[Birdtalk] New Year Day Birding in Cache Valley

[Buck Russell]

The January 1st Bridgerland Audubon Field Trip to kick off a fresh start for the 200 club was a big success.  We saw a total of 47 species.  To become a member of the Bridgerland Audubon 200 Club you need to see 200 species of birds in Cache County in the calendar year.  Twelve stalwart birders departed from the Café Ibis parking lot and escaped the fog in the valley by traveling up Logan Canyon to Third Dam.  Along the way we found a Bald Eagle at Second Dam and at Third Dam we found a Winter Wren, American Dipper, Belted Kingfisher, Common Goldeneyes and lots of Black-capped Chickadees.  As we departed the canyon, we stopped at First Dam, where we found a Golden Eagle, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Common Merganser, and the usual mix of hybrid park birds.  Along the canal trail on Canyon Road we found a Western Screech Owl.  At the 20/20 Pond we had our first surprise birds of the day, a pair of male Cinnamon Teals.  Other birds on the pond included Buffleheads, Gadwalls, Lesser Scaup, Ring-necked Ducks, Redheads, and Mallards.  Just west of the pond we found four Great Blue Herons sitting in a tree.  At the Fish Hatchery we had our second out-of-season bird, a Great Egret.  At the Benson Marina we found our second owl, a Great Horned Owl.  We also located a Rough-legged Hawk at the marina.  The third surprise bird of the day was a White-throated Sparrow just east of Mack Park in Smithfield.  All of our surprise birds were first located during the December Christmas Bird Count and were gracious enough to stick around to be counted in the new year.  It was a great day for a crazy lister.
Buck Russell
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