Bear River count

[Bridget_Olson at fws dot gov]

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge Waterbird Count
12/5/05

Total duck numbers drastically reduced to about 58,000 as all the units are
about 90% frozen.  Still well above the long-term average of 7,000 ducks
for this week in December.  Notable birds: late snowy egret, white-faced
ibis, western grebe, black-crowned night heron, Avocet, and Pelican.  Also,
short-eared owl.  Bald Eagles have arrived in large numbers.  Highest
December count of Bald Eagles on record. 53% of birds observed from the
tour loop.

Swans....if you've been waiting for a good viewing opportunity for Tundra
Swans, there are several thousand now using the tour loop unit on the
Refuge.  They are easily viewed from the road with both binoculars and
spotting scopes along with ruddy duck, common goldeneye, pintail, mallard,
wigeon, coot, and of course gulls.  There's likely a Barrow's goldeneye or
two in the group also.


Tundra Swan       26071
Canada Goose            2449
Mallard                 18327
Pintail                 10566
GW Teal           6348
BW Teal           1
Cinnamon Teal           1
Northern Shoveler 4987
Gadwall           1753
Wigeon                  8003
Unk. Dabblers           115
Canvasback        1274
Redhead           5
Scaup             6
C. Goldeneye            3789
Bufflehead        10
C. Merganser            3
RB Merganser            24
Ring-necked duck  839
Ruddy duck        1618
PB Grebe          48
Western Grebe           2
AW Pelican        1
Great Blue Heron  108
Great Egret       2
Snowy Egret       1
Black-crowned NH  4
White-faced Ibis  5
American Avocet   11
Ring-billed Gull        1511
CA Gull                 189
Herring gull            4
Coot              756
Bald Eagle        59
Northern Harrier        44
Rough-legged Hawk 3
Short-eared Owl   1

Bridget Olson
Wildlife Biologist
Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
58 S. 950 W.
Brigham City, UT  84302
Phone: 435/723-5887 ext. 13
Fax: 435/723-8873

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