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Red Cliffs most recent field trip
was Saturday, April 17th. Destination was the popular Lytle
Ranch, a lush riparian area along the Beaver Dam wash located in the corner of
southwestern Utah. Lytle Ranch has recently been nominated as an Important Bird
Area. Our chapter was joined on this trip by the officers of several
other Utah Audubon chapters who were in Southern Utah to attend the annual
spring Utah Audubon Council retreat. With immeasureable good
fortune, the predicted rainy weather delayed itself and allowed us to
enjoy a cool, dry day of birding. Several birders found life and/or Utah
firsts to add to their lists. Also present were several species of butterflies,
most noteable of which was a Great Purple Hairstreak.
53 species of birds were
recorded and they are as follows: Canada Goose, Mallard, Gambel's Quail,
American White Pelican, Turkey Vulture, Northern Harrier, Cooper's Hawk, Common
Black Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Killdeer,
White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Greater Roadrunner, White-throated Swift,
Black-chinned Hummingbird, Costa's Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Ladder-backed
Woodpecker, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Loggerhead
Shrike, Bell's Vireo, Plumbeous Vireo, Western Scub-Jay, Common Raven,
Violet-Green Swallow, Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Verdin, Cactus Wren,
Bewick's Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, American Robin,
Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, Phainopepla, Lucy's Warbler, Yellow
Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Lark Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, Savannah
Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Hooded
Oriole, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch and House Sparrow.
Charlie Sheard
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