[Birdnet] Birds around SW Utah

[Franklin Clawson]

I took my family to the St. George area this week for Spring Break.  My time
was spent on family activities, with no pure birding outings per se.  Still,
I saw some interesting birds.  On Monday, we saw a flock of 8 wild Turkeys
on the banks of the Virgin River past La Verkin.  In Zions National Park, I
enjoyed seeing White-breasted Nuthatches, a Black Phoebe near the river,
unidentified Swifts flying above the canyon over Emerald Ponds, a likely
Tree Sparrow, a pair of Cassins Finches, a Downy Woodpecker, and what I
presume was a Western Bluebird (coloring looked somewhat like an Eastern).
Unfortunately, no Painted Redstarts yet near the Riverwalk trail (near the
Narrows).

 

At Snow Canyon, I really enjoyed watching a couple of Black-throated
Sparrows, and noticed my first Say's Phoebe of the year.  In town, the
Great-tailed Grackles seem to be ever expanding in numbers.  I saw and heard
one Mockingbird, one of my favorite birds to listen to.  My best bird for
the trip was a close-up view of a female Hooded Oriole in a short palm tree
near the large outdoor pool at Green Valley.  My best mammal was watching a
fox just after dusk also at Green Valley.  From my limited books with
mammals, I believe it was a Kit Fox.  My sons and I watched the fox for a
few minutes under a tall overhead light, and the fox seemed equally amused
to watch us.  Then it trotted back into some shrubs in the darkness.  With a
flashlight in hand, it was intriguing to catch the reflective glow of the
fox's yellow eyes from deep in the shrubs.

 

Back home in Davis County today, I refilled my feeders and was somewhat
surprised that a Pine Siskin allowed me to pick him (or her) up in my hand.
After showing the bird to my family, I set him back on my sock feeder and he
started feeding again as though nothing had happened.  Only a half hour
later, a Sharp Shinned Hawk was on my back fence, with no birds then at the
feeders, and I was left to wonder about the fate of my very tame and
trusting little Siskin friend.

 

Happy Spring Birding,

 

Frank Clawson

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