8 Jul 2008
Bear River MBR
Box Elder County
(Email from Matthew Alexander, 9 Jul 2008)
On 8 July 2008 at around 6:30pm, myself (Matthew
Alexander) and Jim Pawlicki identified and photographed an adult
Western Gull hanging out with about a dozen California Gulls at the
Bear River NWR. The bird was near the southwest corner of the
square-shaped auto tour. The bird appeared fidgety and flew off towards
the south once we approached for better photos. None of the California
Gulls flew away at that time. The Western Gull was larger with a darker
mantle and pink legs.
(Email from Matthew Alexander, 10 Jul 2008)
...I have attached the photos from Tuesday's (7/8) sighting. Jim also went
to the same spot this evening and saw the bird, here is his directions
plus some other notable sightings from the refuge 6/7-6/10:
"Went back to the outflow channel late this evening (Thurs., July 10)
around 8:30 p.m. and the bird (WEGU) was in the exact same spot amongst a
dozen or so California Gulls. Since the bird was skittish last time and
ended up taking off, I continued to drive steadily past the spot and get
out of the car about 70 yards beyond where the birds were loosely
congregated (at parked at the designated parking area--see below). Set-up
the scope and had some nice looks as the bird washed its bill in the
water, but then only after 5 minutes it got up on its own and flew off low
to the ground to the NE where I lost it behind the reed line in the
distance. Here are some better directions to the spot from the last e-mail
T. Avery forwarded to Utahbirds:
Take West Forest St./Bird Refuge Rd. west from the visitor center until
you reach the start of the Auto Tour Route. The quickest way to the spot
is to take the route going SSW (or left) insted of the "formal" direction
going W (or right) over the small bridges and beyond the large maintenance
building. After going left on the route, continue on the road for about
3.5 miles. Just before you reach the observation tower and parking area
where the road "T's" and the Auto Tour makes a hard right continuing to
the NW, there will be a small outflow channel going underneath the road
and connecting to the large channel paralleling the road on its east side.
This is basically at the southernmost point of Unit 2 within the refuge
for those that have maps. The gulls are congregating at this outflow
channel on the west or Unit 2 side of the road. Thus far, evening (after
6:00 p.m.) seems to be the best time of day for seeing the bird, as it was
NOT present during the late morning on 7/8 when I went past the spot
earlier in the day before finding it later that day around 6:30 p.m.
Other notable sightings from around the refuge have been a singing
Grasshopper Sparrow along West Forest St. at the first bend past Whistler
Canal on 6/7, a family of 2 ad. and 2 juv. Long-billed Curlews along West
Forest St. between "0" Line Canal and Reeder Canal from 6/7 to 6/10, plus
a SE Owl seen along WF St. near Unit 4 at dusk today (6/10). Migratory
shorebirds seen from the Auto Tour Route over the past couple days have
included 150+ Marbled Godwits, about a dozen LB Dowitchers, 10+ Greater
Yellowlegs, 2 Lesser Yellowlegs, 1 Baird's Sandpiper, and 6 Least
Sandpipers...
Jim"
Hope this is beneficial,
Matt
Photos by Jim Pawlicki
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