American Golden-plover at AIC

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

Both shorebirding and ranch birding were good at Antelope Island State 
Park in Davis County today.  Neil Ellman of New Jersey and I enjoyed 
good views of an AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER at approximately mile 4.6, north 
side of the causeway, at around 4 pm.  Other shorebirds along the length 
of the causeway included Black-bellied and Snowy Plovers; Killdeer; 
stilts and avocets; Long-billed Curlews; Sanderlings; Western, Least, 
and Baird's Sandpipers.  The number of peeps was surprisingly good, but 
some were very far away and not identifiable.  In particular, on the way 
home I saw many peeps (and the Snowies) in the pickleweed far north of 
mile 6 or so.  

Other birds of note along the causeway included both Peregrine 
(juvenile) and Prairie Falcons and lots of American Pipits. Could 
someone please find me a Sprague's Pipit?  I'm tired of pea-picking 
through pipits and I know Sprague's must, must, must pass through Utah 
occasionally, regardless of what the confirmed records say (ummm...like, 
NONE).

I looked briefly for the Wandering Tattler around the big bridge and 
didn't see it. 

I saw good numbers of Yellow-rumped Warblers, White-crowned Sparrows, 
Dark-eyed Juncos and a Cooper's Hawk along the road to Garr Ranch. The 
Cooper's was doing its best imitation of a Merlin by perching on a snag 
out in the open, preening vigorously, and especially fanning that long 
banded tail.  The hawk even did a 180 while I watched to draw from its 
uropygial gland (Don't worry!  It's nothing dirty) at the lower back and 
then continued to work through individual feathers.   

The ranch hosted decent migrant activity as well, including a Red-naped 
Sapsucker; CASSIN'S and Warbling Vireos; Ruby-crowned Kinglet; Hermit 
Thrushes; Orange-crowned, Townsend's, and Yellow-rumped Warblers.     

Best bird at the ranch was a Great Horned Owl because any day I see an 
owl is a good day. I suppose today was a good-good day because I also 
saw the Barn Owl in the tall olive northeast of the spring.  The Great 
Horned Owl was high in a Russian Olive south of the spring and along the 
path from the South Pasture.  From the splattered whitewash on the olive 
leaves and the number of pellets and feathers on the ground, I'd say 
this owl has been using the area for at least a week or two.  

The Great Horned Owl did not escape the attention of three Northern 
Flickers that danced around the owl each in turn with stretched necks 
and fanned tails as if to say, "Yah wanna piece of me?!?"  But the owl 
didn't want a piece of them at all; it just wanted peace and quiet. And 
so the owl left to find it.

Kris

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