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Have I mentioned lately that Mantua Reservoir in
Box Elder County is a great place for waterfowl? Oh! I have.
The ducks have amassed in significant numbers in the southeast and north
areas. The first species I saw this morning was the BARROW'S GOLDENEYE;
both males and females were at the boat ramp. I saw several more Barrow's
on the southeast side. In addition, other goodies included a pair of
HOODED MERGANSERS, GREATER SCAUP, and a passerine, a juvenile NORTHERN
SHRIKE.
I've developed a theory about the Greater Scaup's
appearance in Box Elder County. I think they're a lot more common,
especially at Mantua, than previously known. I believe that they appeared
at Mayor's Pond in Brigham City last winter only after Mantua Reservoir froze
during the January cold snap. Then later in the spring, the Greater Scaup
moved back to Mantua Reservoir. I saw them at both places and now have
seen them twice at Mantua Reservoir this season. I suppose additional
observation of Mantua will prove or disprove the theory.
The juvenile Northern Shrike was really
something. The bird was mostly tan with gray tones on the back of the head
and back. It didn't show any black at all in the lores area; all the
washed-out black on the head (what little there was) drooped aft of the
eye. In addition, the breast and belly feathers were so scalloped that the
bird looked like it had fish scales. I saw the shrike in a dead tree along
the west dike.
The scrubby trees that ring the reservoir
produced what I now call the "usuals" for this area--Black-capped Chickadees,
Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Dark-eyed
Juncos, Song Sparrows, and 3-5 Brown Creepers (I may have seen one pair of
creepers twice).
Other species in and around the reservoir
included Gadwall kleptoparasitizing American Coots; American Wigeons; Mallards;
Northern Shovelers; one, and only one, male Canvasback; Redheads; Ring-necked
Ducks; Lesser Scaup; Buffleheads; Common Goldeneyes; Common and Red-breasted
Mergansers; Ruddy Ducks; Ring-necked Pheasant; Common Loons; Pied-billed
and Western Grebes; Red-tailed Hawk; American Kestrel; Greater Yellowlegs;
Ring-billed and California Gulls; Pine Siskins; and American Goldfinches.
I did not see either Northern Pintails or Green-winged Teal--I thought
that was rather odd.
The coots tend to flush easily and therefore drag
away any other waterfowl foraging with them. However, I found if I sat
down and was still against a back drop of vegetation or in a break of the
foliage, the birds returned to reasonable scope range.
Mantua Reservoir is located on US 89/91, about 2
miles east of Brigham City.
On another note, for all you photogs or birders, I
saw approximately 7 pairs of Wood Ducks at Beus Pond in Ogden this
afternoon. (And, um...two more Brown Creepers).
Kris
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