[Birdtalk] Utah Country Birding Hotspots - 3/14/09

[Jeff Bilsky]

On a solo mission of Utah County insanity, I made multiple stops in search
of migrants. Skip to the end for the lists.
Highlights as follows:

Warm Springs
My first trip ever there - this seems like a great spot. Well over 100 CEDAR
WAXWINGS - they were everywhere! Also, I heard a bunch of VIRGINIA RAILS -
I'm sure Soras will be here soon.

Lincoln Point Area
The fields on the way are quite flooded and filled with NORTHERN PINTAILS
and other ducks. SANDHILL CRANES were around and I saw some AMERICAN WHITE
PELICANS riding the thermals with the BALD EAGLES.

River Lane
Not much really other than some more BALD EAGLES.

Swede Lane
Things started getting interesting here when I stumbled upon a beautiful
pair of MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS - there were bugs around and they were
flycatching. I was able to get some decent digi-binoc shots here:
http://www.endlesswilderness.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=10
Further on the road, I had a flyover TREE SWALLOW. By the pond on the West
side of the road, I had 3 CINNAMON TEALS - with two males beating the crap
out of each other for the female who seemed uninterested in both.

Utah Lake State Park / Skipper Bay
4 SANDHILL CRANES Were seen in the area and lots of ducks and geese in the
fields. There was an accipiter working through the trees, but I wasn't able
to get a good enough look to discern Cooper's or Sharpie from it.

Provo Airport Dike
I had a lone flyover YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD and the most striking LINCOLN'S
SPARROW I have ever seen. The malars were so richly buffy-colored  almost to
the point of yellow.

Well, that's about it. As you can see, I am somewhat addicted.


Location:     Warm Springs WMA
Observation date:     3/14/09
Number of species:     23

Canada Goose     2
Mallard     2
Ring-necked Pheasant     1
California Quail     1
Northern Harrier     2
Sharp-shinned Hawk     1
Rough-legged Hawk     1
American Kestrel     1
Virginia Rail     5
American Coot     1
Sandhill Crane     2
Common Raven     5
Marsh Wren     10
American Robin     150
Cedar Waxwing     100
Yellow-rumped Warbler     5
Spotted Towhee     14
Song Sparrow     11
White-crowned Sparrow     35
Dark-eyed Junco     X
Red-winged Blackbird     1
Western Meadowlark     2
House Finch     2

Location:     Lincoln Beach and Point
Observation date:     3/14/09
Number of species:     12

American Wigeon     X
Northern Pintail     X
American White Pelican     6
Bald Eagle     3
Red-tailed Hawk     1
American Kestrel     5
American Coot     20
Sandhill Crane     4
Killdeer     1
European Starling     X
Song Sparrow     1
House Sparrow     X

Location:     River Lane, Utah Co.
Observation date:     3/14/09
Number of species:     13

Ring-necked Pheasant     1
Bald Eagle     3
Red-tailed Hawk     2
American Kestrel     2
Ring-billed Gull     X
Northern Flicker     2
Black-billed Magpie     X
Common Raven     X
Black-capped Chickadee     2
American Robin     X
European Starling     X
Song Sparrow     X
White-crowned Sparrow     X


Location:     Swede Lane (Utah Co.)
Observation date:     3/14/09
Number of species:     18

Cinnamon Teal     3
Double-crested Cormorant     1
Bald Eagle     2
American Coot     X
Northern Flicker     2
Black-billed Magpie     X
Tree Swallow     1
Black-capped Chickadee     X
Marsh Wren     X
Mountain Bluebird     2
American Robin     X
European Starling     X
Spotted Towhee     5
Song Sparrow     X
White-crowned Sparrow     X
Dark-eyed Junco     X
Red-winged Blackbird     X
Western Meadowlark     1

Location:     Utah Lake State Park
Observation date:     3/14/09
Number of species:     17

Canada Goose     X
Mallard     X
Northern Shoveler     X
Ring-necked Pheasant     2
Bald Eagle     1
Northern Harrier     3
Red-tailed Hawk     1
Sandhill Crane     4
Killdeer     2
Ring-billed Gull     X
Black-capped Chickadee     X
Marsh Wren     X
American Robin     X
European Starling     X
Song Sparrow     X
White-crowned Sparrow     X
Red-winged Blackbird     X

Location:     Provo Airport Dike
Observation date:     3/14/09
Number of species:     13

Canada Goose     X
Gadwall     2
Ring-necked Pheasant     1
California Quail     1
American Coot     1
Killdeer     1
American Robin     X
Song Sparrow     X
Lincoln's Sparrow     1
White-crowned Sparrow     X
Red-winged Blackbird     X
Yellow-headed Blackbird     1
House Finch     X


-- 
Jeff Bilsky
Salt Lake City
jbilsky at gmail.com
www.endlesswilderness.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://secureserver.securesites.net/pipermail/birdtalk/attachments/20090314/33256e4b/attachment.htm