Red-eyed Vireo in Ogden

["Kristin Purdy" <kristinpurdy at comcast dot net>]

Attention, pink tape-seekers!  If your gas tank is full awaiting a 
posting on a Veery, I'm afraid this messge will be veery disappointing.  
But how about a Red-eyed Veery-O as a consolation prize?  A RED-EYED 
VIREO was singing and showing himself just a little at Fort Buenaventura 
in Ogden this morning around 10:00.

To reach this area, take I-15 to exit 345, 24th Street.  Turn east and 
drive a mile to A Street.  Turn right (south) on A Street and note the 
brown sign directing you left (east) into Fort Buenaventura and Raptors 
Field.  Pass the ball fields and continue south until you see the large 
brown sign that reads, 'Fort Buenaventura Park'.  Just after you cross 
the Weber River, the road curves left.  As soon as you round the curve, 
look for my pink flagging tape hanging down over the road.  The vireo 
was singing high above this spot in the cottonwood tree.  This was 
actually at least the third location where he sang.

For the others, continue about 100 feet farther south and turn left 
(east) into the Group Use Area (also marked with a brown sign).  When 
you're well within the clearing, look for pink tape hanging on a tree 
directly ahead and also about halfway into the clearing on the left 
side.  The tape marks two additional trees where the vireo was singing.  
I actually got a look at him in the tree directly ahead because half of 
the branches are dead and he perched there for a little while and sang.  
You might get a cramp in your neck just looking at the height of the 
tree on the left--perhaps 100 feet and of course, the bird sang from 
somewhere in the upper canopy.  I never could find him in that tree.

I initially heard the bird far east of the clearing and behind the fence 
that separates the park from the railway.  It was quite difficult to 
distill the bird's sing-song out of the symphony of singing robins and 
American Goldfinch 'per-chic-o-ry' call.  Eventually I concluded it 
really was a Red-eyed Vireo and that I was never going to see it based 
on its restricted location.  It was just a happy accident that the bird 
began calling from trees around the clearing.

I have fewer reservations about using recorded calls to attract this 
bird, but if you use recordings, perhaps you could try them as your last 
resort instead of your first.  

The Group Use Site offers another possible sighting--American Minks.  
Proceed past the picnic tables to the river and note the two fallen tree 
trunks.  One is on dry land at a 90 degree angle to the river and the 
other is partially submerged with only about 20 feet of log visible.  A 
mink swam upstream to the submerged log, ran up the log and then dove 
back in the water near the end at the shore.  Shortly, I saw another 
mink run up the log with a large crawfish in its mouth.  The crawfish 
claws were moving in super slo-mo, doing a farewell death wave.  This 
mink also jumped back into the water at the base of the tree.  Later, I 
saw a mink seemingly on the hunt across the river in the submerged 
willow saplings. 

If you visit Fort Buenaventura from north of Ogden, be advised that you 
can't get back to I-15 northbound at the 24th Street exit.  Instead, 
take 24th Street east into Ogden approximately .8 miles and turn left 
(north) on Grant Ave.  Drive north about 1/2 mile to 20th Street and 
turn left (west) and drive until you reach I-15.  

Fort Buenaventura Park is an Ogden City park and charges an entrance fee 
of $1.25 per person.  The fee is payable at the Visitor's Center farther 
into the park than the site of the Red-eyed Vireo.  The park is open 
every day from 8 to 8 and even without the vireo, is a great place to 
bird.  Don't forget the insect repellent.

Kris

_______________________________________________

"Utah Birds" web site: http://www.utahbirds.org
     Birdnet:
To subscribe, e-mail:  birdnet-subscribe@utahbirds.org
To unsubscribe, e-mail:  birdnet-unsubscribe@utahbirds.org
To send a message, e-mail:  birdnet@utahbirds.org
_________________________________________________