Birdnet Hotline Highlights
August 2002

Review Species Reported This Month:
     Zone-tailed Hawk   Washington Co. 
     Broad-billed Hummingbird  Washington Co. 
     Hermit Warbler  San Juan Co. 
     Kentucky Warbler  Washington Co. 

BOX ELDER COUNTY 

Joel and Kathy Beyer -  At Bear River Refuge today, 8/24, there were still a large variety of birds, but few "peeps". Highlights of the auto tour loop were two Common Terns at the northwest corner, and three Short-billed Dowitchers along the south side.

Glenn Barlow - (Thu, 15 Aug 2002)  Pomera and I decided to try our luck in birding (far) northern Utah today. ... The "Bird of the Day" was a flock of about 15 Gray Partridge in what seems to be the north end of White's Valley.

Carol Gwynn - (Sat, 10 Aug 2002) ... there were 9 Snowy Plovers on the dry mudflats past the entrance to Harold Crane WMA, south of the Willard Bay dike. These included 6 adults and 3 babies, who were tearing around the mudflat as wildly as my 5th grade students do at recess.

Mark Stackhouse - (Sun, 04 Aug 2002)  The shorebird migration is really hot at Bear River MBR. ... Including a quick trip to the back side of Willard Bay (which was also filled with shorebirds), we saw 20 species of shorebirds, and a total of 98 species for the day (we were cut short of 100 by a flat-tire late in the day). Here's a partial list: ...., Snowy Plover - Willard; 3 adults, 7 chicks/juveniles ... Semipalmated Plover - BRMBR ... Solitary Sandpiper - BRMBR; 7... Marbled Godwit - BRMBR, 300; Willard, 4000+... Pectoral Sandpiper - BRMBR; 5-6... Red-necked Phalarope - BRMBR; 25, Common Tern - BRMBR; 2 ... Black Tern - Willard; 150 ...
Adding in the Whimbrel (Inland Sea Shorebird Reserve), and Sanderlings (Antelope Island Causeway) which we saw yesterday; we've seen 22 species of shorebirds in two days of birding around the Great Salt Lake. Not too bad for a "desert" state . . .

CACHE COUNTY 

Julie VanMoorhem -  Birded Tony Grove area with Kent Lewis looking for Red-headed Woodpecker Tuesday 7/30 with no luck. Walked about a mile up the trail toward White Lake but only saw Williamson's Sapsuckers, McGillivray's Warbler, Audubon's Warbler, Western Tanagers, Chipping Sparrows. Saw Purple Martin below Tony Grove on the side road where they are typically seen. This road is the only one going off of the main road to Tony Grove; go about 100 yards up the road, and watch for swallows and martins mixed in with them.

DAVIS COUNTY 

Joel Beyer -  (Sat, 31 Aug 2002)  A visit late this Saturday afternoon to a fairly windy Garr Ranch on Antelope Island didn't turn up the Red-eyed Vireo, but we compensated by finding an Indigo Bunting.  It was a fall immature bird, based on
coloring and the distinct streaking on the breast.  It was foraging with a flock of Lazuli Buntings and Chipping Sparrows in the open grassy area that is bordered by the ranch house, equipment building and the horse corral (i.e., directly north of the ranch house clothesline).  Interestingly, the Indigo appeared bolder (or more naive?) than the other birds -- three times, it stayed foraging on the ground when the rest of the flock scattered to the trees, and it allowed a very close approach.

John Bjerregaard - (Friday, August 30, 2002)  I observed an Ovenbird at my home in South Weber Utah on August 29,
2002. I got a very good look at it. It collided with my kitchen window and was stunned for several minutes. I took several pictures. I haven't seen the bird since it recovered.

Glenn Barlow -  (29 Aug 2002)  Glenn Barlow just reported a Red-eyed Vireo at Garr Ranch on Antelope Island.  There's a White-winged Dove there also, as well as the Common Redstart.

Glenn Barlow - (Wed, 28 Aug 2002)   Went to Garr Ranch today and met Jack Torrey and Pomera Fronce. Jack was there before us and was kind to show us the resident Long-eared Owl. It was sitting low in a Russian Olive, almost hidden, except for the upper part of its body, at the eastern edge of the spring area.

Pomera Fronce - (Fri, 23 Aug 2002)   There is a Northern Waterthrush at Garr Ranch. I suppose you might find it most
anywhere in the boggy area...  The yellow wash on the waterthrush looks spectacular in the sun. Also, a Townsend's Warbler was seen in the picnic area.

DUCHESNE COUNTY 

Bruce Mast (Oakland, CA) - A recent backpacking trip into the High Uintah Wilderness Area (Aug 6-9) yielded some excellent birds, including Northern Goshawk (adult and juvenile), White-tailed Ptarmigan (hen and fledgling), Black Rosy-finches, Three-toed Woodpecker, Blue Grouse, and Golden Eagle. My wife and I also saw a moose cow and calf. Our route took us up the Uintas river and then up Krebs creek to the Chain Lakes. Spectacular country, even without the birds.

GRAND COUNTY 

Damian Fagan - (Mon, 26 Aug 2002)  Among the numerous migrants at the Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve, Moab, Nashville Warbler, American Redstart, White-faced Ibis, and Brewer's Sparrows. Observations from 8/22-8/26, 2002.

SALT LAKE COUNTY 

Pomera Fronce - (Sun, 25 Aug 2002)  The birding at Tanner's Flat (Little Cottonwood Canyon) was great today. Of the
warblers, there were MacGillivray's, Nashville, Orange-crowned, Virginia's, Wilson's, Yellow and Yellow-rumped. There were also Brown Creepers, Warbling Vireos and a handful of other common birds.

Deedee O'Brien - (Tue, 13 Aug 2002)  ... Of greatest interest are the Snowy Plovers easily seen by walking straight out
the dike that once accessed the old Saltair (next to "Bare Bum Beach"). We counted 137 and all were well before we reached Lee Creek. Near Lee Creek were 10 Baird's Sandpipers, 3 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 4 unidentified peeps. Also saw 5000 Avocets and ~10,000 California Gulls with a few hundred Franklin's Gulls.

Dana Green - (Sat, 3 Aug 2002)  Brighton was cool, beautiful and full or birds this morning.  I got there about 6:30 and left about 10:30.  Red Crossbills were everywhere as were troops of warblers and sparrows.  ... There was a male Three-toed Woodpecker feeding a juvenile in the housing area as well as a Hairy in the same area. In a grove by the ski lift beside Twin Lakes Dam there was a Juvenile Williamson's Sapsucker.  Also saw a Juvenile Goshawk and Pine grosbeaks.  It was fun!

Mark Stackhouse - (Fri, 02 Aug 2002)  Yesterday (Thursday), we saw a Pectoral Sandpiper in the eastern-most of the
ponds on the south side of I-80, about 1 mile west of the Tooele exit. Other shorebirds there included Lesser Yellowlegs, Baird's Sandpiper and Long-billed Dowitcher. This morning, we toured the Inland Sea Shorebird Reserve (Thanks, Ann!) where we saw a Whimbrel and a Semi-palmated Plover among other, more common shorebirds.

SAN JUAN COUNTY 

Chuck LaRue (Arizona) - On 13 August 2002 an adult male HERMIT WARBLER was seen at the 10,100ft elevation level on the road up Navajo Mountain in San Juan County.  This was within about 0.25 mile of the radio towers on the summit.  It was examined closely for 15 minutes to as close as 20 ft for characters indicating hybridization with Townsend's Warbler and it showed pure Hermit traits.

SUMMIT COUNTY 

Dick O'Brien - (Fri, 2 Aug 2002)  Enjoyed some good birding at the Beaver Creek Picnic area on the Mirror Lake Highway this Friday morning. Many Western Wood Pewees and Willow Flycatchers, plus an Olive-Sided Flycatcher. Also a pair of Belted Kingfishers, a House Wren, numerous Black-headed Grosbeaks, a Ruffled Grouse, a Red-breasted Nuthatch, and the usual Northern Flickers, Black-capped Chicadees, Juncos and Robins, plus a variety of sparrows that I always need my wife's experience to identify.

Letitia Lussier - (Thu, 1 Aug 2002)  While at home on Sunday, I noticed an unusual bird at a feeder which is outside
the kitchen window. When I got closer to try and figure out what it was, I was absolutely amazed. It was a 1st year Red Crossbill! I've never had this type of bird at a feeder before.

TOOELE COUNTY 

Jack Binch - (Sat, 3 Aug 2002)  I found a hot spot near Stockton today. Got there at about 10:00 and there were birds everywhere in an old field. Many western kingbirds, many Lark Sparrows, chipping sparrows, several sparrows that I could not identify. A blue-gray gnatchatcher, a small flycatcher (gray?), sage thrasher, lazuli buntings, and finally a Black-throated gray Warbler (many)  

UINTAH COUNTY 

Ron Brunson - (Sun, 18 Aug 2002)  After being absent for over a year I finally found the Brown Thrasher again in my yard in Vernal.

Brian Maxfield - (Fri, 9 Aug 2002)  Today I saw a few unusual birds at Midview Reservoir. There were 4 Snowy Plovers and a single Sanderling feeding on the mudflats at the SW corner of the reservoir (or pond, as it now resembles). There was also a immature Common Loon in the open water. I have observed several common loons this summer in the Basin but this is the first juvenile.

UTAH COUNTY 

Eric Huish - (Sat, 31 Aug 2002)   In lake Shore near 4000 West we saw 2 Solitary Sandpipers in a small puddle in a pasture.  At Lincoln Point just south of the boat harbor there were lots and lots of birds most interesting being Nashville Warbler, Virginia's Warbler, Baird's and Least sandpipers.  At LeBarron Point we had a Peregrine Falcon that kept flying over us giving very good views.  All the swallows in the sky were following right behind her. 

KC Childs - ( Sat, 24 Aug 2002)  While leaving the Utah County Birders field trip this morning Robin Tuck, Alton
Thygerson saw two Solitary Sandpipers along the canal on the paved road on the east side of River Lane. It was a lifer for me. Also birds that I saw along River Lane today was an immature Purple Martin, Nashville Warbler and a Barn Owl.

Joel and Kathy Beyer -  Today, Friday 8/23, we saw a male American Redstart on River Lane (west of Springville).  ...  Also of note were Black-throated Gray, Nashville, and Townsend's Warblers. And thanks to Merrill Webb for pointing out a Western Screech Owl.  We checked out the sandpipers at Lebarron's Point (near Genola) as reported by Cheryl Peterson on Wednesday.  With a scope, we were able to identify most of the birds, which included 3 or 4 Pectoral Sandpipers, Baird's Sandpipers, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, and lots of Wilson's Phalaropes.

Cheryl Peterson - (Wed, 21 Aug 2002)   There was a lot of activity on River Lane today.  The warblers I saw were:  Townsend's, Nashville, Black-throated Gray, Wilson's, Virginia's,
Orange-crowned, Yellow-rumped and Yellow.

WASHINGTON COUNTY 

Rick Fridell - (Fri, 30 Aug 2002)  This afternoon (8/30) I saw a first fall KENTUCKY WARBLER at Upper Sand Cove
Reservoir, Washington County, UT.  Upper Sand Cove Reservoir is completely dry, allowing easy access into the (usually inundated) willows on the north side.  The Kentucky Warbler was foraging in the dry inflow channel that runs into the willows from the north.  It was foraging on the ground in the drying mud (catching flies and winged ants) with several MacGillivray's and
Wilson's Warblers, as well as Song and Black-throated Sparrows.

Bob Showler - On Tuesday, August 6, Lonny Boring and I saw two Common Black Hawks along the Virgin River, about 1/4 mile north of the Zion Lodge in Zion National Park. One of the hawks disappeared after an initial sighting, but the other remained perched for 15-20 minutes in a large cottonwood tree along the river. It periodically let loose with its call, which sounds very much like that of an Osprey.

Steve Summers - (Sun, 11 Aug 2002)   20:18:38 -0600 This morning (Aug. 11) at the Hurricane sewage ponds the Semipalmated Sandpiper reported yesterday by Rick Fridell was still there. This may likely be a first county record ... We were looking for an Indigo Bunting which Rick has been seeing for over a month. The bird has been singing during all this time and a female Indigo has been seen with it. While looking for the bunting (which we saw) we saw an unusual female hummingbird that we finally determined was an immature female BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD. The hummingbird was foraging among the tall canal vegetation and nectaring on tamarisk along the North arm of the Middle Drain (west of 3000
East between the road and Seegmiller Marsh). We watched the bird for about 5 minutes (it was very active) before it flew off over the fields not be be seen again. If accepted by the Utah records committee this will constitute about the 5th state record.

Bill Hunter - (Sun, 04 Aug 2002)  ... 3) Road in and down to Pine Park. ... ZONE-TAILED HAWK - 1 (First seen by Judy Jordan, broadcast on our FRs radios, bringing the rest of us to a screeching halt, necessitating turning around and retracing our steps back up to her location.