It is with much pleasure I’m able to share some great news I just received from Hayley Pace, the assistant manager at the Eccles Wildlife Education Center, regarding the repair and expansion project for the great blue heron rookery at Farmington Bay.
The heron rookery repair project is now set for November 19th, 2022 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, and the public is invited and encouraged to attend the event.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is partnering with Rocky Mountain Power to replace the existing 6 telephone poles and attached great blue heron nesting platforms as well as expand the rookery capacity with three new poles and nesting platforms to the site.
In the end, this much-needed rookery facelift and expansion with give the great blue herons at Farmington Bay a place to nest and birders a place to enjoy for many years to come.
If you’ve never been to the Farmington Bay rookery during spring and early summer, regardless if you live here in Utah or just visiting from out of town, you are missing out on one of the greatest opportunities to see nature in action up-close and personal, something quite rare for nesting birds during their breeding season if truth be told.
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The heron rookery at the Eccles Wildlife Education Center, literally located just a few yards from the main parking lot, offers bird watchers and casual visitors alike a great unobstructed view of the nesting herons in action during the breeding season.
I personally know of no other place to view nesting great blue herons in such close proximity, close enough, in fact, to where viewing can easily be done from the vehicle for those unable to trek around the nature trail to the west.
This particular bird-related project has a special meaning for me by the way, far more than just my love for great blue herons in particular or my love for just bird watching in general.
Repairing and expanding the heron rookery at Farmington bay was a longtime goal and a very high priority for a good friend of mine, the late Billy Fenimore, the previous manager at the Eccles Wildlife Education Center who championed the need to repair and expand the rookery.
(Great blue heron rookery at Farmington Bay.
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The success of this project coming to fruition is, in fact, a tribute to his work and efforts with not only the rookery itself but the visitor center as a whole.
It is my hope people will remember Billy each time they come to the Eccles Wildlife Education Center and watch the herons on the refurbished rookery.
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