17 July 2014, New Hampshire: Merrimack Co., Newbury

17 July 2014, New Hampshire: Merrimack Co., Newbury

The long drive is over and so is field work.  I am home again and beginning to work on my fall course in General Biology for non-majors.

14 July 2014, Iowa: Pottawattamie Co., De Soto National Wildlife Refuge

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14 July 2014, Iowa: Pottawattamie Co., De Soto National Wildlife Refuge

Today was another driving home day through Nebraska and Iowa but I did stop by the De Soto National Wildlife Refuge along the Missouri River.

1.     Great Blue Heron

2.     Turkey Vulture

3.     Killdeer

4.     Rock Pigeon

5.     Mourning Dove

6.     Red-headed Woodpecker

7.     Northern Flicker

8.     Eastern Kingbird

9.     Tree Swallow

10. Bank Swallow

11. House Wren

12. Eastern Bluebird

13. American Robin

14. Gray Catbird

15. European Starling

16. Yellow Warbler

17. Common Yellowthroat

18. Field Sparrow

19. Lark Sparrow

20. Northern Cardinal

21. Indigo Bunting

22. Dickcissel

23. Red-winged Blackbird

24. Common Grackle

25. Brown-headed Cowbird

26. Orchard Oriole

27. Baltimore Oriole

28. American Goldfinch

29. House Sparrow

12 July 2014, Utah: Grand Co., Arches National Park

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12 July 2014, Utah: Grand Co., Arches National Park

We hiked through different parts of Arches National Park beginning near the middle of the Park at the Wolfe Ranch and Delicate Arch.

Arches National Park: Native American Petroglyphs near the Wolfe Ranch (dated 1680 – 1850s)

Arches National Park: Delicate Arch

Arches National Park: Double Arches

Arches National Park: South Window

Arches National Park: Turret Arch

Arches National Park: Park Avenue

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Bird List for 11 – 12 July

1.     Turkey Vulture

2.     Peregrine Falcon

3.     Mourning Dove

4.     Western Kingbird

5.     Northern Raven

6.     Violet-green Swallow

7.     Rock Wren

8.     Bleu-gray Gnatcatcher

9.     Black-throated Sparrow

11 July 2014, Utah: Grand Co., Arches National Park

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11 July 2014, Utah: Grand Co., Arches National Park

We hiked through parts of Arches National Park beginning at the northernmost part of the Park with the Double O Arches.  Our goal was to see and photograph as many of the accessible arches as possible.

Arches National Park: Double O Arches

Arches National Park: Landscape Arch

Arches National Park: Navajo Arch

Arches National Park: Pine Tree Arch

Arches National Park: Tunnel Arch

Arches National Park: Broken Arch

Arches National Park: Partition Arch

10 July 2014, Utah: Wayne Co., Capitol Reef National Park

10 July 2014, Utah: Wayne Co., Capitol Reef National Park

Kris and I traveled from Bryce Canyon National Park to Moab but we first stopped for one hike in Capitol Reef National Park to Hickman Bridge.

Visitor Center

Chimney Peak

Egyptian Throne

Hickman Bridge

Petroglyphs

9 July 2014 Utah: Garfield Co., Bryce National Park

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9 July 2014 Utah: Garfield Co., Bryce National Park

We hiked for a second day among the Hoodoos of Bryce NP along the Peek-A-Boo Trail.

Bryce Canyon NP: Wall of Windows

Bryce Canyon NP: Peek-A-Boo trail near the top

Mossy Cave Trail to the falls at the Tropic Ditch

Bird List for Tropic - Bryce Canyon NP (7-9 July 2014)

1.     Turkey Vulture

2.     Peregrine Falcon

3.     Killdeer

4.     Eurasian Collared Dove

5.     White-throated Swift

6.     Northern Flicker

7.     Violet-green Swallow

8.     Cliff Swallow

9.     Barn Swallow

10. Steller’s Jay

11. Northern Raven

12. Mountain Chickadee

13. White-breasted Nuthatch

14. House Wren

15. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

16. Western Bluebird

17. Hermit Thrush

18. American Robin

19. Warbling Vireo

20. Yellow-rumped Warbler

21. Western Tanager

22. Black-headed Grosbeak

23. Lazuli Bunting

24. Spotted Towhee

25. Dark-eyed Junco

26. Brewer’s Blackbird

27. Western Meadowlark

28. Pine Siskin

29. House Sparrow

8 July 2014 Utah: Garfield Co., Bryce National Park

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8 July 2014 Utah: Garfield Co., Bryce National Park

We hiked in Bryce NP today from Sunrise Point to Sunset Point along the Navajo Loop Trail and then on to Bryce Point on the Rim Trail.

 Bryce NP: Hoodoos near the Queen's Garden

Bryce Canyon NP: Sunset Point Hoodoos,  Aquarius in the background

Bryce Canyon NP: Hoodoos near Inspiration Point

Bryce Canyon NP: Grotto near Bryce Point

7 July 2014 Utah: Washington Co., Zion to Garfield Co., Bryce National Park

7 July 2014 Utah: Washington Co., Zion to Garfield Co., Bryce National Park

We finished up in Zion NP with 2 hikes and I took some great video of the Black-throated Sparrow.  The first hike was on the Pa’ Rus trail and the second was to the Outlook near the eastern end of the Park (after the tunnel), overlooking Pines Creek Canyon.

Zion National Park - Pines Creek Canyon

Black-throated Sparrow juv video (best viewed with Safari)




Black-throated Sparrow ad video (best viewed with Safari)

 

We continued to drive to Bryce NP.  We stopped at several points of view from the main road.

Agua Canyon

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Bryce Canyon National Park: Birch Canyon

Bryce Canyon National Park: Natural Bridge

Bryce Canyon National Park: Ponderosa Point

6 July 2014 Utah: Washington Co., Zion National Park, Springdale

6 July 2014 Utah: Washington Co., Zion National Park, Springdale

We did a few hikes in the Park today.  We went to the Emerald Pools and then on to the Scout Lookout near Angel’s Landing.

Virgin River cuts through the canyon

Big Bend

Court of the Patriarchs - Sign

 Court of the Patriarchs - Abraham

Court of the Patriarchs - Isaac

Court of the Patriarchs - Moroni and Jacob

5 July 2014 Utah: Washington Co., Zion National Park, Springdale

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5 July 2014 Utah: Washington Co., Zion National Park, Springdale

We arrived late in the afternoon and took the shuttle to the Weeping Wall trail. 

2, 3, 4 July 2014, Nevada: Clark Co., Las Vegas

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2, 3, 4 July 2014, Nevada: Clark Co., Las Vegas

I spent the last several days in Las Vegas waiting for Kris to arrive.  We went to Blue Man Group at the Monte Carlo and were no disappointed.  No birding here.  However, we went to Blue Man Group at the Monte Carlo where Kris took some great photos.

Blue Man Group drumming

Blue Man Group - Eyeball drone?

1 July 2014 Nevada: Lander Co., Big Creek Rd., near Austin

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1 July 2014 Nevada: Lander Co., Big Creek Rd., near Austin

Today was the last day for research and it was a record breaking day with over 50 males recorded.  It was a great field season.

Representative song from Austin (AU3)

Breeding habitat

State	Locality	Number of Males
Colorado	Pagosa Springs	36
Colorado	Nucla	44
New Mexico	Oja Sarco - Taos	28
Arizona	Canyon Creek, Tonto Creek	7
Utah	Kolob Plateau	24
California	Riverton	23
California	Yosemite	24
California	Bishop	5
Nevada	Austin	53
Total		244

1.     American Kestrel

2.     Broad-tailed Hummingbird

3.     Northern Flicker

4.     Western Kingbird

5.     Steller’s Jay

6.     Black-billed Magpie

7.     American Crow

8.     House Wren

9.     Hermit Thrush

10. American Robin

11. Warbling Vireo

12. Yellow Warbler

13. MacGillivray’s Warbler

14. Lazuli Bunting

15. Green-tailed Towhee

16. Spotted Towhee

17. Song Sparrow