Review Species Reported This Month:
    Glossy Ibis  Box Elder Co.
    Least Flycatcher  Box Elder Co. 
    Hepatic Tanager  Washington Co.

BOX ELDER COUNTY

Steve & Kathy Sommerfeld (31 July 2010) - Early this morning Steve and I ventured to the west side of Willard Bay.  A few hundred yards past the Harold Crane turn off we found 30+ Snowy Plovers.  From there we continued north to the water.  There was lots going on.  Thousands of birds. We saw at least three hundred Black Terns, mixed in with Forester's Tern, Marbled Godwits, Long-billed Dowitchers, Black-necked Stilts and lots of Gulls.

David Wheeler (20 Jul 2010) - I ventured out to the ever-deteriorating "road" behind Willard Bay, beyond Howard Crane WMA. I saw MARBLED GODWITS, EASTERN KINGBIRDS, and a very cooperative GLOSSY IBIS, with amazingly blue outline to its redless face.

Kris Purdy (8 July 2010) - I’ve been observing the breeding behavior of Eastern Kingbirds at Mantua Reservoir in Box Elder County .... I visited Mantua on June 21 ....  without an agenda other than to observe anything that crossed my path. I started seeing Eastern Kingbirds as I hugged the shoreline.

Carol Gwynne (2 July 2010) - [Mantua] - I got up early this morning, and my car said, "Not again! This will be our third trip to Mantua in a week!" Yup. But the third time was the charm. The Least Flycatcher was "home" this morning at about 8 a.m. This was a lifer, and yes, I paid my dues for this bird. It was in the trees at 331 Main Street, right next to the fence line that borders the little park. It called pretty continuously for about 30 minutes, and then stopped. I also got to see it a couple of times. 
  

CACHE COUNTY

Craig Fosdick (31 July 2010) - Hiked Dry Canyon today about 4 miles, up past the Syncline trails jct. I was focused mostly on hiking (so birding by ear) but there was pretty good activity. Most surprising were at least seven Cordilleran Flycatchers in the first half mile after the cow gate. At one point I could hear at least four birds talking at once.  ...Further up the trail at about 7000' I heard an Olive-sided Flycatcher sing once. White-crowned Sparrows, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Pink-sided Junco were all observed carrying food for nestlings/and or juveniles.

Craig Fosdick (30 July 2010) - I had a singing Blue Grosbeak make a 10 minute appearance outside my office on 10 west in Logan this morning. Not rare, but not common up here.  And I thought I had missed BLGR for the year!

Ronnie Johnson (29 July 2010) - I spent that past four days at the family neighborhood in College Ward (Logan) and saw some fun stuff.  The location is 2175 N Hwy 91. In the pond the species included: Wood Ducks (pair with brood of 10), Swainson's Hawks, Rough-winged Swallows, Barn Swallows, Kildeer, Cedar Waxwings, American Goldfinch, Mourning Dove, European Collared Dove, House Finch, American Robin, European Starling, Western Kingbird, Canada Geese, Ring-necked Pheasant, Red-winged Blackbird

Craig Fosdick (27 July 2010) - Quick check of the Logan Mitigation Ponds (Sue's Ponds) tonight revealed a single CASPIAN TERN, plus WILLETS and GREATER YELLOWLEGS, neither of which I had seen on previous July visits. Three SANDHILL CRANES were in a nearby field. Equally exciting was an evening roost flight of 31 Black-billed Magpies and 750 starlings leaving the dump. :)

Craig Fosdick (23 July 2910) - I visited several locations in Cache Co. this am; best bird was a distant flying AMERICAN BITTERN at Benson Marina apparently headed for either Bear River NWR or Rich County. Also at Benson Marina were four Forster's Terns (including 1 carrying a fish, apparently nesting?), as well as 400 swallows, most of which appeared to be Bank Swallows, starting their dispersal/southbound migration.

Ryan O'Donnell (21 Jul 2010) -  I birded around Cache Co. with a couple friends last night. The highlight for me was a three-tern day: an adult CASPIAN TERN at Sue's Ponds, and an immature FORSTER'S TERN and BLACK TERN (one each) at Benson Marina...  Also, I had my first HERRING GULL of the season, an adult or close to it, on July 18th in a flooded field in the town of Benson.

Craig Fosdick (20 July 2010) - I hiked the Tony Grove-Cottonwood Canyon Trail today. Beautiful up there! I had two different Three-toed Woodpeckers, one at the first switchback on the trail, and the second bird about 100-m down the Smithfield Canyon trail, just past the junction of Smithfield and Cottonwood Canyon trails. I also flushed a Long-eared Owl that was getting mobbed by Robins. There was a Williamson's Sapsucker nest attended by two adults near the first sink west of Coldwater Spring; that sink also had a Cordilleran Flycatcher.

Craig Fosdick (2 July 2010) - This evening I had a CASPIAN TERN flyover my apartment complex on the Island in Logan; looked like it was headed for First Dam. Also in the yard this evening: Black-chinned Hummingbird (had not seen him much this spring), and "my" Western Screech-Owl family, complete with four fledglings capable of sustained flight and at least one adult. The adult was kind enough to clack its bill out of me after I flushed it from the big box elder while walking out my front door.
  

DAVIS COUNTY

KANE COUNTY

Cheri (9 July 2010) - Red-breasted Nuthatch here. First one since we moved here 14 mos. ago.

  

RICH COUNTY

Mark Stackhouse (17 July 2010) - [Deseret Ranch] - Yesterday's trip to Deseret Ranch was excellent - we found 134 species for the day, including excellent looks at a Short-billed Dowitcher. The shorebirds are coming in strongly now.

Tim Gorman (3 Jul 3 2010) - Yesterday, there was an American Bittern sneaking thru the grass just across the highway from where Francis Lane meets SR 16, 2 miles southeast of Woodruff Utah.
  

SALT LAKE COUNTY

Susan Gray (27 July 2010) - I was driving to work this morning and saw either a Glossy or White- faced Ibis at the new Riverton hospital (wading in a swampy area in the grass). I pulled over to get a closer look and there was absolutely no white anywhere on this bird, but could it be a juvenile? I didn't have my camera with me, but if anyone wants to go take a look it is at 12600 South and Bangerter. He was on the north west corner near the parking lot.

Kathleen & Hal Robbins (20 July 2010) - Thanks to the assistance of Jerry Liguori our previously reported backyard hawk visitor has been identified as a Cooper's Hawk, probably a male, molting into it first adult plumage.

Ann Neville (12 July 20109) - I have a Lesser Goldfinch at my feeder here at the smelter today.  What a treat of yellow in my house finch infested feeder. ... From my office window I can see the I-80 ponds across from the Saltair Marina.  There are around 10 pelicans hanging out with gulls and cormorants.

Tim Avery (11 July 2010) - Pair of Williamson's Sapsuckers in a nest site near Twin Lakes. On the loop from Silver Lake to Twin Lakes, down to Lake Solitude and back to Silver Lake I saw or heard at least 8 Williamson's. I don't recall ever having more than 4 on this hike in previous years--so it was a nice surprise.

Norman Jenson (11 July 2010) - I spotted a juvenile Cooper's Hawk up by the State Capitol there on the edge of City Creek Canyon 40.780028 degrees N 111.885272 degrees west. 
  

SUMMIT COUNTY

Dave Hanscom (26 Jul 2010) - ...  Near the end of a trail run up Shingle Creek and down Coop Creek, I scared up a family of Dusky Grouse. These canyons are on the north side of the Mirror Lake Highway.

Dave Hanscom (24 Jul 2010) - After reading Bryant Olsen's post last summer, I tried a couple of times to find the ptarmigan on Mount Baldy (which is above the East Fork of Black's Fork on the north slope of the Uintas). My first trip was interrupted by a lightening storm, and the second turned out to be a really cold windy autumn day on the summit with no sign of life.  Jeff Bilsky and I plotted at the Brighton Bird Count to give it another
shot on Pioneer Day, which seemed like a great time to be as far from SLC as possible. And my third try turned out to be a charm!  ...we managed to find three White-tailed Ptarmigan right where Bryant reported them last
summer - on the southwest slope near the top of the peak.

Kimberly Roush (2 Jul 2010, Park City) - I was zooming along, binocular - less, on my trail.  I halted when I heard/saw something unusual.  "Why," I asked myself, "is that tiny magpie singing like a grosbeak?"  I tried to turn it into a towhee but it began to turn it's head and it became a ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK!!!
  

UINTAH COUNTY

Dave Hascom (26 July 2010) - Near the end of a trail run up Shingle Creek and down Coop Creek, I scared up a family of Dusky Grouse.  These canyons are on the north side of the Mirror Lake Highway.  I saw the grouses as I descended Coop Creek on the Upper Setting Road, which intersects the highway at about mile 9 (from Kamas).

David Hascom (24 July 2010) - After reading Bryant Olsen's post last summer, I tried a couple of times to find the ptarmigan on Mount Baldy (which is above the East Fork of Black's Fork on the north slope of the Uintas).  My first trip was interrupted by a lightening ...  my third try turned out to be a charm! It's quite a long hike to the summit (over two hours at a pretty good pace - at least 4 miles and a couple thousand vertical feet), but we managed to find three White-tailed Ptarmigan right where Bryant reported them last summer - on the southwest slope near the top of the peak.  The area had grass and flowers with lots of rocks, with a few low bushes here and there.

David Hanscom (5 July 2010) - Just got back from a backpacking trip up to Clyde Lake, which is a couple of miles above Trial Lake off the Mirror Lake Highway (at about mile 25) with my son and grand-daughter.  Pine Grosbeaks were calling here and there the whole time, as well as lots of White-crowned Sparrows, Ruby- crowned Kinglets, Hermit Thrushes, etc.  Everyone seemed happy that the snow is finally disappearing from the high country. Best bird of the weekend was the Gray Jay that greeted us at the Crystal  Lake trailhead as we were packing up on Thurs afternoon to head in.

Diane Penttila (1 June 2010) [Ouray National Wildlife Refuge] General Waterbird Survey 7/1/10 - The following birds were seen within the survey route: Canada Geese, Mallard, Gadwall, Green-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Blue-winged Teal, American Wigeon, Wood Duck, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Ruddy Duck, Common Merganser, American Coot, Great Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Snowy Egret, White-faced Ibis, American Bittern, Double-crested Cormorant, American white Pelican, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, Spotted Sandpiper, Pied-billed Grebe, Eared Grebe, Clark's Grebe, Western Grebe, Forster's Tern, Black Tern, Great Horned owl, Red-tailed hawk, American kestrel
  

UTAH COUNTY 

Craig Fosdick (26 July 2010) - Yesterday evening Ryan O' Donnell, Guillaume (sorry didn't catch your last name), and I made the trip to Bridal Veil Falls to look for Black Swifts returning to presumed nest sites behind the falls.  We watched from 750 to about 905, and spent most of our time scanning the waterfalls and the cliffs. We saw White-throated Swifts and swallow species, but no Black Swifts, although I did see one bird that I think may have been a Black Swift. 

Oliver Hansen (22 Jul 2010) - My brother and I hiked Provo Peak yesterday. About 4-5 Clark's nutcrackers way up at the summit around 11,000 feet squawking their little hearts out...

Robert Williams (15 Jul 2010) - yesterday i went to goshen to look for bobolinks, i did not find any but
i did find in some tall cottonwood trees about 20-25 great blue herons and one pair of great egrets they flew in and circled above me for about 2-3 minuets and then both landed near a large nest that was much more tight nit than that of the great blue herons...

Lu Giddings (10 July 2010) - Utah County Birders enjoyed a trip up beautiful Santaquin Canyon and
along a portion of the Nebo Loop this morning. ... We enjoyed stops at Tinney Flat campground, Santaquin Meadows, the Purple Martin stop on Nebo Loop, and Nebo Monument trailhead. The best birds of the day were arguably the pair of Red Crossbills Dennis Shirley spotted at the monument trailhead, but the Olive-sided Flycatchers, Cordilleran Flycatcher, and Purple Martins were also favorites.

Lu Giddings (9 July 2010) - Just had my first Rufous Hummingbird of the season stop by my feeders. I noticed earlier this week that the Bullock's orioles nesting in a neighbor's trees are gone. It may be the first half of July, but Fall migration has begun in the foothills.
  

WASATCH COUNTY 

Kimberly Roush (2 July 2010) - was zooming along, binocular - less, on my trail. I halted when I heard/saw something unusual. "Why," I asked myself,  "is that tiny magpie singing like a grosbeak?"I tried to turn it into a towhee but it began to turn it's head and it became a ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK!!! It was singing from several perches. It is a CLIMB up there. Moderate hiking ability will do. Bring water. It is on the Pinebrook private trail system but no one ever questions anyone. So if you want to try alone have at it.
  

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Letitia Lussier (30 July 2010) - A Green Heron was spotted today at the pond in Springdale about 1pm. It was perched in some dead trees at the back end of the pond, seeming rather settled in that spot. The pond is located behind the Switchback Restaurant on the main drag.

Flora Duncan (29 July 2010) - On 27 July at Lytle Ranch in the orchard, the following observed a HEPATIC TANAGER: Richard and Edie Deen, Bekky Levanger, Esther Duncan and Flora Duncan. and Richard photographed The bird was observed eating a peach.
    During a short time Ladderback Woodpecker, male and female, House finch, male and female, Western Tananger, Northern Mockingbird, Brewer's Sparrows were observed in the same tree enjoying the peaches. The afternoon was sunny and hot. Three of us observed four Roadrunners during the day. Great birding.
  

WEBER COUNTY 

Kris Purdy (10 July 2010) - On a return trip to Causey Reservoir in Weber County netted another Cordilleran Flycatcher nest on a little ledge in a vertical rock face just 10-11 feet above the water. The nest was not very apparent because it was a moss and lichen structure within a clump of the wildflower Alumroot, a species of Heuchera, which is commonly called Coral Bells when you buy it at a plant nursery. However, I saw the site because both parents were flycatching in little loops from branches overhanging the cliff and the water, and then delivering the insects to the nest. ... Also of interest at Causey today were four different Common Merganser broods, ranging from three to thirteen ducklings. The older ducklings of one of the three-bird broods seemed to be doing quite well catching both fish and crawfish.

Kris Purdy ( 2 July 2010 ) - Add Causey Reservoir in east Weber County to the short list of Northern Utah locations where Common Mergansers nest. Today, I saw a hen merganser with 10 ducklings. The young were small enough so that one was riding on Mom’s back. I’m pretty sure that my friend, Scott Baxter, photographed a hen with ducklings at Causey a couple years ago.