Dixie Birders Out and About

[Bill Hunter <dixiewillie at skyviewmail dot com>]

Hi all.

the Dixie Birders took a full day Wednesday to chase any and all birds
in the area, with emphasis on waterfowl.

Interesting observation in that the diversity of waterfowl is down this
year. We hit every watering hole known to man locally and only had 14
species total with Quail and Sand Hollow included, and all the golf
course ponds. Water is back in Sand Hollow.

Birds of note: We did have one Am. White Pelican on Southgate. A
beautiful adult Prairie Falcon had just grabbed a Coot and was chowing
down  within feet of us, much to our delight at Stone Bridge. A
beautiful Black-crowned Night Heron in breeding plumage with an
extensive white plume extending down it's nape. A Sharp-shinned Hawk
trying to catch an itty-bitty Kinglet less than 20 feet from us at
Sunbrook. He did not succeed. 5 Herring Gulls on Quail. A Mtn.
Chickadee in Half Way Wash. Eight + Western Bluebirds on Dixie Red
Hills Golf Course. Magnificent color. And yes, the Common Moorhen is
still here for those of you wanting to try for 300 again this year.

In all, we saw 53 species. Questions; what are Bluebirds doing this
low? Why are birds in breeding plumage, doing courtship rituals on
January 7th? Why are Cottonwood buds beginning to swell?

We've had our share of cold (relative) and wet, but isn't it too early
for Spring to be springing, even here in St. George? And then Rick has
the audacity to report a male Lapland Lonspur out in Flora-tech Fields.

The Joys of Birding.

Dixie Willie
Utah's Dixie

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