[Birdtalk] GSL Birding Festival - Sat Antelope Island/Garr Ranch Focus

[STEPHEN T CARLILE]

I volunteered to report on this morning's GSL Birding Festival trip to Antelope Island/Garr Ranch, led by Steven and Cindy Sommerfeld.  The highlights were NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, BOBOLINK and LONG-EARED OWL.  Some of these were lifers for several on the trip.  A brief narrative and the list follow.

The causeway had very little to offer today.  Virtually none of the birds reported by Mark earlier this week were there.  The usuals of Wilson's Phalarope, American Avocet, Killdeer, Willet, and California Gulls with two Franklin's Gulls was about it; though there were a lot of small shorebirds off in the diatance.  On the way back we gave up competing with about 200 to 300 bicyclists for the causeway, elminating any real birding.

On the way to Garr Ranch Grasshopper Sparrows were seen and heard.  Garr Ranch offered more, though the migrant mix was less than expected.  A Northern Waterthrush and an unexpected male Bobolink were found aroung the ponds/seeps south of the ranch.  The Great Horned Owls were there, their owlets staring meancingly at us.  South of the ranch on the road normally closed to the public we were able to see a Long-eared Owl on its nest.  At the end of the trip we saw the Barn Owl and owlets in the hay barn at the bison corals.  Though we looked in several places, no Burrowing Owl.  Oh, by the way the bugs have't gone away.

A total of 62 species were seen.  Here is the full list.  I hope I got everything. 

Thanks,

Stephen

Canada Goose
Mallard
Cinnamon Teal
Lesser Scaup
Chukar
Ring-necked Pheasant
Eared Grebe
American White Pelican
Double-created Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
White-faced Ibis
Northern Harrier
Peregrine Falcon
American Kestrel
Virginia Rail (audible)
Killdeer
Willet
Wilson's Phalarope
Franklin's Gull
California Gull
Mourning Dove
Barn Owl
Great Horned Owl
Long-eared Owl
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Western Kingbird
Black-billed Magpie
Common Raven
Horned Lark
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Rock Wren
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Sage Thrasher
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Common Yellowthroat (audible)
Chipping Saprrow
Brewer's Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Black-headed Grosebeak
Lazuli Bunting
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Brown-headed Cowbird
Bullock's Oriole
House Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
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