Taking Flight for Fall

I know I haven't blogged much in recent weeks, but in truth I haven't birded much either. Summer in Utah is viciously hot, with unrelenting sun and no relief even from the occasional thunderstorm or brief shower. The birds are less active, and so are the birders.

I have been less active as well, only keeping up my feeders and caring for my backyard birds. They appreciate the attention for sure, and I appreciate seeing them visit my feeders, peek in my window, and splash in my bird bath. I still long for the morning bird walks when I'd see amazing warblers, or the visits to the local pond with widely varied waterfowl, but it is the birds here at home that are amazing companions with their fun personalities and energetic lives.

In the next few weeks, as fall gets underway and bird activity increases, I hope to increase my posting as well. The actions of birds are erratic and you never know when something may happen, or how long a period may pass when it seems you only refill the feeders and never have any avian excitement. It is time, however, to learn to re-appreciate all the birds around you, every one.

I may have landed for a bit, but it's time to take flight again.

Getting a Life

Summer is a superb birding time, but unfortunately that also means it's not the best time for blogging. For the past several weeks I've been busy cleaning and refilling feeders, traveling to see new birds, taking regional birdwalks, and otherwise getting out into the birding world instead of sharing my experiences here in the virtual one.

The best news is that I've added quite a few birds to my life list, both from my travels and from a phenomenal trip to Antelope Island. There, the new birds I spotted were:

• Franklin's Gull
• Peregrine Falcon
• Red Necked Phalarope
• Chukar
• Say's Phoebe
• Loggerhead Shrike
• Great Horned Owl
• Lark Sparrow

In addition to these new lifers, we saw dozens of other species: burrowing owl, western tanager, sandhill crane, white faced ibis, black necked stilts, eared grebes, killdeer, California quail, willets and more. Antelope Island is truly a birder's paradise, not only for the wide variety of species, but for the wonderful behaviors you can observe. We saw the phalaropes herding brine shrimp on the shallow waters of the Great Salt Lake and Franklin's gulls bobbing their heads to feed on brine flies in the morning breeze, as well as a peregrine falcon calmly observing the world after breakfast and western meadowlarks singing their greeting to the day. What a treat to live so close to this wonderful location; I cannot wait to go again.

Outside of Utah, my travels have introduced me to another lifer: the elegant tern. I was able to watch these agile fliers dive into the waters off Long Beach, California while they fished, often getting mobbed by Heerman's gulls who wanted a taste.

Back home again, my backyard and its new landscaping is continuing to draw in birds. Not only have my mourning doves, house finches, western scrub jays and lesser goldfinches been enjoying the full feeders all summer, but a female black headed grosbeak discovered the black oil sunflower seed and the black chinned hummingbirds have been monopolizing their nectar feeders quite frequently. Just this week the first of the migrating rufous hummingbirds appeared, and I can add a barn swallow to my backyard list after watching them perch and preen on our defunct television antenna.

Birding is truly amazing, whether at home or abroad, and summer is a special time to find new birds, nestlings, fledglings, and many other friends at your feeders. I hope your summer has been as avian rich as mine!