[Birdnet] Bohemians in Midvale - 12/20/07

[mjw22 at comcast.net]

Hello all,
    Yesterday at about 3:30pm, while loading the car with luggage, I saw what I presumed to be the usual flock of Starlings in a large Cottonwood tree at about 6856 S 600 E.  I saw some of them fly and became very suspicious.  I hurried back to the house for the bag that contained my binoculars.  While I suspected that there were some Bohemians mixed in with Starlings, this was a nearly pure flock of about 60 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, rusty undertail coverts and all.  I noticed one smaller bird and, when I scanned though, I found that this was the only Cedar.  Just then, a MERLIN flew by and flushed the flock.  A Red-breasted Nuthatch called. The setting could have been a spruce-filled forest of the north instead of a condo complex but it made for a very nice surprise.  Then we were off to the airport to (luckily) get out to Oakland with only an hour delay, just after the storm hit. 

Merry Christmas,
Matt Williams
Midvale, UT