[Birdtalk] Lots O' Birds at Garr Ranch

[Doug Roberts]

Hi Kristin,
I met that same couple at Farmington Bay! Nice people.
Doug Roberts




----- Original Message ----
From: Kristin Purdy <kristinpurdy at comcast.net>
To: Bird Talk <birdtalk at utahbirds.org>
Sent: Monday, September 1, 2008 7:54:20 PM
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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