UCB Field Trip Report

Saturday, April 16, turned out to be an excellent day of birding for nine Utah County Birders and six BYU students. We set out from the Sam?s Club Parking lot in south Provo on a beautiful but very chilly morning for Sanpete County. Our first stop was along I-15 at Juba Reservoir, then back up to Hwy 28 with a stop at Chicken Creek Reservoir. From there we continued south on Hwy 28 to Painted Rock State Park on the southeast shore of Juba Reservoir [not marked on all maps]. There seemed to be almost as many people as birds out on the reservoirs ,and the insects [thankfully the non-biting kind] were out in full force too. A sure sign that spring is here! We then drove up Hwy 89 to Nine Mile Reservoir, made a quick stop at the wetlands near Fayette, then on to Palisades Park by Sterling. Our final stop of the day was along Hwy 132 at Wales Reservoir near Moroni.

It was great to have the students with us. The enthusiasm they showed each time a new bird was spotted gave the rest of us seasoned veterans an opportunity to see our feathered friends through ?fresh eyes.? The kids had Saturday finals and left the group early but the rest of us continue on until mid-afternoon. A magnificent Golden Eagle perched on top of a roadside telephone pole near Wales Reservoir capped off a great day of birding! Grand total of birds seen by the group was 75. Trip leader was Tuula Rose. Following is a list of the highlights at each stop:

Juba Reservoir

Loggerhead Shrike

Red-tailed Hawk

Rock Wren

Tree Swallow

Cliff Swallow

Black-necked Stilt

American Robin

Northern Shoveler

Northern Pintail

Canada Goose

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Shrike

Eared Grebe

Green-winged Teal

Kildeer

Red-winged Blackbird

Western Meadowlark

House Sparrow

Gadwall

Brewer?s Blackbird

House Finch

European Starling

Brown-headed Cowbird

Dark-eyed Junco

White-crowned Sparrow

Common Raven

American Coot

Cinnamon Teal

Mallard

Chicken Creek Reservoir

Lesser Scaup

Say?s Phoebe

Redhead

Willett

American Avocet

Barn Swallow

Rough-winged Swallow

Sage Thrasher

Long-billed Curlew

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Snowy Egret

Bufflehead

California Gull

White-faced Ibis

Franklin?s Gull

Violet-green Swallow

Western Kingbird

Horned Lark

Painted Rock State Park

Western Grebe

Clark?s Grebe

Fayette Wetlands

Double-crested Cormorant

White-faced Ibis

Turkey Vulture

Sandhill Crane

Northern Harrier

Swainson?s Hawk

Osprey

Nine Mile Reservoir

Canvasback

Common Loon

Ring-necked Duck

Common Merganser

Vesper Sparrow

Red-breasted Merganser

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon)

Black-billed Magpie

Rock Pigeon

Palisades State Park

Canyon Wren [great looks up close]

Yellow-rumped Warbler [Myrtle race]

American Goldfinch

Along the Way

Mountain Bluebird

Mourning Dove

Kestrel

Lark Sparrow

Wales Reservoir

American Wigeon

Ruddy Duck

Golden Eagle

Thanks Tuula for arranging such a successful birding trip, and thanks to those who were willing to drive. Happy spring birding everyone,

Leena Rogers