Birds, bugs and fire scars.
Two days ago I spent most of the morning on Antelope Island. For much of that time I was right on the edge of a huge cloud bank pushing down from the north, so I was often dealing with mediocre light. While chasing the light I spent more time on the south part of the island than I usually do, even though birds are harder to find and approach down there. Most of whatever success I had was up north, despite the often-challenging lighting conditions.
The photos below are presented in the order they were taken. Image file numbers aren’t always sequential because I was using three different cameras.
My first stop was at some rock piles where I often find Rock Wrens. At first the wrens were a no show.but it didn’t take long for this Loggerhead Shrike to pop up right in front of me. The shrike held this pose for a very long time (I have several dozen shots like this one) because ‘he’ was…
hunting the pile of rocks directly in front of him. This guy knows how to concentrate.
In this version of the photo we can see at least five separate rocks. Notice the rock in the middle, the mostly white one at bottom. When the shrike eventually gave up his hunting spot and flew off, it didn’t take long before…
a Rock Wren landed on that mostly white rock. This bird was a singer. I photographed it singing on…
at least three different rock perches.
After this shot I left the rock pile to look for other birds but ten minutes later when I returned I found…
this juvenile Rock Wren on yet another rock. These little birds are really fast but I got lucky when it took off.
Next I spent some time with Wilson’s Phalaropes feeding on brine shrimp. Most of the phalaropes were using their patented “spinning” techniqe to create water current vortices that draw brine shrimp up from the bottom.
But this bird was hunting 100% visually by remaining in one place, without spinning, and looking down into the water for individual shrimp. When it would see one within reach it would make a stab at it.
There were kabillions of dead and dying brine flies on the shore only a few feet away, but the phalaropes showed no interest in them. Other birds did, but not the phalaropes.
I know, that white ‘rock’ at left looks like a dead bird. A dead bird with its eyes open. 🙂
I have no idea how this phalarope came up with a spider, but it did. Perhaps the spider fell into the water near the shore and floated close to the phalarope.
There were lots of Western Meadowlarks on the north end of the island but without exception they were spooky and uncooperative.
The first Prairie Falcon I’ve seen on the island in a very long time.
As I was approaching the causeway with the intent to go home, I decided to document the fire scar from the wildfire that broke out near the visitor center on July 23rd.
From this elevated shooting position we see the visitor center on the left. The fire started near the visitor center and raced all the way down the hill to the road at right. It burned mostly sagebrush habitat but at this angle we can’t see a large part of the scar on the back side of the hill.
In 2008 the very first Burrowing Owls I ever saw on the island had their burrow next to the largest rock pile at center and slightly right. I saw those owls on the rocks many times until one day when they were no longer there and I never saw them again. When I eventually asked a park employee what happened to them, he said that they were “loved to death” by the visiting public.
Notice the white “x” I’ve placed along the road at right. That’s approximately where I was when I…
took this photo a few minutes later. Here we see the visitor center at upper right and the large rocks the Burrowing Owls always used to hang out on. Sharp eyes will also notice the red piece of heavy equipment involved in the construction of the new visitor center at upper right.
This photo was taken from about where the causeway road, at left, joins the island. The 59 acre fire burned further west and over the hill at right than we can see. Notice the habitat damage apparently caused by fighting the fire and more heavy equipment being used to build the new visitor center next to the old one.
The fire was “human caused” and “still under investigation” in the last reports made public. The fire started “near the visitor center” and many of us suspect it was started by construction activities at the site of the new visitor center, but we don’t know that. I’m sure that by now ‘they’ know exactly how it started but they still haven’t made it public.
Hmmm, I wonder why. If it had been deliberately set or started by a careless camper you can bet we’d know about it.
Ron
Note: Recently several readers have gently prodded me to use most any color other than red when I use a colored “x’ to mark a spot in one of my photos. Apparently some color blind readers have difficulty seeing red. So today I used a white “x’ in photo #10 instead of a red one.
See, I do listen to my readers… 🙂
Hello Mr. Dudley,
First want to mention the time in biology class that you let me hold a barn owl for about 30 minutes and the field trip before they put in the Jordanelle. That was the highlight of my freshman year at South. I loved your class. Next want to mention what a great job the fire fighters did keeping the fire contained. It could have been so much worse. Also the Buffalo Grill owner was so happy that they kept the fire away from her building, that she gave them all a huge dinner for free and they were all smiles over that.
Glad I found your blog!
Wonderful photos, Ron. I really like the meadowlark and the phalarope with the spider, nice catch. Did you see the video posts of the fire’s start from one of the constructions workers? I’d say from his posts the fire started somewhere by that trench scar where they were bringing up utilities.
Thanks, April. No, I didn’t see the video. .All I know is that multiple news reports, using fire officials as their source, said the fire started “near the visitor center”.
I’ll see if I can find it and send it to you.
OK, thanks.
It has been removed! Ooops… Error 404
Sorry, but the page you are looking for doesn’t exist.
I can guess why. Thanks for trying.
Beautiful and informative group! I love the juvenile Rock Wren! Gorgeous photo!
Thanks, Joanne.
Great series. I especially like the phalarope with the spider. There are several species that walk across the surface of the water and some dive to capture prey. They will often carry a bubble of air between their hind legs when diving. One species is completely aquatic, returning to the surface only to gather more air. However, that spider is only found in Europe and Asia. I have seen semiaquatic spiders on local ponds here but I don’t know if any are in your area.
Thanks, Dan. Because of its extreme salinity, I don’t believe there are any spiders here that are known to spend time in or on Great Salt Lake.
I feel like I’m there, roaming around, a great field trip! As Ellen says, each photo requires extra study. Dying Brine Flies is especially evocative. Thanks for including the vista shot – the mountains, the lake, the road, the visitor center – it helps to see the relationships.
Of the birds, I’m partial to Phalarope Hunting Brine Shrimp. Those elegant curves. But Prairie Falcon is also nice – and the bird’s shape is a neat mirror of your Feathered Photography copyright mark.
“I feel like I’m there, roaming around, a great field trip!”
I couldn’t ask for more than that, Carolyn.
I actually forgot to add that Prairie Falcon shot before I published this post. I added it several hours later.
Very interesting post with some excellent photos as well. Good point you made at the end regarding the fire. I have always thought the Rock Wrens are really cute birds. You need to get those Utah people to change the name to Pronghorn Island.
“You need to get those Utah people to change the name to Pronghorn Island.”
Fat chance of that, Everett. Then they’d have to change the name of Buffalo Point to Bison Point. And Buffalo Grill to Bison Grill.
There’s something quite comforting about the warm and slightly golden light bathing the shrike and wren. Excellent job making that one white rock actually blend in with the darker granite ones. Speaking of white rocks, one man’s dead bird is another woman’s toad. 😉
Hoping against hope that the Burrowing Owls and other mobile life forms in the area were able to escape the fire. Also hoping that the “cause” will not be repeated.
A toad in Great Salt Lake. Now that would be a first!
Every one of these photos begs for a little extra study. The white dead-bird rock even has a feather! My favorite is the young Rock Wren. That kind of pose or posture always reminds me of an old Monty Python (?) sketch of “Wuthering Heights“ in semaphore. Oh, oh, Heathcliff! Oh, Catherine…
“Oh, oh, Heathcliff! Oh, Catherine…”
Reminds me of the times I used to spend in my friend Sue Southam’s English classes. Probably English Literature.
Interesting series, Ron. The Logerhead Shrikes always make me wonder how they hold their heads up! 😉 All birds just going about their business to survive.
Appears there will have to be some erosion control where the equipment was used to fight the fire. Sure could have been worse BUT given the nature of that ground it may be a long time recovering – Cheatgrass and other undesireables will no doubt come in fast…….. 🙁
White X works well in this situation….. 🙂
Enjoying some “cool” weather – little warmer coming but not ridiculous!
“Logerhead Shrikes always make me wonder how they hold their heads up!”
They’re well-deserving of their name, aren’t they Judy.
Sagebrush takes a very long time to come back after a fire, if it ever does. And you’re right about cheatgrass.
So it looks like the fire was from the visitors center down towards the marina ? How’s the water level in the lake this year? Any water in the marina ?
“So it looks like the fire was from the visitors center down towards the marina?”
It was, Gary. And then along the south side of the road going west.
Water level is still significantly higher than it was last year but due to evaporation it’s going down quickly. Yes, there’s some water in the marina.
Beautiful photos of the birds and I appreciate seeing the fire damage, though I don’t like it.
I’m another of your color-blind readers. I have red deficiency and green deficiency and either of those colors on a background of the other is very hard to discern (like red on a green or even greenish background). Thanks for the white x today.
“Thanks for the white x today.”
I appreciate that feedback, Duane. It will, or at least should, help me to remember to keep doing it.
“Hmmm, I wonder why.”
The words inconvenient truth come to mind. The silent ruminations of a morning in a field where one has watched it devolve can feel like “the edge of a huge cloud bank pushing down”.
Nevertheless, you thoughtfully caught what the locals were up to that morning. Beauty and mystery persists. And if there ever was an expression of “spooky and uncooperative”, you managed capture it in your photo of that Meadow Lark.
“if there ever was an expression of “spooky and uncooperative”, you managed capture it in your photo of that Meadow Lark.”
I’m glad you noticed that, Michael. I almost didn’t include that meadowlark shot because it isn’t very good, but my intention in including it was exactly what you said.
You surely do “go for it”– THREE cameras at work ! I especially liked
“phalarope with spider”– the light is very nice…….I’m glad that you
found a number of cooperative birds, even though the burrowing
owl clan had moved on.
Kris, if you count my cell phone I was actually using 4 cameras. But I never used any of those phone photos for this post. I ended up deleting them all.
I adore the photo of the young Wren. It made me feel hopeful, a new generation, what joy!
Thank You and Take Care,
Kaye
Thank you, Kaye.