# Bird question



## Tigru (Oct 15, 2007)

A question for any bird watchers or enthusiasts out there. I spotted a Western Tanger in my yard this evening and I have never seen one before. I'm not what you would call a bird ethusiast but it was a pretty bird and was a nice change to the regular Starling. It required a bit of searching online for me to even identify what species it was. Are they fairly common here in Utah?

[attachment=0:2ss9er0u]tanager-western_350.jpg[/attachment:2ss9er0u]


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Yes, they are common here. It's migration time for them at the moment.

A big flock was seen this weekend around the Lindon Boat harbor at Utah Lake.

http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/UT ... 1274731982


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## The Naturalist (Oct 13, 2007)

wyogoob said:


> Yes, they are common here. .....
> 
> 
> > Ditto. Casual visitors to urban areas, but very common in the lower canyons near streams and cottonwoods/mixed brush. Not usually seen in large flocks after territories have been established.
> > Indeed a beautiful bird.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I'm getting a lot of reports of Western Tanager sightings from the Salt Lake valley. Many are hanging around oriole and hummingbird feeders. That tells me they are very hungry. They are usually moving into the quakies up in the benches and foothills at this time, but all this bad weather has them holed-up in the valley.


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

Pushing thru Cache Valley right now also- mostly insect feeders so bird feeders really don't do much to bring them in though they do eat some berries/plants.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

They like grape jelly and orange halves this week in Pleasant Grove Utah:


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

I just unintentionally flushed 4 or 5 of these pretty little birds out of a bush in my backyard. Cool looking things, with quite the song as well!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

200 Western Tanagers in one flock were reported on the Utah bird chatroom today!!

27th South and Highland in Sugarhouse.

Wow, I don't see that many in 2 years.


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

Saw a few flocks up Blacksmith Fork this weekend but watched one all afternnon eat ants off my deck.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Packfish said:


> Saw a few flocks up Blacksmith Fork this weekend but watched one all afternnon eat ants off my deck.


That's neat.

The irruption of Western Tanagers in the Great Basin is unprecedented. I had 20 or so for quite some time. One day I quit feeding them and they disappeared for a couple of days. Then 8 came back and they have been on my oranges from daylight to dark ever since.

I think they should be breeding, and/or nesting. I should stop feeding them and let them go about their "business".

I wonder if hunger overrides their desire to mate, similar to humans in my age group?


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

Do you just hang an orange or do you peel half of it- what's the ticket for that ?


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Packfish said:


> Do you just hang an orange or do you peel half of it- what's the ticket for that ?


I slice the orange in 3 or 4 pieces. Most of the birders down your way just cut them in half.
Peeling is not necessary.

Typically, oranges are hung for orioles and Black-headed Grosbeaks.


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

I have 9 black headed Grosbeaks in every day


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Packfish said:


> I have 9 black headed Grosbeaks in every day


Cool, I get a couple a year.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

I've been getting a lot of American Redstarts this year. I usually only see a few a year but I must have a few pairs nesting nearby because I see several a day. I also have a bunch of those noisy Western Kingbirds, a few Tanigers and a gazillion ever-present Juncos.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

longbow said:


> I've been getting a lot of American Redstarts this year. I usually only see a few a year but I must have a few pairs nesting nearby because I see several a day. I also have a bunch of those noisy Western Kingbirds, a few Tanigers and a gazillion ever-present Juncos.


Cool, Redstarts love orchards. I used to see them east of the FlyingJ in Perry. We don't have them here.


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## Yonni (Sep 7, 2007)

I was on the Bear River yesterday and saw these birds and was wondering what species they are, they are very pretty.


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