[TopOfUtah] Lots O' Longspurs

[Kristin Purdy]

This afternoon at about 3:30 I saw a huge flock of Horned Larks near Box 
Elder County Landfill that included LAPLAND LONGSPURS. This was the biggest 
flock of Horned Larks I think I've seen; I estimate the number at 500-600 
birds. The flock remained far out in a field south of the road I was on 
(6800N, Corinne) and moved frequently. Just about every time I finally got 
my scope on a longspur, the flock flushed and I had to start looking all 
over again. The longspurs were harder to see as well because they hunker 
down in the grass and snow more than the Horned Larks do. The best I did was 
to count eight longspurs in a small area before they flushed.

I was finally rewarded for good behavior when a group of 40-50 birds flew to 
the road and landed in front of my truck. I counted seven longspurs among 
the Horned Larks before my stupid glasses fogged up and I couldn't see 
anymore. Guess I should have worn contacts today. The rattle call of the 
longspurs wasn't audible to me when the birds were far out in the field with 
the big flock, but I heard it a couple times when the smaller flock came to 
the road.

I feel certain there are many more longspurs than what I saw. Oh, to have 
examined that flock more closely! It disappeared after my last look at the 
birds on the road and the snow came in thick at that point, so I headed 
home. Blackbirds and large flocks of Mallards are using the cut and uncut 
wheat and corn fields on both sides of the road as well.

I also birded well out on SR-83 from Corinne to Howell earlier in the day. 
The number of Rough-legged Hawks far outnumbered the Red-tails today; I 
think I saw 15 or so Rough-legs today.

An amazing number of Chukars were on or alongside SR-83 from mm 20 to 23 
west of ATK (formerly known as Thiokol). I counted nine flocks on the drive 
north. When I raised my binoculars to observe the fourth flock, a Badger was 
crossing the road behind the flock. The Badger looked like a flowing shag 
carpet with millipede legs. The animal had also raised its tail high and 
looked particularly square-butted. When it reached the other side of the 
road, it turned around and went back the way it came. That gave me time to 
speed up to the spot and watch it climb the hill next to the road.

The badger's shag was a carmel color and the guard hairs had black tips. 
They were fused together by the wet snow that was falling and the creature 
looked like it had tiger stripes. One time, the badger turned and looked at 
me with an expression on his masked face that read, "You wanna piece of 
me?!?" Then it flowed to the top of the hill and I wondered how close the 
Rough-legged Hawk at the top could stand it...about 15 feet apparently, and 
then the hawk launched. Maybe the hawk prefers berber to shag.

I also saw a NORTHERN SHRIKE at my turnaround spot in Howell, it's at the 
first intersection when driving northbound on SR-83 and there's a feedlot 
there. There were flocks of Horned Larks in the feedlot and around mm 26 
where a herd of cows was grazing, but I didn't find any longspurs among 
them.

I decided to count the Chukars on my return and saw seven flocks totalling 
96 birds.

Earlier in the day, I saw a small group of American Tree Sparrows along 
8300W. in West Warren, Weber County.

Salt Creek WMA is frozen over. The only things I saw there were a couple 
Peruvian shepherds and their sheep, a couple Great Pyrenees and a trio of 
black-and-white Border Collies convinced they could bite my tires both time 
I passed by.

To reach the spot where the longspurs and Horned Larks were, take I-15 to 
exit 365, Corinne. Turn west at the end of the exit ramp and drive into 
Corinne. Pick up SR-83 in Corinne and drive west to 6800W. Turn right 
(north) and drive north to 6800N. Turn left (west) toward Salt Creek WMA and 
the Box Elder County Landfill. Drive 3.2 miles. The cut field where the big 
flock was is on the south side of the road just before the south turn to the 
landfill.

Kris