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I birded Smithfield Cemetery in Cache County
today. The cemetery is relatively open and surrounded by a residential
neighborhood. However, many large mature conifers, including
spruce, pine, cedar, and juniper, provide cover and food for various
species. Thanks to Merrill Webb for the tip on
this great little birding spot, and to Sylvia Gray for providing the inspiration
to get me there.
I saw a Sharp-shinned Hawk, a
Red-tail, Northern Flickers, American Crows, Black-capped and Mountain
Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Brown Creepers, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS,
Townsend's Solitaires, American Robins, Cedar Waxwings, Dark-eyed Juncos, a
female Cassin's Finch, House Finches, RED CROSSBILLS, and Pine Siskins.
The robins, solitaires, and starlings were having a
heyday in several mature juniper trees. One of the solitaires did its best
to defend the tree from the incursion of eaters, but the solitaire had no luck
at all. There were just too many competitors. I stood beneath one of
the trees and all the activity above caused frosty blue berries to
shower down on me. It was like a rainstorm. I'm pretty sure
that juniper berries were the only substance that was...errr...dropping while I
was below that tree.
I listened and listened and listened for Brown
Creepers because Brown Creepers and cemeteries just go together. I
was sure they had to be there. Finally, I heard them calling from a
particularly thick spruce. I stood under the spruce and attempted to pish
them down. No luck there, but not because the birds didn't respond.
My face was immobile due to the cold. I couldn't pish at all because I
couldn't form the sound with my mouth. Now I know what it must feel like
to get a botox injection. So I chished instead and made a big
rackett. No less than FIVE Golden-crowned Kinglets descended through
the branches of that tree and twitched excitedly until I gave up the
chishing. Later I realized that their high-pitched contact calls had been
mixed with the creeper calls. Two Brown Creepers made an appearance as
well. So you know the lesson here...if you can't pish, chish.
The Red Crossbills appeared in a flock of 20-25
birds in the very tops of the tall spruces and firs along the north side of the
cemetery. They came and went and came and went. The
group was a mix of classic-plumaged red males, yellow-green females,
orangy-looking birds that I presume were first-year males, and streaky-brown
juveniles. On their second arrival, only four red males and a female
appeared first. This small group worked over thick bunches of cones at the
tree tops, hanging upside-down and firmly planting themselves within the
clusters. Despite the fact that crossbills are noisy and restless birds,
when they got down to feeding I could hardly tell where they
were. Later, I heard the rest of the flock coming in from afar.
One of the crossbills perched on a branch like a sentry
and "kip-kipped" to signal the incoming flock. The flock
boomeranged off its course to join the early arrivals. The signal
worked just as it does with duck and geese calling to new birds to join their
flocks.
Early in the afternoon I heard a small noise
and turned to see two mule deer does each with two fawns, filtering between
the headstones. The four fawns looked dusky and gray and
fluffy. They stopped under a large spruce where the grass showed
through the snow. They grazed in the cold, bright sunlight. One
of the fawns moseyed over to a headstone where a flower pot was placed
snugged up against the granite. The fawn reached down and chewed the brown
and crisp leaves of the potted plant that was long past its blooming
time. After the deer left I walked over to the headstone to read the
history of the person who was buried there. It was a baby boy,
who lived only for 4 months in 1989. It seemed somehow
appropriate that the little deer had chosen to forage at the little one's
grave. I thought perhaps it was a blessing of a sort.
To reach Smithfield Cemetery, drive north on US 91
(a.k.a. Main Street) out of Logan. Approximately 7.5 miles later, turn
right (east) on Center Street after the 7-Eleven/Citgo in Smithfield.
You'll find the cemetery in .4 miles.
Kris
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