Birdnet Hotline Highlights
February 2007


Review Species Reported This Month:
   
Cackling Goose  Millard Co.  Utah Co.
    Black Scoter  Washington Co.
    Lesser Black-backed Gull  Davis Co.
    Glaucous-winged Gull  Davis Co.
    Western Gull  Davis Co.
    Iceland Gull  Davis Co.
    Scaled Quail  San Juan Co.
    Gilded Flicker  Washington Co.


BOX ELDER COUNTY

Stephen Carlile (10 Feb 2007) - The Great Salt Lake Birders stopped at the Willard Bay Campground today... We hunted for the White-throat, but did not find it. However, we did see the juvenile Harris Sparrow in the brush on the paved trail, at the northwest end of the campground.

Tim Avery (10 Feb 2007) - Thanks to Kris Purdy's excellent description of where to look for the White-throated Sparrows at Willard Bay I was able to find one relatively quick at the feeder at the back end of Campground # 1 in Willow Creek CG. I sat at the picnic table and after about 10 minutes of waiting the bird showed up and fed for about 15 minutes while I watched: No sign of the Harris's or the other WTSP.

Kris Purdy (2 Feb 2007) - This morning two of the three "good" sparrows seen last week at Willard Bay SP in Box Elder County were present again in the same locations as before. The tan-striped morph of the White-throated was at Willow Creek campsite #1 and the Harris's Sparrow was at campsite #15. I did not see the white-striped White-throated Sparrow.

CACHE COUNTY

Ryan O'Donnell (13 Feb 2007) - Yesterday, February 12th, Stephanie Cobbold and I saw a White-throated Sparrow in Logan, Cache County. The bird was seen from along the canal that runs between 400 N (Hwy 89) and Canyon Road, just south of the Utah State University campus. There is a trail along this canal that can be reached from the first driveway east of the intersection of 400N and 600E.

DAVIS COUNTY

Tim Avery (26 Feb 2007) - At 11:54 am I received a phone call form Kris Purdy who is at Farmington Bay right now, watching what she believes is an adult Iceland Gull. The bird was seen from the main parking area looking south-southwest into Turpin unit (towards Kennecott basically). She says the bird was on the ice about 250 yards out almost on the edge of the cattails and fragmites. This area is directly south of the canal heading north where the Western Gull was reported by the Sommerfield's and Beyer's yesterday. Kris reports that the Western Gull,  2nd winter Glaucous Gull and a Thayer's were present as well.

Joel and Kathy Beyer (25 Feb 2007) - After seeing the rare bird alert we ran (drove) up to Farmington Bay WMA late this afternoon, and found the Western Gull in the canal as described. We had to wait an hour for it to join the many Herring and
other gulls feeding on the carp, but when it did show up it was immediately noticeable since it was the only large dark-backed gull there. This was a much nicer look than at Lee Kay Ponds, as the Western Gull was amongst 30 or so other gulls, rather than the hundreds at Lee Kay, and we had the sun behind us!

Tim Avery (17 Feb 2007) - This afternoon, Dave Slager and I observed 2 female Long-tailed Duck at the bridge near the marina at Antelope Island. The birds were on the southside of the bridge in the now quite large pool of open water. Along the road to Garr Ranch we observed a lone Northern Shrike just south the Frairy Peak turnoff, on the east side of the road.

Edson Leite (11 Feb 2007) - Beth, her mom and I went to Farmington Bay today to look at the Bald Eagles. We saw 67 Bald Eagles, a juvenile Glaucous Gull, and an adult Glaucous-winged gull at the first bridge. The Lesser Black-backed Gull was further out.

Tim Avery (10 Feb 2007) - So after getting home form Willard Bay and checking my email, I had no choice but to run back up to Farmington Bay to look for the Trumpeter Swans reported to birdtalk by Silvia Gray.  I got the scope on it and was pleased to see and adult Trumpeter (from what I could see) feeding just a few yards from a couple Tundra Swans, for a nice comparison. ...As I continued to scour the birds I had a 2nd winter Glaucous Gull fly through my scope and land on the edge of the ice about 300 yards out. About a minute later I caught a very dark mantled gull coming in and landing just feet away from the Glaucous. It was an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull!!!

Sylvia Gray (10 Feb 2007) - at Farmington Bay we observed many Tundra Swans and a pair of Trumpeter Swans, one of whom was sporting a green neck-band. Rich Hansen, the manager at F.Bay said it was banded in 2002 at West Yellowstone. Pretty cool.

Joel and Kathy Beyer (4 Feb 2007) - This afternoon at Farmington Bay WMA we saw an adult female Snow Bunting in a large flock of Horned Larks. They were along the west side of the west dike road. In amongst the Tundra Swans, ducks and gulls on the main pond was a first winter Glaucous Gull.

MILLARD COUNTY

Stephen Carlile (24 Feb 2007) - Just returned from the Salt Lake Birder's trip to the Delta Snow Goose Festival. A great trip with 43 species seen at Delta, Clear Lake, and points in between; though little open water. The expected thousands of Snow Geese seen....there were also lots of Ross's Geese. I have never seen so many. ...Also saw two Cackling Geese (short neck and stubby bill).

SALT LAKE COUNTY

Pomera Fronce (1 Feb 2007) - The...Varied Thrush, is still hanging around the Kennecott Nature Center along the JRP. Steve Carr and I observed her this morning.

SAN JUAN COUNTY

Joel and Kathy Beyer (19 Feb 2007) - Kathy and I found the 3 Scaled Quail in San Juan Co. on Friday afternoon (the 16th) at the dry seep location. They were quite accommodating, running out in front of us about 30 feet away, less than 10 minutes after we got out of our vehicle. Great directions!  Some other nice birds seen during the trip were - San Juan Co.: Acorn Woodpecker and Williamson's Sapsucker (male) at Devils Canyon campground (~10 miles south of Monticello), Northern Shrike along Hwy 191...

Steve Carr (10 Feb 2007) - We took a very impromptu UOS Quick Chase yesterday afternoon and today to find the Scaled Quail. We followed Dennis Shirley's excellent directions... This a.m., we got to the site at 7:45 a.m., had no luck till 10 a.m., when Pat Jividen heard one clucking - then we all heard the unmistakable calls. He was also able to find the covey, all 3 birds still present. The weather was cool but not really cold.

UTAH COUNTY 

Dr. Wayne H. Whaley (20 Feb 2007) - On Monday 19 Feb. while on a hawk watching trip with ornithology students we saw several what appeared to be Eurasian Collared-Doves near Lake Shore along SR 147 and vicinity. They were relatively common around dwellings.

Colby Neuman (19 Feb 2007) - We then walked the path that follows the shoreline to the north of Utah Lake SP. We did find at least two Cackling Geese that were mixed in with a large flock of Canada Geese in the fields to east of the pathway.

WASATCH COUNTY 

Ned Bixler (18 Feb 2007) - Deer Creek Reservoir is still 90+% frozen, however, the open spots had a large number of ducks in them.  ...Eurasiasn Collared doves... and a single White-throated Sparrow...

WASHINGTON COUNTY 

Rick Fridell (23 Feb 2007) - This afternoon between 4:00 and 5:00 pm, there were two Black Scoters at Sand Hollow State Park, Washington Co., UT. A first winter male and female scoter stayed in very close proximity to each other, diving and swimming in tandem. The birds were actively foraging directly south of the main parking lot, and east of the west dam. They were several other species of ducks on the reservoir, including large numbers of Northern Pintails. Also present were 5-6 Horned Grebes. I'm surprised at the numbers of Horned Grebes wintering on Sand Hollow this year; I've never seen so many wintering in the county.

Rick Fridell (19 Feb 2007) - This morning, Kevin Wheeler and I visited Lytle Ranch. We saw and/or heard at least five Crissal Thrashers singing between the ranch houses and the pond. Overall it was rather quiet at Lytle, but we did find the continuing Harris's Sparrow near the restrooms.   On our way out of the Beaver Dam Wash, we observed a flicker flying overhead....It had a large black central breast patch, and underside spotting and overall size also appeared to be appropriate for a Gilded Flicker. When it flew, it appeared to be yellow-shafted, but unfortunately it flew over the hill to the north.... Also the four Greater White-fronted Geese are remaining at the SR-9 (Hurricane) Sewer Ponds.

Tim Avery (4 Feb 2007) - This afternoon Colby Neuman and I found a male Anna's Hummingbird at the Red Cliffs Campground north of St. George. The bird was initially seen flying out of the campground and south out of view over the day use parking area. It flew over once again while we were up in the rocks to the southwest of the campground. A short time later I relocated the bird, in the picnic area, and as it squeaked at me, was able to locate it in the tree and confirm an all dark head of a male bird. Colby was able to let me know that the call I heard was a sure sign of a territorial male.

WEBER COUNTY 

Kristin Purdy (4 Feb 2007) - Hooper is Eurasian Collared-Dove territory and I saw many on the way in and out to the bay. As I recall, our Ogden CBC team that surveys that sector logged something like 162 collared-doves in Hooper. I also saw a couple in Clinton as I headed south to Antelope Island.