New Life Bird and an Odd Bird

Every spring the field east across the road from Glover's Pond floods and some nice birds show up.

Today I got a new life bird The Ross's Goose and an unusual Duck a Cinnamon Teal Blue-winged Teal cross.

It may seem odd that I have been birding for about 15 years and just now adding the Ross's Goose to my life list, but it is true, today was my first sighting of a Ross's Goose. We don't often see Snow Geese or Ross's Geese in our area on the Wasatch Front. They do Migrate through Central Utah in March, in fact the city of Delta has a Goose Festival each March when they migrate through in the thousands. Unfortunately I have not been able to go to Delta to see the festival. I have seen Snow geese a few times mingled with Canada Geese, just like this Ross's Goose that is hanging out with Canada Geese. It is always good to add a new bird to my life list.

Is it a Blue-winged Cinnamon Teal or a Cinnamon Blue-winged Teal? This bird was reported on the Utah Birders list serve the other day. I knew I would be at Farmington Bay today so I went looking for it. Fortunately the guy who reported it Shyloh Robinson was there and pointed it out to me and I was able to get a few pictures of this Cinnamon Teal Blue-winged Teal Cross..

Here is a shot with it side by side with a Cinnamon Teal Drake

Some other birds seen today

There were a lot of Canada Geese and Gadwalls

There were also Northern Shovelers 

And American Wigeon

This tolerant Muskrat posed for along time for me. Usually they take off when I try to take a picture but this one was more interested in eating than what I was doing. 

It was good to get out, there are always surprises in nature.