[JeffMoh]

Did a little casual birding in Salt Lake City on the weekend. No time for a trip to one of the good sites, unfortunately. Birding in snow was a great change from birding in Houston. Didn't see anything very exciting, except a group of 60+ California Quail in one neighborhood and a lot of Northern Flickers.

Pied-billed grebe
Common merganser
American coot
American wigeon
Northern shoveler
Mallard
Canada goose
California gull
American kestrel
Black-billed magpie
Red-winged blackbird
Rock dove
Mourning dove
House sparrow
House Finch
American goldfinch
European starling
American robin
Mountain bluebird
Western scrub-jay
Killdeer
Northern mockingbird
Northern flicker
Dark-eyed junco
Yellow-rumped warbler
Cedar waxwing

[JeffMoh]

Originally Posted by JeffMoh

Did a little casual birding in Salt Lake City on the weekend. No time for a trip to one of the good sites, unfortunately. Birding in snow was a great change from birding in Houston. Didn't see anything very exciting, except a group of 60+ California Quail in one neighborhood and a lot of Northern Flickers.

Pied-billed grebe
Common merganser
American coot
American wigeon
Northern shoveler
Mallard
Canada goose
California gull
American kestrel
Black-billed magpie
Red-winged blackbird
Rock dove
Mourning dove
House sparrow
House Finch
American goldfinch
European starling
American robin
Mountain bluebird
Western scrub-jay
Killdeer
Northern mockingbird
Northern flicker
Dark-eyed junco
Yellow-rumped warbler
Cedar waxwing

Looking at the video I shot of the quail, I now realize that the covey of 60+ birds included both California and Gambel's quail. According to the distribution maps in my guuides, Salt Lake City must be just about the only place where you can see both types of quail at once.

[wings]

Originally Posted by JeffMoh

Looking at the video I shot of the quail, I now realize that the covey of 60+ birds included both California and Gambel's quail. According to the distribution maps in my guuides, Salt Lake City must be just about the only place where you can see both types of quail at once.

___________
From the list I'd say you didn't have a disappointing day. Cheers

[Katy Penland]

I'd say that's a pretty good winter's day's birding, too! But what the heck's a Yellow-rumped Warbler doing still there?! Poor thing!

[JeffMoh]

Originally Posted by Katy Penland

I'd say that's a pretty good winter's day's birding, too! But what the heck's a Yellow-rumped Warbler doing still there?! Poor thing!

All I can think is that it was still in migration. My wife and I both got several good looks at it, though.

[Tero]

A lot like our winter birds, but I'd like to see a Scrub Jay once...

[Katy Penland]

Originally Posted by JeffMoh

All I can think is that it was still in migration. My wife and I both got several good looks at it, though.

Oh, I have no doubt that's what you saw, believe me. Two days ago, I spotted a Ruby-crowned Kinglet still hanging around our yard and pond, and we've had two weeks of 6-8 F. nights and most days barely making it above freezing. Can't imagine there's an insect alive anywhere round these parts that they can eat. Although having said that, the Western Bluebirds (a flock of 22) seem to be doing fine.

[JeffMoh]

Originally Posted by Katy Penland

Oh, I have no doubt that's what you saw, believe me. Two days ago, I spotted a Ruby-crowned Kinglet still hanging around our yard and pond, and we've had two weeks of 6-8 F. nights and most days barely making it above freezing. Can't imagine there's an insect alive anywhere round these parts that they can eat. Although having said that, the Western Bluebirds (a flock of 22) seem to be doing fine.

It isn't that cold here (Houston), but it's cold enough to have suppressed most of the bugs. The birds manage , though. In our yard, a Golden-crowned Kinglet has started using the suet feeder while a Yellow-rumped Warbler has begun to eat from a platform feeder.

Jeff

[Tero]

Originally Posted by Katy Penland

Oh, I have no doubt that's what you saw, believe me. Two days ago, I spotted a Ruby-crowned Kinglet still hanging around our yard and pond, and we've had two weeks of 6-8 F. nights and most days barely making it above freezing. Can't imagine there's an insect alive anywhere round these parts that they can eat. Although having said that, the Western Bluebirds (a flock of 22) seem to be doing fine.

Chickadees and kinglets don't seem to eat berries, so I assume they are eating very tiny insect eggs or wintering forms in the cracks of the bark. See Bernd Heinrich's Winter World. He did some experiments.