Personal Sora Record

[bcurrie100 at comcast dot net]

I was out leading a tour today on the Nature Conservancy's Great Salt Lake Shoreland Preserve (end of 3200 West in Layton).  It was a small group of just four people.  Last year I saw four Soras here in May, which had been my personal best for one day in one area.  Today we saw four and heard two more, then heard one more later on.  If you start walking west on the boardwalk you will go through many cattails and reeds.  As it winds around you will come to a place in the boardwalk that one part curves around a small water area, and one part has two steps on either side that go right down to the water.  This was the area (to the immediate west) that I first heard the Sora and then was able to have a visual on four more from playing the CD.  We had the four in visual when the other two called out from other locations so we know it was not the same ones.  I heard the seventh one when on the two story look-out tower one called from the area toward the first pond to the southeast of the tower.  At the first area we were all sitting down and one came right under one of the guests.  I was right next to him.  That was the closest they came.  Pretty exciting.  Alas, they stayed in the shadows so not able to get photos.

For those who have never been to this land before, it is wheelchair accessible (but the two-story tower is not).  The boardwalk is one mile long, all level surface.  The tour was from 8:00 - 10:00 AM, and by 9:00 AM, without any shade there, it was mighty toasty.

The usual suspects of YH and RW Blackbirds, Am. White Pelicans, a beautiful male Northern Harrier, Barn and Bank Swallows, Song Sparrow, WF Ibis, GBH, Sandhill Crane (heard only), and 1.3 million (actual count ; ) ) of Marsh Wrens (with many good looks) were present.

Brian
_______________________________________________

"Utah Birds" web site: http://www.utahbirds.org
     BirdTalk:
To subscribe, e-mail:  birdtalk-subscribe@utahbirds.org
To unsubscribe, e-mail:  birdtalk-unsubscribe@utahbirds.org
To send a message, e-mail:  birdtalk@utahbirds.org
_________________________________________________