[Birdtalk] A little more about Saturday's birding

[Glenda Cotter]

Thanks to the Mickelson family in Tremonton--I promised you a report if
I saw the Blue Jay. Thanks for the excellent looks at one of my favorite
birds! This individual seemed pretty gray, so I'm guessing that it's a
juvenile, but I think Blue Jays are among the most beautiful of birds.

In addition to seeing the Prothonotary Warbler and the Blue Jay in Carol
Gwynn's excellent company, I stopped briefly at Willard Bay and saw a
few good birds, including the famous flock of Flying J Great-tailed
Grackles.

The male Hooded Mergansers previously reported by Kris Purdy were on the
pond north of the WB campground, in the company of Pied-billed and
Western Grebes.

At the campground the following were seen:

American Kestrel
Bald Eagle
Peregrine Falcon (despite distance and terrible lighting, I'm pretty
sure that's what it was)
Red-tailed Hawk (very vocally offended by the falcon's presence)
Belted Kingfisher (also very vocal)
Many Northern Flickers, including one yellow-shafted individual (my
first!)
White-crowned Sparrows
Dark-eyed Juncos
American Goldfinches (many!)
American Robins
Yellow-rumped Warblers

And in Layton, the Trumpeter Swan and Wood Ducks.

Except for the large flock of goldfinches (and the European Starlings
that I'm trying not to mention), Red-tailed Hawks were among the most
frequently viewed species of the day. They seemed to be sitting on every
fifth fence post. In spite of the rain, it was a lovely day of birding. 

Glenda Cotter