Animal Log of your native fauna

[bmathison1972]

On my run this morning I saw a peregrine falcon; not a lifer but new for my eBird list so I documented the sighting

[bmathison1972]

Went birding today at my usual spot of Memory Grove Park in City Creek Canyon. Nothing new or out of the ordinairy:
1. mallard
2. Eurasian collared dove
3. rock dove
4. mourning dove
5. Cooper's hawk
6. black-chinned hummingbird
7. warbling vireo
8. Woodhouse's scrub jay
9. black-capped chickadee
10. house sparrow
11. Lazuli's bunting
12. American robin
13. lesser goldfinch
14. western tanager
15. blue-gray gnatcatcher

Link to eBird post for numbers and field notes: https://ebird.org/checklist/S92603478

[JimoAi]

  spotted this millipede. Maybe @bmathison1972 will know the ID.

[bmathison1972]

sorry @JimoAi - I have no experience with millipede outside the Nearctic.

Today air quality was bad so I postponed my long run until tomorrow. I took the train to the gym and walked home so I could bird on the University of Utah campus. Nothing new or out of the ordinary, so instead of listing species, here is the link to the eBird checklist with species and counts:

https://ebird.org/checklist/S92891031

[bmathison1972]

I spoke too soon! After I got home and showered, I ordered some Indian food to go. When I was walking back from the restaurant, I spotted a lifer at my apartment, the rufous hummingbird!!!

[bmathison1972]

Went birding up at Silver Lake near Brighton in the Wasatch Mountains. Over the last 5 days, many species observed including what would be 10 lifers for me. I only saw 10 species but I did get three of the lifers (neither of the two crossbill species, which what I was really hoping for):

1. red-tailed hawk
2. mallard
3. American three-toed woodpecker (lifer)
4. mountain chickadee (lifer)
5. orange-crowned warbler
6. yellow warlber
7. dark-eyed junco
8. Lincoln's sparrow (lifer)
9. fox sparrow
10. yellow-rumped warbler

[Advicot]

Been on a large birdwatching holiday to different parts of the UK, species highlights were:

A BLACK BROWED ALBATROSS!!! The only one in the Northern Hemisphere made a show at RSPB Bempton cliffs, I had no knowledge prior to going as I was ticking it off my bucket list to visit the site as they have high numbers of gannets. Sadly no photo as it would have been near impossible and to be honest I forgot 

Red kites, always lovely to see with their beautiful plumage and silhouettes. Seen in Wales where they are most prevalent

Red billed chough, a new species seen in the flesh, unmistakable bills and calls

Stonechat, a real rarity in my books, three individuals seen, all male

Sand martins, also never seen, I began watching one until a group flew out of about 20

First raven in the wild seen, such huge beautiful birds

A peregrine, extremely seldom in my books (wild) very common in captivity 

These aren't birds but are still highlights:
Fox moth caterpillar, very fluffy, and a gorgeous colour
A huge field of meadowsweet flowers, they smell amazing, and are so elegant
Huge numbers of meadow browns and wall browns (Both butterfly species) to be fair the numbers of butterfly species I saw were astounding EDIT: And a common blue, never seen before
Lots of tapered drone flies, beautiful species, one of my favourite insect species
Grey seals, not rare but great to see!

[bmathison1972]

that's exciting Advicot. My birding will pick up again when the weather gets cooler. With the hot weather, bad air, migratory transitions in the bird populations, and my running/work out schedule, haven't been able to bird much as of late.

[bmathison1972]

Some decent birding this weekend.

Yesterday I went to Salt Lake Cemetery. It was pretty slow in terms of species:
1. rock dove
2. mourning dove
3. hummingbird sp.
4. American kestrel
5. Woodhouse's scrub jay
6. black-billed magpie
7. black-capped chickadee
8. European starling
9. house finch

Here is a link to the eBird list with numbers and field notes: https://ebird.org/checklist/S94217431

While on eBird I noticed something in the area called a parasitic jaeger. Apparently a very rare vagrant here. I snooped around and about 30 people have documented it at Decker Lake (one of my frequent spots) in the last couple days. So this morning, I headed there to find it! And I did! I have never seen so many birders at one time LOL. Everyone was after it. Got two additional lifers as well. Complete list:

1. mallard
2. northern shoveler
3. green-winged teal [lifer]
4. Clark's grebe
5. rock dove
6. black-chinned hummingbird
7. American coot
8. killeer
9. spotted sandpiper
10. parasitic jaeger [lifer]
11. Franklin's gull [lifer]
12. California gull
13. Caspian tern
14. double-crested cormorant
15. American white pelican
16. snowy egret
17. American crow
18. barn swallow
19. European starling
20. house finch
21. song sparrow
22. yellow warbler
23. orange-crowned warbler
24. great-tailed grackle
25. Brewer's blackbird
26. red-winged blackbird

Here is the link to the eBird list with counts and field notes https://ebird.org/checklist/S94274940

[JimoAi]

Spotted 3 Malayan water monitor: one baby, a juvenile and a sub adult as well as an Asian toad

[Lanthanotus]

@bmathison1972 Hihi, that reminds me of the movie "Big Year". I've seen Parasitic Jaegers several times on Iceland, but then again, while not an abundant bird, it is still quite common there. It seems the US are quite big in being home to travelling birders.

[bmathison1972]

@Lanthanotus - Big Year is on my to-watch list.

This weekend, I was in San Francisco for the Giants-Braves series and got to do some birding.

On Saturday, we went to Golden Gate Park. Got six lifers:

1. Canada goose
2. mallard
3. hooded merganser
4. pied-billed grebe
5. rock dove
6. Anna's hummingbird
7. American coot
8. western gull [lifer]
9. double-crested cormorant
10. great blue heron
11. red-shouldered hawk [lifer]
12. red-tailed hawk
13. western wood-pewee
14. black phoebe [lifer]
15. warbling vireo
16. Hutton's vireo [lifer]
17. Steller's jay
18. California scrub jay [lifer]
19. American crow
20. common raven
21. chestnut-backed chickadee
22. European starling
23. American robin
24. brown creeper
25. dark-eyed junco
26. California towhee [lifer]
27. song sparrow
28. Brewer's blackbird
29. yellow warbler
30. Wilson's warbler

link to eBird list with numbers and note: https://ebird.org/checklist/S94835768

Also saw eastern grey squirrels which apparently have been introduced there

this morning before I flew home, we went to the beack to look for shorebirds. Not much; too many people already and their f'ing dogs that tend to scare away the birds. Got one lifer:

1. red-tailed hawk
2. sanderling [lifer]
3. western gull
4. brown pelican
5. Brewer's blackbird
6. American crow
7. European starling
8. rock dove

eBird link with numbers and notes:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S94877189

[bmathison1972]

Another rare bird (a non-breeding horned grebe) has showed up at Decker Lake, so I went looking for it. Had to take three passes around the lake and was about to pack it in when I FINALLY saw the little dude.

I don't feel like listing everything I saw, so for species, counts, and field notes, here is a link to the eBird submission: https://ebird.org/checklist/S95204578

[Advicot]

Congrats on seeing the beautiful Slavonian grebe!

[bmathison1972]

I was speaking at a meeting in Jackson Hole, WY this weekend and got some birding in. These are the species I saw in a couple locations total:

1. Canada goose
2. gadwall
3. American wigeon [lifer]
4. redhead [lifer]
5. mallard
6. ring-necked duck
7. American coot
8. great blue heron
9. belted kingfisher
10. black-billed magpie
11. common raven
12. American crow
13. American robin
14. red-winged blackbird
15. European starling
16. cedar waxwing
17. black-capped chickadee
18. northern flicker

[bmathison1972]

Some decent birding today in City Creek Canyon. No lifers, but did see the rare Pacific wren and American dipper.

Here are eBird lists with species as numbers:

Lower City Creek Canyon: https://ebird.org/checklist/S96655796
Upper City Creek Canyon: https://ebird.org/checklist/S96653887

A Sabine's gull has been hanging around Decker Lake; I might go try and find it this week!

[bmathison1972]

In my previous post, I mentioned the Sabine's gull at Decker Lake. Just went there tonight and saw it! Lifer! I may have gotten a new duck too (canvasback) but waiting for confirmation. I didn't do a 'formal' birding trip as I was heading to dinner, but I got the target gull!

[bmathison1972]

Went birding today in the Salt Lake Cemetery! Honestly it wasn't until I was almost there that I made the connection with what day it was LOL. I was planning on birding there anyway.
Nothing new or exciting, but bird activity was high. Here is the eBird link with species, numbers, and field notes:

https://ebird.org/checklist/S96942803

[bmathison1972]

So, normally I do a long run on Saturday and bird on Sunday. However, I got my covid booster yesterday, and even though I felt great this morning, I decided not to run. So, I went birding instead (which, honestly probably added up to the same amount of mileage).

First up, Decker Lake. Got a lifer!!!
eBird link with counts and field notes: https://ebird.org/checklist/S97197728
species:
1. Canada goose
2. northern shoveler
3. gadwall
4. mallard
5. green-winged teal
6. rock dove
7. American coot
8. greater yellowlegs [lifer!]
9. California gull
10. gull, Larus spp.
11. double-crested cormorant
12. European starling
13 house finch
14. lesser goldfinch
15. red-winged blackbird

Next, I walked over to the adjacent Jordan River Parkway. No lifers, but lots of activity.
eBird list with counts and field notes: https://ebird.org/checklist/S97208452
Species:
1. Canada goose
2. gadwall
3. mallard
4. green-winged teal
5. ruddy duck
6. rock dove
7. mourning dove
8. American coot
9. killdeer
10. gulls, Larus spp.
11. red-tailed hawk
12. belted kingfisher
13. American kestrel
14. black-billed magpie
15. black-capped chickadee
16. European starling
17. American robin
18. house finch
19. lesser goldfinch
20. dark-eyed junco
21. red-winged blackbird
22. northern flicker

[bmathison1972]

FOUR LIFERS!

Went up to Little Dell Reservoir after work with a friend from work, as a surf scoter and white-winged scoter (two pelagic species) have been hanging out there! I got 'em, and two more lifers too, a pair of ducks: common goldeneye and bufflehead.

Time was short and we were losing daylight, so it was a quick trip. Here is the eBird list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S97453715