[Birdtalk] Around and About Weber and Wasatch Counties

[STEPHEN T CARLILE]

With family today visited two disjointed places; Ogden Bay Wildlife Management Area, Weber County (west of Ogden and south of West Warren) and Duchesne Ridge, Wasatch County (south of Mill Hollow and Wolf Creek and west of Heber City, paved road most of the way and good dirt road the for the rest).

Ogden Bay - my first visit and not a lot of birds.  Three highlights and an observation.
1.  12 Wilson's Snipe
2.  Several small flocks of American Pipit, totaling about 15 birds.  My first of the fall/winter season.
3.  6 Greater Yellowlegs and 2 Lesser Yellowlegs together
4.  The phragmites control program (spraying, burning, and spraying over a three year period) is showing some results.  Several hundred acres have cattails and other "native" marsh vegetation returning.  We spoke with a DWR employee who said there is a 15 year program to get this invasive plant under control in the marshes around the Great Salt Lake.  Also, the place is full of racoons.

Duchesne Ridge (approximately 8750 feet in elevation) - Went to see the fall colors with my son and his family.  Great trip and beautiful scenery.  While we stopped for a picnic dinner saw a surprising number of species, including:
1.  Goshawk
2.  Red-tailed Hawk (Helped my 5 year old grandson see the bird through my binoculars.  He was excited because it was so big.)
3.  Red-breasted Nuthatch
4.  Red Crossbill (12+)
5.  Pine Siskin
6.  Dark-eyed Junco (Grey-headed)
7.  Steller's Jay
8.  Common Raven

Thanks,

Stephen
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://secureserver.securesites.net/pipermail/birdtalk/attachments/20080929/63248cd4/attachment.htm