East Canyon, Farmington Bay

[Nicky Davis <nicky-davis at earthlink dot net>]

We took a little jaunt to East Canyon this morning.  We didn't find the N. Pygmy Owl but left the area about 1:30 so he could have showed up after that.  We did see the Long-tailed Ducks and the Barrow's and Common Goldeneye.  Many Bald Eagles.  Is this one (it's the last one on the page) a first year Bald Eagle or a Golden Eagle?

http://www.wildutah.us/h_eagle_bald.html

We then tried for Antelope Island which was closed so we went on the Farmington Bay.  There we saw a female Kestrel fly over a N. Harrier and give it a slap on the back of the head with her foot. The Harrier was so shocked, (as were we) she just flew off, shaking her head. She didn't even take off after the funny little Kestrel. (Harrier was a female or a juvenile...the brownish colored ones).  Several Great Blue Herons were roaming around.  One went to land on the ice and nearly fell on his "keester".  When he regained his balance he took this one-legged stance to show everyone that he was still the regal bird he had always been. Can't look weak or impaired out there in the jungle, you know.  See 3rd photo down.

http://www.wildutah.us/h_herongb.html

My husband got this photo of a Shrike that we wanted to be a Northern Shrike.  The whitish lores do seem to constrict the dark mask, but we see little if any white undereye markings, there is more of a demarcation line between the white under the eye ( down the throat) and the gray that comes out from the back than on a Northern, and we can see no scaling on the upper breast as in the Northern.  Here's a look, if you feel up to giving an opinion. (1st one on the page) I am Northern Shrike impaired. Still. 

http://www.wildutah.us/h_shrikelgrhd.html

Farmington Bay is almost all ice. Where the water comes under the 2 bridges we just saw one Western Grebe and some pied-billed. Oh, well, there were Coots, of course. Also some shorebirds just before you get to the main ponds, but I couldn't see them well enough to I.D.

As we left home this morning, the Belted Kingfisher was in her favorite tree over that little Bear Creek down the road here in Draper. They're building some more homes about 20 feet from her look-out tree.  She's really cussing.

Oh, we had an out of season Lesser Goldfinch at our sock feeder yesterday.  

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. 

Nicky

nicky-davis@earthlink.net
www.wildutah.us
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