Diamond Duck

Spring still hasn't quite arrived here in my part of Utah, but it is getting closer. Ice has receded on many ponds and shores, and for a short visit today we strolled along one of those shores in American Fork, at a pond where mallards and their manky relatives stay the winter. In a dirty little secret of mine, we took along a very small hunk of bread to feed the flock - just a rare treat, and never so much to foul the water - and it was well received.

One of the flock, a white domestic duck that appeared to have clipped wings but is no less brave and curious for his affliction, was bold enough to nibble from - and on - my fingertips for a few scraps. As I was feeding him, it was to my astonishment that he kept trying to take bread when I had no more to give at that moment, until I realized he wasn't actually nipping at my fingertips, but rather at my left ring finger and the diamond that glitters there. He was quite insistent even after I'd moved my finger away - a duck with very good taste.

Two notes about such visits to a pond, whether you're in Utah or anywhere your pond may rest - never feed bread frequently to the birds, as it offers no more nutrition to them than a candy bar would to you, and too much bread is unhealthy and unwise. Second, always keep an eye open for fishing line that could strangle and injure waterfowl and other birds; we collected quite the clump today. For a quick treat and a quick rescue from what could have been, it was a very lovely lazy Sunday walk.

Return of the Mallards

Even as the weather gets colder and the leaves drop to earth, I'm reminded of spring birds. Our neighbor has a beautiful pond with a boardwalk path and a rock waterfall (I'm totally jealous of the water feature), and every spring a pair of mallards arrives for a few days. They will feed on the algae and cracked corn - which we provide in both our yards - for several weeks before disappearing to incubate eggs, and we usually have the young hatchlings return for just a day or two several weeks later. After that appearance, the rest of the summer passes without a quack, and we don't see the ducks again until the following spring.

This autumn has been different, however, and the mallards have returned even while ice begins to form at the edges of the pond. We've had up to three drakes and two hens foraging at once, likely part of this summer's brood, all keeping a wary eye on me across the fence. It is lovely to see them again, but I don't expect they'll stay for long - the pond does freeze in the winter, and there are other water sources they can better use when that happens. Still, I'm glad to see them, and glad to have their company even as so many birds are hurrying south.

One Good "Tern"

After days of hectic scheduling and steady, dreary rain, the weather cleared today enough for a bit of local birding, and I wasn't disappointed in the results. My husband and I spent an hour on the Brigham Young University campus, watching ducklings and mallards in the botany pond as well as exploring the gentle paved trails along a heavily wooded and carefully maintained hillside. There, I spotted a lively, hyperactive little bird that is none other than a ruby crowned kinglet, and despite the bird's aversion to sitting still I managed to capture a quick picture as well as add another bird to my life list.

After several days of birding drought, however, one new bird - even a fun one - wasn't enough, and we visited a favorite pond where earlier this season we'd spotted dozens of American white pelicans. The pelicans have moved on, and at first the area seemed sadly devoid of birds until I noted what looked like gulls whirling and diving in the distance. After tromping through a sandy construction zone toward a dredge pond, I spotted what weren't gulls after all, but what were Caspian terns, and another newcomer to my life list. Terns can be challenging to identify, but the thick, dark red bill, black legs, and hefty size of these birds pinpointed their identity.

Even the backyard yielded a surprise today: the first lazuli bunting of the season has returned for the briefest of visits. Last spring these colorful blue, white, and cinnamon colored songbirds descended on the yard in large numbers for several weeks, and I hope they will do so again. The new feeders are gradually being put in place, and it is my hope that the last bit of the landscaping will be finished early this week so I can begin planting and adding new feeders in earnest. The birds are coming, and I must be ready!

Dual List Update

Lately there have been wonderful changes to both my life list and my backyard bird list. Not only was I able to add six new species to my life list during last weekend's amazing birdwalk in Layton, but the following day I visited several marshy areas and ponds closer to home and spotted several new-to-me birds. In one small, marshy wetland area, a northern harrier was casually hunting low over the scrub, and the wing and rump markings couldn't have been more clear. The next stop was a lengthy pond alongside a golf course, and it turned into a rich birding area as I was awed by the large flock of American white pelicans. Also in the pond were American avocets, American coots, mallards, Canada geese, and another newcomer to my life list, the northern shoveler. I can hardly wait to return to that pond this weekend for more observation.

The backyard has had new bird excitement as well. Every backyard birder dreads the resonant "bong" of a bird impacting on a window, but I don't hesitate to check the window areas so I may have the chance to help the injured bird recover. When I saw a bird with dark wings and a bold yellow rump precariously tipped in the flower bed, I didn't hesitate to grab my bird rescue box to give it someplace quiet and safe to recover, but it wasn't until I had the bird in my gloved hands that I realized it wasn't an American goldfinch or a pine siskin - it was a female red crossbill. She recovered quickly and well, and later that day I saw both males and females visiting the feeders to snack on the black oil sunflower seeds. They've returned for a few days now, and I hope they do stay; even though they're not new on my life list, it's always a treat to have more birds in the backyard.

Spring is definitely in the air - as evidenced by the fact that it is raining rather than snowing today - and with the warm breezes and blooming flowers come more visitors to the backyard. Be sure your feeders are clean and full, plant flowers to attract hummingbirds, and refill the birdbath to offer a cool drink on these warming days, and you too will be rewarded with ever more backyard guests.

Just Ducky

I've always been thrilled that our neighbors, whose backyard is far more developed than ours, have a pond, but never more so than today. Not only have the mallards returned, but they've brought a friend: a wood duck. All four, for the wood duck has apparently paired up with one of the mallard hens in a cozy way, visited our yard today, and I obligingly provided a treat of whole grain bread.

Wood ducks are stunning creatures, quite possibly one of the most beautiful native duck species in North America. Aptly named, their exotic coloring and stark, bold markings make them appear to have been carved from fine wood. As I learned from this afternoon's observation, however, they can also have quite the territorial attitude and do not tolerate any other male's attention to their perceived companions. Time will tell, of course, if this pairing is meant to last.

While all four of the ducks enjoyed the bread scraps, they also proceeded to snack on the black oil sunflower seed and millet. Not only would they take it from the ground, but one pair quickly found the recently filled platform feeder and decided that it was more convenient than ground feeding. They both tasted the peanuts, but wisely decided they weren't as tantalizing and left them for the scrub jay, who also visited this afternoon for his own treat.

The backyard excitement didn't end there, either. Earlier today, I spotted the first of the returning Cassin's finches. There is also an unusual yellow marked bird that has stumped my identification techniques; I've asked Bill Fenimore for assistance on that one and will spread the word as soon as I know. With all the excitement that I've had today, I hope your backyards are just as entertaining!

Playing at the Pond

I'll admit, I've not been a fan of water fowl before, but after the St. George Bird Festival and visiting different ponds in the area to see a wide range of species, I'm intrigued. I find it very interesting how so many different birds can share the same habitat, intermingling and feeding together without reservations. At one particular pond, mute swans, mallards, American coots, American wigeons, geese, ruddy ducks, and wood ducks all shared the waters, while a great blue heron prowled the shore (and yes, ate the goldfish).

I've been a snob. I've gravitated automatically toward the songbirds because of their frequent visits to the backyard, and to the raptors because of their innate grace and power, eschewing water fowl as awkward and clunky instead of recognizing them as the graceful, colorful, and amusing birds they can be. Yet the community of birds and their easy diversity has shown me more than ever how ecology is all connected, and we all share the same resources. If they can do it so easily and with such grace, so too can all birders share their joyous hobby with all wings. Now, I can't wait to visit more ponds and shores to find many more species to enjoy.