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I hit several Summit and Morgan County Reservoirs
today to see if the cold front brought in any Ancient Murrelets or Little Gulls
(let me dream!). Echo Reservoir was deadsville--gulls, Canada Geese,
mergansers, loons, and the like. My sincere apologies to the more common
species that were present that I didn't take time to enjoy.
Rockport Reservoir offered a few more species, but
not many more. Of great interest to me was the unlikely trio of two Tundra
Swans and a juvenile ROSS'S GOOSE. The Ross's Goose stuck like glue to the
two Tundras. Whether the three kept to themselves or mixed with Canadas,
the Ross's stayed very close to the swans at all times. It
looked tiny next to the bigger birds; in fact, at first with my unaided eye
I thought the small white bird must have been a gull. This Ross's was
very pale--even paler than the white juvenile depicted in big or Western
Sibley--with a pale dusky gray stripe running down the back of its neck,
dusky gray on the sides of the mantle at the base of the neck, and the very
stubby bill. The goose also showed the characteristic dark mark running
through the lores and eye.
After an hour and a half of me watching the three
birds and chasing them around the reservoir, they finally flew. The
Ross's black wing tips distinctly ended at the primary feathers and the
black did not continue into the secondaries. I watched them with
the scope as long as possible, but they eventually topped the ridges at the
south end of the reservoir and were gone. The goose stayed as close to the
swans while flying as it had been while swimming.
East Canyon Reservoir hosted HOODED
MERGANSERS in the east arm (2 drakes and a hen) and another drake at
the south end. In addition, there were many goldeneyes of both
species. I estimate at least a dozen BARROW'S GOLDENEYES
were present. A PACIFIC LOON paired up with a Common Loon on the
west side of the reservoir across from about mm 17 of SR-65. Other
than the "specialties" mentioned above, Bald Eagles, a Golden Eagle, Canada
Geese, both merganser species, Mallards, and Eared and Western Grebes also made
appearances.
Kris
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