Friday, 20 Apr 2009
Washington Fields
Washington County, Utah
(Emails from Rick Fridell, 20 Apr 2009)
This afternoon (4/20 ~ 5:15p) there was an adult
Glossy Ibis with a flock of around 200 White-faced Ibis in the
Washington Fields (Washington Co., UT). The Ibis were in the northwestern
most field in the Washington Fields; on the north side of the y-drain
where it drops into the Virgin River floodplain. The field is recently
planted and currently being watered and thus attracting a nice diversity
of waterbirds (including the Ibis, a few ducks, a Great Egret, Snowy
Egret, Black-necked Stilts, a Willet, and a
couple Wilson's Snipe).
I managed a few long distant photos, that, hopefully, will show the
diagnostic blue face and dark eye. A scope was useful for picking out the
Glossy Ibis among the many White-faced Ibis, however in the afternoon
light the blue face and dark eye were fairly easy to spot. Kevin and Pam
Wheeler were also able to see the bird. The flock was still present at
~6:15p when we left.
Regards,
Rick Fridell
(Emails from Rick Fridell, 21 Apr 2009)
Hello,
This evening (4/21; 6:20p) I relocated the Glossy Ibis in the
Washington Fields (Washington Co., UT). It was with a small flock of about
50 White-faced Ibis in a wet alfalfa field in the southeast corner of the
Washington Fields. I first located an ibis with blue facial skin, but when
I got it in the scope, I thought I was going to have to retract this
sighting as a hybrid ibis...although it had a blue face, it also sported a
grayish bill, and more importantly in good light, a reddish eye (not as
bright or obvious as a White-faced Ibis, but distinctly red). When I found
the bird yesterday, (I thought) I carefully ruled out a possible hybrid
and had convinced myself the the bird was a clean Glossy Ibis (dark brown
eye, dark lores, blue face border, etc.). Always suspicious of the 'second
bird theory', I was starting to doubt yesterday's sighting when an
alternate plumaged Glossy Ibis strolled into view. I managed much better
photos of the Glossy Ibis tonight, and also was able to get some nice
photos of the apparent hybrid White-faced x Glossy Ibis. I'm very
surprised to see both of these birds together in a relatively small flock;
I've looked through 1,000's of ibis in Washington County over the last ten
years or so and these are the first that weren't obvious White-faced Ibis.
It was a great evening for egrets and herons in the Washington Fields
tonight with Great Blue Heron (2), Great Egret, Snowy Egret (2), Cattle
Egret (2), Green Heron (y-drain), and Black-crowned Night-Heron in various
wet fields and drains. I also saw several curlews and a Ross' Goose
hanging out with a couple Canada Geese.
Incidentally, the Glossy Ibis is my 350th Washington County species
(.....and still no magpie)!
Regards,
Rick Fridell
Hurricane, UT
Photos
by Rick Fridell
|
