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The birds I saw at Antelope Island State Park today
(Sunday) were unremarkable (no insult to the birds intended, except to the
starlings) with the exception of three species--a Northern Mockingbird at
Fielding Garr Ranch, five Barrow's Goldeneye south of the bridge between
mile markers 0 and 1, and two Horned Grebes in alternate plumage among many
Eared Grebes. The mockingbird has been reported repeatedly at
Antelope Island throughout the winter. I saw it just east of the ranch
outside the fenceline both on a junkpile and on the ground around the
pile. After the bird got tired of looking at me, it flew south to the
trees along the edge of the phragmite. The one male and four female
Barrow's Goldeneye were intermixed with a raft of about 30 Common Goldeneye
about 100 feet off the causeway. One Horned Grebe was far out, but
his gold stripe and "blockhead" looks were the giveaways. The second one
was only about 50 feet off the causeway. Both were around mile marker 4,
but the first one flew west and I lost it in the horizon. I had to earn
the Horned Grebes by looking at about a thousand Eared Grebes, but I appreciated
the reward nonetheless! Between today's and yesterday's grebes, I was
blessed with seeing five of the seven U.S. species this weekend. And now, for
the Red-Throated and the Least...
Kris
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