Powell Slough Waterfowl Management Area

To get to the Powell Slough Waterfowl Management Area you just need to drive west from UVU until you reach the end of the road. I've been there twice and haven't seen any waterfowl, but I've seen other birds. Last time I brought the camera with me.

The first bird I spotted, aside from Robins and Starlings, was this bright yellow guy. I believe that it's a Bullock's Oriole.

I spotted a timid little bird that I thought was just a house sparrow, but I am now sure that it is a Lincoln's Sparrow.

This Yellow Warbler was much easier to notice. It lived up to it's name, singing non-stop.

The entire area is covered with reeds and I wasn't surprised to find a lot of Red-Winged Blackbirds. They are good at noticing me from a distance and not letting me get close.

Another bird didn't care about distance at all. This Eastern Kingbird followed us around for a while and didn't mind posing.

I can't identify any of the birds in this last picture because of the distance, but I think it's cool. The smaller birds were mobbing the large raptor to keep it away from their territory. It's a lot bigger than they are, but they had an easy time out-maneuvering it.

You don't have to go far to see nature in action.

Birds at Work (part 3)

There are still more birds to get pictures of around Novell campus. I got some of the little sandpiper-like bird and was able to identify it as a Killdeer.

I read that they are named after the noise they make, but this one has always been silent.

I was also able to get a better picture of an American Goldfinch. I saw a lot of these near the Provo River, so I'll have to take the camera there next and try to get better pictures.

The barn swallow chicks have hatched. I wanted to get a better peek at them, but one of the parents caught us and did it's best to scare us or lure us away. I didn't want to stress the poor bird out.

The parent kept a close eye on us as we left.

I also got a good shot of some neighborly cliff swallows.

This is just another robin, but I caught it with its mouth stuffed full of berries.

This is a Red-Winged Blackbird. He hangs out at the marshy pond on the south-east corner of the campus. I've noticed these guys like reeds.

In the same area, I found what is by far the biggest bird I've seen around here. This Great Blue Heron must have been feasting on the plentiful carp in the pond. 

Unfortunately, even staying back and using the camera's full 42x zoom, I made it nervous and it flew away. It had a massive wingspan. I hope I'll see it again soon.