Yesterday (Tues.) I heard a song just outside the employee laundry so grabbed my binos to see if I could find it and ended up with the season's first warbler, Dendroica graciae (Grace's Warbler). Just for good measure one popped next to the old homestead this morning and sang for quite a while up in one of the Ponderosa's just outside my trailer. Somewhat surprised as I expected the more numerous Yellow-rumps would be the first to make an appearance. But a warbler is a warbler and I'll take all I can get.

Both Monday and Tuesday I drove Roxy out to Tropic Reservoir - on Monday not knowing how much it had thawed - and, let her get her feet wet. Over half of the lake was free of ice and the birds were taking advantage. Picked up 5 additional species for the year list and, because of close proximity to the park, all make it on the Bryce list, too (crazy that it is a 14 mile drive to the lake, yet only about 3 miles in a straight line from where I live . . .). A loon was present both days and I shot this nice wing stretch Tuesday morning. The new species: Red-breasted Merganser, Northern Pintail, Ring-billed Gull, White-faced Ibis, and Belted Kingfisher. In addition I've picked up Brewer's and Yellow-blackbirds over the past few days, along with the aforementioned Grace's Warbler, so we stand at 88 species for the year on the Utah list and 67 for Bryce.