Fwd: Antelope area 5-15-03

["Eric Huish" <poorwill_ at hotmail dot com>]

Birdnet Email -- from the website

----Original Message Follows---
It was submitted by Julie on Thursday, May 15, 2003 at 21:23:07
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Subject: Antelope area 5-15-03

Email_Address:

Message: Pomera and I birded the causeway and the ranch today, saw some 
great birds and had some fun observations.  Lots of Black-bellied Plover 
were on the south side near the entrance station, but unexpected numbers of 
Red-necked Phalaropes were on the north side just west of the station--I'd 
hazard a guess at about a thousand--no exaggeration!  I've never even heard 
of that many Red-neced Phalaropes in Utah ever; I wondered if that storm 
system that came through last night put them down--sort of a fall-out.  
Anyway, it was great seeing that many, and hundreds were very close to the 
shoreline, and many more further out; they looked like an island out 
there...but it was birds!  Oh, yes, there were two Barn Owls in the barn 
before the entrance.

Thousands (I'd say 3 to 5) of Sanderlings were all along the north side and 
a fair number more on the south side (concentrations near MMs 2-3, but look 
everywhere).  We got to watch them fly and it looked like points of stars 
when they were close and confetti when they turned and were further out.  
Their precision flying is outstanding to watch--and the sound was so 
marvelous, their calls and the sound of their wings as the whole body 
swooped and swirled.  When they came down, we clocked a half mile strtch 
along the shore that was just teeming with them.  Pretty spectacular. Two 
Dunlin and a couple of Wilson's Phalaropes were mixed in with them.  
Long-billed Dowitchers were at the marina.

At the ranch we saw a Northern  Waterthrush (just east of the springhouse 
along the "creek.")  There were also several Hermit Thrush, McGillivray's, 
Wilson's, and Orange-crowned Warblers, a Dusky Flycatcher, and an Eastern 
Kingbird.

We went to Jefferson Hunt CG at Pineview Reservoir but it wasn't too birdy- 
heard cranes, some Yellow Warblers, Black-headed Grosbeak.

Tonight we got the Least Tern, thanks to Dana--she called to let us know 
about it.  I left at 6:30 and it was still there,  Thanks, Bruce, for 
spending your lunchtime birding!!

Good birding y'all,
Julie

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