6 Long-tailed Duck, Scoter, etc

["Tim Avery" <tanager at timaverybirding dot com>]

I headed out to AIC this morning to see what was stirring.  ICE... Lots 
and lots of ice, and also 6 LONG-TAILED DUCK's!  I know I have seen as 
many as 3 but I think this is may be a single day high # for Utah? Any 
thoughts? There was 1 male bird, that lacked tail plumes, as well as at 
least 2 winter plumaged females, another female that was fairly dark in 
coloration, and 2 juvenile birds.  All birds could be seen within 150 
feet of the last bridge.  At one point there were 4 together in the 
small pond that has been created by the ice on the southside of the 
bridge, as well as one directly beneath the bridge.  Also swimming 
nearby was a female BLACK SCOTER.  THere were also quite a few female 
BARROW's GOLDENEYE, as well as at least 3 males.  Paul Higgins told me 
he saw a Burrowing Owl as well as a Northern Shrike near the beginning 
of the road out to the Ranch.  At the ranch we watched between 2-4 
VIRGINIA RAIL's at teh spring, it was quite a sight.  Also seen along 
the road to the ranch and at the rnach were: COOPER's HAWK, BALD EAGLE, 
ROUGH-LEGGEED HAWK, RED-TAILED HAWK, and of course Harrier and Kestrel.

I stopped by Kaysville Ponds at first light, but all but a 75' x 75' 
patch of water was frozen over.  On that was a Cinnamon Teal, Barrow's 
Goldeneye, 2 Ring-necked Duck, and about 600 Mallards and other 
waterfowl.

Just off the freeway from exit 331 in Kaysville, just to the northwest 
of the intersection of 200 North and 400 west, several hundred Canada 
Geese were converging on a field to chow down, and mixed in to my 
surprise were 2 ROSS's GEESE. Also one CAGO with a yellow collar 63A I 
believe, I have to look to see what I wrote down.

Farmington Bay is almost completely frozen over, and very few ducks 
remain.  I saw 4 Bald Eagles, 1 Golden Eagle, a Redhead, a Western 
Grebe, Loggerehead Shrike, plus all the other common stuff.

Great Birding!

Tim
http://www.timaverybirding.com
http://www.birdingwyoming.org
Salt Lake City, Utah

"I cannot help but think a curious event is this life of mine."
- John James Audubon
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