Another Antelope Island Adventure

My Brother in Law Frank Clawson and I got out to Antelope Island for a wonderful day of viewing nature. We both added a new life bird to our life lists and had a great time watching all Antelope Island has to offer.

Eared Grebe Left and Horned Grebe on the right

Every year during migration we seem to get an invasion of rare or uncommon birds along the Causeway at Antelope Island. a couple of years ago we had a good number of Bonapart's Gulls and Sabines Gulls, we often get quite a few Whimbrel, a couple of years ago we had nearly a dozen Long-tailed Ducks, Surf Scoters and White-winged Scoters. We occasionally see Horned Grebes but this year seems to be the  invasion of Horned Grebes.

Horned Grebe

Harlequin Duck one female is not exactly and invasion but a very rare and exciting bird for the Great Salt Lake

Here is a vary rare find at the Great Salt Lake a female Harlequin Duck

This little girl has created quite a stir and has been the main attraction on the Causeway for about 2 weeks now. I finally got out today to see her and add the Harlequin duck to my Life List

This Female Brewer's Blackbird was very tame

I noticed while processing these pictures that it looks like she has an abbess on her left leg, I hope she'll be ok

Monarch Butterfly

This Monarch Butterfly looks pretty haggard but still beautiful

Painted Lady Butterfly

Western Meadow Larks were everywhere and quite active today

Sage Thrasher

Sage Thrasher

Loggerhead Shrike

These White Pelicans were putting on quite a show, they got up off the Great Salt lake and circled caught the thermals.

A view of the Wasatch Mountains from Antelope Island. Up until a week ago we were enjoying tempratures in the mid 80s Last week storms came in and now the the mountains are snow capped.

A shot of the Causeway 

Not a bird but a rare and beautiful migrant passing through from Wisconsin. The Great Salt Lake attracts all kinds on migrants

There were four Coyotes down on the shore and wading in the shallows probably looking for sick waterfowl and wading birds.

There were a lot of Bison grazing right on the edge of the road and seemed to pay no attention to the passing cars

Here are some of the birds we saw at the Ranch

Great Horned Owl 

The Northern Flickers were very active and vocal This female stopped long enough to get her picture taken

the area around the spring was alive with Hermit Thrush this one and the one in the next picture seemed as interested in me as I was in them.

Other birds seen
Ruddy Duck
Northern Shoveler
Western Grebe
California Gull
Ring-billed Gull
American Avocet
Black-necked Stilt
Killdeer
Northern Harrier
Common Raven
Black-billed Magpie
White-crowned Sparrow
American Goldfinch
American Coot
Barn Swallow
Cliff Sallow
Tree Swallow
Brown-headed Cowbird
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Wilson's Warbler
California Quail
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Dark-eyed Junco Oregon race 1st of the season
Heard but not seen
Ring-necked Pheasant
Cedar Waxwing