[TopOfUtah] Hyrum Res. and Sue's Ponds, Cache Co.

[Ryan O'Donnell]

Stephanie Cobbold and I birded at Sue's Ponds in Logan and Hyrum
Reservoir in Hyrum, Cache Co. today.  At Sue's Ponds we had one
first-winter gull seen only in flight that I believe was a THAYER'S
GULL, but I'm only about 90% sure of this one.  The "venetian-blind"
brown-and-beige outer primaries, slightly paler inner primaries,
relatively low-contrast upper wing, body size slightly larger than the
California Gulls, and solid dark bill support the ID, but the bird
didn't get close enough for me to feel safe completely ruling out
something weird like a Glaucous-winged x Herring hybrid, for example.
This gull landed in the Logan Landfill, which was closed today, so that
would be a good place to look for it if you're interested in trying to
chase it down.  Other gulls included mostly CALIFORNIA GULLS (about 200)
with four FRANKLIN'S GULLS and one third-cycle HERRING GULL still
hanging around.  We saw five LESSER SCAUP but were unable to relocate
the Greater Scaup reported by Buck yesterday.  It's neat and frustrating
at the same time to watch how much their head shape changes depending on
behavior!  AMERICAN AVOCETS and BLACK-NECKED STILTS were the only
shorebirds present.
 
At Hyrum Reservoir, the star of the show was the nine or so COMMON
LOONS, a lifer for Stephanie and some of the closest looks I've had in a
couple of years.  RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were also abundant - we
estimated about 100 - way outnumbering the four or so COMMON MERGANSERS.
I was surprised at how off the ratio of WESTERN and CLARK'S GREBES was:
we conservatively estimated 60 Western but could only find one Clark's.

 
In other recent news, CASSIN'S FINCHES and RED CROSSBILLS are still
almost daily visitors to the feeders at my home in Logan.  PINE SISKINS
have declined in numbers from their peak in winter but are also still
daily.  I too have noticed the "drunk" behavior discussed today.  I've
found three siskins dead in the yard this winter, and seen one looking
very ill - puffed up and sitting on the ground, occassionally flying
very short distances, breathing heavily.  I assumed the siskins were cat
kills, and I did see open wounds on one of them, but perhaps the cat was
able to get to them because they were sick.  WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS are
also still around - I saw a flock of six on the Utah State University
campus on Friday.
 
Good birding,
Ryan
 
Ryan P. O'Donnell
Department of Biology and the Ecology Center
Utah State University
5305 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT 84322-5305
 
http://200birds.blogspot.com