[Birdtalk] Lots O' Birds at Garr Ranch

[Neville, Ann (KUCC)]

I too have been seeing humming birds feeding at sunflowers in August.
Not out at the ISSR but in my backyard (Bountiful) when I have the
opportunity to work from home.  I'm terrible at keeping hummer feeders
full, so I was pleased and surprised when they have come in.  I look up
when I see motion and mostly see house finches and lesser goldfinches,
but fairly regularly see a hummer.

 

I'm wondering if they aren't eating the little bugs that seem to crawl
all over the petals and center?

 

Ann

 

________________________________

From: birdtalk-bounces at utahbirds.org
[mailto:birdtalk-bounces at utahbirds.org] On Behalf Of Kristin Purdy
Sent: Monday, September 01, 2008 7:54 PM
To: Bird Talk
Subject: [Birdtalk] Lots O' Birds at Garr Ranch

 

Since a couple from the east coast of Florida that I met at Garr Ranch
today described the high number of birds at Garr as fallout conditions,
I'll take their word that it was a good day.  

 

Today's most numerous species at the ranch were Hammond's Flycatcher,
Western Wood-pewee and Wilson's Warbler. These three were everywhere. If
studying non-singing empids not on territory is your dream birding
experience, you shoulda been there! The celebrity bird of the day was a
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH that used the spring channel from the spring house
all the way down to the phragmites, and the trees south of the fallen
cottonwoods. This bird chipped a lot and it was much louder than any
other species. 

 

Other goodies at the ranch today included:

 

Black-chinned, Calliope, Broad-tailed, Rufous Hummingbirds

The remaining Empids classified as common or fairly common: Willow,
Gray, Dusky, Cordilleran Flycatchers

Say's Phoebe

Warbling and CASSIN'S Vireos

House and Marsh Wrens

Nashville, Yellow, MacGillivray's Warblers

Western Tanagers

Lazuli Buntings

Black-headed Grosbeaks

Lincoln's Sparrow (another surprise; I don't know if the date is right
for a southbound Lincoln's or not; seems early)

 

I was surprised to see hummingbirds feeding from the sunflowers east of
the spring near the phragmites burn, only because I didn't know
sunflowers were decent nectar producers. At first I thought it was a
fluke because the bird I saw was low-hummer-on-the-totem-pole Calliope.
I figured the bird didn't like the competition at the feeders from the
more aggressive species (even though I also saw a Calliope there, too).
But later I saw both Black-chinned and a Broad-tailed using the
sunflowers and they weren't just passing through. 

 

I also saw Burrowing Owls on the way home on the slope west of the
Hollywood Comes to Antelope Island sign (road to Garr) and at milepost 6
on the causeway. 

 

Kris

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