[Birdnet] N SHRIKE, E GROSBEAK, B WAXWING - LOWER RIVER ROAD, FRANCIS

[Gary Nunn]

Just in Salt Lake City for a couple of days and thought I would take a look
along Lower River Road near Francis for grosbeaks and waxwings, wow what a
great place for some of my favorite birds.

Immediately after turning south off Rt. 32 on Lower River Road chanced on
NORTHERN SHRIKE sitting out in the first large meadow on the right atop dead
tree!  Views further back to the trees lining the river revealed several
BALD EAGLES (2 adult and an immature).  About 1.2 miles going south down
Lower River Road encountered spectacular 200+ group EVENING GROSBEAK taking
chokecherry bushes to pieces, at close quarters the crackling sound of
kernels being worked over was astonishing!  More grosbeaks arrived, I would
say 300-400 total working two main areas of heavy crop cherry along the
road.  Wish I had a camera, tightly packed grosbeaks in the snow encrusted
bushes with sun coming on to them was a fantastic sight.

One GOLDEN EAGLE passed over pretty low going northeast.

Numerous small groups of CEDAR WAXWING (60-80 total) also feeding on
chokecherry and perched around in leafless aspens.  After about an hour I
heard the unmistakable calling of BOHEMIAN WAXWING!  Last time I heard those
was 20 years ago in England!  Located a single bird atop aspen tree, dark
undetail coverts, white wing markings, lower pitched and richer "preet"
rolling trill was easy to pick out among shrill Cedar Waxwings.  Two more
called back from trees nearby and eventually the three birds gave me a
flyover together.

Also three bull ELK sitting around.

Many thanks to Tom Fletcher for original posting and responding to my
enquiry.

Gary.

-- 
Gary Nunn
7545 La Jolla Blvd
La Jolla CA92037
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