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St. George Field Trip



From November 1-4 I spent a mini-vacation with the family in St. George and environs.  This was a great opportunity to bird in an area never before visited for this purpose, and to begin my Washington County List.
 
On Saturday @ 7 a.m. Rick Fridell and Charlie Sheard picked me up at the motel for a day of birdng in and around St. George.  (To tell the truth, I should have gone a month earlier, but we do what we can.)
 
We visited Red Hills Golf Course, Sun Brook Golf Course, Tonaquint Park, Southgate Golf Course, Washington Fields, Washington City, and later in the day Quail Creek Reservoir.  On Monday I visited Lyttle Ranch and Enterprise Reservoir.  On the way home I stopped briefly at the Green Valley Golf course and again, Washington City.
 
We started at Red Hills Golf Course and the first bird of the day was a life bird for me, a Common Moorhen hiding in the cattails on the west side of the pond.  On the pond we also saw a Pied-billed Grebe and American Coot, and nearby in a pile of brush a Bewick's Wren.  As we continued through the golf course we saw many birds, including a flock of Gambel's Quail, a Verdin, and a Ladder-backed Woodpecker.  All life birds for me.  We also saw Northern Mockingbird, Say's and Black Phoebe, Lesser Goldfinch, American Goldfinch and Northern Flicker, among others.  We saw a woodpecker that Rick thought was a cross between a Red-naped Sapsucker and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, since it had color characteristics of both.  (Sorry, no camera.)
 
Next we visited Sun Brook Golf Course where I added the Greater White-fronted Goose to my life list.  The large water hazard (pond) contained many ducks.  Charlie pointed out a nearby home, where we peaked into the backyard and observed flitting around on the ground, near some bushes, an Abert's Towhee.  Another life bird for my list.  There were also Spotted Towhee and White-crowned Sparrows in the same area.
 
Then to Tonaquint Park, with the hope of finding a Crissal Thrasher.  No luck.
 
On our way to Southgate Golf Course we stopped at a nearby Maverick convenience store to refuel.  There we saw a Great-tailed Grackle.  The large golf course pond contained a large flock of many different ducks, which we scanned for new species, without success.
 
On to Washington Fields, where the big find was a Crissal Thrasher that flew parallel to Rick's truck long enough for us to get a good look.  Another life bird!  We also had a good view of several raptors, including Golden Eagle, Northern Harrier and a Cooper's Hawk.
 
At Washington City we were not able to see the European Collard Dove previously reported by Dennis Shirley, and subsequently seen by Rick Fridell, William Hunter and others.  A cell phone call to Dennis helped to locate the specific area.  (Thanks, Dennis.)
 
In the late afternoon I met Rick at Quail Creek Reservoir, which yielded many ducks, including a Surf Scoter and a life White-winged Scoter.  We then went to Berry Spring Marsh, where we immediately spotted a Great Horned Owl that was settling into a large dead tree in front of us.  We were able to observe it for several minutes, before it flew away.
 
On Monday I made a solo first trip to Lyttle Ranch.  However, it was quite dead to bird life.  But, I was able to add a Western Bluebird to my year list.  I also observed a Townsend's Solitaire and another Ladder-backed Woodpecker, as well as Ruby-crowned Kinglet and more White-crowned Sparrow.  I had a nice visit (in English and Spanish) with Eriberto Madrigal, the caretaker.  We had a good time chatting about things of common interest and sharing a few pomegranates.  (I don't see how some people can eat those seeds.)  This was followed by a brief visit to Enterprise Reservoir.  At Shivwits (Indian reservation) I had a nice close view of a Red-tailed Hawk sitting on the remains of an adobe house.  Its crop was protruding to such an extent that I concluded it must have just finished eating.
 
On the way home on Tuesday we stopped by the Green Valley Golf Course to inspect the pond at the entrance.  There we saw a nice collection of ducks; a few Mallard, many Ring-necked Duck, a few Ruddy Duck and many noisy American Coot.  But, unfortunately, not the Greater Scaup previously reported by Dennis Shirley.  A brief visit again to Washington City did not yield the collared doves.
 
For me this was a great birding trip to a new birding area.  Besides the 52 birds I now have on my Washington County List, I added 7 life birds and another annual bird.  I certainly enjoyed and appreciated the time and efforts of such affable and experienced birders as Rick and Charlie.  Thanks so much.
 
A list of bird seen included the following birds, which got my Washington County List off to a great start.
 
Pied-billed Grebe
Great Blue Heron
Greater White-fronted Goose *
Canada Goose
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
American Wigeon
Ring-necked Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter *
Bufflehead
Ruddy Duck
Bald Eagle (imm.)
Northern Harrier
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Golden Eagle
American Kestrel
Gambel's Quail *
Common Moorhen *
American Coot
Mourning Dove
Great Horned Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Red-naped Sapsucker
Ladder-backed Woodpecker *
Northern Flicker
Black Phoebe
Say's Phoebe
Common Raven
Verdin *
Bewick's Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Western Bluebird **
Townsend's Solitaire
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
Crissal Thrasher
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Abert's Towhee *
Savannah Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Pine Siskin
Lesser Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
 
  * Life Bird/Annual Bird
 ** Annual Bird
 
P.S.  Rick, if I missed any, please let me know.  I did not see the House Finch.  GBB