[Birdtalk] Salt Lake County mini Big Day

[Tim Avery]

With what looked like great weather and the Great Backyard Birdcount happening, the Sommerfeld's, Jeff Bilsky and I decided to put together a Salt Lake County mini big day. As opposed to last month I took a little time to plan out our route a little better, hoping to hit 85 species for the day.

The morning started below freezing a mile and a half up City Creek Canyon in the dark. We tried for several species of owl, the only species responding were 2 WESTERN SCREECH-OWL. As it started to get light we made our way back down canyon and just before MM1 were 2 WINTER WREN, with at least one bird being a male singing up a storm (after we cheated by playing a tape).

Near the entrance station we logged a single COOPER'S HAWK and GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, and were off to a a pretty good start. We made out way downtown and found a single PEREGRINE perched on one of the towers on the temple. After a quick breakfast we headed up to the Salt Lake City Cemetery where we picked up the typical mountain fare in PINE SISKIN, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, and TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE. The surprise miss was Red Crossbill which we spent a great deal of time looking for. 4 Cedar Waxwings were the only of the day.

A quick drive later and we were at the Jordan River around 2400 South where we picked up BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, BUFFLEHEAD, CANVASBACK and a smattering of other waterfowl. A jump to Decker Lake and we snagger 4 COMMON MERGANSER (the only of the day), and a few other ducks. Surprisingly absent were any yellowlegs.

After deciding to scrap plans to go to the International Center we hit Lake Park along the golf course where there was a Richardson's subspecies CACKLING GOOSE (same bird as last month?) and another small goose, with a thin and long bill that I wouldn't have called Parvipes, but am unsure of which subspecies it may have been.

We hopped on SR-201 and arrived at Lee Kay Ponds a few minutes later and Steve picked out 4 TUNDRA SWAN sitting on the bank of the east pond, a first for all of us at the ponds. On the main pond we were greeted by a large mass of gulls on the far east end of the pond in a nice large patch of open water. Quickly scanning through we were able to pick out a number of goodies including an adult MEW GULL, a 1st winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, a 2nd winter GLAUCOUS GULL, nearly a dozen THAYER'S GULLS, all but 1 being 1st winter, and of course the regular Ring-billed, California, and Herring. Also on this patch of water were 50-75 CANVASBACK and a beautiful male CINNAMON TEAL.

Mew Gull: http://www.timaverybirding.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=505

We birded along the dirt road to 7200 West where we picked up PRAIRIE FALCON and Horned Lark. Along 7200 West were several hundred gulls, including at least one 1st winter THAYER'S GULL. We drove the frontage road along I-80 to Saltair, and near Lee's Creek picked up a surprise SAVANNAH SPARROW, as well as both species of Eagle.

After a stop for lunch in Magna, we headed south along 8400 West and into Copperton to bird the City Park, which was a complete waste of time... It looked great, but a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was the only excitement. Heading back south we found a BALD EAGLE near Herriman. In Herriman we found the usual EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES, before making our way up Rose Canyon where we snagged 2 JUNIPER TITMOUSE.

Just east of Herriman we had another PRAIRIE FALCON, but no Horned Larks at the location where there were around 10,000 last month. We stopped along the Jordan River at 12600 South and picked up a ROCK WREN on the southside of the street, as well as RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, Spotted Towhee, Marsh Wren, and Sharp-shinned Hawk. We made an unneccesary stop around 9400 South along I-15 when I thought I saw a flock of Waxwings which turned out to be a nice big flock of starlings... awesome.

We headed up 9000 South and up Little Cottonwood towards Alta. A GOLDEN EAGLE was seen soaring near the mouth of the canyon. At Alta we were skunked pretty good and saw ZERO rosy-finches. A flock of 30 or so Pine Siskin was the only highlight. We decided to stop at a condo where there were feeders, and Steve almost took a dip in a Jacuzzi when he turned to walk... Luckily he caught himself before taking what surely would have been a day-ending dunk.


Back in the valley we headed towards Parley's Gulch to try and squeak out a few more birds. Upon arriving we found a full parking lot, and dogs everywhere. Down in the gulch we finally picked up STELLER'S JAY for the day as well as a single BROWN CREEPER, and a single AMERICAN DIPPER just down stream from the screech-owl hole. As we were heading back up the road a flurry of dogs came running towards us, to which Jeff aksed, "What is this, the Iditarod?". Moments later he proclaimed that this spot was where he usually sees California Quail. Some movemnet on someones deck caught my attention and behold 6 quail, the last new species of the day. We stopped at Forrest Dale Golf Course to look around. Jeff decided to take a trip, and got caught up on a stake and rope, falling on his side jsut enought to protect his binoculars, showing he truly knows what is important in birding. 

We swung over to Fairmont Park but didn't see anything out of the norm. At this pooint we had all been up and out for over 12 hours and decided to call it a day at I think 81 Species a few short of our goal, but not too shabby for February.

Despite a day with several mishaps, several big misses, and Steve attempting to run several stop signs, as he noted, "This is a Big Day, we don't need to stop for those!", it turned out pretty well. Some of the misses that were a little bothersome were no Western Meadowlark, American Pipit, Cassin's Finch, the Rosy-finches, White-breasted Nuthatch and Red Crossbill. Oh well, I guess that just gives us something to work on for March!

Good Birding

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