Review Species Reported This Month:
    White-tailed Kite  Utah Co.
    Broad-winged Hawk  Washington Co.
    Heermann's Gull  Washington Co.
    Vaux's Swift  Washington Co.
    Painted Redstart  Washington Co.
    Clay-colored Sparrow  San Juan Co.

BOX ELDER COUNTY

Jack Binch (30 Apr 2006) - Bob Huntington and I started birding at Portage where Kris Purdy helped us get a look at some Sharp-tailed Grouse. On to Nucor...Grasshopper Sparrows... and a lone Sharp-tailed Grouse.

Bridget Olson (7 Apr 2006) - Bear River Waterbird/Raptor Count ...New birds for the season: Blue-winged Teal, cattle egret, willet, American Bittern, lesser yellowlegs, cliff swallows and Caspian tern. Also so a yellow-headed blackbird with the usual yellow hood. However, where a normal bird is black this bird was all-white, even the bill was a pinkish color.

CACHE COUNTY

Buck Russell (29 Apr 2006) - At the Bear River Oxbow, near Benson, I saw my first Marbled Godwit and a Great Egret flew over the river. There were about five Snowy Egrets at the Oxbow. Between the Oxbow and the Benson Marina (along the Bear River) I saw a Western Kingbird and Spotted Sandpiper. Along the Logan Airport Road in some flooded fields we found a Least Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, and probably Semipalmated Sandpipers. I took some photos of the possible Semipalmated Sandpipers.

Buck Russell (27 Apr 2006) - In the past week some great new birds have arrived at the Amalga Barrens. Reinhard Jockel and I went out to the Amalga Barrens this evening and found Semipalmated Plovers, Solitary Sandpiper, Forster's Tern, Wilson's Phalarope, and Savannah Sparrow. ...Blue Wing Teal...

Buck Russell (18 Apr 2006) - Reinhard Jockel and I found a flock of Evening Grosbeaks in Riverheights (around 6th South and 4th East). There were about six birds scattered in Poplar trees within a two blocks radius.

Stephen Peterson (11 Apr 2006) - The large flock of 500 plus Bohemian Waxwings are still frequent visitors on the USU campus. This morning they were hanging out by the CNR building.

DAVIS COUNTY

Carol Davis (30 Apr 2006) - On the way to Antelope Island early this morning I drove slowly with the windows down to listen for birds. I wasn't disappointed because the air was full of song: Brewer's Sparrows, Grasshopper Sparrows, Horned Larks, and Meadowlarks. I have never heard so many Grasshopper Sparrows and it was fun to watch them singing from the tops of the bushes because they're usually so hard to find.

Joel and Kathy Beyer (23 Apr 2006) - This afternoon we found a Black-and-White Warbler at Garr Ranch on Antelope Island (Davis Co.). It was working the trunks and bare branches of the tall cottonwoods behind the Springhouse. In the picnic area we saw a "Myrtle" race Yellow-rumped Warbler amongst the many "Audubon's" Warblers, and a Common Grackle.

Tim Avery (21 Apr 2006) - [Antelope Island Causeway] It looks like Mile Marker 6 is still holding onto some of that fall shorebird magic. About 200 yards west of the mile marker, 2 American Golden Plover were about 200 yards north of the causeway, in full breeding plumage, quite a spectacular sight. Directly out from the marker were 11 Black-bellied Plover actively moving to the east as they fed. And yet again just like in the fall a large number of Snowy and Semipalmated Plover were running back and forth all over the place. All these birds are about 200 - 300 yards north of the causeway and require a scope for adequate viewing.

Bob MacDougall (15 Apr 2006) - Bob Huntington and I found five Dunlins at about mile marker six, approximately 200 yards north of the Antelope Island Causeway road this morning.

Glenn Barlow (2 Apr 2006) - Went to AI on Saturday...The best bird of the day was a Horned Grebe in bright breeding plumage, which was swimming on the south side of the island, near the bridge closest to the island. We met Keith Evans, Jack Rensel and friend, who told us about it. Got great looks, as it swam very close to shore with a small group (5) of Eared Grebe.

Kathy and Joel Beyer (2 Apr 2006) - Today at about 4 p.m. we saw a male Eurasian Wigeon at Farmington Bay.  It was in the pond northwest of the elevated lookout parking area (where the Blue-winged Teal was seen last week--but not today).

JUAB COUNTY 

Carol Davis (26 Apr 2006) - At Yuba Recreation Area there were six Marbled Godwits, two Horned Grebes, three Common Mergansers, one Great Egret, two Common Loons, seventeen Caspian Terns, and many Snowy Egrets.

Carol Davis (24 Apr 2006) - I took the Levan cutoff over to I-15 on Sunday (the old highway) so I could drive by Yuba Reservoir... present along the road parallel to the railroad tracks I heard one Grasshopper Sparrow...

Merrill Webb (14 Apr 2006) - I had a chance to do some birding...in Juab County yesterday afternoon from 3:00 to 6:00 PM. ...five species of shorebirds and 12 species of waterfowl including a female Long-tailed Duck at Chicken Creek Reservoir...

Tim Avery (10 Apr 2006) - ... As we headed back through Mona we saw a Eurasian Collared- Dove along Main Street. Our next stop was Chicken Creek Reservoir which was covered with waterfowl and a number of grebes. By far the best bird was a Short-billed Dowitcher molting into breeding from basic plumage, along with what was a molting Long-billed Dowitcher.

SALT LAKE COUNTY

Pomera Fronce (30 Apr 2006) - Have I mentioned how much I like the Jordan River Parkway south of 12600 South :). It continues to produce excellent birds!...On our way back to the parking lot, Steve picked out a bird in the bushes which turned out to be a Black-throated Sparrow. This was a beautiful fresh spring bird and we got excellent looks. This was an exciting find as I have never seen this bird outside of Washington County. Our last good bird before we left this area was a Great Egret which was coursing along the river. ...The last bird we added to our list today was the Band-tailed Pigeon in Holladay.

Colby Neuman (23 Apr 2006) - Tim Avery and I went to the mitigation area south of 126th S along the Jordan River today and we were not disappointed. Highlights were a Baird's Sandpiper, the continuing male Blue-winged Teal, continuing or a new Solitary Sandpiper, and a Western Kingbird in the sagebrush patch just north of the ponds (possibly the first in the county this year?).

Pomera Fronce (20 Apr 2006) - The Jordan River Parkway going south from 12600 South produced some wonderful birds today. The new mitigation site about 1.5 miles south from the parking lot is really bringing in some good birds...Blue-winged Teal...Solitary Sandpiper...The Harris's Sparrow I reported on March 29th is still hanging around the same area.

Joel and Kathy Beyer (16 Apr 2006) - Yesterday evening we checked out Lee Kay Ponds (SL Co.) and saw a Horned Grebe in breeding plumage. It was with Eared Grebes in the westernmost pond. A single Bonaparte's Gull was also here, along with many swallows...

Glenn Barlow (5 Apr 2006) - Thanks to an escorted tour by Pomera, my friends from CT and I were able to get great views of both the Gray-crowned and Black Rosy-finches at Alta. We parked in the cul-de-sac near Susan Thomas’ place, then walked around the corner and immediately saw a...Rosy-finch at a feeder on the railing of a house across the street from the Thomas’ house. We saw several more go out of sight underneath the feeder.

Colby Neuman (3 Apr 2006) - I spent the day ski touring from White Pine Drainage to Hogum Fork of Little Cottonwood Canyon, Salt Lake County... Along the way, I heard a Northern Pygmy-Owl around noon in Maybird Gulch (at ~8500ft)...

SAN JUAN COUNTY

Tim Avery (10 Apr 2006) - Day 2 began at 5:45 am at the Triangle H motel, the pride of Monticello, not exactly 5 star. We headed northwest of town to look for Gunnison Sage-Grouse. With all the leks being closed to the public until the 15th, we were just hoping to get lucky. As luck would have it we saw 6 or 7 of these dainty grouse… flying away as we drove along the road. Unfortunately no one got a world class look... The next stop was in "historic" Bluff, where Lu took us to his dove spot. There was a White-winged Dove as well as 2 Eurasian Collared-Dove hanging out right in the middle of town.

Tim Avery (9 Apr 2006) - Last night at around 7:00 pm a group of birders on the UOS San Juan County field trip located a sparrow in Cottonwood Wash, north of the town of Bluff. The bird initially threw the group off, as it wasn't something most had seen. When I was finally able to run down the bird I called to the group and told them to come over, the bird was a Clay-colored Sparrow. WE watched it for another 15-20 minutes as it foraged and moved around in the sparse vegetation in the small cove of the canyon we were in...

SEVIER COUNTY 

Bruce Robinson (8 Apr 2006) -...At the Richfield Cemetery there was an Eurasian Collared Dove, and another one at 100 East and 2nd South. Along the Hepplers Pond road was a Great Egret...

UTAH COUNTY 

(22 Apr 2006) - Tuula Rose reported seeing a Grasshopper Sparrow on 4000 West Lake Shore along the road just south of the observation tower.

(21 Apr 2006) - Bonnie Williams called to report that she got a call from John Lersch who reported that there was a Possible White-tailed Kite seen down at River Lane (Utah County). I don't have much information but if you are in the area keep an eye out and let us know if you see anything.

Lu Giddings (20 Apr 2006) - A Great Egret was seen flying over the Salem sewage treatment facility, and five cattle egrets were seen in the wetlands more or less directly across the road.

Cheryl Peterson (2 Apr 2006) - Steph and I saw a Common Grackle in the northeast corner of the airport dike. There was a Sage Thrasher there, also.

WASHINGTON COUNTY 

Rick Fridell - Saturday (4/29) Rob Dobbs and I observed a male Varied Thrush along the Beaver Dam Wash at the road crossing below Lytle Ranch. We were very surprised to see it, and just as surprised a few moments later to hear it singing. Also Yesterday (4/30), Rob, Kristen, and I saw a Painted Redstart in Zion NP; it was foraging and singing in the oaks along the Riverside Walk just before the first major hanging gardens area.

Carol Davis (24 Apr 2006) - Marilyn Davis and I stopped by Ivins Reservoir on the way to Lytle Ranch on Monday...There was...a Brown-crested Flycatcher singing from the tops of the bushes not far from the parking lot. ...On the way in to Lytle Ranch...we also spotted a few Black-chinned Sparrows...and more Brown-crested Flycatchers...

Larry Tripp (23 Apr 2006) - Most of the western migrants and local breeders have arrived in the county over the last couple of weeks. Highlights for myself have included an adult Broad-winged Hawk going north over Veyo today and on Friday a Vaux's Swift that I saw flying around with the Swallows at Gunlock Res.

Rick Fridell (16 Apr 2006) - We have several male Black-chinned Hummingbirds visiting the yard and feeders, along with 4-5 male Costa's Hummingbirds... They seldom come to the feeders, but there are usually several feeding on the penstemons in the front yard in the evening (an hour or so before dark) and are visible from the road (290 North). Also there are several Inca Doves calling around the Canyon Ridge neighborhood.

Rick Fridell (6 Apr 2006) - The recent series of storms passing through Washington County have led to some spectacular fallouts of migrants and waterbirds at Quail Creek and Sand Hollow State Parks. So I had a chance to drop by Sand Hollow briefly today (4/5/06) around 12:30p. Numbers of birds weren't high, but there was a 2nd spring Heermann's Gull (molting into adult plumage) with about 40 Ring-billed Gulls. The birds were below the west dike and visible from the south end of the main parking lot... Also at Sand Hollow was a single Herring Gull, a Marbled Godwit, and a few Snowy Plovers.

Bob & Georgene Bond (2 Apr 2006) - A single Black Hawk was observed in Beaver Dam wash on Friday afternoon, March 24. The bird was perched on a dead snag hanging over the east side of the stream about 250 to 300 yards south of where the road crosses the wash. We saw no Black Hawks north of the ranch house in their usual location.