RFI SW Utah

[Jennifer Rycenga <gyrrlfalcon at earthlink dot net>]

Dear Utah Birders - My spouse and I will be traveling in southwestern Utah
and the southern tip of Nevada at the end of this month.  I've been doing
some birding research, and have a few specific target species for Utah,
almost all of which would be life birds.

I have a copy of the _Birds of Zion National Park_ book, and the Southwest
Utah Birding Trails map, and have sketched out some preliminary ideas, but
since our time period - March 25-29 - is very early in migration and/or
breeding season, I was hoping for more precise information concerning
arrivals, lingering birds, etc.

The target birds are

LUCY'S WARBLER - most of my sources indicate that they return during the end
of March.  Is this accurate?  Are there just a few stragglers around?  Or do
they return en masse?

THREE-TOED WOODPECKER - how far north would we have to go before reaching a
likely colony?  Does this species follow recent fires, the way its
Black-backed cousin does?  If so, what have been the most reliable sites
this year within 2 hours of St. George's?

COMMON BLACK-HAWK - Is the pair mentioned from Lytle Ranch still in
residence?

NORTHERN GOSHAWK - This one is not a life bird, but we've only seen it once
before.  Are they already setting up nests and getting ornery?

SPOTTED OWL - As a Californian, I will fully understand if you can't give
out Spotted Owl addresses.  But are there particular trails in Zion Canyon
that have been good for hearing them, at least?

Thanks in advance.  Happy to reciprocate for our bird-rich area along the
coast.

Jennifer Rycenga
Half Moon Bay, CA
gyrrlfalcon@earthlink.net

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