Parasitic Jaeger Update

["Kristin Purdy" <kristinpurdy at comcast dot net>]

Glenn Barlow, Jack Binch, Bob Huntington and I were able to join 
eagle-eyes (or more properly, jaeger-eyes) Cindy and Steve Sommerfeld 
west of Willard Reservoir to observe the PARASITIC JAEGER this evening 
until it was too dark to see.  The bird is a juvenile although we don't 
believe it's a hatch-year bird.  It appears to be injured.  The bird 
primarily rested in rutted furrows of the formerly muddy-but-now-dry 
road and occasionally took short flights.  Upon landing, the jaeger 
would take several halting steps and appeared to have sore feet.  Then 
it settled into a resting position again.  The bird appeared to have no 
difficulties flying. 

Cindy and Steve had the opportunity to observe the bird for 
approximately 2 1/2 hours; the rest of us observed it for about an hour. 
 
We were able to study this bird with both binoculars and spotting scopes 
at fairly close range.  Jack Binch photographed the bird and we look 
forward to seeing his results.   

The jaeger is fairly dark and dusky; we'd describe it as a sooty 
brownish-gray or grayish brown, depending on the light.  The beak is 
fairly slender without a significant hook on the end.  The distal 1/4 
portion of the beak is black, contrasting with the bluish-gray base 
color.  The wing coverts appeared to be scalloped with a paler, rufous 
color.  We also noted a buffy wash to the lighter color of the lowest 
underparts and upper and undertail coverts.  Underparts are barred, 
becoming more strongly barred toward the tail.  Tail was a short fan 
with central two tail feathers projecting farther past the end of the 
other retrices.  Shape of the projecting feathers was difficult to 
discern, however, we didn't believe the feathers projected as far as 
that described for a juvenile Long-tailed Jaeger.  We noted significant 
white crescents at the base of the wing on the dorsal and ventral 
surfaces.  

Should you choose to chase this bird, please take along a healthy dose 
of skepticism and work over all the field marks until you're satisfied.  
All of us who saw the bird tonight recognize the difficulty of 
separating juvenile jaegers.  We'd prefer that the ID is correct rather 
than additional observers simply agree with us.  

To reach the spot, take I-15 to exit 351, Willard, at the Weber/Box 
Elder County line.  Turn west at the end of the exit ramp.  Turn right 
several hundred yards later at the sign for Willard Bay State Park (this 
is for the South Marina entrance) at 4000N in Farr West.  If you pass 
Smith and Edwards on your left, you've gone too far.  Drive west until 
4000N ends and T-bones into a north-south dirt road.  From this point, 
the jaeger sightings were 6.5-7.7 miles away.  Turn right (north) on the 
dirt road and you'll pass through the Willard Bay WMA.  Take the next 
left (west) .2 miles later.  You'll zig north and zag west and generally 
keep Willard Bay's south dike on your right as you head west.  When you 
make the final turn right (north) at the west end of the south dike, 
you'll pass Harold Crane WMA on your left.  Now the road really gets 
sporting and you've got 4 miles of driving to get to jaeger central.  

Generally speaking, the west side of the very wide, formerly muddy and 
very rutted, potholed road is better.  Once you've driven it however, 
you'll question my use of the word, 'better'.  Make sure you've got good 
air in your spare tire and a tire jack, just in case.

At the 4-mile point past the last turn north, we tied two long strands 
of orange/silver flagging tape (now know as Sommerfeld tape) to a 
tamarisk on the left.  This is the spot where Cindy and Steve observed 
the bird for 1 1/2 hours.  We tied another two strands to another 
tamarisk at the farthest north observation point, 1-1.2 miles further 
north.  

Many thanks to the Sommerfelds for detecting and reporting this bird!

Kris

_______________________________________________

"Utah Birds" web site: http://www.utahbirds.org
     Birdnet:
To subscribe, e-mail:  birdnet-subscribe@utahbirds.org
To unsubscribe, e-mail:  birdnet-unsubscribe@utahbirds.org
To send a message, e-mail:  birdnet@utahbirds.org
_________________________________________________