UBRC Report

Rick Fridell, Stephanie Greenwood, Mike Hearell, Max Malmquist, Bryant Olsen, Mike Schijf, Bryan Shirley, Steve Sommerfeld, Mark Stackhouse, David Wheeler and Kevin Wheeler,  Non-voting Members:  Milt Moody (Secretary/Webmaster), Eric Huish (Archivist), Cody Neuman (eBird Liaison)

This annual report of the Committee summarizes 75 records of 42 species submitted in 2021.  The Committee accepted 66  of these records (88.0%).  The primary reason for records being rejected by the Committee during the period covered by this report was insufficient descriptive details to eliminate similar species.  Other reasons included: signs that the bird may have been a hybrid as well as that the sighting was of such a short duration or at such a long distance that it created doubt about what was described.

Incoming committee members for the 2022 year, Kristin Purdy  and Keeli Karvel also participated in the review of some of the records included in this 2021 report:.  The report was compiled by Milt Moody.  Comments on individual  records and for some species sections are summaries taken for committee member comments make while reviewing the records.

This year a sight record for one new species accepted by the committee.  A first state record for a Blue-throated Hummingbird (Mountain-gem)  (2021-26) from Springdale, Washington County in 1972, was submitted by Jenner Bryson .  Because this record was accepted without physical evidence it was put on the Provisional Species List until a second record is accepted to move the species to the Official State Checklist.

There were quite a few minor change and one fairly major one made to the Committee's Bylaws this year.   The major change was to Section IV.C.11 of the Bylaws, which deals with First State Records. It was changed so the these records would be considered on their merits, like any other record. If a first state record is accept without  physical evidence it will be put on the Provisional List on the checklist Auxiliary page until another record for that species is accepted.  Consequently, the official checklist was changed to meet this new standard, so six species were removed from the checklist and put on the Provisional List, which now, along with a newly reviewed record for a Blue-throated Mountain-gem, constitute the species accepted without physical evidence.  This decreases the number of species on the Official Checklist to 461 and puts seven species on the "Provisional Species" list as part of the Auxiliary Lists

Three species were removed from the Review Species List and one was added this year, as a result of a Committee vote.  Northern Parula, Thick billed Longspur (McCown's L.) and Black Scoter were removed and Rusty Blackbird was put on again after being removed in 2019.

All species evaluated by the Committee are listed by common and scientific name using the nomenclature and taxonomic order of the American Ornithological Society Checklist of North American Birds, 61st supplement, followed by  the number of the records accepted for this species in the last ten years followed by the total number of official sightings for Utah (in parenthesis). The following information is included with each record in the species section:  record number, sighting date and  location, observers with the initial finder listed first, observer(s) who submitted written documentation of the record, observer(s) who submitted photographs or videos, the number of birds observed along with age and sex if known (in parenthesis) and the final-round vote of the committee with the first number being the “accept” votes and the second number being the “not-accept” votes.  A review summary (in parenthesis) will follow the final round vote for those records that were not accepted. Any comments about individual records will be in italics after that record. Comments about the species records as a whole will be in a final italicized paragraph at the end of the species section.

The Utah Bird Records Committee would like to thank those individuals who submitted documentation of their sightings. The Committee encourages all observers to document and submit a report of unusual sightings. Multiple documentation of sightings is more valuable than a single report, since one observer may notice key field marks not reported by other observers; those field marks may contribute significantly to the value of the record. The submission of photographs and recordings of songs or calls, along with the written documentation is strongly encouraged by the Committee.

SPECIES ACCOUNTS:

Mexican Duck (Anas diazi) (5 / 5)

    2021-16 - 5 Mar 2021 - Utah Lake Parkway Trail , Utah Co. by Kendall Watkiins   (adult male, Photos)  2nd round: 7-2

    2021-63 - 24 Oct 2021 - Sullivan Virgin River Park, Washington Co.  by Maurice DeMille (adult male, Photos)  2nd: round 8-0
     Because it has been thought that almost all Mexican Ducks in North America have some degree of hybridization with Mallards, (although, because their numbers has dramatically increased recently, this may no longer be true), the committee is searching to find a line between accepting a bird, as a Mexican Duck or calling it a hybrid.

Vaux's Swift  (Chaetura vauxi)  ( 18 / 25)

    2021-24 - 24 Apr 2021 - Utah Lake Northshore Trail, Utah Co. by Max Malmquist  (one, Photos)  1st round: 9-0

    2021-25 - 25 Apr 2021 - Tonaquint Nature Center, Washington Co. by Jenner Bryson  (<two, Photos)  1st round: 9-0

    2021-27 - 8 May 2021 - Skipper Bay Trail, Utah Co. by Ben Stradling  (adult)  2nd round: 3-6 - (The probability lies with Vaux's Swift but the rare Chimney Swift couldn't be ruled out).

    2021-30 - 9 May 2021 -  Old Mill Holding Pond. Salt Lake Co. by Kenny Frisch  (adult, Photo)  1st round: 9-0
    2021-43 - 27 Jun 2021 - Little Cottonwood Canyon, Salt Lake Co. by Ian Battermanr  (adult)  2nd round: 0-9 - (With the odd timing of this sighting and not enough detail to separate this from other swifts, there was doubt about this ID).
     The sightings of Vaux's Swifts are generally quick fly-bys and seldom produce good photos, so eliminating the relatively small chance that it could be a Chimney Swift, can be difficult. 40% of the sightings of this species this year were not accepted for that reason.

Blue-throated Mountain-gem (Blue-throated Hummingbird) (Lampornis clemenciae)  (1 /1)
    2021-26 - 3 Aug 1972 - Springdale, Washington Co. by Jerome L Gifford  (female)  2nd round: 7-2  First State Record
     Despite some questions about the description, this record from 1972 convincingly eliminated similar species. The reported photos of this bird have not yet been obtained and would be helpful. According to our new bylaws change, concerning records without physical evidence, this species will be put on the Provisional Species list until another record for this species is accepted.

Purple Gallinule  (Porphyrio martinica)  (0 / 3)
    2021-75 - 27 Sep 2021 - Rockport Reservoir SP. Summit Co.  Angie Branch (juvenile., Photos)  2nd round:  0-8 - (With problems of distance, lighting and atypical behavior, the detailed description could still not eliminate the possibility of other species).

Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda)  (3 / 10)

    2021-47 - 3 Sep 2021 - Jordan River Parkway, Salt Lake Co.  by Bryant Olsen  (One)  1st round: 9-0

    2021-49 - 4 Sep 2021 - Northlake Park & Loch Lomand Pond, Utah Co.  by Max Malmquist  (One, Photos ) 1st round: 9-0
     These two sighting of just three in the last ten years for this species, were both identified by the call to sopport the description of the field marks.

Hudsonian Godwit   (Limosa haemastica)  (4 / 17)  
    2021-32 - 18 May 2021 -  Jackson flat Reservoir, Kane Co. by Gina Nichol  (adult male, Photos)  1st round: 9-0
     Only the fourth sighting of this species in Utah in the last 10 years.
 

Ruff   (Calidris virgata)  (5 / 10) 
    2021-52 - 3 Sep 2021 - West Shore of Utah Lake, Utah Co.  by Sam Phillips  (one, Photos ) 1st round: 9-0

White-rumped Sandpiper   (Calidris fuscicollis)  (4 / 11)  

2021-50 - White-rumped Sandpiper by Mike Schijf

2021-48 - Parasitic Jaeger by Bryant Olsen

2021-53 - Long-tailed Jaeger by Max Malmquist

2021-29 - Ancient Murrelet by Andrew Engilis Jr

2021-40 - Least Tern by Andrew Engilis Jr

2021-73 - White-tailed Kite by Bryant Olsen

    2021-50 - 2 Jun 2021 - St. George Golf Club, Washington Co.  by Mike Schijf  (Adult, Photos )  1st round: 9-0

    2021-39 - 16 Jun 2021 - Dugway Proving Ground, Tooele Co.. by Danielle Finlayson  (one, Photos)  2nd round: 9-0
     The eleven sighting of this species in the state have been spread out from all five corners of the state  as well as the Wasatch front in the middle.

Red Phalarope  (Phalaropus fulicarius)  (11 /24)
    2021-59 - 9 Oct 2021 - Anteople Island Causeway, Davis Co.  by Bryant Olsen (adult, Photos)  1st round: 9-0
     Nine of the 15 sighting in the last 20 years have been from the Antelope Island Causeway in the fall.

Parasitic Jaeger   (Stercorarius parasiticus)  (5 / 16)

    2021-48 - 3 Sep 2021 - Deker Lake, West Valley City,, Salt Lake Co.  by Bryant Olsen  (Juv, Photos )  1st round: 9-0

    2021-54 - 26 Sep 2021 - Antelope Island Causeway, Davis Co.  by Bryant Olsen  (3 adults, Photo )  2nd round: 6-3

    2021-58 - 26 Sep 2021 - Rockport Reservoir, Summit Co.  by Mackenzie Goldthwait  (one )  2nd round: 0-9 - (The description did not sufficiently rule our other species).

    2021-64 - 2 Oct 2021 - Bountiful Pond, Davis Co.  by Brian Peck  (juvenile )  1st round: 0-8 - (The description did not eliminate other possibilities for this brief sighting).

    2021-66 - 12 Oct 2021 - Lady Finger Point, Antelope Island SP, Davis Co.  by David Edwards  (one, Photos ) 2nd round: 0-9  (The documentation was not deemed enough to eliminate the possibility of another species).

Long-tailed Jaeger  (Stercorarius longicaudus)  (6 / 15)

    2021-51 - 30 Aug 2017 - Antelope Island Causeway, Davis Co.  by Bryant Olsen  (juvenile, Photos )  2nd round: 9-0

    2021-53 - 12 Sep 2021 - Saratoga Springs Public Marina, Utah Co.  by Max Malmquist  (juvenile, Photos )  1st round: 9-0

    2021-57 - 21 Aug 2021 - North Shore Trail, Utah Lake, Utah Co.  by Karen Welch  (adult or subadult)  2nd round: 0-9 - (Although the description seemed to fit Long-tailed Jaeger best, the details presented for the 10 second flyover sighting, left too many concerns about this record in the second round).

Ancient Murrelet  (Synthliboramphus antiquus)  (1 / 5)
    2021-29 - 31 Oct 2019 - Utah Lake, Utah Co. by Vickey DePriest  (adult, Photos)  2nd round: 8-0
     The four previous sightings of this species in Utah were between the years 1925 and 1974. All of them were of  specimens either found dead or were collected.

Little Gull   (Hydrocoloeus minutus)  (5 / 8)   
    2021-72 - 28 Nov2021 - Antelope Island Causeway, Davis Co.  Bryant Olsen (adult, Photos)  1st round: 9-0

Laughing Gull  (Leucophaeus atricilla)  (2 / 2)    
    2021-42 - 16 Jun 2021 - Recapture Reservoir, San Juan Co.. by Steve Patterson  (adult, Photos)  1st round: 9-0

Heermann's Gull   (Larus heermanni)  (0 / 3)   
    2021-46 - 17 Jul 2021 - W 7200 St. Pond, Salt Lake Co.  by Jonathan Wilhelms  (3rd Year)  1st round: 0-9 - (The Description didn't adequately establish the ID of this bird).

Western Gull  (Larus occidentalis)  (10 / 14)   
    2021-70 - 16 Nov 2021 - Farmington Bay WMA, Davis Co.    by Bryant Olsen    (Hatch Year, Photos)  1st round: 9-0

Least Tern  (Sternula antillarum)  (5 / 17)   
    2021-40 - 28 May 2021 -St. George, Washington Co.  by Bill Compton  (breeding adult, Photos) 1st round: 8-0
 

Red-throated Loon  (Gavia stellata)  (13 / 23)
    2021-03 - 5 Jan 2021 - Lone Rock Beach, Glen Canyon NRA, Kane  Co., by Roy Morris  (Adult, Photos)  1st round: 9-0
    2021-61 - 23 Oct 2021 - Rockport Reservoir, Summit Co.  by Bryant Olsen (Juvenile, Photos)  2nd round: 9-0

    2021-67 - 6 Nov 2021 - Willard Bay, Box Elder Co.  by Bryant Olsen (Juvenile, Photos)  1st round: 9-0

Black Vulture   (Cathartes aura)  (0 / 0)
    2021-31 - 24 May 2021 -  Mutton Hollow, Davis Co. by Susan Mendoza  (two, Photos)  1st round:  0-9 - (The pictures were thought to be better for a Turkey Vulture).

White-tailed Kite  (Elanus leucurus)  (2 / 9)
    2021-73 - 13 Dec 2021 - Blue Creek Valley, Box Elder Co.  Bryant Olsen (adult, Photos) 1st round: 9-0
     First one seen in northern Utah since 1986.

Gray Hawk  (Buteo plagiatus)  (1 / 2)
    2021-38 - 13 Jun 2021 - Lytle Ranch, Washington Co. by Kathy & Joel Beyer  (adult)  2nd: 9-0

Zone-tailed Hawk  (Buteo albonotatus)  (15 / 26)

    2021-41 - 10 Jun 2021 - Hurricane, Washington. by Mike Schijf  (adult, Photos)  2nd round: 9-0
     Fourteen of the 15 seen in the last 10 years have been in Washington County.

Snowy Owl  (Bubo scandiacus)  (2 / 11)
    2021-74 - 20 Dec 2021 - Plain City, Weber Co.  by Kirk Andrascik  (one )  2nd round:  0-9 - (The description of this 5 second sighting didn't provide enough detail to confirm this species).

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  (Sphyrapicus varius)  (25 / 28)

2021-05 - Yellow-bellied Sapsucker by Bryant Olsen

    2021-05 - 12 Jan 2021 - Ophir Canyon, Tooele Co., by Bryant Olsen  (juvenile male, Photos)  1st round: 9-0
    2021-09 - 21 Jan 2021 - East Millbrook Way, Davis Co., by Vera E. McMurrin  (juvenile male, Photos)
    2nd round: 8-1
    2021-22 - 16 Mar 2021 - Bonneville Golf course, Salt Lake Co. by Eli Anderson   (juvenile female, Photos)  1st round: 9-0
     In March of this year the committee voted to keep this species on the Review List despite the number of sighting in the last 10  exceeding the suggested threshold for removing the species.

Gyrfalcon  (Falco rusticolus)  (2 / 8)
    2021-07 - 10 Jan 2021 - Southwest of Scipio, Millard Co., by David Mihalic  (one)  1st round:   0-9 - (The description of this bird better fit other species more likely to be in this area than a Gyrfalcon).

Tropical Kingbird   (Tyrannus melancholicus)  (2 /2)
    2021-60 - 24 Sep 2021 - Bountiful Pond, Davis Co.  by Quinn Diaz (adult, Photos)  2nd round: 0-9 - (The possibility of a Couch's Kingbird was not sufficiently ruled out in this record).

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher   (Tyrannus forficatus)   (5 / 13)
    2021-65 - 8 Jun 2021 - Jarvie Ranch historic site, Brown's Pk. Rd., Daggett Co. by Cal DeBebarad  (adult, Photos)  1st round: 9-0
 

Pacific-slope Flycatcher  (Empidonax difficilis)  (2 /2)
    2021-45 - 12 May 2021 - Fish Springs NWR, Juab Co. by Kenny Frisch  (one AHY)  2nd round: 1-8  - (The recordings and spectrograms were not entirely convincing for this difficult ID).

Winter Wren  (Troglodytes hiemalis)   (10 / 11)

2021-19 - Winter Wren by Kendall Watkins

2021-15 - Purple Finch by Milt Moody

2021-28 - Baltimore Oriole by Tom Biller

2021-37 - Blue-winged Warbler by Kyle Kittelberger

2021-71 - Chestnut-sided Warbler by Max Malmquist

2021-71 - Black-throated Blue Warbler by Bryant Olsen

2021-35 - Painted Bunting by James Loveless

    2021-19 - 8 Jan 2021 - Willard Bay SP, Box Elder Co. by Kendall Watkins   (one, Photos)  1st round: 8-0

Bendire's Thrasher (Toxostoma bendirei)  (1 / 10) 
    2021-14 - 6 Mar 2021 - Beaver Dam Slope, Washington Co. by Carl Ingwell   (one adult)  2nd round: 8-1

Purple Finch  (Haemorhous purpureus)  (4 / 5) 
    2021-12 - 13 Feb 2021 - Highland, Utah Co. by Max Malmquist  (female/juvenile, Photos) 1st round: 9-0

    2021-15 - 9 Mar 2021 - Yard in Provo, Utah Co. by Milt Moody   (adult male, Photos) 1st round: 9-0

Chestnut-collared Longspur  (Calcarius ornatus)  (3 / 7) 

    2021-01 - 3 Jan 2021 - Golden Spike NHS, Box Elder  Co., by Mike Hearell  (Adult male, Photo)  2nd round: 9-0

    2021-10 - 28 Jan 2021 - Ogden Bay WMA, Weber Co., by Bryant Olsen  (adult male)  1st round: 9-0

Thick-billed (McCown's) Longspur   (Rhynchophanes mccownii)  (16 / 28)

    2021-02 - 3 Jan 2021 - Golden Spike NHS, Box Elder  Co., by Mike Hearell  (Adult male & female, Photo) 1st round: 9-0

    2021-04 - 5 Jan 2021 - Blue Creek Valley, Box Elder  Co., by Bryant Olsen  (Adult & unknown, Photos) 1st round: 9-0

    2021-17 - 24 Jan 2021 - Antelope Island Causeway, Davis Co. by Kendall Watkins   (adult female)  1st round: 9-0

    2021-18 - 24 Jan 2021 - Antelope Island SP - Garr Ranch Road, Davis Co. by Kendall Watkins   (adult male, Photos)  1st round: 9-0 

    2021-08 - 24 Jan 2021 - Bird Refuge Rd. (Bear River MBR), Box Elder Co., by Mike Hearell  (Adult male, Photos) 1st round: 9-0
     Because of the increasing number of sightings in the last 5 years the Committee voted to remove this species from the Review List.

Bell's Sparrow  (Artemisiospiza belli)  (1 / 1)  
    2021-13 - 21 Feb 2021 - Beaver Dam Wash, Washington Co. by Annette Gibert  (one)  2nd round  0-9 - (This record didn't sufficiently eliminate the possibility of a similar species).

Orchard Oriole  (Icterus spurius)  (2 / 3)  
    2021-34 - 4 Jun 2021 -  Jordan River Nature Center, Salt Lake Co. by Bryant Olsen  (2nd Year Male, Photos)  1st round: 8-0

Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)  (6 / 8)  

    2021-28 - 12 May 2021 - Cedar City, Iron Co. by Tom Biller  (male, Photos)  1st round: 9-0

    2021-06 - 20 Dec 2020 - Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., by David Cates  (one, Photos)  2nd round: 0-9 - (Bullock's Oriole could not be ruled out as a possibility for this bird).

Rusty Blackbird  ( Euphagus carolinus)  (12 / 20)  

    2021-21 - 20 Dec 2020 - Howell, Box Elder Co. by Kendall Watkins   (non-breeding male, Photos)  1st round: 8-0

    2021-23 - 11 Jan 2021 - Sand Hollow State Park, Washington Co. by Mike Schijf   (female, Photos)  1st round: 9-0

    2021-20 - 10 Jan 2021 - Jensen, Uintah Co. by Kendall Watkins   (adult female, Photos)  1st round: 8-0

    2021-69 - 28 Sep 2021 - Rock Canyon Lodge, Daggett Co.  by Dennis D. Austin  (adult female ) 1st round: 0-9 - (The description given didn't eliminate similar species).
     With this species back on the Review List we might be able to observe a pattern of dispersal of observations around the state and for an increase and decrease of sightings by year, for this species.
 

Blue-winged Warbler   (Vermivora cyanoptera)  (2 / 4)  
    2021-37 - 18 Jun 2021 -  Rio Mesa FS, Grand Co.,  by Megan Millar & Kyle Kittelberger  (ASY male, Photos  1st round: 9-0

Prothonotary Warbler  (Protonotaria citrea)  (9 / 17)      2021-56 - 29 Sep 2021 - Bountiful Pond, Davis Co.  by Kirstin Purdy (adult male)  1st round: 9-0

Tennessee Warbler   (Oreothlypis peregrina)  (14 / 16)  
    2021-11 - 30 Sep 2018 - Lytle Ranch Preserve, Washington Co., by Kendall Watkins  (one, Photos)  2nd round: 8-0

Chestnut-sided Warbler   (Setophaga pensylvanica)  (10 / 26)  

    2021-33 - 31 May 2021 -  Bryce Canyon NP, Garfield Co. by Rose Leclair & Jeremy Parnell  (one, Photo)  1st round:  9-0

    2021-36 - 12 Jun 2021 -  Yellow Fork Canyon Trailhead, Salt Lake Co. by Aaron Taylor  (adult male, Photos  1st round: 9-0

    2021-71 - 23 Oct 2021 - Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co.  by Meg Roberts, Bryant Olsen (Hatch Year, Photos)  1st round: 9-0

    2021-62 - 24 Oct 2021 - Oakley, Summit Co.  by Rhea Cone (one, Photo)  1st round: 9-0
     With five sightings this year and four sighting 10 years ago and two in the year 20 years ago, and other than that about one sighting a year looking pretty consistent, it will be interesting to see if the pattern continues, starting with a drop next year.

Black-throated Blue Warbler  (Setophaga caerulescens)  (7 / 24)
    2021-68 - 7 Nov 2021 - Logan, Cache Co.    by Bryant Olsen    (HY male, Photos) 1st round: 9-0

Palm Warbler  (Setophaga palmarum)  (12 / 26)
    2021-44 - 8 Aug 2021 - Silver Lake, Big Cottonwood Canyon, Salt Lake Co. by Ian Battermanr  (one)  2nd round: 0-8 - (Concerns with the timing, habitat and behavior along with other similar species not being completely eliminated were concerns with this ID).

Painted Bunting   Passerina ciris)  (4 / 7)
    2021-35 - 30 May 2021 -  Torrey, Wayne Co. by Terry Reid  (Adult Male, Photos)  2nd round: 6-1

* The header photo is of a Purple Finch taken
   by Jack Binch ©Jack Binch (Record 2021-15)