[Birdtalk] 2/8/09 - Francis: White Throated Sparrow / Antelope Island: Snow Goose, Varied Thrush, etc

[Jeff Bilsky]

Skip to the end for the full lists of what I saw today. Photos of White
Throated Sparrow and a couple other shots of the day here (gotta love
digi-binoc) http://www.endlesswilderness.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=9

RECAP
Today was a great day of birding - as predicted. I woke up thinking I'd go
to Farmington Bay for Gulls but I never actually made it there. Started in
Francis to see if I could find the Rusty Blackbird or whatever else might be
around and found a WHITE THROATED SPARROW at the intersection of 1000 East
and Lower River Road. This was a Utah life bird for me. Also around the area
were a HERMIT THRUSH and a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE and still a handful or so of
EVENING GROSBEAKS. A couple Elk grazed on the hillside. It began to snow
right before I found the WTSP and I decided to bail and head back down to
the valley.

Next stop - Antelope Island. My initial run through the causeway didn't
reveal too much; there was a MERLIN right outside the entrance gate and a
whole bunch of PHEASANTS in the marsh just inside. I zipped over to the
ranch where I immediately saw the VARIED THRUSH. Also a very cooperative
VIRGINIA RAIL as well as a nice looking HERMIT THRUSH. A lone female
CALIFORNIA QUAIL made for my first island record of this species. The GREAT
HORNED OWLS hung out in the barn.

I was next going to head to Farmington Bay, but couldn't make it past the
AI causeway. This time, I found a LONG TAILED DUCK at the same bridge it
usually is seen. A PRAIRIE FALCON on one of the light posts gave me the best
look I've ever had at this species. Then, as I was heading back to the exit,
I saw that the fields to the North were packed with CANADA GEESE and a good
number of TUNDRA SWANS. Amongst the geese, I found a lone SNOW GOOSE and
what I am confident was at least one CACKLING GOOSE. There were so many
Canada Geese and more kept showing up but there was one tiny one I studied
for like 20 minutes and I believe it was a Cackler. There was one crazy
looking hybrid that showed up - I believe it was a CANADA/GREATER WHITE
FRONTED mix - a poor digibinoc photo is on the link I listed above.

Good Birding - complete lists below.



Location:     Francis, Summit County, UT, US
Observation date:     2/8/09
Number of species:     12

Northern Flicker     6
Black-billed Magpie     X
Black-capped Chickadee     X
Townsend's Solitaire     1
Hermit Thrush     1
American Robin     X
European Starling     X
Song Sparrow     3
White-throated Sparrow     1
Red-winged Blackbird     X
Brewer's Blackbird     X
Evening Grosbeak     20

Location:     Antelope Island  Causeway
Observation date:     2/8/09
Number of species:     19

Snow Goose     1
Cackling Goose     1
Canada Goose     X
Tundra Swan     50
Northern Shoveler     X
Long-tailed Duck     1
Common Goldeneye     X
Ruddy Duck     8
Ring-necked Pheasant     15
Bald Eagle     2
Northern Harrier     8
Rough-legged Hawk     1
American Kestrel     1
Merlin     1
Prairie Falcon     1
Eurasian Collared-Dove     1
Horned Lark     12
European Starling     X
Song Sparrow     5

Location:     Antelope Island--Garr Ranch
Observation date:     2/8/09
Number of species:     14

California Quail     1
Rough-legged Hawk     1
Virginia Rail     1
Great Horned Owl     2
Hermit Thrush     1
American Robin     12
Varied Thrush     1
European Starling     X
Spotted Towhee     4
Song Sparrow     4
Dark-eyed Junco     15
Red-winged Blackbird     X
House Finch     4
Pine Siskin     14
American Goldfinch     40



-- 
Jeff Bilsky
Salt Lake City
jbilsky at gmail.com
www.endlesswilderness.com
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