RC Audubon's Sawmill Springs Field Trip.

["William J. Hunter" <dixiewili at redrock dot net>]

Greetings.

Saturday, September 14, 2002 Red Cliffs Audubon (St. George) conducted their
first field trip of the fall. Six birders met and headed to Sawmill Springs
in Zion National Park, up on the Kolob Plateau.

The following is a count of birds seen.

Virgin; just outside to the north on Kolob Road. There, there is a small
swampy area:
American Kestrel
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (1)
White-crowned Sparrow

Blue Springs Reservoir: water very low.
Red-tailed Hawk
Mountain Bluebird (4)
Vesper Sparrow

Lava Point; both on it and directly below it:
Turkey Vulture (5)
GOLDEN EAGLE (1 juvenile and 1 2nd year)
GRAY JAY (1)
Clark's Nutcracker (1)
Mountain Chickadee

Sawmill Springs; trail in and springs itself:
Turkey Vulture
Band-tailed Pigeon (1)
Northern Flicker
Western Wood-Pewee (4)
Steller's Jay (6)
Barn Swallow (1)
Mountain Chickadee
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH (1)
White-breasted Nuthatch (6)
BROWN CREEPER (1)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (1 - Audubon's)
Dark-eyed Junco... just a flash of that conspicuous tail.

Of interest were the 5 Horned Lizards (alias... ahh, never mind) seen along
the trail on the way into Sawmill Springs. Some were no bigger than a
quarter.

The day was an absolutely gorgeous fall day in the high country, which
helped to make up for the lack of species expected to be found there.

total species: 21

Bill Hunter
St. George

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