[Birdtalk] Boxing Day birds in Utah county

[Lu Giddings]

Spent a few hours this afternoon checking around the south end of the 
county. Nothing extraordinary was seen, but it was nice to get out of 
the house and brave the elements and the icy roads.

Salem Pond remained almost completely ice-free and had attracted several 
hundred waterfowl including about 15-20 canvasbacks, a female 
red-breasted merganser, and what I think may have been a drake greater 
scaup, but I could never get a good enough look to be sure. A hen ruddy 
duck was also seen.

Spring Lake is about 50% iced over. It had a fair sized raft of 
ring-billed gulls and a healthy number of waterfowl, including the 
redheads that were not present at Salem Pond.

The roads were snow-packed but easily negotiable in Goshen. I looked for 
a Harris's sparrow but in vain. I had to "settle" for seven bald eagles 
perched in various trees in the fields outside of town.

I continued my Harris's sparrow search along the Genola Warm Springs 
road but again without luck. A flock of about 50 mountain bluebirds, 
numerous spotted towhees and yellow-rumped warblers, and the first 
American tree sparrow I can recall having seen in this particular area 
were my compensation.

Lu Giddings

Species: 38 observed
Canada Goose
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Green-winged Teal
Canvasback
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
American Coot
Killdeer
Wilson's Snipe
Ring-billed Gull
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Black-billed Magpie
Mountain Bluebird
American Robin
European Starling
American Pipit
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
American Tree Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark