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I birded Willard Bay State Park in Box Elder County
today and came across two different NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES. Both birds
were in Willow Campground. I heard the first, but did not see it,
along the eastern edge of the pond that's north of campsites 4, 5, and
6. I heard and saw the second waterthrush flying and foraging
along the small wooded stream adjacent to and east of campsites 31, 33, and
34. Waterthrush #2's pale plumage is a bit yellowish instead of being
white.
Dana Green has consistently reported this second
site in previous years. Dana and I birded together last August and we
stopped at Willow Campground. She told me she had seen Northern
Waterthrushes at that spot in the past, and Poof! There was a Northern
Waterthrush. I was really impressed. I tried the trick today and
Poof! Poof! There were Northern Waterthrushes.
The number of warbler species was
unremarkable. However, phenomenal numbers of Wilson's Warblers,
Warbling Vireos, and Yellow Warblers are passing through the park right
now. In addition, I saw at least a dozen Gray Catbirds, a Virginia's
Warbler, MacGillivray's Warblers, Eastern Kingbirds, Western Wood Pewees,
and a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT.
I walked out through the tamarisk to the
receding lake shore west of Willow Campground to find only a few shorebird
species. Those I saw included Marbled Godwits, many Spotties, Killdeer,
and yellowlegs sp. The number of Western and Clark's Grebes stretches as
far as the eye can see.
The north entrance to Willard Bay SP is located at
exit 360 of I-15. Kris
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