Utah Bird Report for 8/3/99
Submitted by Mark Stackhouse (westwings@sisna.com) to the bird net

Birds mentioned

ZONE-TAILED HAWK Washington Co.
American Golden Plover Box Elder Co.
Semipalmated Plover Box Elder Co.
Whimbrel Juab Co.
RED KNOT Box Elder Co.
Pectoral Sandpiper Box Elder Co.
SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER Box Elder Co.
ELF OWL Washington Co.
Winter Wren Salt Lake Co.
Nashville Warbler Washington Co.
INDIGO BUNTING Davis Co.
Red Crosbill Utah Co.

Transcript

Utah Birdline
(801) 538-4730
Compiler: Mark Stackhouse
Transcriber: Mark Stackhouse

BOX ELDER COUNTY

Thousands of shorebirds of various species have been congregating at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge (BRMBR) over the past few weeks. Significant finds this week include a RED KNOT, seen among a flock of Wilson's Phalaropes about 1 mile east of the refuge entrance on Tuesday, 07/27 (HJ,MS), and SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, seen at the northwest corner of the auto-tour loop on Tuesday, 07/27 (HJ,MS), Thursday, 07/29 (JC,MS) and Friday, 07/30 (LC,LWy).

Other good birds seen recently at BRMBR include an AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER on Tuesday, 07/27 (HJ,MS), and a PECTORAL SANDPIPER and a flock of about 12 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS on Thursday, 07/29 (JC,MS). All of these sightings were from the mudflats along the east side of the auto-tour loop.

DAVIS COUNTY An INDIGO BUNTING was seen in Farmington Canyon on Saturday, 07/24 (L&SC). The bird was seen just beyond the Bountiful Peak picnic area.

JUAB COUNTY A WHIMBREL was seen at Fish Springs NWR on Saturday, 07/24 (E&JCo).

SALT LAKE COUNTY At least two, and possibly three WINTER WRENS were heard singing along the Big Water trail in Millcreek Canyon on Saturday, 07/17 (B&GB).

UTAH COUNTY A small flock of RED CROSSBILLS was seen at the Nebo Bench trailhead along the Nebo Loop Road on Tuesday, 07/27 (BM).

WASHINGTON COUNTY A ZONE-TAILED HAWK was seen at the Pine Park Campground west of Enterprise on Saturday, 07/31 (JK,LW). The bird was first seen at about 10 am, and was observed for about an hour. To get to Pine Park, go west from Enterprise for 16 miles to the road to Pine Park, and follow that road for 10 miles to the campground. This is the third record of Zone-tailed Hawk in Utah.

ELF OWLS, which have been heard and seen in a large cottonwood tree at Lytle Ranch, continue to be heard, with the most recent reports from Saturday, 07/31 (LC,LL,LWy). The owls have been in the very large, lone cottonwood about 1/4 mile north of the caretaker's house, just south of the pond, at the junction of the hillside trail and the main trail up the wash. This is the first record of Elf Owl in Utah.

Two NASHVILLE WARBLERS were seen in the Pine Valley Mountains on Sunday, 07/25 (MS,DW). The birds were about 1/2 mile up the Brown's Point Trail.

This concludes the Utah Bird Report for Wednesday, August 3, 1999.

Observers: B&GB=Bob & Georgine Bond, JC=Jeffery Carlson (of IN); LC=Lyn Christiansen, L&SC=Leon & Steve Coleman, E&JCo=Edward & Joseph Conrad; HJ=Harold John (of MO), JK=Josh Kreitzer, LL=Letitia Lussier, BM=Brian Maxfield, MS=Mark Stackhouse, DW=David Wheeler, LW=Lew Wilkinson, LWy=Larene Wyss

Please report your sightings by calling the Utah Birdline at: (801) 538-4730 or by e-mail to westwings@sisna.com

You may e-mail questions and comments to westwings@sisna.com or you may call (801) 487-9453.