Utah County Birders Newsletter
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Contents
December Meeting
Upcoming Field Trips
Captain’s Log
Bird of the Month
Field Trip Report
- Loon Field Trip
Backyard Bird of the Month
November Hotline Highlights
DECEMBER MEETING:
Thursday, December 12th, 2013 - 7:00 PM
Thursday December 12, 7pm at the Orem Public
Library (location could possibly change - stay tuned!)
Time to get ready for the Christmas Bird Count! Dennis Shirley will lead a bird
quiz, hand out assignments, and help prepare us for the Christmas Bird Count. If
you would like to participate in the Provo count, but can't make it to the
meeting, please contact Dennis Shirley at colimawarbler@yahoo.com / 801-423-1108
or Bryan Shirley at bt_shirley@hotmail.com / 801-722-9346. The Provo Christmas
Bird Count will be on Saturday, December 21st. The Payson Bird count will be
held on January 4th. Birders of all skill levels are invited to participate in
both counts!
Meet at 7:00 PM at the Orem Public Library - 58
North State Street, Orem. We meet downstairs.
This is Christmas Bird Count Month. Below is info on the 3 Utah County CBC. For info on the rest of the state's CBCs visit http://www.utahbirds.org/cbc/cbc.html
21 December, 2013 (Sat): Provo Christmas Bird Count - This year the Provo Christmas Bird Count will be held on Dec 21st. We will go over the areas and details at the Utah County Birders Meeting in December. For more info contact Bryan Shirley - bt_shirley@hotmail.com - 801-722-9346
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January, 2014 (Wed):
Jordan River Christmas Bird Count
- Leaders: Jeanne Le Ber and Ray Smith - meet at 7am at Johanna’s Kitchen, 9725
South State Street, Sandy (801-566-1762). Assignments will be distributed and
groups will start birding at 8am. Team reports and count tally will begin at 6pm
at the Sizzler on 9000 S. & State St. To sign up, or for more information, call
Jeanne or Ray at (801-532-7384).
4 January, 2014 (Sat): Payson Christmas
Bird Count - The Payson count will be on Jan 4. Great way to start
the new year! For more info contact Bryan Shirley -
bt_shirley@hotmail.com -
801-722-9346
We are actively recruiting people to lead local half-day field trips, any time,
any place. If you would like to lead a field trip or if you have any ideas for
this year’s field trips, please contact Bryan Shirley at -
bt_shirley@hotmail.com
Captain’s Log:
December 2013
by Keeli Marvel
I can’t believe it’s been a year already since I accepted the position as
president of the UCB! Time flies when you’re having fun, I guess. As we head
into this busy holiday month I hope everyone has a chance to take some time out
from the holiday hustle and bustle and get out and see some birds, and
hopefully, to participate in a Christmas Bird Count (or two).
The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) has been a favorite December article topic for
many of the past UCB presidents, but I wanted to follow in their footsteps with
a little background review on the CBC for those who have recently joined our
ranks. This year will be the 114th annual CBC, making it the longest running
citizen science survey in the world. There are over 2300 count circles and
roughly 63,000 individual birders in North America and a few locations around
the world that will conduct counts between December 14 and January 5th. Each
count circle covers a 15 mile diameter circle, and all bird observed inside that
circle within a 24 hour count period are recorded as well as any novel species
observed during the count week.
The gathered data is submitted to the Audubon Society and, according to their
website, “allow researchers to study the long-term health and status of bird
populations across North America. When combined with other surveys such as the
Breeding Bird Survey, it provides a picture of how the continent's bird
populations have changed in time and space over the past hundred years.” So not
only are we out there having a good time chasing down birds, we’re also
contributing to a massive body of information that is helping scientists better
understand and conserve bird populations. Consider it a Christmas gift to the
birds in return for all birding enjoyment they provide for us!
The Provo Christmas Bird Count was initiated in 1973, and I believe this year
will be its 40th year as an active count circle. This year will be my 7th or 8th
year participating in the Provo Christmas Bird Count. Last year I also joined
the Payson count for the first time and it was fun finding birds in a new area.
I look forward to the CBC every year because of the excitement of the challenge
it brings. Some of my most memorable species on the Christmas bird count include
a Northern Goshawk at Riverside Country Club, Mountain Bluebirds near the Lindon
Marina, A Wilson’s Snipe and Common Mergansers on the Provo River, and Lewis’
Woodpeckers and Turkeys at the mouth of Santaquin Canyon .
There are currently 30 different count circles held on various dates during the
count period in Utah and they all need counters, so if you have a chance this
year, find a count circle and join in! There is no need to be an expert birder!
Most people will welcome the company and an extra set of eyes, whatever your
skill level. If you can’t make it out this year, but you live in a count circle,
grab your binos and a chair by the window and report your backyard birds to your
local count circle!
I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year! Stay tuned
for announcements regarding our 2014 birding challenge!
Happy Holidays!
Keeli Marvel
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House Sparrow
Passer domesticus
by Douglas Mead
NAAH. IT’S ONLY A HOUSE SPARROW
Often regarded by birders in the same derogatory category as European Starlings
and Rock Pigeons, Passer domesticus, is much more than just common and
ubiquitous. Their existence among humans for centuries and their constant
presence wherever there are homes and buildings actually contribute to their
being overlooked and taken for granted.
Found throughout most of Asia, Europe, North Africa and the Western Hemisphere,
Passer domesticus is likely more abundant on Earth than humans, and
notwithstanding it is frequently resented for its tendency to hijack native
birds from nest boxes, this unique little bird is worthy of more respect and
understanding.
With the exception of one “drop-by” from a Northern Flicker and one from a pair
of Says Phoebes, in the past 3 years House Finches and House Sparrows have been
the only partakers at my feeders at my 3rd-story condo in Saratoga Springs.
Twenty feet up is nothing special for these guys; house sparrows have been seen
feeding on the 80th floor of the Empire State Building and they have been
spotted breeding nearly 2,000 feet underground in a mine in Yorkshire, England.
I think the group that calls on me every day live and nest in a Chokecherry tree
and some bushes across the parking lot. But they certainly didn’t originate
there. When Europeans first arrived in the Americas they found none of the
species to which they had become to accustomed back home: no pigeons, no
sparrows, not even any Norway rats. In the late 1800s, a variety of young
visionaries, chief among them Nicholas Pike, imagined that what was missing were
the birds that live with humans. Pike, about whom little is known, introduced
about 16 birds into Brooklyn, N.Y. They rose from his hands and took off and
prospered. Every single house sparrow in North America may be descended from
those birds including my and your “neighbors.”
To me, this is no ordinary “lbj.” Their common occurrence and
easily-identifiable characteristics belie their unique vocalizations and
behaviors which space prevents me from detailing. Suffice to say, I have had
many opportunities to observe them, and I anxiously await their next visit to my
‘house.’
If you would like to
write an article for the Bird of the Month, please contact
Eric Huish -
erichuish@gmail.com
Click here for past 'Birds of the Month'.
Field Trip Report
Loon UCB Field Trip - 23 November 2013
by Keeli Marvel
Yvonne
Carter, Kendall Watkins, and I were the hardy few who met on a cold, windy
November morning. After some debate we decided to throw out the original plan of
hitting the mountain reservoirs (too cold and windy!) and instead headed for
Lake Park and Lee Kay Ponds in SLC. At the Lake Park pond south of Target we got
to see the Pacific Loon that had been hanging around for a few days. In the same
pond it was keeping company with both Red-breasted and Hooded Mergansers.
Couldn’t ask for better looks! We combed through several hundred Canada Geese
throughout Lake Park, but couldn’t come up with any Snow or Greater-white
fronted geese.
At Lee Kay, Kendall was quick to pick out several Thayer’s and Mew Gulls in the
thousands of gulls on the water. Other highlights included one lone American
White Pelican, four Greater Yellowlegs, and several duck species including
Common Goldeneye, Northern Pintail, Bufflehead, Gadwall, and Green-winged Teal.
On a whim we stopped to check out the Goldeneye situation on the Jordan River at
Redwood Trailhead Park. This location has been a pretty reliable winter source
for Common and Barrow’s Goldeneyes the past few years. Well, our stop paid off
and we got the most exciting surprise – a female Long-Tailed Duck! Kendall
picked it out of the crowd of goldeneyes on the river. Other highlights on the
Jordan River included at least 60 Common and 15 Barrow’s Goldeneye, several
Bufflehead and Hooded Merganser.
In spite of our change of plan and some windy weather, we got some great birds!
November 2013
Lyle Bingham - Payson
Steller's Jay - Early this month my neighbor told me about blue birds with black heads. I saw one at my feeder about mid-month and again today while walking the dog. We have both Western Scrub-Jays and Steller's Jays in the Hollow at the mouth of Payson canyon.
Jack Binch - Sandy
Anna's Hummingbird.
Steve Carr - Holladay
Spotted Towhee - Male and female popping up from time to time at the
feeders.
Yvonne Carter - Highland
The Juncos are back and Northern Flickers busy in the backyard.
Jeff Cooper - Pleasant Grove
Two raptors for the month, Cooper's
Hawk and Merlin.
Eric Huish - Pleasant Grove
American Crow - I stepped out into the front yard on Thanksgiving Day for
some fresh air and some peace and quite. Two crows flew over squawking at
each other.
Keeli Marvel - American Fork
My backyard bird of the month is Cedar Waxwing. They eat the berries
off my neighbor's tree. Hoping the Bohemian's show up with the Cedar Waxwings
soon!
Milt Moody - Provo
A Hermit Thrush showed up in my yard again, as one usually does every
year. As you would expect from a hermit, they show up here or there in thicker
recesses of the yard but never at the "public" feeders.
Dennis Shirley - Elk Ridge
Steller's Jay - I've been trying to make one into it's paler Eastern
cousin.
Alton Thygerson - Provo
Surprised to have two Steller's Jays visit. I have only seen them in my
backyard once before.
Report your favorite backyard
bird each month to Eric Huish at 801-360-8777 or erichuish@gmail.com
The Utah County Birders Newsletter is now online only.
We've decided to stop the regular paper mail version of the UCB Newsletter. This will save our club on Printing, Postage and Paper. If you would like an email notice each month when the Newsletter is posted online please send an email to Eric Huish at erichuish@gmail.com or subscribe to the ucbnet mailing list. To subscribe to ucbnet just send an e-mail to ucbnet-subscribe@utahbirds.org
We are willing to print the online version of the newsletter and mail it out to anyone who still wants a paper copy or who doesn't have internet access. If you know of anyone who enjoys the UCB Newsletter but doesn't have internet access please let Eric Huish or Keeli Marvel know and we will make sure they get a copy.
Printable Version of this UCB Newsletter