Sighting Record for Utah

Verification of Unusual Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 9-1994
[Note: The copy I had was light in some places and I could tell what it said.
These places are marked "unintelligible." I think they're mainly in non-critical places, but you can decide ~mgm]

Common name:	Le Conte's Thrasher
Scientific name:	Taxostoma lecontei
Date:	12/29/94
Time:	10:30
Length of time observed:	~10 minutes
Number:	1
Age:	adult
Sex:
Location:	Snow Canyon [unintelligible] ... L campground. ~ 50' downstream
County:	Washington
Latilong:
Elevation:
Distance to bird:	varied [unintelligible]
Optical equipment:	8.5 x 44 [unintelligible]
Weather:	cloudy, cool
Light Conditions:	cloudy but good light -- some periods of sun
Detailed description of bird:	A large very pale tan thrasher with a long downcurved, slender bill. Very "erect" stance. Long tail distinctly darker than body; whisker streak not very evident. Color was overall pale tan fading to gray below. Undertail coverts tan.
Song or call & method of delivery:	--
Behavior:	Very active running rapidly about with [unintelligible]... tame and did not seem to mind my presence. At one pt it ran within 5' of me. It made no attempt to hide.
Habitat:	mixed deciduous, evergreen, riparian scrub - dominant were live oak (Ruberus turbinella) and hackberry (Celtis reticulata)
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Crissal Thrasher - undertail coverts, stance, behavior & overall color very different than this bird. Not streaking - so not curvebilled; bird too long for Bendire's
Previous experience with this & similar species:	I have good experience with all species except Le Conte's
References consulted:	consulted NGS guide afterwards
Significance of record in this area or the state:	very rare -- unusual habitat
Description from:	notes taken at time of sighting
Observer:	John Spence
Observer's address:	see other record
Observer's e-mail address:
Other observers who independently identified this bird:
Date prepared:	1/12/95
Additional material:	Original Record
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