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Saturday, June12th, 10 Red
Cliffs birders met at the St. George BLM office ready to inaugurate
the summer birding season. Pine Park, an oasis of Ponderosa Pines set in
the typical Utah P-J forest, was our ultimate destination. A fine little
stream called Sheep Corral Creek flows through the pines there and
creates the headwaters of the Beaver Dam Wash. This location, coupled with
a temperate microclimate, always provides some very interesting birding.
Things became exciting as we approached the farming community of
Enterprise when we spotted a small flock of Wild Turkey along the shoulder of
highway 18. West of Enterprise, where the road follows Shoal Creek, we
encountered some nice sloughs and small impoundments which produced an
assortment of warblers, blackbirds and waterfowl. Of particular interest were
two breediing pairs of Phainopepla, far from the Mohave Desert which, until
lately, has been the limit of their range. Charlie managed to call in a
Yellow-breasted Chat who, in turn, provided great views and
entertainment. Pine Park yielded a nice variety of warblers; Yellow,
Virginia's and Grace's. The Grace's Warbler was especially cooperative
when it perched on a low level tree branch, giving us all a great look and
sparing us a collective "warbler neck"! Beautiful day, great
company, doesn't get any better!
56 species were seen and are
listed below:
Common Raven, Wild Turkey, Brewer's Blackbird, Barn
Swallow, Turkey Vulture, American Robin, Say's Phoebe, Eurasian Dove, Western
Kingbird, American Kestrel, Meadowlark, Mourning Dove, Northern Flicker,
Red-tailed Hawk, Phainopepla, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, Killdear,
Red-winged Blackbird, Cliff Swallow, Cinnamon Teal, Mallard, Belted Kingfisher,
Common Nighthawk, Great-tailed Grackle, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Black-crowned
Night Heron, Ring-necked Duck, Pinion Jay, American Coot, Lark Sparrow, Western
Tanager,House Sparrow, European Starling, Brewer's Sparrow, Mountain Bluebird,
Loggerhead Shrike, Grace's Warbler, Cassin's Finch, Canyon Wren, Western Wood
Pewee, Virginia's Warbler, Warbling Vireo, Broad-tailed Hummingbird,
Violet-green Swallow, White-breasted Nuthatch, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Lesser
Goldfinch,Empedinox Flycatcher, Black-headed Grossbeak, Black Phoebe, Spotted
Towhee, Hairy Woodpecker, Bushtit, Gadwell and Spotted Sandpiper.
(Charlie Sheard)
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