Saturday Birding

[Colby Neuman]

Here were some highlights from the group that hiked up to Twin Lakes and 
Honeycomb Canyon this morning for the Brighton Bird Count...

Blue Grouse - just above where the Lake Solitude Trail joins in with the 
trail the goes up to Honeycomb Canyon
Williamson's Sapsucker - a male was seen about 100 yards below the Twin 
Lakes Dam - I believe in the same area previously reported by the Byers.  
Also, a pair was seen along the trail that goes up the hillside just to the 
west of Twin Lakes (this is between the dam and where the trail meets up 
with the Lake Solitude trail).
Olive-sided Flycatcher - several calling/foraging birds just below the Twin 
Lakes Dam
Cedar Waxwing - 2 flew into a tree just below the top of Honeycomb Canyon 
(~10000-10500 feet) - maybe the most unexpected find of the day
White-breasted Nuthatch – 1 was calling just below the Twin Lakes Dam
Pine Grosbeak - the Sommerfelds found one just below the dam
Red Crossbill - several flyovers, but unfortunately no big flocks were seen

This afternoon Tim Avery and I went on to bird some local wetlands hoping 
for migrant shorebirds (which were definitely not in abundance) and came up 
with the following...

As entered in ebird…

Lee Kay Ponds

Eared Grebe – 1
Western Grebe – 1
Clark’s Grebe – 1
American White Pelican – 27
Double-crested Cormorant – 26
Great Blue Heron – 1
Snowy Egret – 2
Canada Goose – 168
Gadwall – 3
Mallard – 33
Redhead – 3
Killdeer – 5
Black-necked Stilt – 3
American Avocet – 7
Franklin’s Gull – 4
California Gull – Present
Forster’s Tern – 1
Bank Swallow – 2
Barn Swallow – 15
European Starling – 8
Yellow-headed Blackbird – 1
Brewer’s Blackbird – 9
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE – 3 – on an island in the far west pond

Saltair – Although there was some decent habitat, no migrants were apparent.

The End of Glover Lane (Davis Co.) – Still fairly full with little shorebird 
habitat

Warm Springs (the ponds along I-15 near Beck Street) – good habitat and we 
finally encountered a couple of migrants

Greater Yellowlegs – 4
Spotted Sandpiper – 1
Franklin’s Gull ~ 30
and N. Rough-winged, Bank, Barn and Cliff Swallows were present

Also, the first Stellar’s Jay of the season appeared in Olympus Cove this 
past week ~ a month ahead of schedule.

Colby

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