More Antelope Island Stuff

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

I also went to Antelope Island today.  I'm not going to report my 
causeway finds because I'm too embarassed to say what I missed that Tim 
found.  Ha!  But my original purpose was to go to Garr Ranch and so I 
did.  Too early in the season for Garr, you say?  Not me.  I say the 
early bird gets the bird. 

The only places I found activity were around the spring and along the 
fence east of the South Pasture.  I found male and female Western 
Tanagers, female and juvenile MacGillivray's Warblers, Yellow Warblers 
and family groups of Wilson's Warblers, Chipping and Song Sparrows and 
Lazuli Buntings. I saw one silent Empidonax flycatcher that I believed 
to be a Cordilleran. 

Best birds of the day were the Barn and Long-eared Owls in Russian 
Olives along the fenceline.  I was looking for the Long-eared and was 
pleased but still surprised when I saw a portion of an owl moving in 
branches over my head.  She was a Barn Owl and was repositioning herself 
for flight.  As I craned and strained to get a better view, she did the 
same.  She calmed a bit and head-bobbed at me between silvery-green and 
drooping Russian Olive branches.  One more step forward, and...!  
Another bird that must have been RIGHT over my head in the same tree 
flew out and was down the fenceline in a fraction of a second.  I didn't 
even know what it was.

The Barn Owl then moved further down the line.  I followed with cautious 
movements hoping not to disturb her again and to get a look at the other 
large bird that had flown first.  What a surprise it was to look up into 
another Russian Olive to see the Barn Owl about 25 feet away peering and 
bobbing at me, and a Long-eared Owl about 35 feet away, wide startling 
eyes riveted on she who trespassed.  Despite my not moving, both were 
still uncomfortable with my presence and circled north, back to the 
vicinity of their original tree.  I continued south and lo and behold, 
saw another Barn Owl hidden high in a Russian Olive looking sedate and 
not at all concerned about me.  

Before I left the fence row I examined the ground below the spots where 
I thought the first two owls had been perched. Under the Barn Owl's 
roost, I found whitewash, feathers, and 8-10 pellets.  Under the 
Long-eared Owl's roost, I found whitewash, barred brown feathers, and 
5-6 pellets.  The two roosts were only about 20 feet apart and I 
concluded the owls had been neighbors for more than just one day.  

On my trip to Garr in general, seeking migrating passerines early in the 
season is not an endeavor for those who don't have the luxury of time.  
The trip was an exercise in patience.  Virtually all my sightings came 
about because I was still and quiet for long periods, I watched for the 
slightest movement and I listened for the tiniest sounds.  Birding by 
ear isn't much of an option either--only the MacGillivray's Warblers, 
the Chipping Sparrows, and the Lazuli Buntings voiced call notes so I 
knew what bird I was seeking.  The remainder of the "quality" birds were 
all quiet.  The starlings, Mourning Doves, Yellow-headed Blackbirds, and 
chickens challenged me to filter out all those sounds but the tiny call 
notes I wanted to hear.  

Finally, I got a few other bonuses at Garr today:

1.  I was crowed at repeatedly by a disrespectful rooster.  
2.  I was bitten by many disrespectful mosquitoes.  
3.  I was pooped on by a disrespectful swallow.   

All-in-all, not a bad day.

Kris

_______________________________________________

"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
_________________________________________________