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I birded Ogden Bay WMA Sunday. The dirt roads
through the marsh are still snow-covered and I could have used snowshoes
occasionally. Most of the interior marshes are still iced
over. But despite the marsh's wintry appearance, I saw a few welcome
signs of spring. Here are the highlights of the day:
Bald Eagles remain at the bay in good
numbers. Fifty to sixty rested in the dead trees lining the south
fork of the Weber River and along channels. The eagles were active all
afternoon and I especially appreciated witnessing a dogfight between an adult
and a 3rd year bird against the backdrop of the snowy Promontory
Mountains. In addition, the eagles lined a north-south channel and oversaw
a raft of more than a dozen male and female Common Mergansers. One
eagle used a log floating low in the water to take a 15-minute bath. At
times, this big bird disappeared under the surface except for his or her head,
back, and upper portions of wings. And what a flapping and splashing
ensued! That eagle took great care in performing his or her toilet.
The mergansers enjoyed the competitive
courtship rites of spring, and I'm sure I witnessed the avian equivalent of
spin-the-bottle. There was a-chasin' and a-snappin' and a-flappin' and
a-flutterin', and it all appeared to be an exhibition of spring
passion. Other waterfowl and water birds used the canal as
well--Green-winged Teal, American Coots, and Pied-billed Grebes back in breeding
plumage showing a strong, black stripe through each bill.
A significant impression of the mostly silent bay
was the sound of the air passing over, under, and through the wings of several
species of birds that chose to fly low enough or close enough to me so I could
have a good listen. The wing beats of American White Pelicans
streaming up from the south sounded as though the air was quickly
squeezing and squeaking through those immaculate, fresh, white and black
feathers. Of course the wing-whistlers--Common Goldeneyes--were present,
and several whistled away from me when I suddenly came upon a small patch of
open water. A flock of seven or eight Northern Pintails
coursed overhead so low and fast I believe I actually (pardon the pun, but
I can't help myself) ducked. In the instant of hearing the startling
sound and looking up, I didn't recognize it as a low flock of ducks and my
survival instinct took over. When recognition hit, I saw the birds
careening in unison over my head and curving away from the intended target of
nearby open water; likely because of my presence.
I had another chance to watch a dining
Double-crested Cormorant. This effishient (;^D) fisher downed five 5-6
inch Black Bullheads in the space of less than 5 minutes. I wondered how
many the bird caught before I came upon the scene. The bullheads put up
quite a tail-flapping, body-curling struggle, but it was all for naught.
The cormorant tossed each fish until the green-brown backed and pale-bellied
fish were positioned head first, and then gulp, gulp, gulp; down the gul, gul,
gullet. I watched each fish's curling, black licorice-strand barbels
disappear. Each tail also flapped until it was out of sight. The
cormorant's throat looked positively elastic as it expanded and contracted
to accomodate each fish. I fancied the bird would have some
difficulty taking off after the fish fest and in fact, it paddled its feet over
the surface of the water while flapping much longer than an earlier, departing
cormorant had paddled. I bet the fisher ejected a heck of a pellet,
come Monday morning.
Other "good" sightings included a Northern Shrike
along the entrance road. The bird dropped like a stone out of the low bush
it perched on and came up with a BIG, BLACK, bug in its beak. I later
heard and saw the same shrike singing a chattering, abrupt, warble-like
song. I also saw a young Cooper's Hawk--always a good bird in my
world--drop off a telephone pole near the intersection of 5500S and 7100W in
Hooper. I followed the hawk to a semi-hidden perch in a big tree and
watched as it appraised a large flock of starlings stage in the tops
of trees surrounding a farm house. Later, the hawk took a new perch in an
overgrown vine in an overgrown yard. Although it perched with its back to
me, the hawk's tail was widely splayed on the vine and I got a great view
of its tail, nape, supercilium, and iris. I decided to leave when the
lady of the house arrived home because I looked like too much of a snoop.
And finally, one happy, welcome sign of spring--a
fluttering, jubilant, acrobatic flight of Tree Swallows; eight of them over
the marshes; letting me know that the season has turned and the northward push
has begun.
Here are the other birds I saw, including a
few northwest of 12th Street (I-15 exit 347) and in the area of Little
Mountain:
Canada Goose
Tundra Swan
Bufflehead
Mallard
Great Blue Heron
Killdeer
Ring-billed
Gull American Kestrel
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk Prairie Falcon Golden Eagle Northern Flicker
Common Raven
American Magpie
Red-winged Blackbird
Horned Lark
American Robin
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Song Sparrow To reach Ogden Bay's south entrance, take exit 341
from I-15 and head west on 5600 S. through Roy. This road becomes 5500 S.
and passes through Hooper. 5500S ends at a stop sign at a "T" in the road;
turn north on 7500W and drive until you enter Ogden Bay WMA.
Kris
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