[Birdtalk] Willard Bay Birding

[Kristin Purdy]

I birded around Willard Bay State Park in Box Elder County today and saw 
about 50 species despite spending little time birding the nature trail and 
campgrounds. I stayed north of the park, walked out on the north dike and 
checked the marina.

Funniest site of the day was a Snowy Egret standing on its entire feet with 
both black tarsi and yellow toes on the ground like stilts and avocets 
sometimes do. Let's just say the goofy posture detracted from this bird's 
usual elegant appearance.

Forster's Terns are still feeding young and are enjoying good fishing at the 
northeast corner of the reservoir. I watched terns dive many times and come 
up with small silvery fish, which they took to begging youngsters on nearby 
rocky bars.

Peeps have invaded the marina and I'm pleased to report they were not too 
far away to ID. It was the best peep study opportunity I've had all year. 
The marina is mud and shallow pools and I watched the birds between docks A 
and B and on the docks themselves. The Western Sandpipers looked large and 
lanky standing on the docks next to the Least Sandpipers. Ten Semi-palmated 
Plovers were there with the peeps and they looked gargantuan next to the 
Leasts. Best viewing was on the access road west of the marina in the 
afternoon.

Yellow-rumped Warblers were the predominant species of the day and I flushed 
a Barn Owl from a thick knot of cottonwoods near the broken down duck 
hunting club north of the park. Sorry, Barnie.

Here's the list:

Canada Goose
Mallard
Ring-ncked Pheasant
Western, Clark's Grebe
American White Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Snowy Egret
Black-crowned Night-heron
White-faced Ibis
Northern Harrier
American Kestrel
Killdeer
Semi-palmated Plover
Spotted, Western, Least Sandpipers
The three usual gulls
Forster's Terns
Mourning Dove
Barn Owl
Hummingbird sp.
Western Wood-pewee
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Rock, House, Marsh Wrens
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Orange-crowned, Yellow, Yellow-rumped, MacGillivray's, Wilson's Warblers
Spotted Towhee
Vesper, Song, Lincoln's, White-crowned Sparrows
Dark-eyed Junco
Western Meadowlark
Brewer's Blackbird
House Finch
American Goldfinch

Willard Bay State Park is located west of I-15 at exit 357.

Kris