Review Species Reported this month:
   Little Blue Heron   Davis Co.

BOX ELDER  COUNTY

Mike Hearell (30 Jul 2014) - [Willard Spur] - The number of southbound birds on the Willard Spur are building with each visit. This afternoon there were thousands of Godwits, Ibis, and Dowitchers. There were also hundreds of Stilts, Gulls, Terns and Pelicans. The number of Black Terns alone were approaching 100! By the time I made it out this afternoon the heat waves were pretty bad but, in the morning they are pretty minimal.

Mike Hearell (19 July 2014) - I took a trip out to the Willard Spur this morning in search of any early arrivals from the north. Best birds of the day were 3 Horned Grebes, and an AMERICAN BITTERN.
 

DAVIS COUNTY

Norm Jenson (23 Jul 2014) - Gail and I discovered a LITTLE BLUE HERON today about 2pm at Farmington Bay- Glover's  Lane Pond. We observed it several different places on the pond it eventually flew east from the Nature Center towards. 1325 W. If you walked the trail from the Nature Center East toward 1325 west you might find it along the canal that runs through there call if you need a better description.
 

GARFIELD COUNTY

Larry Tripp (8 Jul 2014) - [Tropic] - This morning I had a singing White-eyed Vireo moving around in the large willow trees at the Bullberry inn B & B in Tropic UT. It's in Garfield Co. near Bryce Canyon NP. I watched it for about 10 minutes before it stopped singing and I lost it in the trees. I listened through the day on and off but never heard or saw it again. This is where I now live so if I locate it again I will post it.
 

KANE COUNTY

Chris Babcock (30 Jul 2014) - I just spent a few days in Kodachrome Basin State Park in SW Utah. Posted on a birder site that I belong to on Facebook and someone from Utah just told me that my siting was unusual and suggested I send an email here. We were camped in Kodachrome Basin July 19 - 21st (site #8 if anyone cares). Black-throated Gray Warblers were very present and easily identifiable. Absolutely no doubt about the identification. I saw a minimum of 5 birds at one time though I’m pretty sure there were more based on the calls (maybe up to 10 total). They were busy in the trees morning and dusk - moving fairly constantly, but many good looks. Calls were as described in the guide books. Also present were Ash-Throated Flycatchers, Pinyon Jays (out the wazoo), Ravens, Violet-Green Swallows, Chipping Sparrows, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Black-chinned Hummingbirds and a Rufous Hummingbird. I saw what I think was a Gnatcatcher but didn’t get a good enough look to be certain. Several of the Pinyon Jays were young - still begging and being obnoxiously noisy at 5am. :)
 

RICH COUNTY

Paul Higgins (4 Jul 2014) - Green-tailed Towhee. Monte Cristo Mountains.
 

SALT LAKE COUNTY 

Norm Jenson (17 Jul 2014) - [Lee Kay Ponds] - Stilt Sandpiper. The bird was still there at 7:30 pm tonight. It is still in the location Shyloh reported. Also a juvenile Sabine's Gull.

Rich Young (15 Jul 2014) - Whether I’m walking at Crestwood Park, Big Cottonwood Park, or the Jordan River Parkway, I’m encountering fledging Black-headed Grosbeaks! They’re often on the gravel paths, in the shade, foraging, and tolerating close encounters by people who ignore them.

Rich Young (11 Jul 2014) - Mill Race Pond in Taylorsville has been a lonely place these past days! However, the absent Forster’s Tern showed up again! Just in time for me to take the challenge: “Do Something Different (photographic) in a World that is satisfied with good enough!”

Norm Jenson (9 Jul 2014) - [Red Butte Gardens] - Red-eyed Vireo. I heard revi when I arrived but couldn't locate shortly after that Rachel arrived and we got some brief looks as well as hearing it both sing and it's yack call. Best was when it swooped down attacking a bbma driving it away . Kudos to Matt for his great picture, something I was unable to manage, and for the GPS coordinates that confirmed the exact location.
 

UINTAH COUNTY

Norm Jenson (27 Jul 2014) - [Mirror Lake] - We've seen Gray Jays about half of the times we've gone to mirror lake and each time it was from the parking lot or within 100 yard radius. When we arrived today this guy was waiting for us. Later as we expanded our circle, staying within 100 yards, we saw two more. We also heard an American Three-toed Woodpecker drumming nearby, but were unable to locate him.

Diane Penttila (2 Jul 2014) - [Ouray NWR] - A couple exciting birds this week: a Common Loon in Leota, and a Snowy Plover with 3 young in Sheppard Bottom. The following birds were seen within the survey route: [highlights]: ...Blue-winged teal, ...Wood duck,... Ring-necked duck,...Great egret,... Common loon,... American bittern,...Snowy plover,...
 

UTAH COUNTY

Jeff Cooper (26 Jul 2014) - [Pleasant Grove] - I just looked out the window of my home office and noticed a pair of Mourning Doves building a nest. That's a first for our yard. A moment later I looked again and a male Rufous Hummingbird came to the feeder and chased off the Black-chinned that was trying to feed. That's the first Rufous at the feeder for the season. A fun couple of minutes as I am wrapping up a blog post about a trip Eric Peterson and I took yesterday to Tabiona and Mirror Lake. It was a great day. We saw and photographed lots of fun bird activities I'll share a little later tonight.

Jeff Cooper (13 Jul 2014) - On a whim, I took my 9-year-old niece from California up American Fork Canyon and onto the Alpine Loop tonight. The last-minute decision turned out to be well worth the drive. It's always fun to watch someone get excited about cute little owls and other discoveries in our mountains. We saw a beautiful sunset from the Pine Hollow trail head parking lot. We saw several raccoons crossing the road after the sun went down. I took her to one of my reliable owling spots and whistled in an adult Northern Saw-whet Owl within about ten minutes. I've found timing to be critical for getting these guys to call back, especially this time of the year. After giving my niece the rare look at the Saw-whet we went for the Flammies. Poorwills were calling as usual and the Flammies began calling about twenty minutes after the Saw-whets. We had a very cooperative Flammulated Owl. It perched right above us and allowed some video to be captured.

Dennis Shirley 93 Jul 204) - I saw the GREEN HERON previously reported at the East Bay Golf Course this morning at 7:00am before the golfers arrived. Be courteous. Also, anyone looking for Blue Grosbeak in Utah County, I found two pair on Swede Lane.

Jeff Cooper (1 Jul 2014) - The desert can be a beautiful and lively place. Eric Peterson and I spent the past two Saturday mornings enjoying Utah County's West Desert. Here are some of the fun creatures we encountered:
   --Four Owl species including images of Short- and Long-eared Owls
   --A light juvenile Swainson's Hawk putting on a stretching display (beautiful/handsome bird)
   --We stumbled upon a Northern Harrier nest with four fledglings
   --Gray Vireos
   --Gray Flycatchers