Hyrum
Dam has more than fishing and boating -- how about birding?
By Caresa
Alexander
May 5, 2009 | HYRUM -- For those not ready to take
on the cold water of Hyrum Reservoir, consider the adventure
of birding.
Ryan O'Donnell, a Ph.D. student in ecology at Utah
State, has been interested in birds since he was young.
Birding involves more than bird-watching, he said in
an e-mail interview.
"Birding implies taking the hobby to a more serious
level: actively looking for birds, at a minimum, and
sometimes keeping competitive lists of species seen,"
O'Donnell said.
Hyrum reservoir is a great place to see Common Loons,
according to O'Donnell. Pictures of these birds show
striking red eyes that stand out against a head of black.
Around the neck is a band of white and the back displays
stunning checkered and spotted patterns.
While ducks and gulls are a common sight in Hyrum,
O'Donnell wrote that the reservoir is also the most
likely place in Cache County to find lost pelagic birds,
or birds of the ocean. Some of those birds include the
Sabine's Gulls, Long-tailed Duck and Black Scoter.
Sabine's Gulls are different than that gulls that
are usually associated with Utah. These pelagic gulls
are smaller and, O'Donnell said, have a black hood and
a unique triangular pattern on the wing.
The highlight of Hyrum Reservoir is the water birds,
he said. A spotting scope is helpful since most birds
are in the middle of the water. If a spotting scope
is not available, there are trails around the dam can
also afford views of sparrows and warblers.
Some other things he suggested to those interested
in birding are the purchase of a field guide and a pair
of binoculars.
"It really increases the appeal of birds to see them
eight or ten times closer than they really are and it
makes identification much easier," noted O'Donnell.
There is also a class in ornithology, the study of
birds, offered by USU's biology department. This class
includes looking at stuffed birds in a lab and going
on field trips to see them in their natural habitat
and learn to identify the different types of birds.
O'Donnell is experienced enough to recognize some
birds by their calls and by the flaps of the wings in
silhouette. One of these birds is the Red Crossbill.
There are nine different types of this bird. The bills
of the Red Crossbills have adapted to feed on conifer
cones. The tips of the bills cross in order to open
the cones. O'Donnell wrote the different types look
the same and are only distinguished by their calls.
Some people take birding very seriously. O'Donnell
wrote that there is a World Series of Birding.
According to the Web site http://www.birdcapemay.org/index.html,
the New Jersey Audubon Society will host the 26th annual
World Series of Birding on May 9. At this event participants
are given 24 hours in which they record the number of
bird species they see or hear throughout the state of
New Jersey. Since its beginning in 1984, the event has
raised over $8 million for bird conservation.
Whether you are a beginning birder or experienced
like O'Donnell, there are many species of birds within
this valley. Take some time to enjoy the sights and
sounds around you.
NW
MS |
