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I birded Mantua Reservoir in Box Elder County today
and saw a nice collection of waterfowl. Most species have adopted their
breeding plumage again, although some are still in transition and one species
(Green-winged Teal) is still wearing eclipse brown. Other ducks or
waterbirds:
Gadwall (many)
American Wigeon (many)
Mallard
Northern Shoveler (one)
Northern Pintail (a handful)
Redhead (a bunch at the north end)
Ring-necked Duck (a few scattered)
Lesser Scaup (many scattered)
Bufflehead (a handful on the east
side)
Ruddy Duck (a few)
Pied-billed Grebe
Eared Grebe
Western Grebe
Clark's Grebe
American White Pelican
American Coot (seven billion)
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs (about a dozen)
Ring-necked Gull
When I first stopped near the southeast curve of
the reservoir, a juvenile White-crowned Sparrow led me to a "money
tree"--a willow. Several feet above the sparrow, a male Red-naped
Sapsucker was working the trunk and remained there for the afternoon.
While I watched the sapsucker a Brown Creeper advanced up the tree to within 2
feet of the woodpecker. Then I was distracted by a Red-breasted Nuthatch
in the back of the tree. During a short period of time, the tree was also
visited by a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, House Finch, Pine Siskins, Yellow-rumped
Warblers, American Goldfinches, and Northern Flickers. I also saw
Black-capped Chickadees and a Northern Harrier in the area. Around the
reservoir, I saw Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers and a Red-tailed Hawk.
Keep your eyes and ears open for Brown
Creepers. They seem to be moving down from the higher elevations in good
numbers. In the past 9 days, I've seen a total of 7 Brown
Creepers--two at Beus Pond in Ogden, three at Box Elder Campground in Mantua,
and two around the reservoir today. I think that's a good number
considering my total for the year was only 1 before last week.
Kris
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