[Birdtalk] UOS/SLB Uinta area trip

[Steve Carr]

The field trip to Duchesne, Uintah, and Daggett counties was held Thursday evening through Saturday, and was enjoyed immensely by those who participated.  Thursday evening at Pat Jividen's cabin in Tabiona brought Virginia's Warbler, Red-naped Sapsucker, Mountain Bluebirds, Spotted Towhee, lots of Black-chinned and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, among other species.  Daggett County, a generally underbirded county, was really good with Cedar Waxwing, Lazuli Bunting, Black-headed Grosbeak, Bullock's Oriole, Sage Thrasher, numerous ducks, including Common Merganser, and lots of Ospreys - probably more than most of us ever saw in any one place.  You couldn't look somewhere in the sky without seeing at least one while fairly close to Flaming Gorge Reservoir.  Every location we stopped at brought some interest -- the Red Canyon Lodge had lots of Pine Siskins, Cassin's Finches, hummingbirds, and even a Common Grackle, which needs to be added to the BirdLine's checklist.
The major treat when visiting the Ouray NWR were views of American Bitterns circling overhead as well as heard and seen in the cattails. A total of 124 species were seen in a little over 2 days.  Participants were Steve Carlile, Pat Jividen, Bob Huntington, Paul Lombardi, Merrill Webb, and Steve Carr.  Merrill reached a lofty goal that probably very few birders will ever touch: Daggett County is the last of Utah's 29 counties that he has identified more than 100 bird species in.  That is really something to shoot for.

As mentioned several weeks ago, the Utah Ornithological Society will be sponsoring the same trip, with a couple of slight variations, for those who were unable to join us this time, for Thursday evening at Pat Jividen's cabin in Tabiona, essentially all Friday in Daggett County, then Ouray NWR and a couple of other places on Saturday -- May 31 to June 2.  Those who are interested or planning to participate, please call or e-mail Steve Carr so we know who is planning to attend so we can arrange carpools, motels, etc.  This way we won't tie up the general BirdTalk lines for those who can't make the trip.

--Steve Carr, UOS Field Trip Coordinator
stevecarr9 at msn.com<mailto:stevecarr9 at msn.com>
277-7711
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