[Birdtalk] Southern Utah Update

[Tim Avery]

Here is a brief update of some sightings across southern Utah.  I was in the
field from June 12 till this morning and had several interesting sightings,
albeit nothing really rare.

6/20 - Indian Peak WMA, Beaver County: GREATER ROADRUNNER
http://timaverybirding.com/photos/june07/grro_01.jpg

I was utterly surprised to see a Roadrunner walk out onto the main pond dam at
Indian Peak shortly after I finished my morning survey.  I was in my vehicle
and the sound of the shutter scared the bird to fly into the riparian stretch
below the dam.  The elevation where the bird was seen was at nearly 6600' which
made it all the more strange
 Checking the Arizona Breeding Bird Atlas the
birds typically breed from an elevation of 80' - 6200', with several sightings
up to 7500' (which was good to know).  I had also heard a rumor that one was
seen in central Colorado a few years back at an elevation of 9000'.  Indian
Peak WMA is near the Nevada Border in southwest Beaver County.

6/19 - HWY 21 near MM 60, Beaver County: ~200 PINYON JAY
http://timaverybirding.com/photos/june07/pija_01.jpg

While driving to Indian Peak I spotted several Pinyon Jays flying across the
highway ahead of me, into several small trees near a cliff.  As I pulled over a
mass exodus began as birds started taking off from a ditch and flying up over
the hill, across the highway and every which direction.  When all was said and
done after about 3 minutes I guestimated about 200 birds had taken to the air.
Several juvenile birds stuck around a little longer and I was able to snap a
couple pictures.  The birds were coming to a ditch that had been cut into the
ground which was about a foot wide and 25 feet long, and filled with water.
Also coming to the water source was a Northern Mockingbird, several Lark
Sparrows, House Finch and even a Western Meadowlark.

6/18 - Clear Creek Canyon, Sevier County: NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL

This bird was heard singing about 3 weeks ago and again this week between 2:00
and 5:00 am.  The side canyon is just to the south of the Fremont Indian State
Park and Museum, along the Paiute ATV Trail.

6/16 - Dolores River, Grand County: YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO

While conducting a survey along the Dolores River I had an Adult Yellow-billed
Cuckoo fly across the river and into a patch of Willow.  The area where the
bird was seen is just up from the confluence with the Colorado.  To get to the
area, take the dirt road on the right of HWY just before Dewey Bridge, and
follow the road 1.1 miles to the top of a hill where there is another dirt road
on the left.  Take this left and follow the road as it winds about 1.5 miles to
the Dolores River crossing.  The bird was seen on the opposite side of the
river and about 250 yards to the south.  Speaking with someone from DWR I was
told that the birds had been known to breed in this area in the past.
Apparently the river can be waded across, but I chose to take a raft when I
crossed just to be safe.

Also, where the road meets the river, I camped the night before, and at around
5:30 am on the 16th a GREEN HERON was heard and seen flying over the river.
Also in this same area was a "southwest" WILLOW FLYCATCHER.

6/14 - Devil's Canyon Campground, San Juan County: ACORN WOODPECKER

A single Acorn Woodpecker could be seen from HWY 191 on the east side of the
road, I believe there may be a nest in the area as I saw the bird near a
cavity.  4 Pygmy Nuthatches and around 10 Grace's Warblers were also
seen/heard.

6/14 - Newspaper Rock State Park: San Juan County: SUMMER TANAGER

In addition to Lu's sighting I was delighted to see an adult male flying around
in the cottonwoods across the road from Newspaper Rock.  I would have to agree
with Lu that this is one of those species that has a wider occurrence in Utah
than is actually listed in books, on the web, etc.

6/13 - HWY 191 at Hole in the Rock, San Juan County: 10 LUCY'S WARBLERS
http://timaverybirding.com/photos/june07/luwa_01.jpg

Numerous birds seen and heard during survey, probably approaching the northern
end of their U.S. range.  This summer I have been lucky to note these birds
everywhere from the Beaver Dam Wash, to Montezuma Creek and almost the Colorado
Border, all the way north to this area, and nearly a dozen other locations in
between.

Warbler numbers seemed very good, especially the number of chats and LUWA (all
the Lucy's were recorded in San Juan County); NO Wilson's or Orange-crowned,
although all my surveys were all below 7000' (these numbers represent totals
from nearly 10 locations between 06/12 and 06/21 in San Juan, Grand, Sevier,
Iron and Beaver County):

Yellow Warbler 114
http://timaverybirding.com/photos/june07/ywar_01.jpg
Yellow-breasted Chat 63
http://timaverybirding.com/photos/june07/ybch_03.jpg
Virginia's Warbler 29
http://timaverybirding.com/photos/june07/viwa_01.jpg
Lucy's Warbler 23
http://timaverybirding.com/photos/june07/luwa_01.jpg
Black-throated Gray Warbler 17
http://timaverybirding.com/photos/june07/btyw_01.jpg
Grace's Warbler 10
http://timaverybirding.com/photos/june07/grwa_01.jpg
Yellow-rumped Warbler 4
MacGillivray's Warbler 2

Now off to look for White-winged Crossbills!

Good Birding

Tim
Salt Lake City, UT
tanager at timaverybirding.com
http://www.timaverybirding.com