Antelope Island

[cldavis at xmission dot com]

When I got up this morning I was greeted with a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET taking
a bath in my deck birdbath.  It sat in my lilac and preened afterwards with
that little red cap flashing all over the place. That started the day out
nice.

I didn't see much on AI causeway on the way in, with the exception of some
CLIFF SWALLOWS and AMERICAN PIPITS near the first of the water on the
right. I wasn't expecting much at Garr Ranch but it turned out to be a good
day there. The most prevalent bird was the DARK-EYED JUNCO. Behind the
Spring House bog I saw a HERMIT THRUSH making its way back through the
phragmites.  In the pools back behind the south fence I scared a herd of
deer out of the bushes, and they scared me. But, there were also PINE
SISKINS, GOLDFINCHES, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, ROBINS, a LINCOLN'S SPARROW
(with his head feathers all spiky), FLICKERS, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, and
one that took me a minute to recognize--a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE. The
solitaire landed right in front of me for the National Geographic shot of
the year and my camera batteries died instantly.  I did see it later on and
got a front shot of it. In the trees by the restroom I located some tapping
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES.

It was a beautiful day for birding and the wind even died down long enough
for me to tape a MEADOWLARK softly practicing his song in a non-stop,
easy-going manner as the sun began to inch towards the horizon on an
amazing island not meant to have a prison moved on to it (Mr. Huntsman!)

Carol


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