Utah County Birders Newsletter
January 2012

Contents   
    January Meeting
    Upcoming Field Trips
    President's Message
    Bird of the Month
    Provo CBC Report
    Cold Facts
    Backyard Bird of the Month
    December Hotline Highlights
   

JANUARY MEETING:

Thursday, January 12th, 2012

Time for our annual New Year's Party! For our monthly meeting we will be meeting at the Golden Corral on University Parkway (225 West 1300 South). This is the same place as last year. We have a room reserved for our group starting at 7 PM. Everyone just pays as you enter, then it is a buffet. We will announce the 2012 Birder's Challenge at the meeting.

Meet at 7:00 PM at the Golden Corral on University Parkway in Orem (225 West 1300 South). Tel: 801-225-6299
 

FIELD TRIPS:

7 Jan 2012: 8:30am-12:30pm - Lewis' Woodpecker Spot, Salem Pond led by Keeli Marvel.  Meet at the East Bay Sam's Club Parking Lot and we'll start the new year off right with a few good birds (hopefully!)

21 Jan 2012: Jordan River Parkway, Lehi area led by Eric Huish.  Meet at the Pioneer Crossing Park & Ride at 8:30 AM.  The park & ride is on the west side of I-15 off exit 278 (American Fork Main Street /Pioneer Crossing Exit)

26-28 Jan 2012: St. George Bird Festival.  A great opportunity to get some sunshine and see some of the wintering birds in Southern Utah that we don't generally see in our neck of the woods.  Make your own arrangements.


We are actively recruiting people to lead local half-day field trips, any time, any place.  If you would like to lead a field trip or if you have any ideas for this year’s field trips, please contact Keeli Marvel at - keeli.marvel@gmail.com. 
 

President's Message

by Bryan Shirley, UCB President

YEAR OF THE SNOWY OWL

Chinese legend tells a story of how the Emperor Jade called a meeting and promised a great reward to all animals who attended. Thanks to a bit of trickery, the first to arrive was the rat. Next was the ox, followed close behind by the cat, and eventually 9 others. These animals were all given a year in their honor. That was the beginning of the Chinese Zodiac. It consists of a 12 year cycle, each year being represented by an animal. According to the Chinese, 2012 is the year of the Dragon.

While not a strict 12 year cycle like the zodiac, Snowy Owls follow a cycle too. Theirs is set by the rise and fall of their primary prey, the lemming. When the lemmings are doing well, so are the snowy owls. When lemming numbers fall, the owls have no choice but to go looking for food. When this happens they can show up anywhere.

The last time we had an explosion of owls was the winter of 2006. At that time a few birders from Utah & I drove to Kalispell, MT. We saw 17 Owls, including 14 at one location. That same year there was a Snowy Owl that hung out in Rexburg, ID for a while and was seen by lots of birders from Utah. As great as 2006 was, this year there are more owls being reported. Snowy Owls started showing up along the Canada/USA Border in October. Before long they were being reported all over the place. In December Vancouver, BC recorded 32 from one location (there is still over 20 there). Of course they crossed the border too. Seattle had them all around the outskirts of the city, and then zoo patrons and birders were treated to a bonus when a Snowy Owl started hanging out at the zoo. Today I received an email from a friend telling me that there are over 80 in Michigan. On November 24th even Hawaii had one show up at the Honolulu airport!

I am writing this from my hotel room in Ocean Shores, Washington. In the summer this place is a beach resort. There aren’t too many tourists here in January, but the ones that are here are all carrying binoculars! A couple of weeks ago the newspapers in Seattle reported about the 10+ Snowy Owls here in Ocean Shores, so there is quite a few people here looking at them now.

In Utah we have had a few reports of Snowy Owls in the last 10 years or so, but we have never had a one that showed up and stayed around for a while like they seem to in other states. This year there were owls reported as close as Idaho, then we finally had one photographed at Antelope Island on Dec 5th. Unfortunately it only made a quick appearance then disappeared. Don’t give up hope yet - literally 30 minutes ago as I was writing this a new report of just came through of an owl near Bear Lake. Hopefully this one will be a bit more cooperative! Regardless, birders will remember 2012 as the Year of The Snowy Owl.

 

Bird of the Month

Clark’s Nutcracker
by Oliver Hansen

A few summers ago my sister and I decided to start taking advantage of living so close to the mountains and started hiking quite a bit. Since then I’ve hiked in many of the mountain ranges in Utah and one constant (besides the amazing scenery) seems to be Clark’s nutcrackers. They can be found in all of the high elevation areas of the state. Although they are here all year round, sightings of this species peak in during the summer months.

Just like most of the members of the Corvid Family, Clarks’ nutcrackers are extremely smart birds. During summer and fall they use a specialized pouch found under their tongue to carry and hide thousands of pine seeds. Because of their stored caches of food they are often able to breed as early as January or February and are able to successfully raise their young on their hidden treasures of seeds. They are able to find these caches months after they are hidden.

Like other Corvid Family members, Clark’s nutcrackers are very social and will almost always be found in small family groups. However, unlike the other Corvids, the males actually incubate and take care of the eggs while the female goes to find stored food. Besides their stored seeds Clark’s nutcrackers will eat insects, small animals, and even carrion.

Next time you are in the mountains keep your eyes (and ears) open for this amazing species.
 

If you would like to write an article for the Bird of the Month, please contact Oliver Hansen -- 801-378-4771 - byucactus@gmail.com .

Click here for past 'Birds of the Month'.
 

2011 Provo Christmas Bird Count Report

Max = Maximum ever recorded.   Yrs = Years recorded (43 possible)

Cold Facts
by Barbara Watkins

I really enjoyed reading Merrill Webb’s excellent article in November’s newsletter, and I learned a lot. I loved the bit about Saw-whet Owls defrosting dinner. So I thought others might be interested in some more “cool facts” I’ve gleaned over the last few years.

Two major factors birds must deal with to survive winter are cold temperatures and scarce food sources. In general, small birds are more susceptible to chilling than large birds, and that’s one reason warblers and flycatchers fly south. The other is that their food sources are drastically reduced. In small species that overwinter, physiological changes in autumn help them acclimate to cold winters. These include laying down stores of fat, metabolic shifts and enzyme productions. After American Goldfinches become acclimated to winter temperatures, they can thermoregulate to maintain normal body temperatures for 6-8 hours during extremely cold spells of up to -70oF; but goldfinches which have not become acclimated cannot thermoregulate for more than about an hour.

Nighthawks and nightjars have a very low basal metabolic rate, 59% lower than other birds of similar size. This enables them to exploit a highly unpredictable food source – temperature dependent aerial insects. During periods of cold or scarce resources, nightjars may enter torpor, lowering body temperature and slowing metabolism even further. The Common Poorwill becomes dormant when its body temperature falls below 20o C (70o F), but its body temperature can drop as low as 4.3o C (42o F). This is the lowest known survival temperature of any species of wild bird. At this temperature, oxygen consumption is reduced 90%. In parts of its range it goes into extended periods of torpor lasting two to three months - almost equivalent to hibernation. The Hopi called these birds “Holchoko,” or “the sleeping one.” Poorwills need seven hours to fully warm up from a deep torpor so it is not practicable for a daily routine.

What is amazing to me is that tiny hummingbirds also have remarkable thermoregulatory systems. Some hummingbirds can lower their normal body temperatures 20o-32o when they go into torpor. This is a great adaptation if you live in the Andes where nights are cold but days are warm and there are plenty of flowering plants and minute insects year round.

It’s not just winter’s cold. Food sources become scarce. Jays and nutcrackers, nuthatches, and chickadees provision and access hoards of nuts and seeds gathered during the autumn. The amazing thing is that they actually remember where they have hidden their stashes! In fact, Clark’s Nutcrackers hide pine seeds in 1400-2000 locations and remember most of them. The brains of these birds have highly developed areas that involve spatial memory. Acorn Woodpeckers also store acorns for winter use, but they create a central granary rather than widespread caches.

Raptors and shrikes also cache unconsumed prey, but only for short periods.

An alternative is a change in diet. American Robins and other thrushes shift from principally invertebrate diets in spring to mostly fruit and berries in winter. In some species, this necessitates physiological changes in the digestive system as seeds and grains are more difficult to digest than insects and soft invertebrates. The digestive system of Yellow-rumped Warblers enables them to process wax from bayberries in Atlantic states.

Sources:
Gill, Frank, Ornithology (1989)
Handbook of Birds of the World
 

Backyard Bird of the Month

December 2011

Report your favorite backyard bird each month to Cheryl Peterson at 801-375-1914 or CherylPeterson@gmail.com
 

2012 Dues

 Thanks to all who have supported us in the past.  If you are interested in officially joining us this year, make out a check to Utah County Birders for $15.00 and mail it to:

 Carol Nelson
2831 Marrcrest West
Provo, Utah 84604

 You will be helping to support the web page and we will send you a copy of the newsletter.