Bird sightings at Logan/Cache airport

["" <cllslp at msn dot com>]

For the past week (Aug 25 thru 29) I have been going out to the Logan/Cache
airport road to watch Short-Eared Owls at dusk.
I have been able to spot 3 to 4 Owls on the 25th and 27th. Each evening I
have seen Swainsons Hawks, Sandhill Cranes, Western Meadowlarks and
Killdeer.
On the 27th I was walking along the side of the road and heard some rustling
off to the side, in the thick grass.
I carefully started walking through to the fence and stopped short of a
female Ring-necked pheasant laying perfectly still in front of me. I slowly
started to bring up my camera to snap a shot and as soon as I got the bird
in focus, she took off. Underneath her was a nest of 9 to 10 bluish/tan
eggs! I was thinking that it is fairly late in the season for pheasants to
be laying. Any info on pheasants would be appreciated.
I went back the next night (28th) to see if she was back. I slowly walked up
the side of the road and looked down into the grass. I could not see the
pheasant, but apparently she could see me and took off again. The eggs were
still there. Earlier that night I had seen a skunk making the rounds through
the fields and hoped that he would not find the eggs. Once again I saw the
cranes, hawks and short-eared owls. Also saw an American Kestrel dining on a
Vole. I was able to click off some photos before it flew away.

If anyone could help me with some info on pheasant nesting and breeding
habits would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Stephen Peterson
Logan, UT