Utah 2006

Our intent was to get up early and go for a better view of the Gunnison Sage Grouse. However, when we left the group the night before, we discovered that no one else was up for it. On the way back to the motel we realized that since we did not have a four-wheel drive car (ours was the only two-wheel drive left in the group), common sense suggested that it might not be prudent to drive that dirt road by ourselves. An extra couple of hours sleep may have had some influence on our decision.

We met the group (much reduced in numbers from the high of about 25) at about 8. As we were birding around Monticello, Joan and I pointed out the horse head to the group. None had seen it before. Some saw it immediately, for others it took quite some time. Not too much exciting in that area, best bird for us was the Mountain Chickadee. At Loyd’s Lake, my notes say that I saw a Great Horned Owl, but I really don’t remember seeing it. Guess the long hours were catching up with me. On to the Blue Mountains where we had Pine Siskin, Wild Turkey, and Red-breasted Nuthatch.

Drove up to the area around La Sal. Saw some sort of Prairie Dog, a Coyote (Joan and I were among the very few to see it), an American Crow (unusual for Utah), Pine Siskin, and Western Bluebird. Got a quick glimpse at a Sharp-shinned Hawk sitting on a fence post. We drove around some, the roads were muddy, and the group turned around. We did add some good trip birds here though—Townsend’s Solitaire (not a lifer since we had it in Connecticut earlier this year) and Clark’s Nutcracker.

Joan and I left the group because we were in a hurry to get back to the Salt Lake area, but we did stop at Ken’s Lake where the group caught up with us. Merrill had seen some Wood Ducks there on his way down, but we were unable to find them. Highlight here had to be the American Avocets and Redheads. Said goodbye to the group once again and then back to Salt Lake.

We checked in to a motel near the airport, had a quick dinner, and then Glenn and his wife, Norma, stopped by. We thanked her for “loaning” us Glenn for the week and then had a nice, long conversation with them. Very. very nice couple. Left early the next morning for home.

I had given Glenn a list of the birds we wanted to see in Utah.
Click for Glenn’s Report Card

Day total: 32 Species, 0 Lifers
Southern Trip total: 85 species, 2 lifers
Trip total 123 species; 6 lifers

(I believe Joan had one or two more species than I did and she had more lifers).

Great trip, Great State, Great Friends.