Jailbirds

["Paul Kirby" <Paul dot Kirby at hmbg dot utah dot edu>]

Visited Decker Lake earlier this week and took a walk around it. Besides the usual Mallards and ge
ese
were 4 Gr. Yellowlegs, 2 Caspian Terns, 2 Solitary Sandpipers, and a Redhead that wasn't
quite a Redhead yet.
 Well...along the southeast side of the lake the trail runs a few feet from the Decker Lake
jail. I was just freely walking along when 2 birds flush out of the bushes and quickly make
their way through the jail's chainlink fence and land in a small pine tree. I get my binoculars ri
ght on 'em.
A pair of Lark Sparrows, which I recognize from guides, but are a lifer for me.
I got to check them out for 3 or 4 minutes before they flew off. Cool...
   About 20 minutes later I realized that looking through the fence of a corrections facility
 with a pair of binoculars wasn't real bright. On my way to the car I was met by a guard
that asked why I was looking through the jails fence with binoculars. I told him a "lifer",
 no pun intended. No pun taken either. I also answered that "No, I don't have any relatives there,
 I was just birdwatching, honest". I further tried proving my innocence by showing him my
notepad with my sketches and field notes. He looked through it for what seemed a long
time. Probably admiring my artwork, as I've become quite good at drawing realistic
 looking stickbirds!  He then took information from my driver's licence, and told me
"Thanks, have a good day".
  Then when I finally made it to my getaway car something hit me: I wasn't sure if I could add
 the Lark Sparrow to my life list, considering "captive" birds aren't allowed. ; )
          Good Birding!