Field trip report

[tuularose at juno dot com]

Due to the reality of fog in Provo/Orem and the prospect of encountering
pea soup in SL Valley, the Saturday Jan 22nd UCB Field Trip was revised
at the last moment (7.09 or so am, common consent) and we headed for
Heber-Francis-Kamas via Provo Canyon. Turned out to be the right decision
because the fog vanished the minute we got into the canyon and sunshine
and warm weather were with us the whole way into the mid-afternoon.

I counted 30 species for the day, the best one being a bonus
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW in Francis that wasn't even on our wish list. We
went after rosy finches that Lu Giddings reported on Lower River Road,
lucked out on those and ended up further down the road in front of a
house with feeders, where God-Bless-Him-Eric found the sparrow. A few
minutes before we had  just seen a flock of 30-40 GREATER SAGE GROUSE fly
over the road, over the fields and disappear over the next hill. We
didn't even know sage grouse can fly that far. 

No Bohemian Wax Wings in Kamas, Oakley or Peioa, so up the Mirror Lake
Highway we went. Aaron soon spotted three RED CROSSBILLS right on the
road, right in front of his car. Looked like they were picking up grit
off the asphalt having to turn their heads sideways to make bill contact
with ground. Those specialized beaks don't work as well on a flat surface
as they do on pine cones. We had great looks of these beautiful birds.

Besides hoards of snow-mobilers, snowshoers and skiers, we saw TOWNSENDS
SOLITAIRES, MOUNTAIN CHICKADEES, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES and BROWN
CREEPERS  up by Soapstone Basin. 

On the way home, quick stops by Jordanelle Wetlands and Wasatch Mountain
Park produced the usuals like DIPPER,  RING-NECKED  DUCK and BUFFLEHEAD.
In Provo Canyon by Deer Creek Reservoir the two cars bringing up the rear
of the expedition stopped to check out some ducks and were treated to a
great display of soaring GOLDEN and BALD EAGLES, eight in all, sprinkled
with a couple of red-tails.

A great trip! Join us for the next one, Feb 12th, 7:00 am Orem Center
Street Park & Ride. We'll go to Farmington Bay, AIC etc.  Here is the
correct link to future activities:
http://www.utahbirds.org/organizations/ucb/UCBactivities.html
See you there   ~   Tuula

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