Tag Archives: winter birds

Mar 22, Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at Wellsville Reservoir

Event/Trip Reports, ,

Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at Trapper Park and the Logan River Icon Trail:

American Wigeon Mareca americana
Courtesy US FWS, Valerie Fellows, Photographer
One of the species that may be seen
Saturday March 22, 2025
Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at Wellsville Reservoir.

 

Trip Report
Fourteen people joined us at Wellsville Reservoir on Saturday morning. The weather was overcast with a temperature of around 40 degrees and a little wind, which dissipated as we got away from the north end of the lake. Several people had caravaned from the Hyrum Senior Center and had never been birding before. It was great to see them watching American Coots and learning that they are not ducks, but more closely related to cranes and rails. Wild Turkeys were one of the highlights seen walking around town on the way in. We also saw Ring-necked Ducks, Redheads and one of the first female Red-winged Blackbirds of the season. We were treated to songs of the Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Juncos and a Great-tailed Grackle’s crazy electronic vocalizations. We also noted multiple Bullock’s Oriole nests from previous seasons that appeared to be made entirely out of fishing line. See Scott Erickson’s eBird checklist for all 21 species noted.

***** Future Events & Trip Reports *****

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:
Birdlist for Wellsville Reservoir: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L805147/bird-list
Recent Checklists for Wellsville Reservoir: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L805147/recent-checklists
Media Images for Wellsville Reservoir: https://media.ebird.org/catalog?regionCode=L805147

Signed waivers required for all participants. Complete form, print results and bring printed waiver to meeting point.

Apr 12, Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at Sue’s Pond – Logan Wetlands

Field Trips, ,

Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at Sue’s Pond – Logan River Wetlands and Shorebird Playa:

Willet (Tringa semipalmata) Courtesy US FWS, Lee Karney, Photographer
One of the species that may be seen
Saturday April 12, 2025
Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at Sue’s Pond – Logan River Wetlands and Shorebird Playa.

 

Sue's Pond & Shorebird Playa - Logan River Wetlands Birding with Bridgerland Audubon Society April 12, 2025, 8:00 am Meet at the SW Corner of Smith's Marketplace Parking Lot

Sue’s Pond & Shorebird Playa – Logan River Wetlands
Birding with Bridgerland Audubon Society
April 12, 2025, 8:00 am
Meet at the SW Corner of Smith’s Marketplace Parking Lot

Saturday April 12, 2025. Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at Sue’s Pond – Logan River Wetlands and Shorebird Playa.

Trip Report:
About 23 people met at the Sue’s Ponds Playa and Wetlands site just west of the old landfill site. We had perfect early spring weather with comfortable temperatures, no wind and no mosquitoes yet. Plenty of harmless midges though (great bird food). We had some brand new birders, beginners and seasoned pros attending once again. About 35 species were seen including a wide assortment of ducks, first of the year Black-necked Stilts and lots of flashy, noisy male Yellow-headed Blackbirds. Other early migrants included Sandhill Cranes, American White Pelicans and American Avocets. A good time was had by all. One new birder even proclaimed that they are “hooked, and that this is worth getting up early for”!

***** Future Events & Trip Reports *****

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, Sue’s Pond – Logan River Wetlands and Shorebird Playa

eBird:
Birdlist for Sue’s Pond – Logan River Wetlands and Shorebird Playa: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L586105/bird-list
Recent Checklists for Sue’s Pond – Logan River Wetlands and Shorebird Playa: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L586105/recent-checklists
Media Images for Sue’s Pond – Logan River Wetlands and Shorebird Playa: https://media.ebird.org/catalog?regionCode=L586105

Signed waivers required for all participants. Complete form, print results and bring printed waiver to meeting point.

Sep 27 – Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at Benson Marina and Railroad Trail

Field Trips, ,

Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at the Benson Marina and Railroad Trail:

Osprey
Courtesy & Copyright Molly Orton
Cache Valley Wild Bird Photo Contest 2021
One of the species that may be seen
Saturday September 27, 2025
Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at the Benson Marina and Railroad Trail.

 
September 27, 2025 Trip Report

Fourteen people of mixed ages and experience joined us at the Benson Marina for the September BAS trip. We parked at the marina and walked across the cement bridge finding American White Pelicans, Western and Clark’s Grebes and one of the resident Great Horned Owls along the way. We walked about a mile to the old railroad bridge across the reservoir before returning the same way that we came. Forster’s Terns were still plunge diving, Pied-Billed Grebes submerging and White-crowned Sparrows singing. A total of 26 species were found. Some other highlights include Northern Harrier and American Kestrels.

Trip leader Dawn Holzer (dawnholzer80@gmail.com, 435-799-1991)

***** Future Events & Trip Reports *****

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, the Benson Marina and Railroad Trail *****

eBird:
Birdlist for the Benson Marina: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L165064/bird-list
Recent Checklists for the Benson Marina and Railroad Trail: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L165064/recent-checklists
Media Images for the Benson Marina and Railroad Trail: https://media.ebird.org/catalog?regionCode=L165064

Birdlist for the the Railroad Trail at Benson Marina: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L1560543/bird-list
Recent Checklists for the Benson Marina and Railroad Trail: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L1560543/recent-checklists
Media Images for the Benson Marina and Railroad Trail: https://media.ebird.org/catalog?regionCode=L1560543

Signed waivers required for all participants. Complete form, print results and bring printed waiver to meeting point.

Oct 25, Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at the King Nature Park and Green Canyon

Field Trips, ,

Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at the King Nature Park and Green Canyon

Golden Eagle
Courtesy & Copyright Chris W Mortensen
Cache Valley Wild Bird Photo Contest 2021
One of the species that may be seen
Saturday October 25, 2025[/caption]
Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at the King Nature Park and Green Canyon

King Nature Park & Green Canyon October 25, 8 am Meet at Smiths Marketplace SW Corner 750 N Main Street

King Nature Park & Green Canyon
October 25, 8 am

Kim Sullivan helped to co-lead this trip and shared lots of interesting tidbits about behavior and ways to remember bird calls. Dark-eyed junco alarms sound like someone trying to get peanut butter unstuck from the roof of their mouth!

Sixteen people showed up in the warmer than expected temperatures to look for birds. We did a short mindful meditation as a group to quiet our minds and voices and allow us to tune into the few birds around at this time of year. We were rewarded with the beautiful song of the Townsend’s Solitaire. We got good looks at some later and heard more singing and the characteristic call notes also.

Although we only found 12 species of birds some of the highlights were a pair of Bald Eagles soaring high above the ridge and high-pitched calls of the Golden-crowned Kinglet. We also got to see several examples of Black-billed Magpie nests up close.

Again, we had a couple of newcomers and several folks who have been on multiple trips.

Trip leader Dawn Holzer (dawnholzer80@gmail.com, 435-799-1991)

***** Future Events & Trip Reports *****

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, the King Nature Park and Green Canyon *****

eBird:
Birdlist for the King Nature Park: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L1178461/bird-list
Recent Checklists for the King Nature Park and Green Canyon: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L1178461/recent-checklists
Media Images for the King Nature Park and Green Canyon: https://media.ebird.org/catalog?regionCode=L1178461

Birdlist for Green Canyon: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L617866/bird-list
Recent Checklists for the King Nature Park and Green Canyon: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L617866/recent-checklists
Media Images for the King Nature Park and Green Canyon: https://media.ebird.org/catalog?regionCode=L617866

Signed waivers required for all participants. Complete form, print results and bring printed waiver to meeting point.

Nov 22, Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at the Hyrum Reservoir and State Park

Field Trips, ,

Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at the Hyrum Reservoir and State Park:

Cinnamon Teal Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge 05-11-2020
Courtesy & Copyright Chris Crook
Cache Valley Wild Bird Photo Contest 2021
One of the species that may be seen
Saturday November 22, 2025
Birding with Bridgerland Audubon at the Hyrum Reservoir and State Park.

November 22, 2025 BAS Trip Report
27 people of mixed ages and experiences joined us at Hyrum State Park and Reservoir for the November BAS trip. We had several experienced birders that joined us for this group walk for the first time. Some of the Hyrum Senior Center members joined also. We parked at the boat launch area to view the west end of the lake. Gulls and Common Loon were seen here and Common Goldeneyes. We walked through the day use area looking for songbirds. We then caravanned to the beach area on the north shore where we saw the resident pair of Bald Eagles. A total of 20 species were found. Some other highlights included seeing Red-tailed Hawks soaring just over head and calling, Common Mergansers and Northern Shovelers on the lake and flying by.

Trip leader Dawn Holzer (dawnholzer80@gmail.com, 435-799-1991)

***** Future Events & Trip Reports *****

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, the Hyrum Reservoir and State Park *****

eBird:
Birdlist for the Hyrum Reservoir and State Park: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L168383/bird-list
Recent Checklists for the Hyrum Reservoir and State Park: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L168383/recent-checklists
Media Images for the Hyrum Reservoir and State Park: https://media.ebird.org/catalog?regionCode=L168383

Signed waivers required for all participants. Complete form, print results and bring printed waiver to meeting point.