BIRDQUEST2004

I had been keeping lists since the early 90’s and was never satisfied with my Chukar entry on my list and since both Chris and I needed a Chukar for our year lists, off we went to Antelope Island.

Antelope Island never disappoints, there may have been half a million phalaropes on what little water there was, feeding on a fly hatch.  Every inch of shoreline was occupied by thousands of Franklin Gull’s feeding on the same flies.

Red-necked Phalarope

As soon as I set up my scope to look over the water, I heard Chris say he had a Chukar in his scope.

Chukar

Driving the circuit there were many free ranging animals to see…

Mule Deer

Bison

Pronghorn Antelope

A very cooperative Rock Wren, my best photo to date.

Lots of Swallows suffering in the 106 F degree temperatures

I didn’t find many insects but Western Meadowhawk’s were numerous

On our way out we came across a young pheasant

It was time to move northward towards Bear River Wildlife Refuge.  We both needed Grebes for our list and we hoped we’d see Western Grebes and maybe a Clarke’s Grebe.  Were we in for a surprise….there must have been at least 400-500 of both species in the water.  Some as close as 5 feet off shore and many still had young of various ages.

Clarke’s Grebe – Western Grebe Comparision

Clarke’s Grebe

Western Grebe

It was so much fun photographing these birds at such close range.

Many other species could be found at this Wildlife Reserve.

American Crows

Black-necked Stilt

With Young

Young American Coot

Long Billed Dowitcher

Marbled Godwits

Northern Harriers

Ring-billed Gull

Ruddy Duck

Sage Thrasher

Sandhill Crane

White Pelican

I will visit this Wildlife Refuge again, what an awesome place.

Ciao for now

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had allotted 6 days for the Snowcock and luckily we had only needed three days.  We had 4 free days to increase our year totals, we were both close to 400 and a few birds would put us over the top.

Our first stop was the town of Brighton up Big Cottonwood Canyon Road, their had been reports of Williamson’s Sapsucker in the area and I desperately wanted to get a photograph.

Of course the first bird we saw was the Williamson’s as he flew by us onto a shaded trunk.  By the time we got our binoculars on the bird, it decided to go elsewhere.  We stayed there for the rest of the morning but it never showed itself again.

We did see:

Hermit Thrush

Mountain Chickadee

Red-naped Sapsucker

Red Crossbill

Gray Flycatcher

We decided to move on to Little Cottonwood Canyon Road, there had been Ebird reports of Black Swift.  Once there we quickly realized how high these birds were flying.   I took photos of many birds that I thought might be Black Swift’s but for the most part were White-throated Swifts.  Below are the darker birds:

What do you think?  The bird in the square is a photo from the Internet of a Black Swift soaring.

We decided to make it an early night and head north the next day….

We headed to Powder Mountain Ski Resort just east of Ogden.

On the drive up the road we came across this doe.

A lovely Lazuli Bunting

Awesome Scenery

On the dirt track road on the way in we found Mountain Bluebird and Olive-sided Flycatcher.

The meadow had hundreds of Butterflies.

Great Spangled Fritillary Female

Police Car Moth

Great Spangled Fritillary Male

Western Tiger Swallowtail

Ebird had reported Williamson’s Sapsucker’s in the area.  The directions were a little vague but we did find the area and the birds.

The drumming lead us to the Sapsucker.  Not my best photos but they are my only photographs of this bird.

Chris found a lovely male American 3-toed Woodpecker, giving us both excellent views.

This was a haven for Woodpeckers we also found a Hairy.

For me I seldom see this next bird, a Western Tanager.

Another great day, Thanks Chris.