Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica)
Courtesy US FWS, Donna Dewhurst, Photographer
One of the species that may be seen
Saturday January 25, 2025
Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at First Dam.
Many unique species of waterfowl visit the mouth of Logan Canyon in winter due to the ice-free water. Cackling geese, mergansers and displaying goldeneyes can be found here as well as American dippers, eagles and more. We may visit the nearby Hydropark and USU Water lab sites as well.
Meet at the southwest corner of the Smith’s Marketplace (750 North Main Street, Logan) parking lot at 8:00 AM to carpool to our destination from there. We will plan to return around 10:00 AM.
Trip leader Dawn Holzer (dawnholzer80@gmail.com, 801-718-1578)
***** Future Events *****
January 25 – First Dam and USU Water Lab
February 22 – Trapper Park and Logan River Icon Trail
March 22 – Wellsville Reservoir
April 12 – Sue’s Pond – Logan River Wetlands and Shorebird Playa
May 17 – Third Dam/Spring Hollow
June 21 – Bud Phelps Wildlife Management Area
July 19 – Tony Grove
August 23 – Amalga Barrens
September 27 – Benson Marina and Railroad Trail
October 25 – King Nature Park and Green Canyon
November 22 – Hyrum Reservoir and State Park
December 6 – Lundstrom Park Trail
***** Background, First Dam *****
eBird:
Checklist for First Dam: https://ebird.org/printableList?regionCode=L353707
Recent Checklists for First Dam: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L353707/recent-checklists
Media Images for First Dam: https://media.ebird.org/catalog?regionCode=L353707
Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at First Dam
First Dam Reservoir, Places to Bird in Cache County, Utah Birds, http://www.utahbirds.org/counties/cache/FirstDam.htm
Signed waivers required for all participants. Complete form, print results and bring printed waiver to meeting point.
Background
First Dam and its surroundings, with so much open water, have traditionally been the first place to visit in the year. The Stilt recorded the following from 2009: “First Dam is sure to offer up Common and Barrow’s Goldeneyes as well as other wintering waterfowl.”
eBird reports the following First Dam sightings as of 7 January 2025.
Check out eBird for additional sightings:
| Species Name | Count | Date | Observer |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus | 1 | 7 Jan 2025 | Bryant Olsen |
| Black-billed Magpie Pica hudsonia | 1 | 2 Jan 2025 | Dawn Holzer |
| Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos | 1 | 1 Jan 2025 | Dawn Holzer |
| >Common Raven Corvus corax | 4 | 1 Jan 2025 | Dawn Holzer |
| House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus | 3 | 1 Jan 2025 | Dawn Holzer |
| Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus | 1 | 1 Jan 2025 | Linda Sargent |
| Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon | 1 | 1 Jan 2025 | Linda Sargent |
| Gadwall Mareca strepera | X | 1 Jan 2025 | Cullen Clark |
| Common Merganser Mergus merganser | 2 | 1 Jan 2025 | Cullen Clark |
| American Coot Fulica americana | X | 1 Jan 2025 | Cullen Clark |
| Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus | 1 | 1 Jan 2025 | Cullen Clark |
| American Dipper Cinclus mexicanus | 1 | 1 Jan 2025 | Cullen Clark |
| Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum | X | 1 Jan 2025 | Cullen Clark |
| Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii | 4 | 1 Jan 2025 | Toni Proescholdt |
| Canada Goose Branta canadensis | 150 | 1 Jan 2025 | Toni Proescholdt |
| Mallard Anas platyrhynchos | 90 | 1 Jan 2025 | Toni Proescholdt |
| Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris | 1 | 1 Jan 2025 | Toni Proescholdt |
| Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula | 3 | 1 Jan 2025 | Toni Proescholdt |
| Barrow’s Goldeneye Bucephala islandica | 4 | 1 Jan 2025 | Toni Proescholdt |
| Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus | 2 | 1 Jan 2025 | Toni Proescholdt |
| Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis | 10 | 1 Jan 2025 | Toni Proescholdt |
| Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia | 1 | 1 Jan 2025 | Toni Proescholdt |
| Additional Taxa (2) | |||
| Greater/Lesser Scaup Aythya marila/affinis | 1 | 7 Jan 2025 | Bryant Olsen |
| Domestic goose sp. (Domestic type) Anser | 5 | 1 Jan 2025 | Mike Fish |
