Turning back to Deseret Ranch,
I saw my first sapsucker.
You can tell that this is a male Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker because he has a red throat. The females have a white throat.
Do you see the hole that he drilled above? Sapsuckers are incredibly patient. They drill the hole and let the sap seep out. Then they eat some and wait for more to ooze out. Below is a picture of him drinking sap.
In addition to all the new birds that I saw on this trip, I also saw my first badger. We saw him from the bus, so we were able to approach much closer. Unfortunately taking pictures through the glass makes them a bit more blurry, but it’s still a pretty good picture of a badger!
We also saw a moose. I never get tired of looking at them.
I love seeing the wildlife.
A Sapsucker sucking sap – love it. I can’ t believe you saw so much wildlife on one trip. I’ve never seen a badger (love his stripey head). And I’ve only seen a moose once, and it took a very long time. Good stuff.
I know! The bird count was over 100. The badger was so awesome. I’m told that they’re extremely mean but they look neat.
I see you are a New England transplant. I am from there also and I also lived in the Salt Lake area for 6 years before moving down to AZ. I love that place and would move back in a heartbeat. One of my favorite birding areas is the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge near Bringham city. I also love Farmington Bay and Antelope Island. So much to see! So many birds! I hope you enjoy your life there! Thanks for visiting my blog.
I didn’t realize that Kathie, how interesting! I’ve been reading for blog for forever, but somehow didn’t pick up on that.
I went to the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in the dead of winter so it was very very cold. I haven’t made it back since but I really should. Farmington Bay is my favorite spot at the moment, although I love the areas surrounding the Provo River Valley.