[Birdnet] Worm-eating Warbler at Beus Pond

[Kristin Purdy]

Thanks to Milt for posting the WORM-EATING WARBLER and to Glenn for calling
everyone listed on his speed dial to report the bird :^D.

Here are some specifics for tomorrow's warbler-seekers. The bird is using
the slope east of the pond high above the paved path and down to the flat
area outside the southeast curve of the path. The area is thick with scrub
oak; the understory is thick bracken fern and poison ivy. Watch for clusters
of the yellow-green ivy berries sticking up above the bracken.

I had the distinct impression the warbler is making circuits and might be
found again in the bracken fern understory by a dirt trail outside the
southeast curve of the paved path. Glenn and I watched the bird there for at
least 45 minutes during one of his circuits.

>From the Beus Park parking lot, walk south on the paved path that runs along
the east side of the pond. When you reach the southeast corner, you'll
notice many spruce trees outside the curve. A foot path leads southeast
between two spruces from this point. I tied a strand of pink tape on one of
them. Once you pass through the spruces, you're in Worm-eating Warbler
territory. Scan along the path and east through the scrub oak for more pink
tape; these tape locations are intended to give you a general idea where
many of us saw the bird. We saw him against the slope here, too.

If you use a GPS, the general area is at these coordinates:

N 41°10.992'
W111°56.180'

Watch low on the bracken fern--within 1 foot of the ground. The bird
remained low most of the time, although several times we saw it foraging on
oak trunks as high as 5 feet. The bird is not wary, does not respond to
pishing, and never stops moving. Its behavior seems to be a combination of
warbler, wren, and kinglet movements.

The bird sometimes called a couple faintly burry "Seep-seep" notes just
after launching and flying low through the scrub oak to a new place. The
call sounds different than the other birds foraging in the understory
today--chickadees, towhees, juncos, kinglets, and one hermit thrush.

Milt's directions below to the park are right on. Thanks to his post and
multiple phone calls, many people were able to see the bird this afternoon,
including

Keith and Betty Evans
Pomera Fronce
Jack Rensel*
Dennis Shirley
Arnold and Linda Smith
David Wheeler
Larene Wyss

*who shot video and one digital image

Glenn ascended the east slope alone from the area described above and
followed the foot paths north. Pretty soon my phone rang.

"What's this pink tape up here?" he said. Glenn had found the place I marked
with tape after the first 20-second sighting this morning. The bird showed
up again there for Glenn just a minute later. Directions to this area are
complicated and I don't think worth relaying due to the extent of the poison
ivy and the bird's consistent attendence at the better viewing spot. But if
you have a GPS, this is the first location:

N41°11.046'
W111°56.186'

On to other stuff. In addition to the Western Screech-owl Paul Higgins
reported this morning, I also saw two WINTER WRENS. One was in the "usual"
place, in brush at the base of the east slope. After seeing the warbler for
the first time this morning at 10:00 for an intermittent 20 seconds, I
pished for him and the Winter Wren came out of the brush below me. I saw
what I believe was a second one in the blackberry vines at the south end of
the pond between the tree with the Wasatch Audubon feeder and the nearest
bench at the water's edge.

In case this post isn't weird enough yet, the ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD that has
been visiting my feeders since November 10 appears to be visiting my suet
feeders now in addition to the nectar feeders. I've seen him at the suet
baskets 4 or 5 times, including this morning when the temperature must have
been about 30° at my house. He's not fly-catching in the air around the
basket; he appears to be inserting his bill into the spaces between the wire
mesh.

Milt's directions below to Beus Park are right on. If you visit the park
from north of Ogden, take I-15 to exit 344, 12th Street. Drive east on 12th
to Harrison Blvd, and then south on Harrison. Watch the streets count down
until you reach 42nd, and then follow the directions below. Reply for more
info.

Kris

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Utah Birds" <utahbirds at excite.com>
To: <birdnet at utahbirds.org>
Sent: Saturday, November 25, 2006 2:03 PM
Subject: [Birdnet] Worm-eating Warbler at Beus Pond


>
> Saturday, 25 November
> Ogden
>
> Glenn Barlow reported a WORM-EATING WARBLER in the southeast corner of
> Beus Pond.
>
> Here are the directions:
> Take Country Hills Drive (4200 South) east from Harrison Blvd. in Ogden.
> In less than a half mile the road turns to the north and just around the
> bend is the parking area for the Beus Pond trails (on the right side of
> road).
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Join Excite! - http://www.excite.com
> The most personalized portal on the Web!
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Birdnet mailing list
> Birdnet at utahbirds.org
> http://utahbirds.org/mailman/listinfo/birdnet
>