Sparrow (3), White-throated Sparrow (6+), Red-winged Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, Brewer's Blackbird, Cassin's Finch (5), House Finch, American Goldfinch, Evening Grosbeak (1), and House Sparrow.

Thanks,

Stephen
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