[TopOfUtah] Ant Flat - Ogden Canyon BBS Route

[Kristin Purdy]

The Johnny-come-lately team of Kevin Labrum, DWR Northern Region Sensitive 
Species Biologist; Jessica (Wildlife Tech) and me ran the Ant Flat-Ogden 
Canyon Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) route yesterday morning, June 30. The 
route begins in Cache County about two miles south of Hardware Ranch where 
the Blacksmith Fork River crosses under Ant Flat Road, continues south 
through Ant Valley and into Weber County, then proceeds south and west along 
SR-39 until just east of Ogden Valley.

The highlights:

Absolutely gorgeous iconic Western landscapes, especially through Ant 
Valley, which is abloom with Mule Ears.

Four Willow Flycatchers along Beaver Creek, which runs adjacent to SR-39 
just south of Ant Flat Road.

A Cordilleran Flycatcher, a nice surprise and a new species for the route, 
calling from a north-facing fir-covered slope above the South Fork of the 
Ogden River near where the route ends just east of Ogden Valley.

A Plumbeous Vireo, a species I don't see often, just north of Red Rock Ranch 
and Outfitters along SR-39.

A Wilson's Snipe winnowing over our heads in Ant Valley; we watched the bird 
performing its diving display to the sound of its own hu-hus.

And not one House Sparrow.

The species list:
Mallard
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Swainson's Hawk
American Kestrel
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Wilson's Snipe
Mourning Dove
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-naped Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Western Wood-pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Dusky Flycatcher
Cordilleran Flycatcher
Western Kingbird
Plumbeous Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Black-billed Magpie
American Crow
Common Raven
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Mountain Chickadee
House Wren
Mountain Bluebird
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow Warbler
MacGillivray's Warbler
Western Tanager
Green-tailed Towhee
Spotted Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Brewer's Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Black-headed Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Brewer's Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Bullock's Oriole
House Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch

Kris