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APRIL FOOL BIRDING



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I made my first two visits of the season to Bear River MBR this week.

On April 1, Yellow-headed Blackbirds, American Avocets and Cinnamon Teal =
were back in numbers and a few Marsh Wrens could be heard.  There were =
still a lot of migrating ducks present - all the usual suspects.  No BNS =
yet.

There were 12 grebes in Area 2:
2 Eared, still in winter plumage
1 Western
9 Clark's
Do Clark's normally arrive before Westerns?

Most surprising to me was that THOUSANDS of Tundra Swans were still on =
Area 1 - an amazing sight.

I also saw what appeared to be a first-winter Glaucous-winged Gull.  It =
flew by quickly and I couldn't get a long look.  It could also have been =
a first-winter Thayer's.

I returned on April 4 to photograph the swans.  While driving around the =
auto tour loop, I saw a white bird standing on the road at the southern =
end.  I thought at first it was just a gull, but then it turned =
sideways.  It was a white goose and from its size and stubby bill, I'm =
about 80% sure it was a Ross' Goose.  The light was partly from behind =
and I couldn't distinguish the grin patch of the Snow Goose.  When I =
tried to get closer it flew off.  Either way, an unusual sighting for =
this time of year.

No foolin'!

Jim McIntyre

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<DIV><FONT size=3D2>I made my first two visits of the season to Bear =
River MBR=20
this week.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>On April 1, Yellow-headed Blackbirds, American =
Avocets and=20
Cinnamon Teal were back in numbers and a few Marsh Wrens could be =
heard.&nbsp;=20
There were still a lot of migrating ducks present - all the usual=20
suspects.&nbsp; No BNS yet.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>There were 12 grebes in Area 2:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>2 Eared, still in winter plumage</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>1 Western</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>9&nbsp;Clark's</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Do Clark's normally arrive before =
Westerns?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Most surprising to me was that THOUSANDS of Tundra =
Swans were=20
still on Area 1 - an amazing sight.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>I also saw what appeared to be a first-winter =
Glaucous-winged=20
Gull.&nbsp; It flew by quickly and I couldn't get a long look.&nbsp; It =
could=20
also have been a first-winter Thayer's.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>I returned on April 4 to photograph the swans.&nbsp; =
While=20
driving around the auto tour loop, I saw a white bird standing on the=20
road&nbsp;at&nbsp;the southern end.&nbsp; I thought at first it was just =
a gull,=20
but then it turned sideways.&nbsp; It was a white goose and =
from&nbsp;its size=20
and stubby bill, I'm about 80% sure it was a Ross' Goose.&nbsp; The =
light was=20
partly from behind and I couldn't distinguish the grin patch of the Snow =

Goose.&nbsp; When I tried to get closer it flew off.&nbsp; Either way, =
an=20
unusual sighting for this time of year.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>No foolin'!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Jim McIntyre</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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