[Birdnet] Green Heron in Weber County

[Kristin Purdy]

John Bellmon led a bird festival trip to The North Arm Natural Area of 
Pineview in Ogden Valley, Weber County today. Best bird of the trip was an 
adult GREEN HERON that landed in the top of a 35-40 foot tree 100 or so 
yards south of the first foot bridge over the tiny stream near the 
information kiosks. All the scopes were on the bird and everyone got a good 
look; in fact, I think we left before the heron did.

Most entertaining bird of the North Arm might have been a Wilson's Snipe 
that flew circles over our heads while hu-hu-huing, obligingly past the 
half-crescent moon so we had a landmark in the blue, blue sky. He finally 
landed on a power pole near the entrance and got the full spotting scope 
treatment.

We also got great looks at a North Arm specialty bird, a couple male 
Calliope Hummingbirds. They were not in their usual places along the nature 
trail this year; instead, they were on both sides of the Pineview West trail 
that climbs the west slope overlooking the nature trail area. Walk south on 
the Pineview West trail until you reach a retaining wall made from power 
poles on the west side of the path. One Calliope was about 20 feet off the 
path on the downslope (east of the path), and nearly at eye level, and the 
other was 50 or more feet upslope (west) of the path perched on hawthorne or 
chokecherry. We believe a third one was well out in the willow area south of 
the nature trail, but it flew every time a scope was honing in on the bird.

We heard and saw several Gray Catbirds, but not one Yellow-breasted Chat. 
All the other North Arm specialties appeared to be present--Sandhill Cranes, 
Osprey, Broad-tailed and Black-chinned Hummingbirds, Cedar Waxwings, Yellow 
Warblers, several singing MacGillivrays on the west slope that remained 
hidden, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Lazuli Buntings, Bullock's Orioles, and the 
water birds, including Caspian Terns and American White Pelicans.

We detoured toward the Middle Fork WMA on the way home to scan a "regular" 
field for BOBOLINKS and found three males sitting on irrigation equipment 
well into the field, although we could still hear them when they sang. This 
spot is west of the entrance to the Middle Fork WMA and just short of where 
the dirt road rejoins the paved SR-162 at the curve. There are only one or 
two houses along this road; look for the one with a wrought iron horse and 
carriage on the street side mailbox and scan the field north of the road.

John Bellmon, Rich Kennedy and I stuffed more birding into the day by 
heading to Rockport Reservoir and enjoyed looks at the YELLOW-BILLED LOON as 
the bird swam past us at the shoreline at a distance of 75-100 feet. We 
joined a very nice group of women, thank you nice women, who were already 
present looking at the loon, and then Bryan Shirley joined the very nice us 
and enjoyed the bird, too. By the time we left, the loon was so far out in 
the reservoir that it was difficult to see the yellow bill even with the 
scope. John and I finished the day by stopping at Arnold Smith's house in 
Morgan to say "Hey" to Arnold, and ended up enjoying the EVENING GROSBEAKS 
that also visited there Saturday when Arnold hosted a festival trip at his 
house.

The North Arm Natural Area of Pineview Reservoir is located on SR-158 at 
about mile 3.8 in Weber County. Rockport Reservoir is located in Summit 
County. The north end where the dam is is 1-2 miles south of I-80E exit 154 
and I-80W exit 155, plus a little jig through the town of Wanship while 
following signs to Rockport State Park.

Kris