[Birdnet] Possible Canyon Towhee in Grand Staircase-Escalante

[Ryan O'Donnell]

I'm travelling in southern Utah at the moment looking for frogs for my
dissertation work, but I thought this observation was worth a quick post
from the road.  On Monday, May 12th, I saw a bird I believe to be a
Canyon Towhee in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.  The bird
was about 1-2 miles downstream from Hole-in-the-Rock Road along an
unnamed drainage that starts near Cave Point and later joins Fiftymile
Creek.  The exact location of the bird was at UTM zone 12S, easting
0500003, northing 4128394, WGS84 projection.  
 
I first saw this bird on Monday the 12th.  Like all towhees, it was
about sparrow shaped but larger than most sparrows and with a longer
tail.  As the bird flew into a shrub, it flashed rufous undertail
coverts under a long dark tail.  I could not get good looks at it in the
dark interior of the shrub but was able to make out a rufous cap and
pale patterning in the throat, and short sparrow-like bill (ruling out
some even less likely birds like Crissal Thrasher).  Overall the rest of
the bird appeared dark gray.  Unfortunately I didn't realize at the time
that this bird was so rare in the state.  I had to pass by the location
two more times for my research and each time flushed a dark
towhee-shaped bird but was unable to relocate it after each initial
flush.  I know this bird is a long shot and it's a long ways out of the
way, but if anyone is in the area it might be worth a look.  It's a
beautiful hike, anyways.
 
More when I return in a week or so.
 
Good birding,
Ryan
 
Ryan P. O'Donnell
Department of Biology and the Ecology Center
Utah State University
5305 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT 84322-5305
 
http://200birds.blogspot.com