East Carbon Junipers photo by Tim Avery

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Description:
Driving south out of East Carbon on SR-124 you will find yourself in rolling hills covered with Juniper woodlands and shrubsteppe.  The rarely traveled road is ideal for birding, with wide shoulders, and side roads to access the various patches of trees.  Large intact tracts of juniper like this in an unbirded area provide an opportunity to wade into uncharted waters. Status and distribution of even common species are often assumed based on available habitat--but actual status of many species is unknown.  Then take into account the less common species using the habitat--what species are found in this area of the state?  The almost 8 mile road can be driven in about 10 minutes--so an hour birding here  can easily be fit into a trip.  Out of Price taking the loop on SR-123 to East Carbon, you can bird the Sagebrush Flats on SR-123, the East Carbon WTP, Sunnyside Park, this road, and then Horse Canyon Road on the way bay to SR-191/6.  The whole loop make for some great birding in an otherwise desolate area.

Birding:
New to birding this area looked ideal for juniper specialists--and it made making a loop out to East Carbon worth while on the drive form Price to Green River.  During the winter months it may be very quiet out here.  DARK-EYED JUNCO roam the hillsides, but not a whole lot else is around.  During migration things pick up, and species using the foothills to move north might be encountered.  Arriving breeders include MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD, CHIPPING SPARROW, and SAY'S PHOEBE.  In the more open areas, keep an ear out for BLACK-THROATED SPARROW, along with other shrub land species.  You might hear ROCK WREN, WESTERN MEADOWLARK and others along the road. Some year round species that might be encountered include JUNIPER TITMOUSE, WESTERN SCRUB-JAY, and SPOTTED TOWHEE.  The large tracts of habitat are probably home to PINYON JAY as well.  Breeding season potentially holds some of the best birds--based on similar habitat in the eastern part of the state SCOTT'S ORIOLE, GRAY VIREO, BUSHTIT, GRAY and DUSKY FLYCATCHER, and BLACK-THROATED GRAY-WARBLER are probably found here.

Directions:
From the on ramp at Exit 243 in Price, head south on US-191/6 for 13.3 miles. Turn left onto SR-123 and continue 8.6 miles.  Turn right onto SR-124 south.  For the next 7.9 miles you will be in the junipers and foothills till you reach Horse Canyon.