Give that bird some Prozac

In the spring if you go near almost any field or wetland you will hear the high pitched nervous screech of killdeer killdeer killdeer these birds usually heard before they are seen cry out their warning or is it a distress call when anyone or anything approaches their nest. The crazy thing is, is that they will make their nest in the most unthinkable high traffic places, along the side of a road, on a parking lot, just about anywhere their is some gravel to lay their eggs. Then after their eggs are laid they run about crying and screeching and faking injury to lure any suspected predator away from their nest. Here are some pictures of these attractive, comical and insanely nervous birds.

Images of Spring at Farmington Bay

A Few pictures from Farmington Bay taken last Saturday

Waxwing Invasion

The Last couple of days my trees have been filled with Cedar
Waxwings. They are gorging themselves on my next door neighbors hawthorn berries. Here are a few pictures.

APRIL 2009 BIRD OF THE MONTH AMERICAN WIGEON

I chose the American Wigeon as the Bird of the Month because it is such an interesting bird and because early spring is such a great time to see Wigeons in Utah.

A common and increasingly abundant duck, the American Wigeon breeds in northwestern North America and is found throughout the rest of the continent in migration and in winter. Its small bill and the male's white forehead, as well as certain aspects of nesting and feeding behavior, distinguish this species from other dabbling ducks.

Description
Medium-sized duck.
Male with white crown.
Green face patch.
Large white patch in wings.
Black rear end bordered by white.
Size: 42-59 cm (17-23 in)
Wingspan: 84 cm (33 in)
Weight: 540-1330 g (19.06-46.95 ounces)

Sex Differences
Male brightly patterned with white flanks and white crown stripe; female dull gray and rusty brown.

Sound
High squeaky whistle, resembling squeaky toy. Female quacks.

Conservation Status
Populations declined by approximately 50 percent in the 1980s as a result of extended drought in prairie regions, but have since largely recovered. Widely hunted in the United States in fall, subject to federal limits.

Other Names
Canard d'Amerique (French)Pato chalcuán, Pato americano (Spanish)Baldpate, American Widgeon (English)

Cool Facts
The American Wigeon was formerly known as "Baldpate" because the white stripe resembled a bald man's head.
The American Wigeon is a rare, but regular straggler to Europe where it turns up in flocks of Eurasian Wigeon.
The American Wigeon's short bill enables it to exert more force at the bill tip than other dabbling ducks, thus permitting efficient dislodging and plucking of vegetation.
The America Wigeon is the dabbling duck most likely to leave water and graze on vegetation in fields. However, feeding in fields on grain, such as corn, is rather rare.
The American Wigeon's diet has a higher proportion of plant matter than the diet of any other dabbling duck.

It is intersting to watch the courtship flights of Wigeons out at Farmington Bay where 4 or 5 drakes will fly in a group all pursuing one hen.

Last year and again this year there has been a Eurasian Wigeon drake on the playa between the Nature Center and Goose Egg Island at Farmington Bay. I have included a picture below but I did not take the picture. Except for this picture all of the photos on this blog are taken by me, if I happen to include any that are not I will note it.

BIRD OF THE MONTH FOR MARCH THE AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN

Breeding on lakes throughout the northern Great Plains and Mountain West, the American White Pelican is one of the largest birds in North America. It winters along the coasts, but breeds only inland.
Description

Large, white waterbird.
Long bill with extensible pouch.
Legs short.
Body large and heavy.
Feet webbed.
Wings long and broad, with black trailing edge.
Tail short.
Size: 127-165 cm (50-65 in)
Wingspan: 244-290 cm (96-114 in)
Weight: 4500-9000 g (158.85-317.7 ounces)
Sex Differences
Sexes look alike.
Sound
Generally silent away from nesting colony. Nestling give whining grunts for food; adults have low, hoarse display calls.
Conservation Status
A long-term decline stopped in the 1960s, and populations have increased since then.

Cool Facts
The White Pelican does not dive for fish as the Brown Pelican does. Instead, it dips its head underwater to scoop up fish. Several pelicans may fish cooperatively, moving into a circle to concentrate fish, and then dipping their heads under simultaneously to catch fish.

One of the three largest colonies of American White Pelicans nest on Gunnison Island in the Great Salt Lake. There are no preditors on Gunnison Island however the parent birds need to fly to lakes and wetlands in the surrounding area to feed and bring back food for their young, they make a 75 to 100 mile round trip flight every day to feed.

Farmington Bay Feb. 20 and 21 seemed more like the middle of March

I spent several hours Friday and today at Farmington Bay doing Cub Scout workshops and it looked more like the middle of March than February out there.Both days we saw:

American White Pelicans in large numbers hundred plus

Tundra Swans

Bald Eagles

Northern Harriers

Northern Rough-legged Hawk

American Kestrels

Red-tailed hawk

Great Blue Herons (This morning on the Rookery north of the Nature Center)

Song Sparrows

White-crowned Sparrows

Red-winged Blackbirds

Northern Pintails

Ruddy Duck

Northern Shovelers

Scaups

Green-wing Teal

Canada Goose

Pied Billed Grebe

American Coot

Ring-billed Gull

California Gull

Glaucous Gull

Herring Gull

Ring-necked Pheasant

Western Meadow Lark

American Avocet

Why I said it seemed like March, I always drive through with my windows down so I can listen as well as look and this morning the Song Sparrows, Red-wing Blackbirds and Meadow Larks were singing their hearts out and this is the earliest I have seen American Avocets out there. Usually my first sighting each year is on Swan Day the second weekend of March.

A Very Friendly Pine Siskin

This little guy stayed around when I went out to fill my bird feeders this evening so I walked closer and closer to him, he still didn't fly off so I stuck my finger out and touched him on the bumb. He stepped back and stood on my finger for about 7 or 8 seconds then flew off but came right back. I ran in side and got my camera and had my son in-law Dave take some pictures, here are a couple. He actually stood on my finger four different times then I left him alone to finish eating.