Fw: [birdnet] Antelope Island Birds

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

Let me add a few species to Jolene's Antelope list as I was back out to the
park today.  I saw four species of gulls--one Franklin's Gull in summer
plumage--black-headed and pink tinged--that landed briefly with a group of
Californias, a second-year HERRING GULL at around mm 2, northside, and a
flock of 15 BONPARTE'S GULLS flying west along the causeway on the south
side until I caught up to them.  They obliged me by crossing the causeway at
that moment right over my windshield.  I got a good underside view and my
windshield stayed clean.  The Bonaparte's are in a mix of summer and winter
plumage.

In addition to the curlews mentioned below (I also saw five on the south
side between mm 2 and 1), I saw one American Avocet at the marina and three
of the most miserable-looking Willets huddled and being pelted by cold rain
around mm 3, south side.

Vesper Sparrows flitted low around rocks and sagebrush at the very last
turnoff to the Visitor's Center, and I saw four or five Sage Thrashers on
the way to Garr Ranch.  In particular, I saw two east of the road to Garr at
the gate that closes at 5 pm.  Tree Swallows are both over the fields and
along the causeway.

A fun sight was a tamarisk filled with summer-plumaged Yellow-headed
Blackbirds.  North of mm 5 long lines of Green-winged Teal, Northern
Pintails and Northern Shovelers waded and shoveled through the low water.
With the unaided eye the ducks looked like a sprinkling of pepper on a
silver plate.  Take a scope when you visit!

Kris
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jolene Hatch" <jolenehatch@utah.gov>
To: <birdnet@utahbirds.org>
Sent: Monday, April 04, 2005 1:52 PM
Subject: Antelope Island Birds


> The Long-billed Curlews have arrived.  They have been out doing their
> mating call and flight.  White Rock bay is a good place but have been
> seen other places too.
> Many grebes and gulls along the causeway.  A nice flock of ruddy ducks
> and 3 canada geese were along the causeway last Friday, but did not see
> them today.
> Killdeer, western meadowlark, horned lark on island.
> A pair of long eared owls and red tailed hawks near the ranch house.
> Great Blue Herons retrieving nesting material from the island to egg
> island.  Cormorants flying to and from egg island.
> Migration has begun.
>
>
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