[Birdtalk] East Canyon Owling 06/08

[Tim Avery]

Last night 16 birders (I think) came along on the Great Salt Lake Audubon
owling/nightjarring field trip up East Canyon.  We started early before
dark, stopping at Big Mountain Pass on the Salt Lake/Morgan County line
hoping for a few Aspen specialties.  Several WARBLING VIREO and
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER were actively singing, and a lone Chipping Sparrow
sang once and a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher called as well.  TREE and VIOLET-GREEN
SWALLOW both circled over the parking area, but many of the typical species
found here were quiet.  No Hermit Thrushes, woodpeckers, sparrows,
MacGillivray's Warbler or Towhees.  I sore I heard a Bullock's Oriole call 3
times in the distance, but never got a good confirmation (this would be
quite a high elevation for this species).

Heading down into East Canyon we spent from 8:00-9:30 PM birding along
Jeremy Ranch Road, picking up most of the typical species found here:

Mallard 1
Great Blue Heron 2
Mourning Dove 1
Common Nighthawk 3
Black-chinned Hummingbird 1
Broad-tailed Hummingbird 4
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 1
Black-billed Magpie 1
Barn Swallow 2
Black-capped Chickadee 2
American Dipper 2
Swainson's Thrush 1
American Robin 10
Gray Catbird 3
Cedar Waxwing 2
Yellow Warbler 15
MacGillivray's Warbler 1
Spotted Towhee 1
Chipping Sparrow 2
Fox Sparrow (Slate-colored) 1
Song Sparrow 4

No Green-tailed Towhee, Lazuli Buntings, grosbeaks or House Wren.  Several
COMMON NIGHTHAWKS came out to play giving everyone nice looks before it got
dark.  Surprisingly absent were ANY Great Horned Owls which are usually
quite easy to get in the area.  after trying for a half hour or so we gave
up and headed back up East Canyon towards Salt Lake County to try for
Flammulated Owl.  This was the first time in about 6 trips that I haven't
had a Great Horned at this location over the past 4 years.

At our first stop I took the group into a patch of quakies and set us up
under two large dead Aspen.  before I even played a single Flammy was
calling probably within about 100 feet (although it always sounds much
further).  The bird immediately responded to the tape landing in an Gambel's
Oak, with too much vegetation to see.  I backed off a bit and played the
tape again.  The tiny owl emerged onto an open branch in one of the dead
aspens.  Everyone was able to get incredible looks at the cooperative little
fellow while he sat within 15 -20 feet singing constantly.  We moved to
another location nearby to try for Great horned Owl, and did have a distant
bird respond.  All the while several Flammys sang in the woods nearby.

Here are pictures of Flammy's from past summers in East Canyon:
http://www.timaverybirding.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=273&id=flammy

We stopped once more at Big Mountain Pass to try for Common Poorwill.
Within 2 minutes of getting out of the car a stiff east wind picked up
making it impossible to hear anything.  We disbanded with 3 out of 4 target
birds for the night.  I also periodically whistled for saw-whet, hoping for
a late singer to be around.  No such luck.

Good Birding

Tim
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