[Birdtalk] Thayer's Gulls, Merlin & Waxwings

[Tim Avery]

Spent some time this afternoon birding around Salt Lake.  At Lee Kay Ponds when I arrived at 2:30pm there were 15 gulls on the water, 13 California, 1 Ring-billed and a nice dark 1st winter Thayer's Gull that was very cooperative for the camera:

http://www.timaverybirding.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=499

A few Canvasbacks were still hanging around, as well as the other regular ducks.  There were 2 Rough-legged Hawks along 7200 West just south of I-80. At Saltair there was a lone 1st winter Thayer's Gull on the shore, and a "prairie" race MERLIN.

Along the frontage road between Saltair and 7200 West, there was a flock of 400~ Horned Lark just west of the old beach parking area (this is a little ways east of the Saltair building).

I headed back to Lee Kay hoping the gull situation had improved.  It hadn't, and Bruce Robinson was witness to that.

Also, making it 5 days in a row I have seen BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS in SLC, today there was a flock of 100~ along 1700 East at 2500 South. Yesterday I saw 2 flocks in Sugarhouse, one at about 1200 East and 2100 South, in the trees along the creek that runs through the shopping center (behind Old Navy).  The other was along 1000 East at about 1950 South and numbered about 20 birds with a mixed flock of Robins and about 70 Cedar Waxwings.

Good Birding

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