The first reach of the Little Logan River at River Hollow Park. This is the river’s connection to the Logan River, and in the proposed Logan River Watershed Plan it will be an excavated to bury piped water, severing the historic Little Logan River from the Logan River forever. Courtesy & Copyright Hilary Shughart, PhotographerThe City of Logan has a special Logan Island Vibe anchored in the two arms of the Logan River which wrap around the heart of town as living blue trails and green stripes. We are the rivers, wetlands, and riparian buffers keepers.
This USGS map shows both the Logan River and the upper Little Logan River. These rivers define the Island district where Logan was originally founded.
Click for a larger view in a new tab or window and search for or zoom-in to Logan UT, https://apps.nationalmap.gov/viewer/Our stewardship is dictated by the laws we enact, and those laws include science-based riparian buffers based on best management practices. Let’s preserve and rehabilitate our natural resource treasures, not least of which the Logan River system, which includes the Logan River flowing out of Logan Canyon, and then forking into the North and South Branches which embrace the Logan Island.
Let’s celebrate our Logan Island Twin Rivers Reverence Vibe with poetry and conservation actions, such as planting native plant riparian buffers and ensuring this Tree City USA maintains a healthy tree canopy, clean water, and a thriving Natural Stream Environment, filled with the delights of birds and bird song, which are actual metrics of the health of a city.
The Logan Island Twin Rivers Reverence Vibe
The Logan River meanders gracefully from the mouth Logan Canyon,
Generating electricity here, filling First Dam Reservoir there,
Flowing through the World Class Utah State University Water Research Laboratory,
With a mile and a half southwesterly meander past Herm’s Inn here, and River Hollow Park there,
Forking to wrap around the Logan Island, twin blue trails
weaving green stripes of riverside parks,
Sustaining our urban ecosystem,
This one wild and beautiful Logan Island
Twin Rivers Reverence Vibe,
Natural Community,
Lifeline.
I’m Hilary Shughart with the Bridgerland Audubon Society, and I am Wild About the North and South Branches of the Logan River, and I am Wild About Utah!
Guide to The Logan River Trail
iFIT parking lot to Trapper Park
Read to Logan City Council April 1, 2025
by Logan Poet Shanan Balkan,
First, we pass under the traffic bridge
where barn swallows build nests of mud.
They disappear in late autumn
leaving stains where their nests once clung
to the underpass.
The river blurs turquoise to brown
under the bridge.
Bright green watercress thrives
year-round in the little stream—
see how it grows thicker by the day.
Notice the informational signs about what kinds of birds
live near the river:
red-winged blackbirds with a patch of ruby on their wings,
emerald-headed mallards, and raucous kingfishers—
now we pass a sign of fish who live in the river—
iridescent rainbow and Bonneville Cutthroat trout who wave
their tails in the swift green current.
See the majestic Wellsville mountains
jut sharp into the western sky.
They shine white, snow-covered,
late into summer.
Did you know that they are the steepest mountains
in the lower 48 states?
Turn around and see the Bear River Mountains
rise emerald behind us in the east.
Now we pass the pastures that fence horses—
dozens of them, black, white, chestnut.
A few hang their velvet snouts
over the fence to greet passersby.
The pastures shine with puddles,
bright pale hay.
The pastures smell of rich thaw,
horse manure.
Hear the music of frogs croaking,
and see the black-necked garter snakes
coiled, shy and olive-bodied,
on the edges of the trail in the grass.
The air vibrates with the jubilant
conk-conk-la-ree!
of red-winged blackbirds
and the cheerful chick-a-dee-dee-dee of black capped chickadees.
Listen! Can you hear the busy chatter of the crested kingfisher?
Can you hear the mallard skimming to a stop on the surface of the river?
At the bend in the trail, we hear
the lonely call of a great-horned owl
tangled in blue branches at dusk.
Here comes the man with one hiking pole
and the old cowboy riding his bike
and the woman who smells like patchouli glides by—
here come the mothers pushing strollers
as they chat with one another, smiling as we pass,
and all the people walking dogs—low-slung black Dachshunds,
gregarious yellow labs, and dozens of doodle mixes,
curly-haired, copper and blonde, and the golden retrievers
who love people, and lick everybody’s hands.
Past the pond,
an off-shoot of the river,
where we see minnows,
their shadows doubling them,
we can’t tell which is minnow,
which is shadow,
and a solitary kingfisher,
slate-blue, perches on a bare tree
that stands straight and tall,
and a small gray
bird skims the water, leaving riffles,
before being swallowed into a gray shrub—
there is the black metal bench
on the side of the trail where we stop to sit
and have a sip of water.
In summer, there are clouds
of white cabbage and pale yellow sulfur butterflies,
and a few orange and black monarchs.
Onto the second bridge,
this one too over a shallow pond,
where in summer small white flowers
dot the water, and wild cucumbers
with their spikey shells drape
on their vines. The silt is gray
and dappled and here we hear
the raspy call of a marsh wren
rattling cattails.
We pass the mobile home park
with blue and yellow homes
and over the bridge where on both sides
we are surrounded by gold cattails,
slowly exploding fluff,
and in summer, the blue of blue vervain.
And then onto the cow pastures
where Canadian geese nest and squawk.
We see a pair of sandhill cranes
in winter gray feathers
in the pasture, picking their way
between gold cattails.
They each have a bright red dot
under their eyes.
Look! A bald eagle!
Slow, deliberate flapping,
ebony-winged, ivory-headed.
And then to the sidewalk
that is lined with fragrant pink wild roses in June.
We see Trapper Park in the distance,
the new brick restrooms,
the pavilion with new exercise equipment,
and the brown bear perpetually climbing the side
of the toy set,
but before we get there,
let’s linger at the spring
that spills silver water over emerald
velvet moss.
Guide to The Logan River Trail
iFIT parking lot to Trapper Park
Read to Logan City Council, April 1, 2025
by Logan Poet Shanan Balkan https://bridgerlandaudubon.org/…
Gray-crowned Rosy Finch Courtesy & Copyright Hilary Shughart, PhotographerThere are deeply concerning drops in bird populations, and shifting migration ranges and patterns are changing before our eyes, but on the bright side, the crisis presents a strong reason and opportunities for even the most novice birders to be a part of the solution, to contribute to environmental conservation through community science. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the National Audubon Society, and Birds Canada urge us to walk into nature and count birds for the mid-February Global Bird Count known as the Great Backyard Bird Count. February is the month to help scientists better understand global bird populations before one of their annual migrations, and the data collected will help bend the curve for bird survival.
“Spend time in your favorite places watching birds–then tell us about them! In as little as 15 minutes notice the birds around you. Identify them, count them, and submit them to help scientists better understand and protect birds around the world. If you already use eBird or Merlin, your submissions over the 4 days count towards GBBC.”
Everything you need to know will be shared in a free online webinar, so “Get ready to flock together for the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)! Panelists will explain how to participate in this exciting global event and how participation might extend past your back door. Discover how to join a group taking part in the GBBC and explore fun ways to involve kids. From bird ID tips to counting birds with ease, this webinar is your ticket to an engaging and confident GBBC experience.”
We’ve posted links for local parks and trails with eBird printable checklists, and it’s encouraging to see the number and variety of species accessible right in town, and in our nearby National Forests and Wilderness Areas. Will you see American Robins, Black-billed Magpies, and Northern Flickers? Can you tell the difference between the American and the Lesser Goldfinch, or the Mountain and Black-capped Chickadee? Will you get lucky and spot a Gray-crowned Rosy finch feasting on black oil sunflower seeds in your own backyard?
There’s no time like the present to establish new traditions for connecting with nature and being part of the solution to the climate challenge. There are ample online resources for new and experienced birders, and in addition to the four local Utah Audubon Chapters, the Birding in Utah Facebook group provides a birding community with expert help with learning how to identify birds even in blurry photos. Team up to be a part of the constellation of community scientists documenting history, and weaving a safety net to ensure that birds have the places they need to thrive today and tomorrow.
I’m Hilary Shughart with the Bridgerland Audubon Society, and I am wild about the National Audubon initiative to promote community science for Bird-Friendly communities, and I am Wild About Utah!
“Get ready to flock together for the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)! Panelists will explain how to participate in this exciting global event and how participation might extend past your back door.” Beyond the Backyard: All About the Great Backyard Bird Count Webinar, Thursday, February 6, 7:00-8:00 p.m. Eastern, AND Wednesday, February 12, 3:00-4:00 pm Eastern https://www.birdcount.org/webinar/
This is a great time to discover the joy of bird watching and contributing to community science. The annual National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count is hosted by many organizations in many locations, with a single day selected between December 14th through January 5th. The Christmas Bird Count database was established by Frank Chapman in 1900, when holiday shooting parties were replaced with counting parties as a proactive response to the noticeable decline bird numbers.
The Bridgerland Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count is always hosted on the first Saturday on or following December 14th, and we have been contributing Cache Valley, Utah data to the National Audubon database since 1956. You can watch from home if you live within the 15-mile diameter watch circle area centered at Main Street and Hyde Park Lane – that is if you live within 7.5 miles of the intersection of Hwy 91 & 3600 N, which includes all or part of Amalga, Smithfield, North Logan, Hyde Park, Logan, Logan Canyon, River Heights, Providence, Mendon, Benson, and unincorporated Cache County. Check the interactive map on our website to determine if your home is inside the watch circle. There’s limited space available with the wandering watch groups, too.
Even if you only see the occasional American Robin or Magpie, please do consider participating in a Christmas Bird Count near you. We welcome newcomers and beginners, and hope that you will enjoy contributing to the longest running community science program which provides data for scientists worldwide.
For identification assistance you can post photos on our Facebook group. Please don’t forget that Zero is a number – we want your final report even if you didn’t see a single bird outside your home. Consider hosting a cozy watch party, sharing hot chocolate with friends and neighbors while sharpening observation and identification skills, keeping hearts and minds full and growing in wonderful ways.
For more information check our website to register at no cost at BridgerlandAudubon.org – that’s Bridgerland Audubon A-U-D-U-B-O-N dot org.
I’m Hilary Shughart with the Bridgerland Audubon Society, and I am Wild About Utah!
[Downy Woodpecker Male at] Bird Feeder Courtesy US FWS, Leah Schrodt, Photographer
Applying Anti-Strike Film to Window Courtesy US FWS Brett Billings PhotographerBirdwatching is a fun hobby for all ages and it is a great way to connect with nature and increase self-efficacy, so let’s discuss the benefits and the importance of a safe environment for feeding our backyard birds. First, the benefits of supplemental feeding, and second, preventable deaths from cats and window collisions.
Supplemental food and water are important ways we can reduce stress for backyard birds, especially through the winter months. Sites with bird feeders attract more birds over time than those without feeders, and the birds are in overall greater health than birds at sites without feeders. A higher percentage of chicks hatch at sites with bird feeders, and the survival rates are significantly higher, but supplemental feeding must be done in a safe environment.
Free ranging domestic cats and window collisions are leading causes of bird deaths in North America. The American Bird Conservancy estimates that outdoor cats kill approximately 2.4 billion birds every year in the United States alone. Approximately one billion birds are dying from window collisions each year in North America – that represents about ten percent of our birds dying from crashing into windows (1), and combined, that’s over three billion fewer insect eaters, fewer pollinators, fewer seed spreaders, and fewer parents for the next generation.
Cats should be kept indoors, and windows should be treated, especially if they reflect trees and shrubs. If you have seen a ghostly bird imprint or heard the sickening thump of a bird hitting your windows, then those are windows in need of treatments such as screens, translucent UV tape, or even tempera paint designs, because even birds that manage to fly away have potentially life-threatening internal injuries. Feeders less than 3 feet away don’t allow birds to build up too much speed before they collide, so it’s good to put feeders and birdbaths 3 feet or closer to a window or greater than 30 feet away.
Feeders placed on or near windows have the added benefit of being easy to access and monitor. In addition to a window suet feeder, one of my favorite window feeders is actually a clear plastic suction-cup toothbrush cup holder from the dollar store – it’s easy to clean and there’s no need for binoculars!
In addition to enhancing a backyard bird watching hobby and improving bird health and survival, the ripple effects of feeding birds, keeping cats indoors, and preventing window collisions include pest control in our gardens where birds feast on slugs, snails, aphids and grasshoppers. I for one particularly appreciate Black-billed Magpies when they remove wasp nests from my house! The Bridgerland Audubon website has tools, coloring pages, checklists, and science-based information on window collision prevention. Solutions can be as simple as the careful placement of bird feeders and keeping cats indoors. Find us at bridgerlandaudubon.org, that’s Bridgerland Audubon – A-U-D-U-B-O-N dot org.
Creating Landscapes for Wildlife… A Guide for Backyards in Utah, Written by Sue Nordstrom and Illustrated by Kathlyn Collins Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, Utah State University with Margy Halpin, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources; Second Printing 2001,
Updated for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, by Frank Howe, DWR Avian coordinator; Ben Franklin, DWR–Utah Natural Heritage Program botanist; Randy Brudnicki, DWR publications editor; and landscape planning illustrations by Stephanie Duer.,
Published by:
State of Utah Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife Resources,
Utah State University Cooperative Extension Service and
Utah State University Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning;
1991 updated 2001 https://wildlife.utah.gov/pdf/landscapingforwildlife.pdf
Morse, Susan, To Feed or Not to Feed Wild Birds–Bird Feeders Can Be Sources of Joy — and Disease,, US Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, https://www.fws.gov/story/feed-or-not-feed-wild-birds
Dragon, Sydney, (Student Conservation Association intern), Conservation in Urban Areas: Backyard Bird Feeding, US Fish & Wildlife Service Bird Walks (Texas), U.S. Department of the Interior, Apr 27, 2021, https://youtu.be/2bkliew6aj8
