[Birdnet] Lapland Longspur in Howell

[Kristin Purdy]

A LAPLAND LONGSPUR accompanied a small flock of Horned Larks along SR-83 in Howell, Box Elder County, this morning. I found precious few Horned Larks using Howell's agricultural areas; the flock with the longspur was only the second and final flock. The longspur was a beautiful adult with an exceptionally buffy head pattern, smudgy dark breast band, and bright rufous and black in the wing coverts. The specific spot along the highway was at mile 26.5, 1.8 miles north of Thiokol's north border both along the road bed and among the cowpies in the field west of the road. 

Today was a particularly un-birdy day in Box Elder County, although I did see a Great Horned Owl and a Bald Eagle in Corinne, a Merlin in Howell and Rough-legs, Red-tails, Golden Eagles, Northern Harriers, Prairie Falcons, and kestrels throughout. If I throw in three Loggerhead Shrikes west of the back road to Salt Creek WMA, that makes it a ten raptor day--can I do that?

Mayor's Pond in Brigham City was hopping with a good diversity of waterfowl, which means Mantua Reservoir must be frozen solid. Using the pond today were:

Gadwalls
American Wigeons
Mallards
Green-winged Teal
Redheads
Ring-necked Ducks
GREATER SCAUP (3 drakes; didn't study the hens)
Lesser Scaup
Common Goldeneyes
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE (just one hen, perhaps a first year due to the dullness of the orange of her bill)
Common Merganser (just one hen)
Pied-billed Grebe (one)
American Coot (one)

Around the pond:
Wilson's Snipe
Belted Kingfisher
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Juncos

For more information on Mayor's Pond and directions, launch the link below.

http://www.utahbirds.org/counties/boxelder/MayorsPond.htm

Kris


 
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