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Oh, the weather outside is frightful...but it
wasn't too bad on Antelope Island Causeway from 2:00 until 5:00 today.
Here's what I saw:
10 Long-tailed Ducks: Several were sprinkled
along the north side of the causeway from about mm 1 to the bridge, and I found
6 at the marina. All the males have lost their long tails and one's face
pattern was reminiscent of spring plumage.
Common Goldeneyes - Loads
Barrow's Goldeneye: 1 female, on the north
side of the bridge between mm 0 and 1 and keeping to the edge of a raft of
Commons
Buffleheads - Loads
Eared Grebes: NOT ONE! Where'd they
go?
Northern Shovelers - a handful
Ruddy Ducks - a handful
Scaup spp: 1, very far out
Ring-billed Gulls
Horned Larks
Loggerhead Shrike - 1, west of the
bridge
American Kestrel
Ring-necked Pheasant: a hen along the road
near the kiosk. She had a piece of turquoise trash stuck on her face
that looked like a square piece of plastic used to close up a bread
bag. She was quite disoriented and could hardly see around it.
Western Meadowlarks
American Tree Sparrows: about a half dozen,
feeding on rabbit brush along the road northeast of the Visitor's
Center
Common Raven
American Magpie
Killdeer
European Starlings
And the most bizarre sighting of the day, a Common
Snipe standing in slushy tire track in the west-bound lane at 4:50 pm at
approximately mm 6. The snipe stayed put when I pulled up next to
him/her in the opposite lane. I was finally chased away by sunset and
watched the snipe turn into a dot in my side mirror as I pulled away.
Kris
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