Review Species Reported This Month:
Zone-tailed Hawk Kane Co,
BOX ELDER COUNTY
Kris Purdy (29 Jun 2009) - For the third or fourth year in a row, Scott
Baxter has photographed a Red-breasted Merganser in the summer on the
Willard Spur, an area that's
generally fresh water to brackish between the southern border of Bear River MBR
and Willard Reservoir in Box Elder County. While Scott's images are excellent, I
can't tell if the bird is a drake in eclipse plumage (which is what I suspect)
or a hen. The merganser Scott photographed in previous years was an adult drake.
GARFIELD COUNTY
Kevin Doxstater (4 Jun 2009) - Subject: American Three-toed Woodpecker.
Photographed the bird this morning; unless I am badly wrong on the
identification, according to Northern Colorado Plateau Network (National Park
Service) data this is a first documented record for Bryce Canyon National Park
(listed as "unconfirmed" in the park).
KANE COUNTY
Tim Avery (24 Mar 2009) - Doing two breeding bird surveys this month have
yielded a couple unusual birds that may be of interest. Along hwy 14 in Kane
County there were a pair of Zone-tailed Hawks earlier this week.
SALT LAKE COUNTY
Tim Avery (6 Jun 2009) - This morning (06/06) Jeff Bilsky and I hiked from
Silver Lake up to Twin Lakes and down the maintenence road to Brighton...
Heading up the trail to Twin Lakes there wasn't a whole lot until we passed the
rock face over looking Silver Lake. From the trail here we heard a single RED
CROSSBILL calling as it flew through the trees. As soon as we came out onto the
flat just above this area in the spruce and aspen things started to pick up.
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER and WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE were both singing, and Jeff
spotted a CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHER feeding a couple feet off the ground. The COFL
was very cooperative and I was able to ge t a few nice shots. While I was
photographing it I heard a PINE GROSBEAK call. We ended up hearing 2 singing and
I got some shots of one while he sang just over our heads in an Aspen. There
were a few CLARK'S NUTCRACKER on the ridgetops, and they were making a bit of
noise most of the time.
Stephen Carlile (26 Jun 2009) - At a non birding event I saw a Northern
Goshawk this evening, Friday, before the downpour at the Spruces Campground
in Big Cottonwood Canyon. Seen swooping down trying to catch ground squirrels at
the overgrown ball diamond in the group camping area at the east end. Good look
but did not see the bird again. Also saw Hammond's Flycatcher, Hermit Thrush,
Mountain Chickadee, Song Sparrow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and Broad-tailed
Hummingbird.
SANPETE COUNTY
Mike Monson (5 Jun 2009) - Mike Monson reported that he's still getting RED
CROSSBILLS at his feeder in Mt. Pleasant and has been for about a month. He's
also had a
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, a male one time and a female another, come to his
feeder. North of town (between Mt. Pleasant and Fairview) he has recently seen
an INDIGO BUNTING, as well as some regularly appearing EVENING GROSBEAKS.
UINTAH COUNTY
Matt Johnstone ( 12 Jun 2009) - My wife and I were visiting Dinosaur NM from
Michigan and had a first spring male Summer Tanager at Josie's Ranch in
Dinosaur on June 12. Head and vent were red, red blotches elsewhere on bird,
including wings, wings about same color as rest of bird, no wing bars. This
seems to be quite out of range for NE Utah. This is a bird I'm very familiar
with, having lived in the southeast for many years. The bird responded to an
Eastern screech owl imitation (probably not the most appropriate to pull out
birds in Utah, but the only imitation I can whistle).
UTAH COUNTY
Dennis Shirley (1 Jun 2009) - The best birds of the morning were a very late
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER and a COMMON MOORHEN, both in Benjamin Slough. (Photo)\
Dennis Shirley (1 Jun 2009) - Early this morning I found an INDIGO BUNTING near
Elberta, southwest Utah County. It was a brilliant male who was singing from the
tops of scattered junipers when I drove up and continued until I left the area
45 minutes later. I was really surprised to find him here. The area is a
juniper/sage slope habitat more tyical for sage sparrow, Bewick's Wren, and
bushtits, but of course I couldn't find any of these.
Dennis Shirley (30 Jun 2009) - I was out in the Indigo Bunting area this morning
and found a GRAY VIREO. Actually there were three. I think there were adults and
young in the spot...
If they aren't calling and you have a tape place one quick note or two, then be
ready to duck. I played the call briefly to verify for sure that's what they
were and one almost flew in the truck with me...
WASATCH COUNTY
Bryant Olsen (22 Jun 2009) - The PURPLE MARTINS I found last summer in the
Strawberry Valley have returned as of yesterday... Other good birds in the
valley were CASPIAN TERNS, WILLOW FLYCATCHERS, a female CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD
that came to my feeder, and a GRAY CATBIRD in Daniels Canyon.
WEBER COUNTY
Ted and Carolyn McGrath (2 Jun 2009) - This evening at 7:00 PM we saw a male
Rose-breasted Grosbeak in our back yard! It perched in a tree for an
extended period, then flew down to our sunflower feeder and ate for a few
minutes. It then flew into the woods as a violent thunderstorm was approaching.
Even in the evening light, its bib was vivid rosy red against a white breast.
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