BIRDING SPOTS

where, when, and what to find

Bear River -- Horseshoe Sloughs

posted by Tim Avery at
on Friday, March 20, 2015 

Horseshoe Sloughs from Google Street View


Description:
Horseshoe Sloughs are a series of "oxbows" on the east side of the Bear River south of Promontory Road near Corinne.  They get their names from... their horseshoe shape.  The furthest east horseshoe is found along 2700 West and can be birded for about 1/2 a mile. It is about 60 yards across and deep enough for diving birds.  To the west there are several other bodies of water in between marsh and wetland.  Along the east side there is a little bit of riparian habitat along the road.  To the east of the road is farm land.  Once you pass the south end of the water it is farm fields on either side of the road all the way to Forest Street.

Birding:
Birders have been birding the sloughs for years.  Back in the 90's while Forest Street was under constant construction, this road was the route into Bear River MBR and received a lot of traffic.  If you are going between anywhere west of Corinne and Bear River MBR, this is a shortcut to the refuge, and there always seem to be birds here.  Checklists are scant as this was just made a hot spot recently.  From spring through fall AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN and DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT are often seen here.  FORSTER'S and CASPIAN TERN can be seen fishing here, while various waterfowl are usually on the water edges.  CLARK'S and WESTERN GREBE use the area to fish, while MARSH WREN, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD are common on the marsh side.  During the fall and winter, all 3 MERGANSERS can be found here at one time or another.  BALD EAGLE are occasionally see perched in the trees in the area.  The fields and open land here are good for raptors, while RED-TAILED HAWK is found year round, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK are often here in the winter.  In the fields to the south RING-NECKED PHEASANT can be found, and SANDHILL CRANE are reliable from March through early summer.  Next time you bird the refuge swing along 2700 west and submit a checklist here to help build the species list!

Directions:
From I-15 exit 365 go west on UT-13 for .5 miles.  Hang a left onto 2600 West.  The slough is located on your right for about .5 miles.  You can continue south along 2600 West for another 1.5 miles after the slough and will eventually hit Forest Street and the Road to Bear River MBR.

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