Painted Redstarts

["Rick Fridell" <rfridell at redrock dot net>]

Hello,
Kristen and I just returned home from a pleasant afternoon at Zion and found
Milton's request for information on the Painted Redstart in Zion Canyon,
well here is the latest:

This afternoon (4/28) at about 2:30 pm, Kristen and I observed the singing
male Painted Redstart approximately 1/3 mile up the Riverside Walk Trail
(formerly Gateway to the Narrows trail) near the alcove arch/seep area (same
area as on 4/18).  The alcove arch is right of the trail, while the Redstart
was foraging in the riparian area to the left of the trail.  We observed it
for about 10 minutes then it flew off down canyon.  On the way back down the
trail we relocated it adjacent to the signed 'Desert Swamp' area of the
trail.  It was singing high in a boxelder tree on the south side of the
canyon (Right side facing up canyon).  When we left, it was still perched
and singing from this boxelder.  This boxelder is the highest tree up the
south side of the canyon wall. Interestingly, this is similar to the
behavior of the bird we observed in Zion last spring.  Both appeared to
select a tree high up the canyon wall to use as a singing perch between
foraging trips into the riparian area below.  To locate the Redstart, listen
for its distinctive song.  It sang at intervals of approximately 15-25
seconds.

A few people have speculated that there may have been two singing Redstarts
in the Temple of Sinawava/ Riverside Walk area.  We could only locate one
individual in this area. However, we left the Redstart singing in the
boxelder, walked back and caught the next shuttle down canyon to the Weeping
Rock area.  We stopped at Weeping Rock and found a....Painted Redstart!!!
We viewed this Redstart briefly in the riparian area from the main road
bridge over the stream coming from Weeping Rock.  We did not hear this bird
vocalize.

Species observed in Upper Zion Canyon (Grotto to Narrows) 4/28/02:

Mallard
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
White-throated Swift
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Black Phoebe
Plumbeous Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Steller's Jay
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Canyon Wren
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
American Robin
Orange-crowned Warbler
Virginia's Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Painted Redstart
Song Sparrow
Black-headed Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Lesser Goldfinch


So yes this is great time for the Provo birders to come down and include a
Painted Redstart in your 30 Zion species.  Please do not hesitate to contact
me if I can provide any additional information.

Rick Fridell
Hurricane, UT