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Modified
Friday, February 4, 2005
Archived bird sightings: December, 2004 Return to main bird sightings page Compiled by Bill Fenimore Box Elder 12/28 — Brian Mickelson birding at Mayors Pond reported Greater Scaup, Barrow's Goldeneye and Ring-necked Duck. 12/10 — Bridget Olson, Wildlife Biologist at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge conducted a Water bird and Raptor Survey. Wetland units are still about 90 percent frozen over despite the recent warming trend and the rains. The majority of the ducks have left the refuge. However, duck numbers are still double what we had this time last year. Notable sightings include two juvenile Black-crowned Night Herons. She reported the following conditions and observations: Tundra Swan; 5,172, Canada Goose; 362, Mallard; 5,790, Pintail; 3,261, Gw Teal; 7,175, Shoveler; 611, Gadwall; 448, Wigeon; 713, Scaup; 13, Goldeneye; 1063, Bufflehead; 713, Common Merganser; 52, Red-breasted Merganser; 2, Ring-necked Duck; 6, Ruddy Duck; 360, Gb Heron; 73, Bc night Heron; 2, Ring-billed Gull; 107, California Gull; 101, Coot; 5, Bald Eagle; 17, Harrier; 29, Rough-legged Hawk; 4 Cache County 12/18 — Chris Cokinos, John Mull and Stephen Peterson spotted a single, male Red-naped Sapsucker in Amalga, climbing and flying about in the Pines near the Amalga City Hall building, on the Christmas Bird Count. Carolee Lavery and Stephen saw a Northern Pygmy Owl, in the parking area of Wood Camp on 12/19. Davis County 12/21 — Colby Neuman birding at the Bountiful landfill reported observing a third-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull among the California, Ring-billed and Herring Gulls. 12/11 — Leslie Loeffel observed the Long-tailed Duck previously reported with a group of Common Goldeneye and Bufflehead along the Antelope Island causeway. It was on the north side at the last bridge before the marina. 12/11 — Carol Gwynn reported a male Hooded Merganser at the Kaysville ponds Saturday. To reach the ponds, take Kaysville exit #331 off I-15, go east to the first stoplight. Then turn south on Main St. Go about two blocks to where the road forks (just after the theater). Take the right fork past the school and park across from the church. 12/02 — Kris Purdy reported a lone Snowy Plover at Antelope Island Causeway on the north side at mile 2.6. At the bridge west of mm 1, there was one female Barrow's Goldeneye and an adult female and a juvenile Long-tailed Duck. Other birds of note include many Bonaparte's Gulls along the western two miles or so, American Tree Sparrows in Russian olive trees east of the road to Fielding-garr Ranch and ½ mile north and south of the turnoff to Frary Peak, and a Prairie Falcon. The falcon was sitting on a tuft of grass out on the mud flat, a couple hundred yards south of the causeway's mile 4.5. 12/04 — Brian Currie birding at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area (FBWMA) reported observing Bald Eagle, Gadwall, Northern Shoveler, American Coot, Bufflehead, American Kestrel, Northern Harrier, Great Blue Heron, Killdeer, Wilson's Snipe, and a Red-breasted Merganser. Just outside FBWMA, on the road going north off Glovers Lane, at the first set of utility power towers to the east, Brian saw what Sibley describes as an intermediate adult Red-tailed Hawk. He also saw a male Yellow-headed Blackbird in the same vicinity. Garfield County 12/16 — Jens Munthe reported a Blue Jay in Escalante since Thanksgiving and a Hooded Merganser at the Escalante sewer ponds observed during the Christmas Bird Count on 12/16. Morgan County 12/29 — Jack Rensel reported a Varied Thrush that was observed during the Christmas Bird Count in the Morgan area. The female Varied Thrush was upstream from the point where the main road crosses the Weber River. The high school will be on your right. The bird was in some spruce trees near the irrigation water diversion on the opposite side of the river. Arnold Smith reported a Mockingbird in the Milton area during the same Christmas Bird Count. Salt Lake County 12/26 — Jim Rafferty reported observing a pair of Eurasian Collared-doves along the Jordan River Parkway. They were on the east side of the river, perched above a platform feeder that was placed on the fence at the back of a house at about 1200 N. 12/16 — Dan Gorder reported observing Brown Creeper, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Lesser Goldfinch at the south entrance to Liberty Park. 12/16 — Lu Giddings reported a flock of about 30 Rosy Finches at Alta. The birds were observed at the first house north of the bridge on the upper end of the Alta By-pass road. The flock was mostly black rosy finches with a few gray-crowned rosy finches. 12/11 — John Richards reported a male Hooded Merganser at Winchester, 6400 S. 1200 W. in Salt Lake City. 12/09 — Pomera Fronce reported 15 Red Crossbills at the Salt Lake City Cemetery in the general area of Central Ave. (940 E.) and Grand Ave. (270 N.). 12/09 — Brad Whalin birding on the Jordan River in Bluffdale, observed two Drake Cinnamon Teal. 12/01 — Pomera Fronce reported a female Long-tailed Duck on Mountain Dell Reservoir. Summit County 12/17 — Deedee O'Brien observed a large flock of Bohemian Waxwings in the Uintah/Kamas area. The location of the sighting was just east of Upper Setting Road and 8.4 miles east of the high school in Kamas. Uintah County 12/20 — Diane Penttila, Biologist at Ouray National Wildlife Refuge reported the following birds on the General Water Bird Survey: Canada geese, 450; Common merganser, 9; Bald eagle, 13; Red-tailed hawk, 2; Northern harrier, 2; American kestrel, 1. The first Christmas Bird Count will be held at Ouray National Wildlife Refuge/Green River on Jan. 2 which is the day after the Dinosaur National Monument/Jensen Christmas Bird Count. 12/07 — Diane Penttila, Biologist at Ouray National Wildlife Refuge reported the birds observed during the General Water Bird Survey. Additionally, you are reminded to mark your calendars for the first Cbc at Ouray Nwr/Green River on Jan. 2 which is the day after the Dinosaur Nm/Jensen Cbc. The impoundments froze over Thanksgiving weekend and the river is almost all frozen over. The following birds were seen within the survey route: Canada geese, 301; Common merganser, 1; Great blue heron, 3; Golden eagle, 1; Bald eagle, 3; Red-tailed hawk, 1; Rough-legged hawk, 1; Northern harrier, 2; Coopers hawk, 1; Merlin, 1 Utah County 12/16 — Amanda Williams birding along the Provo River observed a female Hooded Merganser between Bulldog and State Streets. Additionally, Amanda saw a Brown Creeper and Ruby-crowned Kinglet in the same vicinity. 12/05 — Bryan Shirley reported a Greater Yellowlegs and a Long-billed Dowitcher in East Bay. 12/02 — Dennis Shirley reported a Cackling Goose at the mouth of the Provo River at the Utah Lake State Park. It was in a flock of 50 or so Canada Geese. Washington County 12/31 — A Red-breasted Sapsucker seen at Zion River Resort in Virgin. It was in the pine tree in front of the RV campground registration. 12/30 — Kevin Wheeler and Cameron Rognan relocated the Red-headed Woodpecker at the Wilson peach and pecan farm south of Hurricane. It was in the same vicinity as previously reported, near the rental home and adjacent to the dirt road. 12/28 — Red Cliffs Audubon reported the highlight birds from the recent Christmas Bird Count: one Bald Eagle near Ivins; one Greater-white Fronted Goose at Springs Park Pond; one Common Moorehen at Red Hills Golf Course; two Black-crowned Night-herons near Washington Fields, one Evening Grosbeak at the St. George LDS Temple 12/27 — Glenn Barlow reported that the Rufous Robin is still being seen near Springdale, as previously reported. In the narrows, at Leeds where the creeks flow into the reservoir was a pair of Rufous-crowned Sparrows. A Red-headed Woodpecker was observed at Wilson's Peach and Pecan Farm, which is located southwest of Hurricane and south-southwest of the Hurricane sewage ponds. Directions to the Red-headed Woodpecker location: Go to the Hurricane sewage ponds at 4300 W. Enter the road on the east side of the sewage ponds, go south for 1.1 miles to a fork in the road. Take the right fork. It will go south, then turn west. Go 0.9 miles, until you see a white sign that reads: "Wilson's Peach and Pecan Farm." Leave the paved road and take the left fork, which is a dirt road. It goes straight, then quickly turns south. Go 0.3 miles to another sign: "Wilson's Peach and Pecan Farm." You will see a very good dirt and rock road between two vinyl fences that run north and south. This road leads to the owner of the peach and pecan farm. On the left is pasture. On the right is about 40 acres of peach and pecan trees. There is also a row of trees that run parallel to this road. The Red-headed Woodpecker was seen near the entrance to this road, on the 5th tree, on the right side of the road. The owner of the property said that it was all right to bird the area, but permission was required prior to entering the orchard. 12/26 — Red Cliffs Audubon conducted the Silver Reef Christmas Bird Count and reported a Red-headed Woodpecker in the pecan fields south of Hurricane; 20 Long-eared Owls seen in some tamarisk south of Hurricane; a Peregrine Falcon in the south Hurricane/Sand Hollow area; a flock of Red Crossbills on the southeast side of Laverkin and Eurasian Collared Doves reported for the first time in this count (nine with one Ringed Turtle-dove) in Laverkin. 12/26 — Pomera Fronce, birding in Washington County, reported observing the Rufous-backed Robin. The bird appeared about 8:15 a.m., roughly in the same place as previously reported, in the Springdale area. The orchard was very active and produced a nice surprise — of a flock of Pinyon Jays. Near Virgin, Pomera observed a Ferruginous Hawk and a dozen Red Crossbills. At Lytle Ranch she reported a Brown Thrasher and a Long-eared Owl. At the Virgin River confluence she reported Abert's Towhees, Gambel's Quail, Crissal Thrasher and a Greater Road Runner. Near the Red Cliffs Campground was a flock of 30 Evening Grosbeaks. 12/18 — A Rufous-backed Robin was sighted on Zion National Park's Christmas Bird Count. It was discovered in the Springdale area. Photo and video documentation are available. The observers were Ken Hinton, Don Hinton, Marshall Topham, Seth Topham and Todd Calico from St. George. 12/11 — Lu Giddings, Dennis Shirley and Kevin Wheeler birding at Lytle Ranch reported second-fall male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in the orchard. Other birds of interest:
12/04 — Joanne Weldon reported on the Red Cliffs Audubon Chapter Field Trip to Quail Creek State Park, Stratton Pond, SR 9 Sewage Ponds, Sand Hollow State Park and Hurricane Fields. The birds seen on the trip follow: Canada Goose, Gadwall, American Widgeon, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, White-winged Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Ruddy Duck, American Coot, Pied-billed Grebe, Eared Grebe, Western Grebe, Clark's Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Golden Eagle, American Kestrel, Merlin, Prairie Falcon, Gambel's Quail, Killdeer, Ring-billed Gull, Mourning Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Northern Flicker, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike, American Crow, Common Raven, Verdin, Bushtit, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, American Pipit, Cedar waxwing, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Savannah Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, Brewer's Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch Weber County 12/21 — Joy Pashley observed a Red-naped Sapsucker in her yard at 1352 Country Hills Drive in Ogden. 12/18 — John Bellmon reported a male and female Rusty Blackbird at the edge of the Warren Canal in Plain City. Take 1500 N. east to 4150 W., continue east on 1500 N., crossing the bridge over the canal. The birds were just on the north side of the road, approximately 30 feet from the south end of the pond where it empties into the canal in Plain City. 12/16 — Liz Poulter reported Red Crossbills, Evening Grosbeaks, Common Grackles, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Pine Siskin and Goldfinch visiting her backyard feeders at 621 S. 7700 E. in Huntsville. 12/04 — Bill Fenimore reported that the Layton, Wild Bird Center Saturday morning bird walk at the Ogden Nature Center turned up several good birds for Utah. One was a dark adult phased Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk. The others were Bohemian Waxwings and a Brown Creeper, along with the usual suspects in a winter upland habitat. To report bird sightings and/or hear recorded information, please call the Utah Bird Line at (801) 538-4730. You may also send e-mail to: frnatent@earthlink.net or BirderB@aol.com. Wild Bird Center (801) 525-8400 |
