[Birdtalk] Southwest Utah 12-15 March

[Ryan O'Donnell]

Stephanie Cobbold and I took a few days off to explore around SW Utah.
Spring seemed a bit late compared to a trip we took here during the same
week a couple of years ago, especially in terms of the amphibians and
reptiles.  Our first birding stop was at Lytle Ranch on March 12th.
None of the birds here were big surprises or even minor rarities, but it
was nice to see the specialties of the area like a GREATER ROADRUNNER,
VERDINS, PHAINOPEPLAS, LADDER-BACKED WOODPECKERS, GAMBEL'S QUAIL, and
CACTUS WRENS.  LUCY'S WARBLERS have returned already.  On the pond north
of the ranch there was a great side-by-side comparison of a female
BLUE-WINGED TEAL and a female CINNAMON TEAL.  Many of the birds are
singing, including BLACK-THROATED SPARROWS, BEWICK'S WRENS, LUCY'S
WARBLERS, ROCK WRENS, and CANYON WRENS.  Some winter birds were still
around, like one SLATE-COLORED JUNCO among the OREGON and PINK-SIDED
JUNCOS, and many AMERICAN PIPITS.  On the road to and from the ranch we
saw a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE and one early VESPER SPARROW.
 
The next day we spent in northern Arizona, along the Virgin River.
Sightings were as expected and outside the area of Utah Birdtalk
anyways.
 
On the 14th we went to Gunlock Reservoir and the riparian area below the
dam.  Still no surprises, but we got great looks at WESTERN SCRUB-JAYS,
more LADDER-BACKED WOODPECKERS, LESSER GOLDFINCHES, PINE SISKINS, and
other species.  On the reservoir was my first DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT
of the year and a few lingering winter ducks.
 
On the 15th we spent some time in the juniper forests near Veyo, and saw
some of the juniper specialist species.  Highlights here included
MOUNTAIN CHICKADEES, JUNIPER TITMICE, and a large flock of about 150
PINYON JAYS.
 
Here are a few photos (Note: if a link wraps around a line, you can
paste the two parts into your browser to access it):
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n105/Tsirtalis/06WesternBluebird.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n105/Tsirtalis/TealCompare.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n105/Tsirtalis/11NorthernFlickeronJos
huaTree.jpg
<http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n105/Tsirtalis/06WesternBluebird.jpg
> 
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n105/Tsirtalis/10Phainopeplavertical.
jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n105/Tsirtalis/08BewicksWrensinging.j
pg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n105/Tsirtalis/DSC_6692.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n105/Tsirtalis/DSC_6612edited.jpg
 
Ebird checklists are pasted below.
 
Good birding,
Ryan
 
Ryan P. O'Donnell
Department of Biology and the Ecology Center
Utah State University
5305 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT 84322-5305
 
http://200birds.blogspot.com
 
_________________________________________
 
Location: Lytle Ranch
Observation date: 3/12/09
Notes: With Stephanie Cobbold. 
Number of species: 30

Mallard 7
Blue-winged Teal 1
Cinnamon Teal 1
Gambel's Quail 8
American Kestrel 3
Killdeer 8
Belted Kingfisher 1
Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Black Phoebe 4
Common Raven 4
Tree Swallow 2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 3
Verdin 3
Rock Wren 3
Bewick's Wren 4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4
Western Bluebird 3
American Robin 10
American Pipit 20
Phainopepla 6
Lucy's Warbler 2
Song Sparrow 1
Lincoln's Sparrow 3
White-crowned Sparrow 50
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 1
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 6
Dark-eyed Junco (Pink-sided) 1
House Finch 6
House Sparrow 5
 
_________________________________________
Location: Welcome Spring
Observation date: 3/13/09
Notes: Along the road on the way out of Lytle Ranch. Vesper Sparrow was
near our campsite, near the turn off for another spring (Iron Spring?
the closest spring to Lytle Ranch).
Number of species: 4

Red-tailed Hawk 1
Cactus Wren 1
Vesper Sparrow 1
Black-throated Sparrow 2
 
_________________________________________________
Location: Gunlock Resevoir
Observation date: 3/14/09
Notes: From the shore of the reservoir. Scaup were way too far away to
confidently identify, but were probably lesser.
Number of species: 9

Canada Goose 2
American Wigeon 8
Northern Shoveler 3
Greater/Lesser Scaup 4
Common Merganser 2
Double-crested Cormorant 1
American Coot 1
Common Raven 2
House Finch 1
 
________________________________________________
Location: Gunlock Resevoir
Observation date: 3/14/09
Notes: Wandering in the wash below the dam at the reservoir.
Number of species: 17

Mallard 2
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Ladder-backed Woodpecker 2
Black Phoebe 2
Say's Phoebe 2
Western Scrub-Jay 5
Common Raven 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Bewick's Wren 2
American Robin 3
Spotted Towhee 1
Song Sparrow 1
White-crowned Sparrow 6
Dark-eyed Junco 10
House Finch 8
Pine Siskin 8
Lesser Goldfinch 3
______________________________________________________ 
Location: Veyo
Observation date: 3/15/09
Notes: Just SE of the town on BLM land. 
Number of species: 8

Eurasian Collared-Dove 1
Northern Flicker 1
Pinyon Jay 150
Common Raven 1
Mountain Chickadee 3
Juniper Titmouse 3
Dark-eyed Junco 1
House Finch 1