[Birdnet] Ring-necked Pheasant, Eurasian-Collard Dove and other "Wild Birds"

[JEFF LANGFORD]

I had some business to attend to in Tremonton, and managed to do a little birding along the way driving from Salt Lake with stops at Bear River MBR, Fielding and Farmington Bay. I had a number of personal first sighting's of the year including:

 Willard Bay(from I-15)

Osprey

 Fielding(small farming community north of Tremonton)

Eurasian-Collared Dove

Bear River MBR(travelled from Visitor's Center to approx. 3 miles down the Refuge road)

Willet

Long-billed Curlew

Eared Grebe

Turkey Vulture

Golden Eagle 

Western Grebe

Farmington Bay(Glover Lane)

Caspian Tern



The highlight, however, was watching a Marsh Wren build a nest right outside the Bear River Visitor's Center. It was a noisy affair punctuated by the horde of Coots that dominate the marsh, and the occasional splashing by Muskrats. If you haven't done so, spend some time at the Visitor's Center(I had not, previously). It's a great place to see exciting stuff up close.

 I also saw a bunch of Ring-necked Pheasant in Fielding. Is anybody familiar with the impact game ranchers have on the population of this species in this area? Are these operations largely responsible for the birds we see in the wild? The Eurasian Collared-Doves were viewed about 1/4 mile from the Pheasants. According to Cornell's All About Birds, "The Eurasian Collared-Dove is often kept as a pet. The occurrence of the species in some areas of the United States can be traced not to the dispersal of wild breeders, but to escaped or released cage birds." Maybe it is more than coincidence that I found the two species in such close proximity.

 Good Birding,

 Jay





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