Utah Bird Report for 4/15/00
Submitted by Mark Stackhouse (westwings@sisna.com) to the bird net

Birds mentioned

Great Egret Salt Lake Co.
"Bewick's" Swan Box Elder Co.
Wood Duck Utah Co.
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK Utah Co.
Hooded Merganser Davis Co.
HUDSONIAN GODWIT Davis Co.
Marbled Godwit Box Elder Co.
Least Sandpiper Box Elder Co.
dowitcher sp. Salt Lake Co.
Franklin's Gull Salt Lake Co.
Caspian Tern Davis Co., Salt Lake Co.
Hermit Thrush Salt Lake Co.
SPRAGUE'S PIPIT Salt Lake Co.
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW Salt Lake Co.
Great-tailed Grackle Salt Lake Co.

Transcript

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

BOX ELDER COUNTY

A "BEWICK'S" SWAN with a neck collar was seen at BRMBR on Sunday, 04/09. Other spring arrivals noted at the refuge on that day included MARBLED GODWITS and LEAST SANDPIPERS (C&LW).

DAVIS COUNTY A possible HUDSONIAN GODWIT was reported from the pond at the west end of Glover Lane, near FBWMA. The bird was seen in the late evening on Wednesday, 04/12 (SCo).

A female HOODED MERGANSER was seen at FBWMA on Friday, 04/14 (WH). It was in the small pond on the east side of the entrance road just past the maintanance buildings.

The pond at the west end of Glover Lane also had two CASPIAN TERNS on Saturday, 04/08 (YS).

SALT LAKE COUNTY A possible SPRAGUE'S PIPIT was seen near the JRP on Friday, 04/07, and again on Monday, 04/10 (JH). To get to where the bird was seen, take 3300 South to 900 West, and go south to the end, then turn right (west), and park at the end of the road. Take the path which leads to the JRP, and look in the fields to the south, and along the fence on the north side of the trail. On both occasions, the bird was seen in the early morning about halfway along the fence. There have been several reports of Sprague's Pipit in Utah, but as yet no accepted records.

The WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, which has been seen along the JRP just north of the power sub-station at about 3100 South, was seen again on Sunday, 04/09 (DG).

Other birds seen near 3300 south along the JRP on Sunday, 04/09, included several FRANKLIN'S GULLS, a HERMIT THRUSH, and a GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE. On the same day at nearby Decker Lake, 2 CASPIAN TERNS and 6 dowitchers (species undetermined) were seen. On Saturday, 04/08, a GREAT EGRET was seen flying over the JRP at about 3900 South (JH).

UTAH COUNTY The AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, which was first seen near the Provo River Parkway on Friday, 03/31, was last reported on Friday, 04/07 (BW). The bird has been seen only in the early morning at some small, marshy ponds along Boat Harbor Road, which parallels the Provo River on the north side, at about 1.2 miles east of the entrance to Utah Lake SP. There are many records of Black Duck in Utah, but this is only the third report in the past ten years.

At the oxbow pond along the Provo River Parkway, about 1/2 mile east of the entrance to Utah Lake SP, a pair of WOOD DUCKS was seen on Monday, 04/10 (DG,KS).

This concludes the Utah Bird Report for Saturday, April 15, 2000.

Note:
Two graduate students, Sarah Hume and Douglas Hume, are conducting a survey of birders, who use electronic rare bird alerts, to study how electronic rare bird alerts have impacted the behavioral, identity, actions, emotions, and other aspects of birders. This study will also try to determine how these changes in behavior effect local economies. This electronic survey is strictly confidential. The website of the survey is: http://members.aol.com/lithicat/survey.htm If you have any questions or concerns you can contact Sarah and Douglas at d.hume@uconn.edu.
Observers: SCo=Steve Coleman, JH=Jack Holley, DG=Dana Green, WH=Wade Hoffman, KS=Kay Stone, YS=Yvonne Stroup, C&LW=Cliff & Lisa Weisse, BW=Bonnie Williams

Abbreviations used:
AIC = Antelope Island Causeway
BRMBR = Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
CBC = Christmas Bird Count
FBWMA = Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area
JRP = Jordan River Parkway
NM = National Monument
NWR = National Wildlife Refuge
SR = State Route
SP = State Park
WMA = Waterfowl Management Area

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.