Utah Bird Report for 6/15/99
Submitted by Mark Stackhouse (westwings@sisna.com) to the bird net

Birds mentioned

Common Moorhen Box Elder Co.
Snowy Plover Uinta Co.
Least Sandpiper Uinta Co.
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER Uinta Co.
Calliope Hummingbird Salt Lake Co.
Williamson's Sapsucker Summit Co.
LEAST FLYCATCHER Summit Co.
OVENBIRD Utah Co.
CASSIN'S SPARROW Millard Co.
Blue Grosbeak Box Elder Co.
Bobolink Box Elder Co.

Transcript

Utah Birdline
(801) 538-4730
Compiler: Mark Stackhouse
Transcriber: Mark Stackhouse

BOX ELDER COUNTY

A COMMON MOORHEN was seen at the southwest corner of the auto-tour loop at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge on Friday, 06/11 (C&SA). The bird was in the channel on the south side of the road.

Two male BOBOLINKS have been seen in the northwest part of Brigham City, as reported on Friday, 06/11 (C&SA). They are on the west side of 800 West, about 1-2 blocks north of 900 North.

At the sewage ponds just north of Willard Bay State Park, a pair of BLUE GROSBEAKS was seen on Friday, 06/11 (C&MSo).

MILLARD COUNTY The CASSIN'S SPARROW, which was seen in the Wah Wah Valley on Wednesday, 06/09, has been seen again. It was observed performing its flight display and song on Monday, 06/14 (LW). To get there, take State Highway 21 west from Milford about 25 miles to the Wah Wah Ranch, which is about 1/2 mile north of the highway, and the only spot of green in the valley. Take the county road north through the ranch for about 12.5 miles. On Monday, the bird was between 12.3 and 12.4 miles from the highway. This is the first documented record of Cassin's Sparrow in Utah.

SALT LAKE COUNTY A CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD was seen at Mountain Dell on Thursday, 06/10 (JC,MS). It was in the willows just below the East Canyon Road, on the east side of the road as it crosses the creek at the Mountain Dell Golf Course.

SUMMIT COUNTY A LEAST FLYCATCHER was seen at the Shingle Creek Campground along the Mirror Lake Highway on Thursday, 06/10 (JC,MS). It was about 200 yards down the trail to the east of the campground, past Group Picnic Area B.

A pair of WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKERS was found nesting along the Mirror Lake Highway on Sunday, 06/13 (MS,m.obs.). They were exactly 1/2 mile past the Provo River Falls viewpoint on the west side of the highway, about 25 yards from the road in the right-hand of two dead fir trees. The nest tree leans to the right, and there is a downed tree with a split stump nearby.

UINTAH COUNTY A WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER was seen at Ouray NWR on Friday, 06/11, at about 6:45 pm (RH,m.obs.). The bird was about 1/4 mile south of the beginning of the Shepard Bottoms auto-tour loop, in the first of three flooded fields on the right side of the road. It was with a SNOWY PLOVER and a LEAST SANPIPER. This is the second record of White-rumped Sandpiper in Utah.

UTAH COUNTY An OVENBIRD was seen in Loafer Canyon, at the southeast corner of Utah Valley south of Salem, on Sunday, 06/13 (KC,DS). It has been seen again by many observers on Tuesday, 06/15. To get to the place, go south on 300 West in Salem, following the jogs in the road to the left, until you reach Loafer Canyon. Take the road up the canyon to the end, and then follow the trail for another 300 yards to the east, where a log in the middle of the trail marks the spot, and listen for the bird up the hill to the south.

This concludes the Utah Bird Report for Tuesday, June 15, 1999.

Observers: C&SA=Cal & Sharon Andrus; JC=Jeff Carlson (of IN), KC=Kevin Colver, RH=Rich Hoyer, DS=Dennis Shirley; C&MSo=Carolyn & Mort Somer, MS=Mark Stackhouse; LW=Lew Wilkinson

Please report your sightings by calling the Utah Birdline at: (801) 538-4730 or by e-mail to westwings@sisna.com

You may e-mail questions and comments to westwings@sisna.com or you may call (801) 487-9453.