Last Year Lifer

The holidays flew past faster than sparrows chased by a hawk, but before the year ended I managed to add one more lifer to my list, taking me to a grand total of 254. About an hour's drive to the north, at a small park with a lush pond and a thriving population of domestic ducks, mallards, and wood ducks, there lurks a trio of what I believe to be the most beautiful ducks in the world - Mandarin ducks.

While it might have taken awhile to get to the park through the I-15 construction corridor and other assorted road projects along the way, it didn't take long at all to locate the ducks as Beus Pond. There is a small dock jutting out into the pond, and just to the south, a stand of rough shrubbery. On the drab winter day I visited, a short look into that shrubbery revealed a riot of color that shouldn't have been among the gray sticks and murky mud, but there it was, a Mandarin drake nestled in for a winter's nap.

He, and his two companions, didn't stay napping for long. When another visitor arrived toting a bag of bread, all the ducks and geese on the pond, including the Mandarins, made for that dock and their share of the bounty. While I don't condone feeding ducks bread, there are no laws against it at this location and it was helpful to bring these beauties out of hiding and into a better position to see their brilliant plumage. They're smaller than I'd pictured for ducks with such grand colors, but there's no missing the rainbow they portray.

Quite the satisfactory lifer to end 2011. All told, I only managed ten new lifers in the year, what with selling a house, buying another, moving, computer difficulties, work shake ups, family crises and more, but 2012 is going to be a year I put more birding on my map. Though belated, Happy New Year to you all, and here's hoping there are more birds flying into your year as well!

Playing at a New Pond

It's always nice to discover a new birding location, a great spot to see different birds with a different view than your very familiar local trails. Over the weekend, I joined a bird walk with Bill Fenimore of the Wild Bird Center in Layton, and we visited Beus Pond in Ogden. It's a nice, medium-sized pond with a rich riparian habitat: open water and flowing streams even in the winter, many nesting boxes for the local waterfowl, marshy and reedy areas for cover, and crabapple trees for winter food along the park's perimeter - all ideal for birds. The park is even well planned for birders: ample parking that won't disturb the birds, a well groomed path around the pond and through some forested patches, feeders kept filled to attract numerous songbirds to great views, and a small dock projecting slightly into the pond for excellent waterfowl views and interaction.

Over the course of the hour-long visit, we spotted more than a dozen species on even a drab winter day, with some remarkable views of wood ducks and mallards swimming and preening, black-capped chickadees stealing seeds from the feeders, spotted towhees foraging in the brush, a brown creeper flitting up tree trunks, and a sharp-shinned hawk poised for a hopeful lunch. It's a lovely spot, and I can't wait to visit again, particularly during migration seasons and spring, when the ducks are fledging.

Bill Fenimore is a wealth of birding knowledge and local history of wildlife management, and his bird walks are always a pleasure. On this occasion, he shared with us some of the history of Beus Pond and its magnificent population of wood ducks. Wood ducks are not widespread in Utah, and not much habitat is suitable for them locally. Beus Pond, however, is an ideal location, and about 20 years ago a group of wood ducks with clipped wings (to prevent them from leaving) was introduced to the pond. The birds were well cared for with the nest boxes and careful monitoring, and they have thrived. In recent years, reports of wood ducks have been confirmed in adjacent areas, proving that the introduction has been successful and the duck population is growing.

Beus Pond is a wonderful birding location, and I can't wait to go play again when even more birds will join the game.