[TopOfUtah] Sunday Cache Valley: Merlin, Bohemians, Rough-legs

Tue Dec 4 08:41:15 MST 2007

In the past 2-3 weeks I've seen Horned Larks in the extreme southwest end of 
the county around a feedlot at 7300S. 4000W. in Wellsville, but they're 
difficult to get close to and I couldn't search through them for longspurs. 
I did, however, see a large group of Horned Larks south of SR-142 between 
Clarkston and the turnoff for Newton Reservoir. I looked through the flock 
three times without turning up anything different. I also saw a small group 
in the fields just south of Clarkston; they might have been intimidated by 
the shining beacon of a Prairie Falcon standing on the ground in the same 
field.

Let me second what Buck said about Horned Larks near Benson Marina. Two 
winters ago I came across a flock along SR-23 between SR-30 and the turnoff 
to the marina. They were very flighty and flushed with each vehicle passing. 
Eventually, I came across a lone Lapland Longspur, which may have been the 
only one reported in the state that winter--not at all a good winter for 
them. This year seems to be different, though.

What we really need is for the farmers to spread manure. I'm not sure of the 
timing for that particular event, but it should bring in the Horned Larks to 
treated fields.

Kris
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Buck Russell
  To: topofutah at utahbirds.org
  Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2007 7:27 AM
  Subject: RE: [TopOfUtah] Sunday Cache Valley: Merlin, Bohemians, 
Rough-legs

  Normally you can find Horned Larks in the fields on the west side of 
Benson Marina.  Occasionally you will see Tree Sparrows at Benson Marina, 
but the best place is at Bud Phelps WMA.  The best place for Common Grackles 
are the Poplar trees on the south side of the Willow Park Zoo, but they have 
also been spotted near the Logan Polishing Ponds.   You had a great day 
birding!
  Thanks.
  Buck

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Date: Mon, 3 Dec 2007 22:28:58 -0700
    From: craig.fosdick at gmail.com
    To: topofutah at utahbirds.org
    Subject: [TopOfUtah] Sunday Cache Valley: Merlin, Bohemians, Rough-legs

    Sunday I spent about 7 hrs doing a Cache Valley patrol.  My efforts paid 
off well.   I started around 845 am at First Dam with Barrow's and Common 
Goldeneye, and a fluffed-up Townsend's Solitaire chowing on juniper berries. 
Next stop was the USU campus, but it was hit-n-run, and the Bohemians were 
not in sight, but 35 Cedar Waxwings and a Yellow-rumped Warbler were. 
Onward…..two Eurasian Collared Doves were chillin' with some Mourning Doves 
at 10W 6S in Logan.  Not much moving at Spring Creek WMA.   At the Logan 
River bend near Utah 30 and 1900 W, there was, among the Mallard and 
Ring-billed Gulls, 1 lonesome female Northern Shoveler, 4 Green-winged Teal, 
2 Killdeer, a Belted Kingfisher, and 4 Greater Yellowlegs, as well as an 
annoyed Northern Flicker (one of 5+ seen on the day) that took off in 
disgust when I arrived.

    Plenty of raptors around the valley, with 12+ Rough-legged Hawks, 10+ 
Northern Harriers, and 6+ Red-tailed Hawks, and that's with just one pair of 
eyes and I only covered part of the area bounded by 10 West in Logan, Utah 
23 on the west side, Mendon Rd on the south, and Utah 218 on the north.  A 
Prairie Falcon was near the Benson boat launch, and a Merlin at the pig farm 
on Sam Feller Rd was diligently, but unsuccessfully, chasing >1,000 
Starlings.   Two kestrels just sat and watched the Merlin chase the 
starlings. I could not discern what they thought of the spectacle. I thought 
it was great….but the Merlin probably did not.   The afterburners were on, 
but to no avail!

    An adult Bald Eagle and 2 Common Mergansers (but nothing else) were at 
Cutler Reservoir at Cache Jct.   Newton Reservoir was deserted save for a 
Golden Eagle, and Clarkston Cemetery was completely deserted.  Heading 
towards the Smithfield Cemetery, I was pleasantly surprised to find 43 
Bohemian Waxwings at Smithfield City Park at Utah 218 and Main (US 91). 
The waxwings were promptly kicked up by a hatch-year Sharp-shinned Hawk, but 
the Sharp-shinned was no more successful than the Merlin, and that was the 
last I saw of the Bohemians.   I made it to Smithfield Cemetery at 430 pm, 
just as birds were busy finding their beds; two Red-tailed Hawks and a 
Steller's Jay both went to roost as I watched.   Headed back to Logan, I 
quickly spun past the airport (1 Northern Harrier, but no Short-eared Owls), 
where I had a kestrel almost did a face-plant on my windshield.  Driving 
down 10 West in Logan I did a u-turn to check a mixed flock of starlings and 
blackbirds.   Just starlings, Red-winged and Brewer's Blackbirds (30+).  I 
tried, but could produce neither a Common Grackle nor a Rusty Blackbird. 
Not even a cowbird!  Good day, very enjoyable, fairly weak on the sparrows. 
I'm still figuring out the Utah avifauna, but was surprised to find no 
American Tree Sparrows anywhere, and even more surprised that I missed 
Western Meadowlark and Horned Lark completely.   Do most half-hardies 
completely vacate Cache Valley in winter?  And no Common Redpolls; I'll try 
next weekend, as they are showing up in Idaho.

    Good birding, Craig.

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