Painted Redstart in Zion National Park

["Ted Floyd" <tedfloyd57 at hotmail dot com>]

Hello, Utah birders.

Here is a message that Paul Pisano sent to me and that
he said I could pass along the Utah list.  Regarding
the Painted Redstarts, it is interesting that there
were sightings from Bunkerville NV (near the UT-AZ-NV
border) on the same date.

Ted Floyd
Reno, Nevada
tedfloyd57@hotmail.com

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PAINTED REDSTART - April 7, 2002, Zion Natl. Park, Temple
of the Sinawava area, right at the beginning of the Riverside
Walk.  One adult male, singing loudly and showing well in
the top of a medium-sized tree about halfway between the
trail and the river.  First seen and heard at about 8:30
am.  After walking the trail, I could still hear the bird,
but it was much farther away and I didn't try to see it
again (this was probably about 10:30 am).  At this point
it sounded like it was closer to the river, and lower
down.  For what it's worth (given the recent sighting
of Slate-throated in TX), I'm sure it was Painted and
not Slate-throated because I saw the white eye crescent,
large white patch in the wing coverts, and red belly up
to a black upper breast and throat.

RED CROSSBILL, nesting - April 6, 2002, Bryce Canyon Natl.
Park, beginning of the Bristlecone Loop Trail (before the
trail actually loops, not far from the parking lot, near a
small wooden bench overlooking the canyon).  I saw and heard
3 adults (at least, possibly 1 or 2 more), 2 of the adults
(male & female) were both seen feeding 2 (poss. 3) young in
a nest.  The young were still covered in down, and looked
like they had some developing to do before they were ready to
leave the nest and fend for themselves.  The birds (including
the nest) were seen from a distance of about 50' (the nest
was in a tree (spruce?) right off the trail, about 20' up
in the tree).

Best regards,
Paul Pisano
cheep@erols.com
Arlington, VA

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Please visit the web site of the Great Basin
Bird Observatory: http://www.gbbo.org







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