Bear River Bird Count

[Bridget_Olson at fws dot gov]

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
Waterbird Count
8/13/04

The duck count for this time of the year is the lowest on record
(1991-2003) while the shorebird numbers are about 3 times lower than the
long-term average reflecting just how dry our wetland units are.  The
season is progressing...the duck broods are growing to flight stage; the
Western/Clark's Grebe are too big to hitch rides; the majority of the
American Avocets have faded to winter plumage; Franklin's Gulls have lost
their solid black "hoods" and orangey bill color; the Spotted Sandpipers
are losing their "spots"; the Canada Geese are done molting and can fly
again; and a wave of juvenile Baird's sandpipers have arrived.

Notable birds for this count: Black-bellied Plover and Black Tern both on
the Tour Loop wetland unit (2D).

70% of the birds counted were observed from units around the Tour Loop.  As
of today (8/17/04) the Tour Loop wetland unit is now about 60% dry.  Still
a great place to observe large numbers of Black-necked Stilt, American
Avocet, White-faced Ibis, Black Tern and tight groups of feeding Franklin's
Gulls along with 1000's of White-faced Ibis.

Canada Goose            1519
Mallard                 1938
N. Pintail        2095
GW Teal           552
Cinnamon Teal           833
Northern Shoveler 1995
Gadwall           1697
A. Wigeon         690
Unk. Dabbler            401
Redhead           1012
L. Scaup          1
Ruddy Duck        925
Pied-billed Grebe 62
Eared Grebe       410
Western Grebe           115
Clark's Grebe           73
AW Pelican        845
DC Cormorant            251
Great Blue Heron  99
Great Egret       9
Snowy Egret       956
B.C. Night Heron  46
White-faced Ibis  13254
Black-bellied Plover    2
Snowy Plover            17
Killdeer                106
Black-necked Stilt      12105
American Avocet   5755
Spotted Sandpiper 46
Solitary Sandpiper      3
Greater Yellowlegs      20
Lesser Yellowlegs 101
Long-billed Curlew      29
Marbled Godwit          1102
Western Sandpiper 1050
Least Sandpiper   1
Peep              1
Baird's Sandpiper 90
Dowitcher spp.          2203
Red-necked Phalarope    37
Wilson's Phalarope      939
Franklin's Gull         5266
Ring-billed Gull        27
California Gull         4007
Caspian Tern            2
Forster's Tern          33
Black Tern        790
Virginia Rail           4
Sora              1
Coot              8928
Sandhill Crane          4
Turkey Vulture          1
Northern Harrier        4
Swainson's Hawk   1
Peregrine Falcon  1

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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