Register for the 12th Annual
Great Salt Lake Bird Festival
May 13-17, 2010
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2010 Great Salt Lake Bird Festival Field Trips
Photo by: Deedee O'Brien. Pineview Reservoir
Photo by: Deedee O'Brien. Kayak Mantua Reservoir
 = Field Trips  = Workshops and Presentations  = Fun for KIDS |
| Thurs, May13 » Fri, May14 » Sat, May15 » Sun, May16 » Mon, May17 » |
| MONDAY, MAY 17, 2010 | |
| #47 6am – 6pm |
Deseret Ranch Field Trip Bill Fenimore & John Bellmon Two of Utah's birding experts will guide this adventure on Deseret Land & Livestock, the largest ranch in Utah with two of Utah’s Birding Experts. This working ranch encompasses over 250,000 acres of diverse habitats including sub-alpine meadow, mountain forest, sage steppe, wet meadow, wetland marsh, ponds, lakes and streams with a bird list of 260 species. Expect a day list of 100 species or more including: Ferruginous Hawk, Sandhill Crane, Sage Grouse, Sage Thrasher, Brewer’s and Sage Sparrows, Hammond’s, Gray, Dusky, Olive-sided and Cordilleran Flycatchers, American Dipper, Lazuli Bunting, Caspian Tern, and migrant warblers. Bring your own lunch, snacks & water. Meet at the Park-N-Ride lot on the NW corner of South Weber Drive & Hwy 89. Take Exit #405 off Utah Hwy 89, go west. The lot is just south of the Hwy 89 and I-84 junction on the west side of UT Hwy 89. Limit 27. Mini-bus. Cost $55 |
| #48 6am – 5pm |
Raptors on the Ranch Don Paul Spend a day exploring the ecology of some of Utah’s most charismatic birds --including a nesting pair of osprey. We will investigate Summit and Rich county landscapes including Deseret Ranch, that are the breeding and foraging habitats of large diurnal raptors. Golden Eagles, Redtailed, Swainson’s and Ferruginous Hawks, Northern Harriers, Prairie and Peregrine Falcons, Cooper’s, Sharpshinned Hawks and Northern Goshawk make their home in these same mountain forests. We will be watchful for Great Horned Owl, Turkey Vulture, Osprey and the ubiquitous American Kestral. Don will help with identification of these magnificent birds of prey, as well as describe the various color morphs we encounter. He will discuss and show nesting strategies and behavior, as well as predator/prey relationships. Bring lunch and water. Meet at Davis County Legacy Events Center. Limit 10. Vans. Cost $57 |
| #49 6am – 3pm |
Cache Valley Hotspots Val Grant, Dr. Frank Howe Cache Valley (made famous by mountain men during the fur trade era) is one of the lesser known birding hot spots in the West. Our trip will reveal the area’s great diversity and wealth of birds and other wildlife secrets. The trip will visit a variety of habitats and microclimates, ranging from sub-alpine forest to fast-flowing trout streams and semi-desert savanna to wetlands. We will also see The Barrens, a Bridgerland Audubon Chapter sanctuary project. Possible species include: 3 species of hummingbirds, Wood Duck, Chukar, Gray Partridge, Northern Pygmy- and Short- Eared Owls. Swainson’s and Hermit Thrushes, Green-tailed Towhee, Peregrine Falcon, Golden Eagle, and migrating waterfowl, shorebirds, flycatchers, vireos, and warblers. Bring lunch and water. Meet at the Davis County Legacy Events Center at 6 am OR meet at the NW corner of the Wal-Mart parking lot in Brigham City at 7 am. Take I-15 north to exit #362 (to Logan), go east to Wal-Mart. Limit 26. Mini-bus. Cost $40 |
| #50 7am – 12pm |
Urban Birding – Peregrines and More LDS Conference Center Roof and Temple Grounds Bob Walters & Terri Clemons This field trip showcases the 6 acre roof of the LDS Church Conference Center. It has been landscaped to represent the westward trek of the Mormon pioneers in 1847. The east side of the building represents the vegetation of the eastern plains they crossed and the west side of the building represents the vegetation of the Salt Lake Valley. The gardens at Temple Square also attract a variety of birds including a pair of Peregrine Falcons. These birds have been nesting on the Joseph Smith Building since 1986. We will meet at the North Visitor’s Center at Temple Square at 7 am (gate directly across from the Conference Center on North Temple St.). We will then go to the Conference Center when it opens at 9 am. Limit 20. Own vehicles. Cost $12 |
| #51 7am – 1pm |
Pineview Reservoir’s North Arm Viewing Area John Bellmon This is an excellent birding area for passerines who are singing and defending breeding territories. This is a riparian habitat with cottonwood and willow groves, chokecherry, hawthorne, woody shrubs, and other herbaceous riparian vegetation. Possible species include: Yellow Warbler, Tree Swallow, Western Tanager, Osprey, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow-breasted Chat, Gray Catbird, Willow Flycatcher, and Fox Sparrow. Bring lunch and water. Meet at the Park-N-Ride lot on the NW corner of South Weber Drive & Hwy 89. Take Exit #405 off Utah Hwy 89, go west. The lot is just south of the Hwy 89 and I-84 junction on the west side of UT Hwy 89. Limit 30. Own vehicles. Cost $12 |
| #52 7am – 2pm |
Oquirrh Mountains: Birding Kennecott Property Ann Neville & Steve Carr This is a rare opportunity to visit Rio Tinto Kennecott Utah Copper’s property in the Oquirrh Mountains. Our tour on this expansive private property will include Sage-Steppe, maple and oak habitats. Some easy walking is involved. Possible species include: Green-tailed Towhee, Lazuli Bunting, Black-headed Grosbeak, Bullock’s Oriole, Gray Flycatcher, Juniper Titmouse, Pinyon Jay, Mountain Bluebird, and Virginia’s Warbler. Bring lunch and water. Meet at the Davis County Legacy Events Center. Limit 8. Van. Cost $37 |
| #53 7am – 3pm |
Utah County Hotspots Dennis Shirley Visit Rocky Mountain scrub oak and pinyon-juniper habitats. This is a highly productive trip with a variety of species including Blue and Black-headed Grosbeaks, Common Grackle, Lazuli Bunting, Virginia’s Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Common Bushtit, Juniper Titmouse, Pinyon Jay, and Bullock’s Oriole. Approximately 90 species have been seen on this trip. Bring own lunch and water. Meet at Springville Office of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, 1115 N. Main, Springville (south of Provo). Limit 25. Own vehicles. Cost $12 |
| #54 6am – 3pm |
Exploring Promontory Dick Hurren & Dorothy Egan This is a birding adventure to the west desert at the base of the rarely visited Promontory Mountains. It is a long drive without facilities (bush parties rule) with short easy bird walks. An excellent variety of bird species is possible, including: waterfowl, Chukar, Gray Partridge, Golden Eagle, Prairie Falcon, Long-billed Curlew, Burrowing and Short-eared Owls, Western Wood-Pewee, Say’s Phoebe, Rock Wren, Sage Thrasher, MacGillivray’s and Wilson’s warblers, Brewer’s Sparrow, and possible Grasshopper Sparrow. There are always some surprises! Bring lunch and water. Meet at 6 am at the Davis County Legacy Events Center OR meet inside the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge Wildlife Education Center, 2155 West Forest Street, Brigham City for a 7 am departure. Directions: I-15 to Brigham City, take exit #363 (Forest Street), and turn west. The Center is one block west of I-15 on Forest Street. Limit 10. Vans. Cost $37 |
| #55 8am – 12pm |
Salt Creek WMA – Burrowing Owls Randy Berger, DWR For several years Randy Berger, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Northern Region Assistant Wildlife Manager, has been installing and monitoring a large number of Burrowing Owl artificial nesting structures on the Salt Creek WMA property in Box Elder County. Mr Berger will lead a tour of these owl nesting areas and surrounding wetland and upland habitats. Meet your guide on the entrance boardwalk of the Bear River Wildlife Education Center, 2155 West Forest Street, Brigham City for 8 am departure. Take I-15 to exit #363. Turn west. Center is on the left.. Limit 30. Own vehicles. Cost $12 |
| #56 9am – 6pm |
Exploring the Spiral Jetty Dr. Bonnie Baxter and Jaimi Butler, Great Salt Lake Institute at Westminster College Join members of the Great Salt Lake Institute at Westminster College for an educational exploration of Robert Smithson's earthwork, the Spiral Jetty. created from black basalt rocks and land from the site, the artist created a coil 1,500 feet long and 15 feet wide in the mysterious pink north arm water of Great Salt Lake. GSLI personnel will guide us through the biology and science behind the lake and creation of the Jetty. Birds that can be seen: American white pelicans, gulls, White-faced Ibis, Burrowing Owls, Horned larks, Meadowlark, Northern Harriers, raptors, cormorants, herons, and curlews. A delightful lunch will be provided. Bring water, walking shoes and sandals in case you are inclined to enter the pink water. Meet at the Davis County Events Center. Limit 15. vans. Cost $27 |
| #57 4pm – 8pm |
Antelope Island Raptors Shar Maki This is a fun workshop and a field trip. The hands-on workshop will cover the history of Antelope Island and discuss wildlife trends on the Island. The field trip will cover several places on the Island to search for raptors. Bring water, snacks, insect repellant, binoculars, and scopes (if you have them). Meet at the Antelope Island State Park Visitor Center. Ticket includes park entry fee. Limit 25. Own Vehicles. Cost $35 |
| #58 5pm – 7pm |
Birds & Spurs Wrangler Ron Brown Cowboy up! You are in the West, so let’s go birding by horseback along the east side of Antelope Island. This two-hour guided tour features birds in the wetland, sage and grassland habitats, near the historic Fielding Garr Ranch and the south-side of the Island. There are an amazing number of migratory shorebirds that use Antelope Island as a resting, nesting and feeding area. Experienced wranglers who are intimately familiar with the Island’s history, flora and fauna will be our guides. Enjoy a leisurely ride, spectacular scenery and birds. Possible species include Long-billed Curlew, Burrowing Owl, Peregrine Falcon, Grasshopper Sparrow, and water birds. Bring binoculars, water, and snacks. Meet at the historic Fielding Garr Ranch at Antelope Island State Park. (I-15 exit #332, go west to Antelope Island). Limit 6. Cost $73 |
| #59 5pm – 8pm |
Birding for Families & Dutch oven dinner Steve Coleman and Great Salt Lake Nature Center Staff and Volunteer Naturalists Enjoy birding walking tours and wetland adventure activities at Great Salt Lake Nature Center. Activities are ideally suited for families. Great Salt Lake Nature Center staff and volunteers will give you an opportunity for some "hands on" learning including: Migration Fun, Birding by Ear, Tours of the Marsh, and Surrounding Habitats of Farmington Bay. The show stopper is yet to come. Complete your birding adventure with Chef Steve’s delicious Dutch Oven. Meet at the viewing deck of the Great Salt Lake Nature Center. Limit 20. Own vehicles. Cost $17/ages 13 and over, $5/ages 6-12, age 5-under/free |
| #60 5:45pm – 9:30pm |
Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve Evening Walk Brian Currie This is a relaxing birding experience at The Nature Conservancy’s Great Salt Lake Shoreland Preserve. You will not be rushed. We will take some time to study the birds and habitat found at this very accessible nature preserve. Possible species include: Peregrine Falcon, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk and other raptors, Sandhill Crane, various ducks, herons and egrets, Marsh Wren, swallows and the elusive Sora. Dress in neutral colors. Bring water and binoculars. This is an easy one mile walking trip on a boardwalk. Meet at the Davis County Legacy Events Center and follow guide to site. Limit 20. Own vehicles. Cost $12 |
