Review Species Reported This Month:
    Neotropic Cormorant  Iron Co.
    Reddish Egret  Juab Co.
    Glossy Ibis  Box Elder Co.
    Zone-tailed Hawk  Washington Co.
    Mountain Plover  Box Elder Co.
    Least Flycatcher  Davis Co.
    Blue-headed Vireo  Davis Co.
    Chihuahuan Raven  San Juan Co.
    Tennessee Warbler  Davis Co.
    Hermit Warbler  Washington Co.
    Scarlet Tanager  Juab Co.
    Painted Bunting  Juab Co.
 

BOX ELDER COUNTY

Kristin Purdy (28 Aug 2007) - Hit-or-miss Willard Bay State Park in Box Elder County was a hit today with  nine species of warblers including a female American Redstart. She was foraging like a flycatcher and flutter-dropping in the trees over the stream channel south of the nature trail parking lot. I saw her only briefly along a trail that leads to Eagle Beach; later I saw her again and was able to watch her until a Gray Catbird chased her deep into a hawthorne. Darn catbird!

Edson Leite (20 Aug 2007) - When out Sunday afternoon to Bear River MBR, target birds Ruddy Turnsonte and Stilt Sandpiper. Both were found fairly close to each other. Turnstone at the previously described location. The Stilt Sandpiper was about 50yds north of the last bridge on the north dike.

Glenn B. Barlow (18 Aug 2007) - Thanks to Kris Purdy, Merrill Webb and I were able to see a Ruddy Turnstone at Bear River Refuge a little past noon today.  Fortunately Kris had "waited" for us to arrive, after changing a left rear tire. Thanks Kris. Directions: Take the dike road south (?) passing the latrine on the right. Go to the observation tower at the end of the road. Turn around and go back on the same road 1/10 of a mile, just past a bridge (you will be able to see the bridge in your rear-view mirror). The turnstone was about 70-100 yards straight out on your left, feeding in the mud.

Bridget Olson (13 Aug 2007) - Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge ...Thanks to Mark and Kris for reporting their great finds at the Refuge (Mountain Plover and Stilt Sandpipers). ...from the Refuge from last Thursday's count. ...Great Egret 8 ...Solitary Sandpiper 3 ...Stilt Sandpiper 2...

Kristin Purdy (12 Aug 2007) - I made my weekend pilgrimage to Bear River MBR again this morning to study shorebirds and saw Stilt Sandpipers twice near the south corner of the auto tour loop. I think these were two different birds. This is the same area where Mark Stackhouse reported one yesterday. The birds were inside the auto tour loop and my position was about two-tenths of a mile northeast of the observation tower, looking north into Unit 2.

Jack Binch (12 Aug 2007) - I went up to Bear River MBR today to see if I could find either the Mountain Plover or the Stilt Sandpiper. Couldn't find them, but I did stumble onto a Glossy Ibis.

Mark Stackhouse (11 Aug 2007) - Another British birder and I found a few good birds at ...Bear River Refuge today. First, we saw a juvenile Mountain Plover at Bear River on the auto-tour loop about 3/4 mile SE of the NW corner in the main impoundment. It was bathing about 50 meters off of the road, and after we watched it for about 10 minutes, most of the shorebirds in the area flushed and flew to the northeast and it was lost in the tens of thousands of shorebirds there. We also saw a Stilt Sandpiper near the SE corner of the loop and several Short-billed Dowitchers amongst the thousands of Long-billed.

CACHE COUNTY

Kurt Gaskill (6 Aug 2007) - today there were 5 White-winged Crossbills flying from the Tony Grove Campground over the road. Characteristic call notes and white wing panels.

DAVIS COUNTY

Jack Binch (27 Aug 2007) - Red-eyed Vireo ...I spent Sunday morning sitting near the bog at Garr Ranch. The vireo was in the trees just east of the spring pond.

Tim Avery (20 Aug 2007 ) - I spent a good chunk of the day at Garr Ranch (10:00am - 2:00pm) ...After about an hour and a half birding I stumbled upon a Blue-headed Vireo near the same location as mentioned by Merrill Webb and Glenn Barlow on Saturday.  I followed the bird for a couple minutes, and only saw it once more about an hour later in the same area. The only other Vireo present was a CASSIN'S VIREO in the tree to the southeast of the pond. The other interesting bird was this empid, which looks like a 1st year Least Flycatcher.

Edson Leite (20 Aug 2007) - At Antelope Island about 50 western sandpipers close to shore on the south side of mm 5.
At the ranch Plumbeous Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Yellow, Nashville, Wilson's, Townsend's Warblers. The female Indigo bunting made a very brief appearance on the mud by the spring.

Glenn B. Barlow (18 Aug 2007) - ...We then went to Garr Ranch... the big sighting by Merrill was a Blue-headed Vireo. Unfortunately I could not hear him calling me. Nevertheless, the bird was seen south of the spring house along the fence-line just past the gate that leads to the spring area. When Merrill saw it he said to himself, "a blue vireo."  He said the white spectacles were obvious against a steel-blue head color. He also saw the white throat. However, he did not get a good look at the side and flanks to see how yellow, or what color they might be.

Tim Avery (17 Aug 2007) - At Garr Ranch there was a hummingbird show. I spent about 90 minutes watching the 2 feeders on the porch of the old ranch house, and at times there were nearly 30 Hummingbirds flocking to the feeders. ... 4 species were seen in the time including: 20+ Rufous Hummingbird, 2 Black-chinned Hummingbird (adult females), 4 Broad-tailed Hummingbird (1 or 2 adult males, 1 adult F, 1+ juveniles), 2 Calliope Hummingbird (2 juveniles).

Joel and Kathy (13 Aug 2007) - This morning at Garr Ranch on Antelope Island we saw 2 Northern Waterthrushes and a first-year Tennessee Warbler. The Northern Waterthrushes were along the stream behind the spring house, and the juvenile Tennessee Warbler was working the bushes just behind the spring house. The only other warbler seen was MacGillivray's.

Mark Stackhouse (11 Aug 2007) - Another British birder and I found a few good birds at Garr Ranch (Antelope Island) ...At Garr Ranch, songbird migrants are appearing. This morning we saw a Townsend's Warbler, two Nashville Warblers and a female Indigo Bunting. The warblers were also present on last Thursday morning. There are lots of hummingbirds at the feeders, and plenty of more common migrants, such as Macgillivray's and Wilson's Warblers.

Tim Avery (8 Aug 2007) - This morning there was a Whimbrel near the 1st bridge at AIC, and a Solitary Sandpiper inside the gate on the east side of the road at Farmington Bay.

DUCHESNE COUNTY

Craig Fosdick (16 Aug 2007) - I just completed a 3½ day camping trip to Mirror Lake and the Uintas.... The White-throated Sparrow (presumably the same one reported in early August) is still present at MIRROR LAKE CG, although it is very inconspicuous. I saw the bird on 8/15 directly across the road (the road through the campground) from my campsite (#72). This is the only time I saw it, despite the fact that this location was only about 30 meters from my campsite, and when I was not hiking, I was watching birds at my campsite. ...I found Three-toed Woodpecker at both MIRROR LAKE CG and TRIAL LAKE CG. At Mirror Lake CG, I had a group of three birds: one adult male, and two recently-fledged juveniles (one female, one male). This family group was at my campsite (#72) on 8/14, when they spent 20 minutes (~9 AM) foraging on a broken-off Subalpine Fir that is apparently infested with Mountain Pine Beetle larvae. This fir, which is about 11–12 m north of the concrete fire ring in the campsite, was also visited by the male on 8/13 , also ~9 AM.

IRON COUNTY

Larry Tripp (31 Aug 2007) - The Neotropic Cormorant was still there tonight. I got to the lake at about 5:00 pm and looked in the spot where Rick first saw it and it wasn't there. I saw a lot of Cormorants were toward the south end of the Lake so I drove down the road on the west side ( coming from Cedar City it's the first left heading south after passing the lake. I went to 2000 south and drove the dirt road towards the lake parked and walked to the shore line. Looking to the south I first saw the bird on the dike that crosses the lake close to the south end. Rick showed up shortly after that and the bird had flown to the east side and was mixed in with a lot of D C Cormorants and White Pelicans. It took us a while to relocate the bird. When it's in the open it's pretty easy to pick out but it spent some time back in the bushes where it's hard to see. We watched it until sunset.

Tim Avery (30 Aug 2007) - I received a phone call from Rick Fridell around 11:30 this morning reporting a 1st year Neotropic Cormorant at Quichipa Reservoir/Lake just west of Cedar City. He told me the bird was sitting with Double-crested Cormorants on a fence line in the water along the west shore of the lake. Rick was headed to the west desert but plans on stopping back by the lake tomorrow evening to check on the bird. Also present were an adult Bald Eagle and a juvenile Eagle sp., as well as Common and Black Terns.

JUAB COUNTY 

The Reddish Egret was still present at Fish Springs just to the south of the rookery in Avocet Unit. The bird was not seen until nearly 6:00pm tonight and was about 300~ yards out from the dike.... The Painted Bunting was seen at 4:15pm and again at 5:20pm feeding low in the trees along the ditch on the west side of the picnic area.... 2 Solitary Sandpiper were seen around the refuge, amongst around 23 Spotted Sandpiper.

Buck Russell (4 Aug 2007) - Bob Bradley and I made a trip to Fish Springs NWR this morning and were fortunate to see the Painted Bunting (in the picnic area-showed up around noon), a female Scarlet Tanager (in the top of the canopy in the trees between the Headquarters building and residential area-got permission to walk through the residential area), the Reddish Egret  (in the Avocet pond/unit, visible from the road between the Mallard Pond/unit and Avocet Pond/unit)...

David Allan (4 Aug 2007) - On Friday, 8/3, my wife Darcie and I finally got to enjoy the Painted Bunting (lifer for us both) seen by many at Fish Springs NWR. We arrived at the picnic area at 1230h and saw the bird almost immediately.  We also got great looks at the Reddish Egret (lifer for Darcie). We observed it near the north end of Curlew, at ~1415h. Very soon after finding the bird, we were treated to a display of its foraging dance routine.

Pat Jividen (2 Aug 2007) - Reddish Egret, Painted Bunting... We saw both at fish springs today. The egret was at the rookery island at mallard and the bunting there at the picnic tables.

Matt Mills (1 Aug 2007) - Saw the Painted Bunting again last night (Aug 1st) in the picnic area at Fish Springs. The bird looked rather ruffled, not sure if it was the weather recently, being out of place, or just the attention it has been receiving but it sure looked a lot rougher than when we first spotted it.

SALT LAKE COUNTY

Rob Fergus (11 Aug 2007) - ...this evening we found a juvenile female Summer Tanager at the entrance gate to the Inland Sea Shorebird Reserve west of the 7200 W exit on I-80 in Salt Lake County. It was actually perched on the right side of the gate down near the fragmites. After about a minute it flew off to the east down the canal and into the fragmites. It was quite a shock to see this bird here in northern Utah at this date, and in such seemingly atypical habitat (not a tree to be seen anywhere).

SAN JUAN COUNTY

 ...A possible Chihuahuan Raven was reported by Tim Avery from Hickman Flats Road just north of Monticello on Friday, August 3rd.

SUMMIT COUNTY

Craig Fosdick (16 Aug 2007) - I just completed a 3½ day camping trip to Mirror Lake and the Uintas.... On 8/15, I watched a female Three-toed Woodpecker foraging on what I think was a huge Lodgepole Pine (I was much more interested in the bird than the tree) at TRIAL LAKE CG, about 50-m east of campsite 55.

UINTAH COUNTY

Tim Avery (18 Aug 2007) - Colby Neuman called me... we met up at 4:00am for the 3.5-4 hour drive to Leidy Peak in the high Uinta's. We arrived at the trail head around 8:00am and were on our way up the mountain at 8:15. ...On top the weather started to look sketchy so we made our way down the south slope. Colby headed southeast and I southwest and pretty soon we were 1/2 way back down the mountain. I was working my way through a patch of rock with a few draws of grass, when I slipped and fell flat on my rear, in the process "terrifying" 2 [White-tailed Ptarmigan] into flight. I hustled to my feet and watched the birds fly about 150 feet before dropping into a boulder field. I made my way to the the area and spent a short time looking for the birds, when it began to pour. Seeing a lightning strike to the west I decided no bird was worth a lightning strike. I headed to tree line, seeing a Red Fox and having a pair of BLACK ROSY-FINCH fly over.

UTAH COUNTY 

Larry Draper (7 Aug 2007) -  The Green Heron is still hanging around the dead tree at the south east corner of the Provo Airport dike (not the extreme south east corner of the extension, just the south east corner). It was sighted about 12:15 p.m. this afternoon as I ate my lunch.

WASHINGTON COUNTY 

Colby Neuman (26 Aug 2007) - Tim Avery and I went down... to southwestern Utah, and by evening, we were birding flocks in and around Lava Point in Zion NP. Within a 1/2 mile of the point, we stopped for our first flock. Literally, the first bird I put my binoculars was a nice female Hermit Warbler. ... A Zone-tailed Hawk was observed heading south over the valley to the north/northeast of Lava Point. ...Today, we birded Lytle Ranch, and found the two previously reported Red-shouldered Hawks. Both birds appeared to be immatures and they moved periodically between the orchard and the pond. Common Black-Hawks called from the forest to the west of the main housing area. ...We then headed to Gunlock Reservoir where a Brown-crested Flycatcher called from the riparian stretch just above the reservoir. Outside of Lytle Ranch, I don't know how extensively these birds are found in Washington County?

Larry Tripp (26 Aug 2007) - Spending some time at my new soon to be yard in Veyo this weekend I was able to add a few good birds to the yard list. The biggest surprise was a bright boldly marked adult looking Clay-colored Sparrow. I watched and photographed it on and off most of the morning in a weedy patch in the yard. We were going to pull some off the weeds in that area but I think were going to leave them now. It's on the early side for a Clay-colored and I wasn't expecting it to be the first Spizella in the yard. Cassin's Vireo, Willow Flycatcher and MacGillivray's Warbler were a couple of the other new yard birds this weekend.

Rick Fridell (10 Aug 2007) - This evening there was a first-year female type Hermit Warbler at Oak Grove Campground, Washington County, Utah. Oak Grove Campground is managed by the Dixie National Forest and is accessed through Silver Reef.

Milt Moody (7 Aug 2007) - Merrill Webb just called and reported that he went back to Lytle Ranch this morning and found the Red-shouldered Hawk he say yesterday, then another one flew in -- so make that TWO Red-shouldered Hawks at Lytle
Ranch.

Glenn B. Barlow (6 Aug 2007) - Just received a telephone call from Merrill Webb. At this moment he is at Lyttle Ranch and he called me at 8:30 p.m. Five minutes earlier, at 8:25 p.m., he was walking toward the orchard and saw a hawk on the ground. He put his binoculars on it and could see immediately it was NOT a Red-tailed Hawk. As he looked just before it flew, and as it flew, he could see it was a Red-shouldered Hawk!

WAYNE COUNTY

Kurt Gaskill (10 Aug 2007) - Driving through Torrey we spot a Eurasian Collard Dove. ...It was in a tree one street north of the main drag - sorry I did not get the number.