Birdnet Hotline Highlights

  
September 20
12

 Review Species Reported this month:
    Neotropic Cormorant  Washington Co.
    Hudsonian Godwit  Utah Co.
    White-rumped Sandpiper  Davis Co.
    Least Flycatcher  Salt Lake Co.
    Yellow-bellied Flycatcher  Davis Co.

    Tropical Kingbird  Utah Co.
    Blue-headed Vireo  Davis Co.
    Northern Parula  Utah Co.
    Chestnut-sided Warbler  Davis Co.
    Black-throated Blue Warbler  Davis Co.
    Prothonotary Warbler  Utah Co.
    Rusty Blackbird  Morgan Co.


BOX ELDER COUNTY

Paul Higgins (26 Sep 2012) - Glenna Cotter and I observed and photographed a Pectoral Sandpiper at Bear River FWMA, Sept. 25, 2012. The detail on it's back was striking.

Ryan O'Donnell (24 Sep 2012) - This weekend I went camping in western Box Elder County, and checked several of the better-known migrant traps in the area, including Lucin, Rabbit Spring, Owl Spring, and Locomotive Springs. The only real noteworthy bird of the trip was a GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW at Keg Spring, in the Grouse Creek Mountains. Golden-crowned Sparrows are generally seen a couple times a year somewhere in the state of Utah, although it appears in eBird this is the third in the state this week! This is the first record of this species from Box Elder County in eBird. 
     

CACHE COUNTY

Dave Hanscom (18 Sep 2012)- They say the third time never fails. I guess I'm just a slow learner. It took me four tries, but, thanks to Rachel LeBlanc, I succeded today. As another old saying goes, sometimes it's feast or famine. I found myself in the midst of a flock of a couple dozen Bushtits. They were only about a quarter mile up the trail. Another nice sighting was a Cooper's Hawk that flew over about a mile from the car. Yellow Fork is at the end of Rose Canyon Road in Herriman. I suggest walking up the trail on the left side of the stream to be in the shade for a cooler hike and better lighting.
  

DAVIS COUNTY

Kris Purdy (30 Sep 2012) -The Russian Olives that line the canal south of Bountiful Lake in Davis County were pretty birdy today, hosting both a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and a male YELLOW-SHAFTED Northern Flicker, among about 40 species. The White-throated Sparrow was a tan-striped morph and it took a lot of waiting after the initial glimpses of the strong brace pattern and patterned nape, wide tan supercilium and robust look to the nape to confirm that the bird was a White-throated Sparrow...

Norm Jenson (28 Sep 2012) - [Garr Ranch, AIC] - BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER female. The bird is in the tall cottonwoods south of the ponds....We spotted this cool Peregrine Falcon as we were going back across the causeway...

Joel and Kathy Beyer (23 Sep 2012) -  A first winter Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was seen at Garr Ranch (Antelope Island), in the trees behind the bathrooms. Also at the ranch was a Pacific Wren, and Nashville and Townsend's Warblers.
   --This afternoon we found 3 juvenile White-rumped Sandpipers in a large flock (500) of Western Sandpipers, at approx. mile marker 5 on the Causeway.

John Ruckdeschel (19 Sep 2012) - [Antelope Island Causeway and Garr Ranch] - Birded the Causeway and Garr's Ranch again today.  Massive decreases in gulls (all), grebes, and phalaropes (only 1 seen) from 2 weeks ago.  Leucistic grebe not present today.  Only swallows seen today were barn swallows.  Remainder unremarkable...   --[Causeway] - ...Horned Grebe,...Black-bellied Plover,...Red-necked Phalarope,...

Norm Jenson (17 Sep 2012) - [Garr Ranch, Antelope Island] - And to think I drove to Monte Cristo for this bird, a Williamson's Sapsucker, and then saw a second while lost in the mountains east of Springville, and all I needed to do was visit the southwest corner of the picnic area at Garr Ranch on Antelope Island.

Dave Hanscom (15 Sep 2012) - Today was one of those great migration moments on the island and causeway:...  -- female Redstart still at the ranch, but no Ovenbird to be found, despite lots of good eyes on the job   -- female CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER at the spring, spotted by Kendall Watkins   -- Red-eyed Vireo at the first clump of Russian Olives south of the ranch, then Blue-headed Vireo near the spring, found by Bob Huntington  -- four owl species (Great-horned, Barn, Long-eared, Short-eared) reported by various people in the trees south of the ranch
   -- as reported by Norman earlier, a couple of American Golden Plovers near mile 5 on the causeway, seen on the way out at about 2:00 pm - couldn't find the Sabine's Gull, tho, or any Sanderlings

Dave Hanscom (14 Sep 2012) - [Fielding Garr Ranch, Antelope Island] - We saw a female AMERICAN REDSTART and an OVENBIRD at the spring pond at Garr Ranch, Antelope Island, this morning. They were seen repeatedly over a couple of hours. On the way in, I saw a juvenile SABINE'S GULL one or two tenths of a mile west of mile marker 2 on the causeway. There were scads of Pectoral sandpipers in the mud flats near the gate. I counted 40 with little effort, and I bet I could have found a lot more had I tried. Yes I am THAT lazy. Lovely to spend a morning birding with friends.

John Ruckdeschel  (10 Sep 2012) - [Antelope Island] - After the causeway birded the island itself. On the road to Garr Ranch about a mile from the marina I was scoping the mudflats when a small sparrow flew up and settled on top of a bush. It was a clear cut Clay-colored Sparrow. It had the black/brown streaked back and clear buff underparts. There was a central white streak on the crown, a brown cheek patch, white eye stripe and dark mustache line. At Garr Ranch at the north end of the old one story barn a Merlin flushed...

Cindy Sommerfeld (7 Sep 2012) - [Antelope Island] -  Today's Survey was fun. There were enough birds to keep it interesting. The causeway still has lots of shorebirds. We saw a group of Black-bellied Plovers with an American Golden-Plover mixed in. Also we found a group of nine Pectoral Sandpipers. At the ranch was the find of the day, a Blue-headed Vireo. This is the third year in a row that we've seen a Blue-headed Vireo out at Garr Ranch, about this time of year. Today's species total was 90...


Kris Purdy
(1 Sep 2012) - An Ash-throated Flycatcher was working the trees and scrub along the entrance road to Farmington Bay WMA in Davis County today at about 12:15, about 100 yards south of the maintenance buildings. The bird was an adult molting just about everywhere with odd lengths and colors of feathers that were either coming or going.
  

JUAB COUNTY

Ryan P. O'Donnell (10 Sep 2012) - We spent time at Dugway Proving Grounds (Tooele Co.) where we located a Vermillion Flycatcher. We continued on to Fish Springs NWR from there, where other highlights included a singing LONG-EARED OWL and a WARBLING VIREO (each listed as "accidental, seen less than every five years" on the refuge checklist); a NASHVILLE WARBLER (listed as "rare, seen at intervals of two to five years"); and a female GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE (not listed as occurring on the refuge in the fall on the refuge checklist, but listed as "rare" in the summer.) I suspect each of these species are probably more common on the refuge than the checklist indicates, but I can't say so from personal experience as this was my first trip there.
  


MORGAN COUNTY

Norm Jenson (24 Sep 2012) - Looking for a Golden-crowned Sparrow Gail and I found a small flock 5 or 6 birds of Evening Grosbeaks.

David Wheeler (24 Sep 2012) - Today I saw a lovely fall-plumaged Rusty blackbird at the Smith household in Croyden (east of Morgan) at the same house where the Golden-crowned sparrow was reported last week. It is strikingly patterned with a very bright nape and eyebrow, plus orange/golden speckling on its back. The belly is bluish-gray banded black.

Weston Smith (18 Sep 2012) - The sparrows this fall are coming a lot like 2007 when we had an im. Golden-crowned Sparrow here as well. I have been scanning them for days now and have found one bird that fits. Also my father (Arnold Smith) saw it today. This is an immature bird and stands out from the many im. WC due to having a dark bill, bright yellow spot on forhead (like its wearing a headlamp), dark chocolate colored stripes on head, and overall darker appearance than the WC it is around. Also it is more aggressive, does not like other birds within several feet while it is feeding. This is in Croydon, Utah (Morgan County)...
  

SALT LAKE COUNTY 

Pomera Fronce (24 Sep 2012) - [Lee Kay Ponds] - Species seen: ...Sabine's Gull,...Common Tern...

Joel and Kathy Beyer (23 Sep 2012) - Early this morning we saw a Least Flycatcher at the International Center, possibly the one Tim Avery reported.  It was at the north end of Neil Armstrong Road.

Norm Jenson (23 Sep 2012) - [Lee Kay Ponds] - When I first saw this bird at Lee Kay Ponds today I thought it looks like a Northern Bob-White, but now I'm starting to think perhaps it's a Chukar. The red bill and red around the eye.
   --I've seen Sabine's Gulls before but never in flight.  Gail and I returned to Lee Kay Pond (behind gate) today and were rewarded .... We ran into Stephanie at the ponds as we were about to leave, but went back  with her for seconds, the gulls were still there and while we were watching them a Common Tern flew over.  What a great day.

Jack Binch (21 Sep 2012) - [Garr Ranch, Antelope Island] -There is a Flammulated Owl at the ranch. It is south of the spring pond by the Russian Olive that has the nest box on it.

Porema Fronce (18 Sep 2012) - [International Center] - Birding at the IC today was spectacular! Species seen: ...Western Wood-Pewee, Cordilleran Flycatcher, ... Nashville Warbler, MacGillivray's Warbler,... Townsend's Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Green-tailed Towhee, ...Western Tanager...

Bryant Olsen
(5 Sep 2012) - This morning I heard, and then saw a flock of 6 PINYON JAYS at the mouth of Emigration Canyon in SLC around 10am...

Rachel LeBlanc (2 Sep 2012) - I was up at Yellow Fork Canyon this morning starting about 7:15 am and found a Black-and-white Warbler at about a mile – a little beyond the first picnic area on the main trail...

Glenda Cotter (1 Sep 2012) - I've had good looks at a bright male Townsend's Warbler in the evergreens in front of the Fox 13 studios (5020 Amelia Earhart Dr), as well as a Cordilleran Flycatcher and what I think is a Willow Flycatcher. Curious mixed flock of White- crowned and Chipping sparrows and a couple of Lazuli Buntings?? and several female Western Tanagers fairly nearby, as well.


SUMMIT COUNTY

Dave Hanscom (21 Sep 2012) - Rockport turned out to be a hot spot today. I started in the campgrounds and discovered that all the Russian Olive trees were full of warblers. Mostly Yellow-rumped, but I also found Yellow, Orange-crowned, and NASHVILLE. The water was full of grebes - Western, Clark's, and Eared. I saw one with a really white face, but it was too far away to be sure enough to call it a Horned. Hopefully I can get a better look some day soon.
   --Best sighting of the day was a SABINE'S GULL. Never thought I'd find one over there, but when I saw a small brown gull from the highway on my way home, I figured I'd better walk down as close as possible to get a better look...


SAN JUAN COUNTY

Dave Hanscom (1 Sep 2012) - Just got back from a long day of driving (600 miles) with Ned Bixler, Pat Jividen, and Paul Lombardi to see the spoonbll. We found it from the overlook at mile 41.3. It was on our side of the Colorado, so we drove down to a better viewing point just beyond the turnout at mile 42 and got some great looks.
   --We took the long way home through Blanding and stopped at Devil's Canyon, where the Acorn Woodpeckers were very cooperative. As reported by Bryant Olsen, they're hanging out in their usual spot east of the highway just north of the campground entrance in some dead trees. No luck on pygmy nuthatches, despite an hour of searching.
   --A side trip on county road 333 a couple of miles north of Montecello yielded a nice variety of birds, including Western Bluebird, Ferruginous Hawk, Say's Phoebe, Western Kingbird, and Black-throated Sparrow....
  

TOOELE COUNTY

Ryan P. O'Donnell (10 Sep 2012) - This weekend I traveled to the Dugway area to help a friend with some mammal studies there. While in the town of Dugway, I found an adult male VERMILION FLYCATCHER near his house. According to eBird, this is the first county record for Tooele County, and the fourth record of this species in Utah outside of Washington County...

Oliver Hansen (10 Sep 2012) - Getting lots of Common Night Hawks here in Tooele Co. I'm sad that fall is coming. The dozens of Swainson's hawks on just about every telephone pole around here will be heading out soon in sometime in the next month.
  


UTAH COUNTY

Eric Huish (30 Sep 2012) - Several Utah County Birders met yesterday (sat 29th) to do some hawkwatching at the Squaw Peak Overlook Parking Lot. Some of us stopped at Hope Campground on our way up. The campground was very quiet at first but our patience paid off with a little flock of birds that included a Townsend's Warbler, Brown Creepers and RB Nuthatch.
   --We hawkwatched from the overlook for about 3 hours. We saw several hawks (I counted at least 42 while I was there) and many of them gave us great close views. The best bird was a Northern Goshawk.

Bryan Shirley (28 Sep 2012) - I hiked up White-Pine Hollow (trail starts just above Tinney Flat campgroud) in Sanatquin Canyon today looking for Ruffed Grouse. I never found a Grouse, but was surpirsed to find 2 different Pacific Wrens. Both were located by their call ("chip" not song). They were probably about 1-1.5 miles up the trail...

Eric Huish (24 Sep 2012) - This evening at the Provo Airport Dike there was a Horned Grebe in the moat at the Southwest corner of the dike. One of the Great Egrets that has been regular at the south extension over the past week was still out there...There was a Cattle Egret between the south extension and the southwest corner...

Eric Huish (22 Sep 2012)- The Prothonotary Warbler was still at the end of River Lane this morning (Sat 22nd)...   --There was a lot of bird activity all along River Lane. Mostly Yellow-rumps and Orange-crowned Warblers. I saw one Nashville Warbler today. Last Wednesday there was also a few Townsend's Warblers and a Cassin's Vireo in the mix.

Eric Huish (21 Sep 2012) - [Pleasant Grove] - I was sitting at the table eating supper and watching the birds at the feeders this evening when a White-winged Dove flew in and landed on my platform feeder. New yard bird! Yay!

Eric Huish (21 Sep 2012) - There is a PROTHONOTARY WARBLER at River Lane (Utah County). Out at the end of River Lane on Sandy Beach.  In the willows and brush pile on the beach just east of the river...

Dave Hanscom (15 Sep 2012) - We got a phone call from the Sommerfelds saying that they found a juvenile NORTHERN PARULA at River Lane. Also, they had a HUDSONIAN GODWIT in their sights at about noon at Provo Airport dike, in the mudflats east of the south extension.

Jeff Cooper (13 Sep 2012) - I ... had a hankering to drive up to the summit of the Alpine Loop via American Fork Canyon...I drove back over the summit toward the Utah County side and pulled over at another one of my favorite owling spots. We immediately heard one coyote calling from about 100 yards away and several yelping back from a much more distant location. As soon as the howling stopped I heard the faint call of a Flammulated Owl. Soon there were two others calling and one sounded closer than the others... I was able to get a light on it while my wife looked through the binoculars to see her very first Flammulated Owl...

Ned Bixler (13 Sep 2012) - There was a Common Loon at Deer Creek Reservoir this afternoon.

Eric Huish (11 Sep 20122) - [Provo Airport Dike] - Possible Tropical Kingbird. I am right now looking at what I think may be a Tropical Kingbird on the South side of the South Extension of the Provo Airport Dike. I've been watching it for about 40 minutes at it seems to be staying right here...

Bryan Shirley (11 Sep 2012) - There was a Solitary Sandpiper at Spring Lake in the northern pond.

Bryant Olsen (11 Sep 2012) - Yesterday I twitched and headed down to River Lane to look for the Rose-breasted Grosbeak. I didn't find it, but I did see some interesting birds...at least one was a female PURPLE MARTIN...Not a lot of Warblers, but I did find 1 NASHVILLE WARBLER among the butter-butts and orage-crowneds...   --Then I went to Lincoln Beach boat launch area, and found many peeps and plovers, including 1 SNOWY PLOVER,5 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS...

Keeli Marvel (10 Sep 2012) - I hiked Mt Nebo for the first time yesterday, and while birding was not my focus (getting up and down the trail in one piece was), I saw/heard some great birds along the way. Clark's nutcrackers were everywhere along with Steller's jays and woodpeckers...A mile or so up the trail, in a thick wooded area, we heard what we think was a Western Screech Owl calling a couple of times. We also heard it once in the same area along the trail on the way back down... Other species spotted along the way included...Mountain Chickadees,...and a Ruffed Grouse that our four-legged hiking companion, Amos, flushed on the hike back down...

Jeff Cooper (8 Sep 2012) - Eric Peterson and I were on River Lane Friday morning and discovered a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak (probably the same one located by Eric Huish about a week ago). We watched it for several minutes before it flew across the road and provided further views. We also observed Townsend's, Nashville, MacGillivray's, and Wilson's Warblers along the road. There was a lot of activity in the trees at the end of the road near the lake. I assume some of these warblers had flown across the lake and stopped at the first sight of trees...

Norm Jenson (1 Sep 2012) - There were several Cattle Egrets at about 2600W on Hwy 77. [west of Springville]

Mike Hearell (1 Sep 2012) - The GWF geese were no longer there when we came back through around 12:15 pm. We found 1 Pectoral Sandpiper @ Lincoln. Three roosting Common Nighthawks and how many birds, were the highlights at River Lane.

Eric Huish (1 Sep 2012) - This morning KC Childs and I ran out to River Lane and Lincoln Beach. At the end of River Lane on sandy beach was a lone Stilt Sandpiper. Afterwards we ran to Lincoln Beach and ran into Mike Hearell and Taylor Abbott. They told us of Greater White-fronted Geese they saw near Palmyra. Best bird at Lincoln beach were a few Semipalmated Plovers. We ran out to 1402 W 4000 South ( highway 77 ) we saw a flock of 7 Greater White-fronted Geese on north side of road in the harvested yellow field with Mallards and Sandhill Cranes.
  

WASHINGTON COUNTY  

Larry Tripp (29 Sep 2012) - This afternoon at Lytle Ranch there was a Swamp Sparrow in the milo patch west of the orchard.

Rick Fridell (15 Sep 2012) - Yesterday evening (9/14) I observed a Northern Waterthrush and a Bobolink at Lytle Ranch, Washington Co., UT. The waterthrush was in the overflow area of the pond and the Bobolink was in the milo field with a large group of Lazuli Buntings and a couple Blue Grosbeaks. The milo / sorghum field is attracting large numbers of birds, primarily buntings and sparrows, however there was also a nice flock of warblers (Nashville, Virginia's, Orange-crowned, MacGillivray's, and Common Yellowthroats) in the filed as well.

Rick Fridell (13 Sep 2012) - I was also surprised to see the Pacific Loon at Quail Creek State Park on 9/13 (I assume it's the same bird that summering, but I'm not where it hides in between sightings.

Norm Jenson (7 Sep 2012) - We saw an Osprey at Gunlock Reservoir yesterday. We've now seen Roadrunners in four different places the latest at Quail Creek. Most recent bird of note a Vermillion Flycatcher at Grafton.

Rick Fridell (7 Sep 2012) - There is a Neotropic Cormorant at Ivins Reservoir, Washington Co., UT. It's been present for a week or two; I saw it on Labor Day and suspected it was a Neotropic Cormorant based on size, but was unable to confirm until yesterday afternoon. This is the first I've seen at Ivins Reservoir in a couple years. There was also a juvenile Green Heron and an Osprey present at Ivins Reservoir.
  

WEBER COUNTY

Paul Higgins (16 Sep 2012) - [South Weber, UT] - Lincoln's Sparrow.

   

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