[redcliffs] Purple Finch,Eastern Phoebe,Hammond's Flycatcher

[Larry Tripp]

Nothing like the Great Backyard Bird count to motive me to get out the last couple days in warm sunny So. Utah. And there has been some good birds to see. The best bird was a female type Purple Finch I saw Friday afternoon along the bike path between the Southgate GC and the I 15 freeway. It was just above where the freeway crosses the Santa Clara. It was a greenish Pacific type. It let me get great close looks and was calling including the pit flight call. I first saw it on the GC and chased it up along the bike path until it flew accrossed the freeway towards the Wildlife Museum . I looked for it over there and in the little park by the Santa Clara but only saw a few Cassin's which seem to be everywhere this winter.

Today at Lytle Ranch the continuing Eastern Phoebe and Hammond's Flycatcher where both in the Cottonwoods by the entrance gate. The Phoebe was one of the first birds I saw and just before leaving while talking with 2 other birders The Hammond's flew in right in front of us in the same area. I saw 2 Yellow-shafted Flickers near the house. One male and a female type hybrid. 

With the good luck I was having I thought it might be a good time to look around on the Beaver Dam Slope for a LeConte's Thrasher but all I saw was a few Sage Sparrow's a Brewers Sparrow and a couple Black-tailed Gnatcatcher's. 

The only other bird of note has been a Slate-colored Fox Sparrow that has been in my yard on and off since the big snow storm we had 2 weeks ago.

Larry Tripp

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