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One doesn't get the opportunity to see the color
purple on a bird very often. This morning's dawn trip to Box Elder
County with Bill Fenimore and the Layton Wild Bird Center gave me that chance as
we watched Sharp-tailed Grouse display their inflated purple air sacs and
incredible springtime choreography. Their dance is both beautiful and
intriguing.
The birds and humans alike were buffeted
hither and yon at Salt Creek Waterfowl Management Area. What a wind!
The winged ones seemed to shore up against it much better than the homo
sapiens did. Most bird species seemed undaunted while my
12-year old and I cowered behind an
impromptu windbreak created with a strategically
placed truck. Migrating species have tapered
off. The few Tundra Swans that remain looked
somewhat lonely without the cacophonous swan contingent of just a few
weeks ago. We also saw Sandhill Crane, Double-Crested Cormorant,
Franklin's Gull, California Gull, Bufflehead, Northern Shoveler, Northern
Pintail, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Gadwall, American Wigeon,
Redhead, Canvasback, Lesser Scaup, Ruddy Duck, American Avocet, Black-necked
Stilt, Clark's Grebe, Eared Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, American White Pelican,
Canada Goose, American Coot, Turkey Vulture, Western Meadowlark, Red-winged
Blackbird, Ring-necked Pheasant, Marsh Wren, California Gull, and Northern
Harriers in every view, scan, and sweep. Favorite bird of the site
was a Sage Thrasher, discreet in both plumage and behavior, on the
southwest side of the intersection of Salt Creek and Box Elder Landfill
roads.
We also stopped along the Bear River MBR road in an
attempt to see Long-billed Curlews. How fortunate that Carol Gwynn was
already in place, and had picked out our very target wnen we pulled up!
Everyone should be so lucky to have a seeing-eye birder, and I was glad to share
the sighting and swap stories.
We packed a lot in to a day that began too many
hours before sunrise. Sleep? Who needs sleep? The birds are
back!
Kris
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