Early Shorebird migration

[Bridget_Olson at fws dot gov]

The seemingly early shorebird migration continues at Bear River Refuge- Box
Elder County.

I counted 2300 western sandpipers, 260 Wilson's Phalarope (likely migrants
and not local breeders) and a single semi-palmated sandpiper on the Refuge
yesterday (7/1/03).  They are located in a pocket of water in one of our
units that is drying out; in the southeast corner of the Auto-Tour-Route
near the new observation platform.  For those of you that might come and
visit,  please do not trespass beyond the gate leading to the "closed"
portion of the Refuge.  The gate will likely be open as we are hauling
gravel and we wouldn't want to run anyone over!

Other bird notes...
Appears to have been a banner year for Snowy Plovers on the Refuge.
Counted around 30 breeding pair on interior Refuge dikes.  Likely many more
nested on the huge expanses of alkali flats that are dry due to drought
conditions.  First plover chicks noted on 6/19.

American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt and Coot young are almost
indistinguishable from adults.  No young from the White-faced Ibis colony
have been noted yet.

Molt migration has begun for waterfowl.  Large concentrations of pintail,
mallard, cinnamon and green-winged Teal noted on the north end of the
Auto-Tour loop unit (2D) among the emergent vegetation.  Large numbers (in
the 1000's) of American White Pelican foraging and roosting on the Refuge.
Large numbers of Western and Clark's Grebes (in the 100's) can still be
observed from the Auto-tour loop wetland unit doing their breeding display.

Bridget Olson
Wildlife Biologist
Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
58 S. 950 W.
Brigham City, UT  84302
Phone: 435/723-5887 ext. 13
Fax: 435/723-8873



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