Anna's Hummingbird etc.

["Rick Fridell" <rfridell at redrock dot net>]

Today Steve and Priscilla Summers and I braved the St. George snow and went
birding at a few Washington County locations.  We were unable to find the
Barrow's X Common Goldeneye Hybrid at Quail Creek.  However, we had better
luck in Leeds, finding the adult male Anna's Hummingbird visiting a feeder
visible from the dead end road (I forgot the name) off of Vista Ave.   We
also heard a Cactus Wren vocalizing (it is hard to call it singing).  This
is the farthest north location any of us have picked up a Cactus Wren.
>From here we went to look for the White-throated Sparrows reported in Santa
Clara.  We were unsuccessful, however it was snowing quite heavilly, and all
the birds were hunkered down in heavy brush.

Additional sightings included:
a beautiful gray fox in the Stonebridge area.
a merlin perched on a telephone pole in Santa Clara
5 Ross's Geese on the middle St. George golf course pond (along Fort Pearce
Wash).
3 Turkey Vultures over the Washington Fields (first of the year)
numerous Northern Rough-winged Swallows flying over ponds in the area (with
a scattering of Tree Swallows).

Also last week we finally had a Inca Dove visit our yard (Canyon Ridge,
Hurricane).  I have seen them occasionally in the vicinity of Berry Springs
Marsh, the SR-9 Sewer Ponds and the Quail Creek Estates, so I figured it was
just a matter of time!

Good luck and keep reporting all of your spring sightings.

Rick Fridell