[redcliffs] RSAS Field Trip, May 6, 2006

[mkdavis at xmission.com]

Laurie Rasmussen and I left a bit earlier to go home.  But... on the way out
we stopped by my favorite spot.... the Rockville Cemetary.  There were about
8 or 9 Lark Sparrows flying around and perching on headstones.  What a day!!!


Quoting Charles/Marilyn Sheard <mcsheard at redrock.net>:

>    11 experienced RCAS birders took full advantage of the rapidly 
> expanding spring migration on Saturday,  May 6th.  We began with a 
> visit to the old, abandoned town of Grafton.  Grafton, situated on 
> the Virgin River has stands of old Cottonwoods, ancient orchards and 
> fallow pastures, all of which attract a great variety of migrating 
> songbirds.  Our rewards were immediate.  A gorgous Summer Tanager 
> presented himself in full view for several minutes, then was joined 
> by his mate, a goodlooker in her own right.  Many photos were taken 
> of this pair!  The surrounding Cottonwoods were full of warblers, 
> grosbeaks and orioles all singing at once.  Each species, in turn. 
> emerged from the canopy to exhibit itself for all to see.  Closer to 
> the river the songs of the aforementioned birds were drowned out by 
> Yellow-breasted Chat.  Encouraged by one of our birders who does a 
> reasonable job of imitating the chat,  others of this species soon 
> joined in.  Loud as the chat is, it can be a challange to find him in 
> the tangle of willows.  But we did!
>    On to the Springdale Pond Park for more birding and a picnic 
> lunch.  The pond held a small but interesting group of ducks.  A pair 
> of dabblers were found on the far side.  A Mallard drake and hen.  
> Nope, as they paddled their way to a log near the center of the pond 
> the hen turned out to be a Cinnamon Teal. Odd couple!  When they 
> hauled out onto the floating log they were joined by what appeared to 
> be a immature, male Common Goldeneye.  Besides it being late in the 
> spring for this plumage there appeared to be some other anomilies.  
> The head and bill color were definitly female as was the head shape. 
> The head had the typical male, white, round spot.  An immature male 
> or a "cross dresser"?
>     Here is the  list of species seen is: Mallard, Cinnamon Teal, 
> Common Godeneye, Wild Turkey, Gambel's Quail, Turkey Vulture, 
> Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mouring 
> Dove, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Downey 
> Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe, 
> Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, American Crow, Common 
> Raven, Tree Swallow, Bank Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Canyon Wren, 
> Bewick's Wren, American Robin, European Starling, Phainopepla, 
> Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, 
> Yellow-breasted Chat, Summer Tanager, Western Tanager, Spotted 
> Towhee, Black-throatd Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, 
> Black-headed Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, 
> Brown-headed Cowbird, Bullock's Oriole, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch 
> and House Sparrow.
>    Please join us on our next field trip on Saturday,  May 20th. 
> We'll be going to the Wildcat Canyon trail in Zion National Park.  
> Walk a mile or more along a moderately easy hiking trail from the 
> Kolob Reservoir Road.  See many of the birds present at moderate 
> mountain elevations.  Time permitting we'll drive on to the Kolob 
> Res. to see what's swimming.  The meeting place and time will be 
> announced later.
>
> .


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