[Birdtalk] Southern Utah Birding - (Zion, Quail Creek)

[Jeff Bilsky]

This weekend I went down to Southern Utah for a weekend of birding. On
Saturday I hit the Kolob Road in Zion National Park. I drove up to the
reservoir with several stops along the way including Wildcat Canyon,
Hop Valley, Lava Point, the Reservoir, and a few other spots.

Here are the highlights:

Scrambling around up the cliffs past the Hop Valley Trail head and
before the incline to the plateau I had some success. There is a lot
of Crypto-biotic crust so you have to be careful where you step. In a
group of pine trees I was able to Psshhh in a virtual swarm of MTN
CHICKADEES, RED AND WHITE NUTHATCHES, BROWN CREEPERS, JUNCOS and lots
of RED CROSSBILLS. It was pretty cool to be standing amongst all that
activity.

The Wildcat Canyon Trail just after the incline to the Plateau is a
great hike. The tall pines on this hike are a great spot to locate
CLARKS NUTCRACKERS and I'd imagine some other surprises including my
first look at a JUNIPER TITMOUSE.

On the Plateau I saw a pair of BALD EAGLES in a tree near the pond by
the Lava Point turnoff. And I got a great look at CONDOR #266. Also
saw a couple of WESTERN BLUEBIRDS. Here's the complete list from
Kolob.

Bald Eagle     X
Red-tailed Hawk     X
Rough-legged Hawk     X
Downy Woodpecker     X
Northern Flicker     X
Steller's Jay     X
Western Scrub-Jay     X
Clark's Nutcracker     X
Common Raven     X
Mountain Chickadee     X
Juniper Titmouse     X
Red-breasted Nuthatch     X
White-breasted Nuthatch     X
Brown Creeper     X
Western Bluebird     X
Townsend's Solitaire     X
American Robin     X
Spotted Towhee     X
Song Sparrow     X
White-crowned Sparrow     X
Dark-eyed Junco     X
Red Crossbill     X
California Condor #266

Sunday I tried to bird the Lytle Ranch but it appeared closed. The
trip was not a loss though as I did enjoy the drive and spotted a
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE.

Then I hit the Quail Creek Reservoir and went to the dry stream beds
around the back. Quite a great spot. As you walk down the stream bed
the trees around were absolutely bustling with MTN CHICKADEES, JUNCOS,
YR WARBLERS, KINGLETS and more BROWN CREEPERS than I have ever seen in
one place - I counted a least a dozen. I'd imagine someone with a
keener eye and more time than I had might discover something a bit
less common here. I also saw a lone BALD EAGLE circling over the
Reservoir.

My final bird of the weekend and a lifer for me was a single WHITE
WINGED DOVE in a tree in Hurricane.

Jeff Bilsky
Jbilsky at gmail.com