[Birdtalk] Weekend birding in SW Utah

[Colby Neuman]

Hi all,

Tim Avery and I went down to southwestern Utah this weekend in hopes of
monitoring the progress of migration as well as seeing a few specific
birds.  Highlights included a female HERMIT WARBLER, two immature
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, one adult ZONE-TAILED HAWK, NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL, etc..
On the way down, we birded River Lane (Utah Co.) midday Saturday.  We didn't
find anything too unexpected, but the number of migrants were quite
impressive and included...

Common Barn-Owl - 1
Hairy Woodpecker - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Warbling Vireo - 20
Plumbeous Vireo - 1 singing
Cassin's Vireo - 1
Yellow Warbler - 30
Nashville Warbler - 20 - nearly everywhere!
Virginia's Warbler - 10 - both sexes
Orange-crowned Warbler - 4
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 2
Townsend's Warbler - 1 - male
Wilson's Warbler - 5
MacGillivray's Warbler - 7 - all females

We then made our way down to southwestern Utah, and by evening, we were
birding flocks in and around Lava Point in Zion NP.  Within a 1/2 mile of
the point, we stopped for our first flock.  Literally, the first bird I put
my binoculars was a nice female HERMIT WARBLER.  Tim got on the bird as
well, but he was unable to get a photograph of the bird.  We continued to
bird the nice flocks along the Lava Point road.  We didn't see anymore
Hermit Warblers, but there were still a lot of nice migrants encountered.
Other warblers observed in multiple flocks included several Orange-crowned,
Nashville, Virginia's, Townsend's, Black-throated Gray and Yellow-rumped
Warblers.  A ZONE-TAILED HAWK was observed heading south over the valley to
the north/northeast of Lava Point.  At sunset, we went to the Kolob Creek
crossing in hopes of condors, but came up unsuccessful in our endeavor.
However, we were rewarded with two BAND-TAILED PIGEONS roosting on one of
the dead trees.  We then listened for night migrants from Lava Point itself
and heard very little in 45 minutes of listening...probably because of a
steady 5-15 mph southwesterly wind.  So we decided to head to the meadow at
the junction of the dirt road that goes to Lava Point and the main paved
road the goes to Kolob Reservoir.  Although there were not a ton of birds
migrating because of the south winds, we had ~12 warbler sp calls, 2 sparrow
sp. calls and a flock of ducks flyover in about an hour of listening.  We
then drove down to the Beaver Dam Slope.  Along the way, we whistled in a
NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL in the ponderosa forest where the road makes a big U turn
up a steep slope near Kolob Terrace (?).

Today, we birded Lytle Ranch, and found the two previously reported
RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS.  Both birds appeared to be immatures and they moved
periodically between the orchard and the pond.  COMMON BLACK-HAWKS called
from the forest to the west of the main housing area.  Besides a ton of
WESTERN TANAGERS, there were not a whole lot in the way of migrants around
Lytle.  A couple MACGILLIVRAY'S and WILSON'S WARBLERS and one NASHVILLE
WARBLER were observed in and around the housing area.  Several BLACK-TAILED
GNATCATCHERS were heard and observed around the ranch as well.  Also of
note, we did NOT see or hear any PHAINOPEPLAS!  I wonder if the mistletoe
took a beating this past winter with the unusual cold snap we had?

A GRAY VIREO was observed at Utah Hill, but we could not find any
BLACK-CHINNED SPARROWS, which have maybe left?...seems surprising to me.  We
then headed to Gunlock Reservoir where a BROWN-CRESTED FLYCATCHER called
from the riparian stretch just above the reservoir.  Outside of Lytle Ranch,
I don't know how extensively these birds are found in Washington County?

On the way back home, we stopped at River Lane today.  The outflows from
surrounding thunderstorms made conditions quite windy, but like Tuula
mentioned migrant numbers appeared to be much lower today.  We did see the
GRAY CATBIRD reported by Tuula.  There were also at least 6 BLUE GROSBEAKS
on the fence line along the southern portion of River Lane.

I will hopefully put all the lists into ebird soon so check
www.ebird.orgfor complete lists.

Cheers,

Colby
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