Birdnet Hotline Highlights
January 2005


Review Species Reported This Month:

    Cackling Goose  Utah Co.
    Black Scoter  Washington Co.
    Lesser Black-backed Gull  Davis Co.
    Glaucous-winged Gull  Davis Co.
    Eurasian Collared Dove  Uintah Co.
    Common Ground-Dove  Washington Co.
    Red-headed Woodpecker  Washington Co.


BOX ELDER COUNTY

Kristin Purdy (3 Jan 2005) - I saw two juvenile Harris's Sparrows in separate locations today along the Weber/Box Elder County line. The first one was in Weber County... The second....was in Box Elder County along the eastern border of Willard Bay WMA...

CACHE COUNTY

Richard Wood (12 Jan 2005) - We just saw a flock of Sharp-tailed Grouse sitting at the top of a tree in the barren area west of the Hyrum Dam, across the street from the dam.

DAVIS COUNTY 

Joel and Kathy Beyer (23 Jan 2005) - Yesterday at the Bountiful landfill, we saw many Herring and Thayer's Gulls, a first-winter Glaucous Gull and a first-winter Glaucous-winged/Herring hybrid.

Leslie Loeffel - Today, Jan. 15, an immature Harris's Sparrow was at the feeder at the Antelope Island Visitor's Center at about 3:30 PM. The volunteer on duty said an immature bird was being seen about a month ago but hadn't been seen lately. Well, it's back, or its cousin is also quite lost and has found its way to Utah.

Tim Avery (9 Jan 2005) - I birded Farmington Bay, Kaysville Ponds, and Antelope Island today...Cinnamon Teal (male in bright plumage) at Kaysville Ponds...17 Hooded Mergansers at Kaysville Ponds...20+ flock of American Tree Sparrows near the split off to Frary Trailhead on the AIC...Merlin on AIC near split off to head ot Garr Ranch...3 Short-eared Owls about 2 miles form Garr Ranch along the road...3 Male 2 Female Greater Scaup at Farmington Bay with a large raft of Ruddy Duck, Redhead, Lesser Scaup and Coots.

Tim Avery (3 Jan 2005) - Today Ken Behrens from Pennsylvania, and I birded the Great Salt Lake from Antelope Island South to the Bountiful Landfill. Quite a day filled with really good birds! First at the landfill: 1st Winter Lesser Black-backed Gull on the pond to the north of the dump - Adult Glaucous-winged Gull flew from the trash pile to the same pond...At Antelope Island we found one Juvenile Harris's Sparrow at the feeder at the visitor center, along with several American Tree Sparrows...

SALT LAKE COUNTY 

Deedee O'Brien (24 Jan 2005) - Around 10:30 this morning 3 Evening Grosbeaks were eating Russian Olives by the path heading north from the parking lot in the "duck pond park" behind the Senior Center accessed from Murray-Hollady Rd (4800 S between Highland Dr. and 13th E). This is the 2nd time I've seen them in the park in a week. Came home to find a new yard bird. 5 Red Crossbills were feeding on the cones at the top of the tallest pine in the backyard!! Both males and females.

Joel and Kathy Beyer (23 Jan 2005) - At the feeders on the Alta bypass road in Big Cottonwood Canyon we saw about 25 Gray-crowned and 4 Black Rosy Finches this morning (11 a.m.)

Jack Binch (17 Jan  2005) - ...We then went to Alta at the upper bridge on the bypass road and found Pine Siskins, Mountain Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Clark's Nutcrackers, Steller's Jays, Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches, and one Black Rosy-Finch (a lifer for me). (11:30 AM)

Tim Avery (10 Jan 2005) - At Lee Kay ponds...was...two large flocks of mostly California Gulls on the main pond directly out from the gazebo. There were a number of Ring-billed Gulls mixed in, and I picked 2 Thayer's Gulls out of the group...

Dave Hanscom (4 Jan 2005) - I stopped by the [Salt Lake] cemetery yesterday to get a start on my 2005 list and was very surprised to see a flock of Red Crossbills in the tops of some evergreen trees feasting on cones. I didn't realize they hung out down here in town. They were moving around quite a bit, but I saw them at about 950 E. 400 N.

skalicky - This morning (Sunday, 1/2/05) I observed two Winter Wrens in City Creek Canyon. One bird was observed about 200 meters above area #5 on the north side of road. This is a large seep nearby. The second bird was about 200 meters further up and near the creek itself. There are three recently felled cottonwood trees in this area. Also observed were a large number of Brown Creepers (~15) and Golden-crowned Kinglets (~20).

SUMMIT COUNTY

Tuula Rose - Saturday morning (Jan 22, 9am) UC birders on a field trip saw a White-throated Sparrow in Francis, Summit Co. When approaching Francis from the west on SR-32, just below the hill, turn right on Lower River Road. It meanders following the Provo River past a few houses. Take the first road to the right, I think it was 1000 E. About a block or so there is a white house on the left with feeders in front of the windows. The sparrow was seen in the bushes left of the house by the fence in front, and later in the cottonwoods before you come to the house by the dog pen (two big white dogs).

Kristin Purdy (21 Jan 2005) - I saw four (FOUR!) Horned Grebes at Echo Reservoir in Summit County today...I came across about a dozen [Bohemian Waxwings] on the way home in the tiny town of Peoa, north of Oakley. Peoa is located on SR-32. The highway is actually the main street through town. The Bohemians were feeding in a heavily-laden crab apple tree in the front yard of a small white house numbered 5627, west side of the road...

Lu Giddings (7 Jan 2005) - About 35 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches were seen in trees at 235 W Lower River Road in Francis at about 1:15 this afternoon. No black rosy finches were observed. The house sits well up above the road. Several feeders could be seen in trees behind it...

UINTAH COUNTY

Kathy (4 Jan 2005) - sightings of Eurasian Collared-Doves have become pretty common in Utah, including just down the road in Jensen, but I hadn't seen any in Vernal - until today. About a dozen flew across the road in front of me this noon...

Michael Weber (2 Jan 2005) - Christmas Bird Count Results for Jensen... Merlin - 1...Sandhill Crane - 1200...Eurasian Collared Dove - 1...

UTAH COUNTY 

Dennis Shirley (25 Jan 2005) - ...This morning around 9-10am I had a "tan striped" White-throated Sparrow at my backyard feeders. It was mixed in with the usual feeder birds- finches, juncos, house sparrows...

Alton Thygerson (16 Jan 2005) - I saw a Winter Wren on the Provo River Trail (same location as in past years). Park in the Canyon View picnic area's west end. Walk down river (going west), cross over the river, turn left, and walk about 125 yards. The bird was between the trail and the river.

Eric Huish (16 Jan 2005) - ...saw a flock of LARGE waxwings flying around outside my window. When they finally settled in a tree across the street I pulled my scope out of my closet and got great looks at a flock of at least 50 Bohemian Waxwings. They are at a European Mt. Ash tree at about 830 E 100 N in Pleasant Grove (Utah County).

(15 Jan 2005) - Merrill Webb reported a male Barrow's Goldeneye at Lincoln Point (further north and around the bend from Lincoln Beach). He said that there may also be a female in with the Common Goldeneyes.

Brad Wahlin (4 Jan 2005) - I have seen some emails about Cackling Geese lately and two days ago at East Bay golf course there were 4 Cacklers with about 100 Canada geese!! I have seen them pretty frequently through out December and now in to January.

WASHINGTON COUNTY 

Jack Binch (1 Feb 2005) - I went to the St. George Winter Bird Festival and had a very enjoyable trip...Notable was the Red-headed Woodpecker and #300, an Inca Dove.

Marilyn Davis (31 Jan 2005) - Yesterday, Sunday, Keith and I took a trip to Half-way Wash to check it out ...We drove into the parking area, parked, looked down towards the path just north of Sunset Blvd and saw about 20 or more White-crowns busily eating seeds that someone had dropped. Right in the middle of them were two Golden-crowned Sparrows. What a surprise...

Rick Fridell - Yesterday (1/17), Kristen and I did a loop around St. George to check on the status of wintering birds. Here are some of the highlights: Common Moorhen remaining at the pond in St. George. Drake Wood Duck and a Great Egret at the Sunbrook Golf Course middle pond Male Vermilion Flycatcher in the fields north of Riverside Drive Greater White-fronted Goose, Ross's Goose, and another Great Egret at the Spring's Estate Pond.

Rick Fridell - Yesterday (1/15) Larry Tripp, Marshall Topham, Cameron and Melody Rognan and I visited some eastern Washington County locations...At the Wilson Pecan Orchard we spent some time photographing the lingering Red-headed Woodpecker...At Sand Hollow State Park we observed a Greater Scaup, female Red-breasted Merganser, and the pair of White-winged Scoters (remaining since mid-October, usually below the main dam)...Larry and I went on to Virgin and observed the adult male Williamson's Sapsucker at the old Town Hall. This is only the second wintering Williamson's Sapsucker record that I'm aware of for Washington County....

Bill Hunter (14 Jan 2005) - Dixie birders here. We been out in them thar soggy fields a day or two ago and seen some rally neat birds...Here's a few of the bestest:...Greater Scaup - Straton Pond, other wise called Grandpa's Fishing Hole...Black Scoter - 7 or 8 at Sand Hollow...Common Ground Dove - Wilson's Peach and Pecan Orchard, etc. (No "Woody")... Long-eared Owl - 15+ We waz havin' to duck their chuckin' and chivin'. Never seen so many in my life...

Steve Hedges (5 Jan 2005) - VJ and I observed the Red-headed Woodpecker this morning at 11:30. It has moved to the north end of the orchard west of Wilson's orchard...

Joel and Kathy Beyer (3 Jan 2005) - We went down to Washington County this weekend for the three rarities.  Saturday afternoon we got nice looks at the Red-headed Woodpecker and the Common Ground-Dove at Wilson's Orchard. Sunday morning we (along with several others) looked for the Rufous-backed Robin in Springdale for about 3 hours, with no luck....Other birds of note were a pair of Horned Grebes (winter plumage) on Quail Creek Reservoir.

Steve Summers - Yesterday (Jan. 1) I tried for all three Washington Co. recent rarities... and totally struck out....While looking for the woodpecker at the Wilson Farm I did find a Harris's Sparrow with a flock of White-crowneds in the back corner of the orchard...

WEBER COUNTY 

Kristin Purdy (24 Jan 2005) - There's nothing like seeing a Northern Saw-whet Owl in sunny Ogden Valley in Weber County to lift one's spirits! Glenn Barlow and I watched a sunning, sleeping Northern Saw-whet in a small juniper tree this afternoon around 3 pm. The tree is situated about 70 feet off SR-158 and an agitated Townsend's Solitaire "pointed out" the predator to me.

Kristin Purdy (3 Jan 2005) - I saw two juvenile Harris's Sparrows in separate locations today along the Weber/Box Elder County line. The first one was in Weber County along a canal that intersects the Weber County Pathways Rail Trail and about 1/2 mile south of the trail head...