Duchesne Wastewater Treatement Ponds from Google Street View

• eBird Checklist
• Flickr Photos

Description:
Not to be confused with the Duchesne Water Treatment Plant, the Wastewater Treatment Ponds are located east of the town of Duchesne just north of US-40 and bordered on the north by the Strawberry River. The compound includes two large ponds on the west side and two smaller ponds on the east side with a riparian habitat following the river on the north side.  The ponds have marshy habitat along the edges with dikes separating the ponds.  To the south are sparse hills with some shrubsteppe and juniper woodlands. There are also 3 small ponds to the west of the facility that aren't part of the compound and lay near the river on private property.

Birding:
Another day birding and you find yourself at another wastewater treatment pond.  Here in the desert west these places are inevitably some of the best birding in what are otherwise unbirdy places.  All over Utah you can find these tiny ponds in out of the way towns and probably some pretty good birds if you spend some time at them.  The Duchesne WTP are right along US-40 so if you are going from Strawberry Reservoir east to Roosevelt or Vernal you will pass by them.  I highly recommend stopping even if just for 5 minutes to scan the ponds and see what waterbirds are resting.  During most of the year there are going to be some birds here.  CANADA GOOSE and MALLARD aside you should also find GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, NORTHERN SHOVELER, RING-NECKED DUCK, LESSER SCAUP, and REDHEAD.  In the winter and during migration you may find BUFFLEHEAD, CANVASBACK, and COMMON GOLDENEYE. GREATER SCAUP are recorded here with some frequency as well.  In the spring, summer, and fall you might find BLUE-WIGNED, CINNAMON, and GREEN-WINGED TEAL.  There is a November record for ROSS'S GOOSE, so good things do show up here. HORNED, EARED, and CLARK'S GREBE have all been observed during fall migration. BALD EAGLE are occasionally seen here along the river during the winter months.  A small variety of shorebirds have been recorded in the spring including: RED-NECKED and WILSON'S PHALAROPE, BLACK-NECKED STILT, LEAST SANDPIPER, and SPOTTED SANDPIPER.  All 6 regularly occurring swallows in Utah can be seen here in the spring and fall. MARSH WREN, SONG SPARROW, and YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD are common on the marshy edges of the ponds.  In the riparian habitat listen carefully during the summer months.  Amongst the chorus of BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, YELLOW WARBLER, and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH you might pick out a BLUE GROSBEAK which nest here.  The hillsides are a good spot to look for LARK SPARROW and other species form the nearby habitat likely bleed into here so things like SAGE THRASHER and BREWER'S SPARROW are certainly possible.

Directions:
From the intersection of Main and Center Streets in Duchesne, head east on Main/US-40 for 1.6 miles till you reach a dirt road on your left where you can view the ponds.