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It's not yet too late for winter birds! Today
I saw a flock of 152 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS in northeast Weber County on Evergreen
Park Drive. I had the opportunity to look over this flock several times
and didn't see even one Cedar Waxwing mixed in. The location (as the
waxwing flies) is approximately 5 miles northeast of Ogden Valley. As
a human drives, the spot is off SR-39 at mile 27.9, 3.2 miles west
of Red Rock Ranch and Outfitters. The
other winter bird I saw today was a Bald Eagle winging over Ogden
Valley.
Other highlights of the day included many big birds
on nests--two Canadian Gooses sitting high on either old Red-tailed Hawk or
heron nests, two Red-tailed Hawks, and many Great Blue Herons. Of the two
Golden Eagles I saw, one was displaying in great diving stoops over low cliff
near Red Rock Ranch. I also saw five Great Horned Owls. One Sandhill Crane of a pair displayed by tossing wet leaves
or mud up in the air and then launching itself skyward 5 or 6 feet to join the
muddy flurry. The crane then floated down like a puppet on a
string.
Displaying Red-breasted Mergansers in a raft
of 35 drakes and 3 hens at Pineview Reservoir provided a comedic
moment. Five or six drakes circled each hen with their bills pointed
up at snooty 45 degree angles. The drakes' raggedy crests were flared out
to the back as if the ducks had rubbed a balloon on their heads and their
feathers were full of static electricity. At once, the males
stretched their necks stiffly and far in front, snapped their crests shut
into a single point angling down toward their backs, and deeply and quickly
bowed their breasts into the water. At the bottom of the bow each drake
would snap its bill open as wide as possible. It looked like these
enamored boys were curtsying stiffly and repeatedly to the lady folk.
Alas, the gals were not impressed. In rather unladylike fashion, the
hens opened their beaks wide, extended their necks and rushed after
any drake that got too close. "Cad!" I could almost hear them
say.
Ogden Valley is accessible from either I-84 exits
92 (eastbound) or 96 (westbound) and then over Trapper's Loop, or from I-15 exit
347 and east through Ogden Canyon.
Kris
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