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Field Trip Report for Saturday, October 30, 2004 (Birding For Beginners)

left to right: Bryan Dixon, our trip leader, Sue, Dave and Jane meet in front of the Ibis; Looking to the top of the trees for a Yellow-rumped Warbler; Crossing the tracks near Rendezvous Park.

A group of nine of us set out for a Beginner Birders trip on Saturday, October 30th. First stop was Rendezvous Park, which is along Highway 89, southwest of Logan. The trail here takes you along the Logan river which runs through Logan River Golf Course. First bird spotted was a pair of Yellow-rumped Warblers. Other birds of interest seen in this area were Mountain Chickadee, Brown Creeper, large flock of Ruby-crowned Kinglet and an American Kestrel.

We then continued on to 20/20 Ponds in Young Ward where we saw (in the distance), Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, and what looked like Lesser Scaup. Next stop was the Benson area, where we stopped to look for Barn Owls in haystacks. We found owl pellets all over in the hay barn and telltale roosting holes in the hay, but no Owls. As we were looking for the Owls, two flocks of Tundra Swans were seen and heard passing over us, headed west. We checked out Logan Cities new polishing Lagoons, where we spotted a lone female Ring-necked Duck and a single female Bufflehead. At Benson Marina we saw a lone male Canvasback, an American Coot, and perched on a telephone pole, a Red-tailed Hawk. I guess we were still early for most of the winter waterfowl.

We decided to check out a trail along the Bear River in Benson for our final stop. We flushed an unknown Owl (more than likely a Great Horned), which flew across the river and out of sight. Other interesting birds that were seen included Downy Woodpecker, Green Tailed Towhee, White-crowned Sparrow and a very secretive Sharp-shinned Hawk. I attempted to walk across the marsh field to flush the hawk in hopes that the group could get a good view of it. It flew from one bushy tree to the next, where a cacaphony of birds erupted. Black-capped and Mountain Chickadees led the chorus of warning calls, followed by a group of Ruby-Crowned Kinglets and Song Sparrows. In the reeds of the marsh we saw and heard a Marsh Wren.
–Stephen Peterson 11-1-04

Complete Trip Bird List:
Black-capped Chickadee
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Mountain Chickadee
European Starling
American Kestrel
Brown Creeper
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Ring Necked Pheasant
Black-billed Magpie
Mallard
Belted Kingfisher
American Robin
Rock Pigeon
Ring-billed Gull
Red-tailed Hawk
Canvasback
Bufflehead
Ring-necked Duck
Common Goldeneye
Tundra Swan
Marsh Wren
Lesser Scaup
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Green-tailed Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow

left to right: The Logan River along the Rendezvous Park trail; Dick Hurren leading the way along the Bear River in Benson; the group scanning the trees for Owls.