Big Cottonwood Canyon

[cldavis at xmission dot com]

I tried to send this once and my internet connection died, so if you get it
twice, don't read the second one...

Took a quick trip up Big Cottonwood Canyon today--along with 10 million
other people (give or take a million).  I first heard, then saw, my FOY
WARBLING VIREOS at Ledgemere picnic area, along with a BLACK-HEADED
GROSBEAK, A SPOTTED TOWHEE and SCRUB JAYS. About 1/4 mile up the canyon
from there I spotted two bright WESTERN TANAGERS flycatching from the
treetops. AMERICAN DIPPERS were barely audible above the roar of the stream
and LAZULI BUNTINGS were plentiful in the lower canyon.

At the two big wetland areas, where beaver dams are prevalent and working
very well, FOX SPARROWS and SONG SPARROWS were in full song and SOLITAIRES
were whistling in the distance. Also, there were YELLOW WARBLERS, a
rattling KINGFISHER, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, CHICKADEES, RED-BREASTED
NUTHATCHES, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRDS, and a lone
MALLARD. I also saw some beautiful STELLER'S JAYS closer to the top of the
canyon. I was quite shocked at how much snow there still is at Brighton.
Just to give you a visual, the biffy at Silver Lake is buried under all
that white stuff (but the parking lot is open.)

I ended my trip by watching a magnificent TURKEY VULTURE glide lazily just
above the trees. Magnificent day!

Carol

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