Cougar Park from Google Street View

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Description:
Cougar Park is a narrow but long city park bordered on the west by neighborhoods, and on the east by grasslands and farms land.  A railroad track follows the east border, and shrubsteppe habitat lines it sides.  The north half of the park is a large open grass field that doubles as an overflow basin during heavy rains.  The south half of the park has been maintained as a native grassland and shrubsteppe habitat that is fenced off to protect the habitat.  There is a walking trail from the south end that leads into the middle of the habitat, and a path that follows the perimeter.  There are numerous trees long the west side that have been planted and in a few years could make for a great migrant trap with the open areas to the east.

Birding:
From April through September you can take a look at what birding might have been like in the Salt Lake Valley 100 years ago.  The native habitat restoration and protection at Cougar Park has created a look into the past.  A number of years ago nesting BURROWING OWLS were a highlight here, but in recent years reports have ceased so the birds may be gone.  But species like LARK SPARROW can be found along the railroad tracks along with HORNED LARK.  WESTERN KINGBIRD and SAY'S PHOEBE might be present in the trees or along the fence line, while BARN SWALLOWS cruise overhead in search of food.  WESTERN MEADOWLARK can be heard trilling from the fields, and you might glimpse a RED-TAILED HAWK or AMERICAN KESTREL soaring high above.  A number of migrant waterbird shave been observed including both AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN and WHITE-FACED IBIS.  I assume these are flyovers, but I guess if the overflow pond were full they could technically land here.  This isn't an often visited site, but if you live nearby its a quick stop to check--who knows, you might find some owls back at a burrow!

Directions:
From I-215 south side Belt Route, take Exit 13 for Redwood Road south.  Go .4 miles and turn right onto Bennion Boulevard for 3.5 miles.  Turn left onto Cougar Lane and go .6 miles till you reach the parking area on your left.

Southbound Rest Stop from Google Street View

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Description:
Lunt Park is the name of the rest stop on I-15 at mile marker 88 between Beaver and Paragonah.  There are both north and south bound stops.  The north bound stop on the east side of the highway is predominantly open grass with just a handful of trees, mostly on the south end.  The southbound stop on the west side of the highway has a similar amount of grass, but has at least 8 very large trees creating a migrant trap in the desert.  The surrounding areas are mostly degraded grassland, some farm land, and shrubsteppe.  Like most rest facilities bathrooms are present, and during the tourist season these stops can be quite busy.

Birding:
There is just one checklist from here, at the moment--I know I have stopped here several times in the past and had birds.  If you are headed to St. George, I think it might be worth checking the southbound side.  The northbound side doesn't look as good so it may not be worth your time coming back.  In the summer WESTERN KINGBIRD are often seen here.  LARK SPARROW, BREWER'S SPARROW, and SAGEBRUSH SPARROW use the nearby shrubsteppe habitat, while SAGE THRASHER and HORNED LARK are also found.  In the winter raptors can occasionally be seen here, some times perched in the trees. BALD EAGLE, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, FERRUGINOUS HAWK, and PRAIRIE FALCON are all possible.

Directions:
If you are traveling out of Beaver, from exit 109 southbound it will be about 20  miles till you reach the pull out to the rest stop on your right. Alternatively if you are headed north from Paragonah at I-15 exit 82 it will be about 4.7 miles till you reach the pull off on your right to the north bound rest stop.

Central Lehi Fields from Google Street View

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Description:
The Central Lehi fields are everything west of the Jordan River to Redwood Road between 2100 North and Lehi Main Street on the south end.  Typically birding is confined to 3600 West form the north till you reach the go leg mid way and the road turns into 400 East until it hits Main Street.  Allred's Pond is found along the southern portion of the road while the North Lehi Fields are located on the north side of 2100 North.  The area is predominantly farm land, with several mink and hog farms as well.  At the dog leg there are two patches of trees, one running north-south, the other east-west where songbirds, and migrants can be found.  The fields here are often flooded in the spring creating a great wet habitat for the birds.  The biggest down side to this area is that the road can be busy and it is really narrow making it dangerous at times--and the smell is often unbearable because of the farms.

Birding:
I have definitely submitted about 90% of the checklists for this location as I pass from the North Lehi Fields to Powell Lake or back.  The irony is the birding here is good enough to make it worthy of its own hot spot.  I've really only birded here in the early spring through May, and then a couple times in the early winter.  During the spring and winter there are often huge flocks of CALIFORNIA GULLS that have RING-BILLED mixed in.  The Ring-billed number drop dramatically as spring wear on and they are replaced by hundred of FRANKLIN'S GULLS in mid April through May.  On a couple occasions in April I have have BONAPARTE'S GULLS flyover here headed north.  The only other odd gull I have found is a HERRING GULL mixed in once.  Other off flybys include a flock of FORSTER'S TERNS likely leaving Powell Lake to head north. One of the main draws for me is when the fields flood in mid April usually through early May.  This is not natural and is done by the landowners for their crop.  It benefit birders though as generally 100's, if not 1,000's of WHITE-FACED IBIS flock in to feed.  I have found both GLOSSY IBIS and hybrid Glossy X White-faced Ibis mixed in with these flocks.  And these flocks often create a feeding frenzy which other birds join in to.  CATTLE EGRET and SNOWY EGRET have both been seen mixed in.  The crazy thing is the shorebirds that join--dozens of MARBLED GODWITS can be seen, while the occasional AMERICAN AVOCET and LONG-BILLED CURLEW show up.  At the dog-leg I have had several SOLITARY SANDPIPER--and in the early summer SANDHILL CRANE have been observed here as well.  One of the better finds here was a RUSTY BLACKBIRD near the north end among 1,000's of starlings and BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS in November.  These huge winter flocks are a common sight near the farms.

Directions:
From I-15 Exit 282 in Lehi take 2100 North westbound for 1.8 miles. Turn left onto 3600 West and cross the east bound lanes of 2100 North. You are now in the Central Lehi Fields.  After 1 mile the road dog legs and becomes 400 East before continuing another mile south to Lehi Main Street.

Cedar Fort from Google Street View

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Description:
Cedar Fort is a small town west of Eagle Mountain with a population of around 400 people,  This rural farming community is made up mostly of farms, and surrounded by some grasslands and shrubsteppe.  Established in 1852 many of the trees around town are mature and tall providing excellent perches for raptors.  Various roads head east out of town through the farms while the slopes leading west into the hills are covered in juniper. There are two canyons accessible directly west of town which lead into more riparian and high elevation habitats.

Birding:
The Cedar Fort area has long been a raptor hot spot in Utah--year round.  GOLDEN EAGLE, NORTHERN HARRIER, and RED-TAILED HAWK can be found year round.  During the winter months both FERRUGINOUS and ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK are usually easy find here, while species like BALD EAGLE and MERLIN are occasionally reported.  In the summer months SWAINSON'S HAWKS fill in for the winter raptors.  Other species found year round include EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE, COMMON RAVEN, and BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE.  Summer resident include MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD, WESTERN KINGBIRD, and occasionally EASTERN KINGBIRD.  The list in eBird has a few too many high elevation species on it, leading me to believe that some of the checklists include birding into the mountains to the west.  The lower environs where the junipers are present are worth checking for WILD TURKEY year round, while GRAY and DUSKY FLYCATCHER, PLUMBEOUS VIREO, VIRGINIA'S WARBLER, and LAZULI BUNTING might be present during the warmer months. I primarily visit here int he winter months for easy raptor viewing and photography.  From downtown Cedar Fort take 100 North and go east into the fields.  You can drive the back roads on this side of town and usually be the only person around!

Directions:
From I-15 Exit 278 in Lehi go west on Pioneer Crossing--it will eventually turn into UT-73/Cedar Fort Road. The town is 16.6 miles from the exit off I-15.

Talons Cove from Google Street View

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Description:
Talons Cove borders the northwest corn of Utah Lake, and provides an interesting set of habitats for birding while golfing.  You could technically bird the streets along the course here, but much like other courses in the area, this is more of a golfing destination than a birding destination, although for birding it is an excellent golf course! 18 holes of mostly open terrain, surrounded by minimal grasslands and shrubsteppe.  Small trees can be found along the course in various locations, with a few areas of thick russian olive.  2 ponds i the northeast corner of the course provide wetland and marsh habitat, and the lake is visible form the course.  Wetlands along the shore are close enough that with binoculars you could make out some species on the lake.  The front 9 is much birdier than the back from my experience here.

Birding:
Talons Cove really is a great course for birding.  The mix of habitats provides great opportunities for various species.  During the summer months is the best time to visit the course, and you'll likely encounter HORNED LARK, WESTERN KINGBIRD, and CLIFF & BARN SWALLOWS through out the course.  At the marshy areas on the ponds, you can expect YELLOW-HEADED and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS.  COMMON YELLOWTHROAT and MARSH WREN can usually be heard at these spots as well.  Along the lake front areas scanning you will likely see and or hear CASPIAN TERN, WESTERN GREBE, NORTHERN HARRIER, and AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN.  In the riparian areas, and the spots with dense russian olives songbirds are abound.  YELLOW WARBLER, LAZULI BUNTING, and BULLOCK'S ORIOLE are common.  BLUE GROSBEAK have been observed at the course, and prefer these area on the east edge.  Like most golf courses the access is limited to the edges, unless you're golfing--luckily here there are a lot of edges that can be birded.  If you are passing through during the summer, stop in for a few minutes and see what's singing!

Directions:
From the intersection of Redwood Road and Pioneer Crossing in Saratoga Springs, head south on Redwood Road for 3.9 miles.  Turn left onto Fairway Blvd and go 225'.  Turn left and go .1 miles to the parking lot and club house.

Ucolo Road from Google Street View

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Description:
Ucolo Road almost straddles the Utah-Colorado border, but it's about a 1/4 mile into Utah.  For 10 miles south to north the road passes through mostly shrubsteppe, disturbed grasslands, farms, and some patches of juniper.  The windswept landscape is usually birded in conjunction with a loop starting on Hickman Flats,coming down Ucolo Road, then driving back to Monticello via Old Highway. You can pull off the road in various spots to scan trees and fields for birds, as well as just look for birds as you drive.  Very few cars use the road except for locals, so you might be the only people in the area.

Birding:
Making the loop back towards Old Highway from Hickman Flats, Ucolo Road will give you more shots at species typical of the juniper in the area, like: JUNIPER TITMOUSE, BEWICK'S WREN, and MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD.  The patches of sagebrush in between are good for LARK, VESPER, and BREWER'S SPARROW, while keeping an eye to the sky you might see SHARP-SHINNED, COOPER'S, or RED-TAILED HAWK.  Much like Old Highway this area is rarely visited by birders so the information on status and distribution of species here is quite limited.

Directions:
From the intersection Main and Center Streets in Monticello, head east on Center Street for 5.3 miles.  Turn left onto Hallers for .3 miles at which point you will turn right onto Old Highway.  Go 9.8 miles and the road will turn to the north into Ucolo Road, which continues north for 10.7 miles.

Old Highway from Google Street View

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Description:
From Ucolo Road, driving back to Monticello on the loop from Hickman Flats you will take Old Highway which parallels US-491 just to the south for about 10 miles east to west.  Old Highway goes through shrubsteppe, disturbed grassland, farmland, and fragmented mixed juniper and oak woodlands.  This road seldom sees traffic except for locals, and you will probably have the drive to yourself.  You can stop and go as you'd like, making sure not to wander off the road as most of the land around is private property.  Luckily the birding form the road is fantastic.

Birding:
The Old Highway drive back to Monticello from Ucolo Road makes for some nice late morning birding after spending a morning on Hickman Flats.  In the past LEWIS'S WOODPECKER have been seen along this route amongst the more common NORTHERN FLICKER.  A real surprise find here in April 2013 was a WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER.  The patches of juniper ware excellent for finding JUNIPER TITMOUSE, and in the spring DUSKY FLYCATCHER are usually present.  BEWICK'S WREN, CHIPPING SPARROW, and MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD can be seen while a couple more unexpected finds include: RED CROSSBILL, NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD, and MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE.  Since this location doesn't get really any birders, its worth checking out to see what you might find.


Directions:
From the intersection Main and Center Streets in Monticello, head east on Center Street for 5.3 miles.  Turn left onto Hallers for .3 miles at which point you will turn right onto Old Highway.  From here Old Highway continues 9.8 miles till it turns north into Ucolo Road.

Links at Overlake from Google Maps User

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Description:
The Links at Overlake is a Scottish links style course featuring 11 water hazards, 79 sand bunkers and beautiful native grass measuring a total of 7,248 yards.  The links pond and lake habitat combined with grassland and shrubsteppe created an interesting mix of habitat that resembles native Utah valley habitat.  The fairways and greens of course are grass so things aren't quite perfect.  In terms of birdable golf courses, this is a great course to go birding while golfing at.  There are actually 14 ponds on the course  which is surrounded by grasslands, farms, and now some houses.

Birding:
I've only been to the links one time, but on a windy cold May morning I tallied 52 species while focusing on golf.  Some notable things were that there were at least 3 species of shorebirds nesting along the course edges: LONG-BILLED CURLEW, WILLET, and KILLDEER.  The birds were very approachable and seemed used to people being there.  All 6 regularly occurring species of SWALLOW in Utah might be seen here during migration and during poor weather, are easy to view low over the water.  The numerous ponds create lots of habitat for various waterbirds.  11 species of waterfowl were seen here including GREATER SCAUP--the water on some ponds is deep enough for divers, and more species of ducks probably pass through here.  CINNAMON TEAL, NORTHERN SHOVELER, and LESSER SCAUP were all fairly common in May.  3 species of GREBES and as well as FORSTER'S TERNS can be found here using the water to fish.  Along the course expect to see RED-WINGED and YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, WESTERN MEADOWLARK, SAY'S PHOEBE, and WESTERN KINGBIRD.  If you come here to go golfing, you'll end up doing a lot of birding--and I can't say that's a bad thing!

Directions:
From the Flying J off I-80 Exit 99 take UT-36 south for 6.8 miles. Turn right on to Cimmarron way and go 1 mile. Turn left onto 400 west and go .8 mile to the turn on your right to the golf course parking lot.

The Ranches form Google Street View

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Description:
The Ranches Golf Club is an 18-hole championship facility nestled in the hillside valley between Lehi and Eagle Mountain. Featuring a Western theme and carved from the native prairie, the course's 220 acres present golfers a true links-style experience. Designed by noted architect Ron Garl, the golf course was created to play a challenging 7,050 yards from the back tees, yet offering multiple tee boxes to cater to players of all skill levels.  To the South is Lake Mountain. To the East towers the Wasatch Front. To the West are the peaks of the Oquirrh Mountains, and Utah Lake is visible to the Southeast.  This is not a birding destination, but birding is typically done while golfing here given the great open habitat.  The native habitat around the course is mostly grasslands and shrubsteppe, but most of the surrounding area is now homes.

Birding:
If you golf an watch birds you see a few here.  As mentioned above this really isn't a destination--there are no ponds or water features for birds here, so it really limits what you will see.  Along the course from spring through fall WESTERN MEADOWLARK, HORNED LARK, BREWER'S SPARROW and LARK SPARROW can be seen.  You can bird the surrounding neighborhoods but most of the trees here are still very young.   One caveat is that with the open spaces raptors are often see here.  Year round you'll find GOLDEN EAGLE, RED-TAILED HAWK, PRAIRIE FALCON, and possibly FERRUGINOUS HAWK.  In The winter months BALD EAGLE and ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS move in--and during the summer SWAINSON'S HAWKS can be found.  Further south from the golf course along Pony Express Parkway there are a number of apartment communities with fruiting trees, and berry bushes.  During waxwing irruption years it is not uncommon to find numerous CEDAR WAXWINGS here, and BOHEMIAN have been found mixed in.  The course is private property so unless you're golfing, there isn't much point to birding here--but if you are golfing please submit a checklist; maybe we're missing something!

Directions:
From I-15 Exit 279 for Lehi Main Street, head west on Main fro 1.2 miles.  At the traffic circle continue straight on Main as it becomes SR-73 for 3.7 miles.  The road will turn south and keep going for .3 miles.  Turn right onto Pioneer Crossing which becomes Cedar Fort Road.  Go 1.9 miles then turn left on to Mt. Airey Drive for .2 miles.  Turn left on to Clubhouse Lane and make your way to the parking area.

Point of The Mountain from Google Street View

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Description:
This side of the mountain is almost entirely private property, comprising mostly of a large gravel pit.  A frontage road follows the mountain from the county line northeast to 14600 South.  The hot spot encompasses everything south and east of these two streets to the county line.  The habitat is mixed grasslands and shrubsteppe, along with some oak woodlands on barren hillsides.  The pit is the dominant feature, and several companies operate along this stretch.  You can pull over at various sites, but in general the road is quite busy.

Birding:
Point of the mountain has traditionally been a good location to look for raptors.  Most birding here happens when winter raptors use the area to look for food.  However, in the last few years massive expansion on both sides of the county line have really seemed to push most of the raptors from the area.  The occasional RED-TAILED HAWK or GOLDEN EAGLE may be seen soaring overhead, while AMERICAN KESTREL and COMMON RAVEN are still common.  The most abundant birds here are starling and pigeons by far.  MERLIN are occasionally seen hunting the area, and HARLAN'S RED-TAILED HAWK have been seen in the past.  During spring and fall migration occasionally large flocks of birds are seen migrating out over the Jordan River.  Flocks of FRANKLIN'S GULL, WHITE-FACED IBIS, SNOW GOOSE, and various other waterfowl have been spotted from here.  Although this isn't a destination birding location, you certainly will pass it and may pick up something new for the area list if you spend a few minutes looking around.

Directions:
From I-15 exit 288 on 14600 south go south and turn right onto the frontage road headed southwest.  The road will hit the Utah County Line in 2.3 miles.

Looking east towards Universe Road pfrom Google Street View

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Description:
Universe Road, or Perkins Road, or Route 2416, or CR-206 are a series of roads that lead form Blanding out into Montezuma Creek Canyon.  The specific hot spot however is for the first 1.1 miles of what is actually Universe Road south of 1800 South in Blanding.  The land here is all private and consists of dry desert, shrubsteppe, some grasslands, and also farms.  The land is mostly red dirt and arid with little in the ways of "good" habitat.  But two really good birds have been seen here of the years.

Birding:
This nondescript road passing the rocky juniper covered out cropping owned by the Redd Family has long been a pass by location for birders dropping into Montezuma Creek Canyon to the east.  Most birders wouldn't give a second thought to stopping here as the habitat looks like most of the surrounding areas.  But for some reason a couple of really good finds have popped up here.  The first was on November 9, 1997 when Jim and Jeanne Redd spotted 3 SCALED QUAIL on their property.  Several other reports not attributed to a location also are likely from here in the following years.  The second notable was on June 7, 2007 when I found Utah's 1st EASTERN MEADOWLARK along this route.  The diagnostic photo of the bird is still the only record for Utah, but this corner of the state likely sees this species on a more regular basis--if not as a permanent breeder in very small localized areas.  Species typical of the area year round include: WESTERN MEADOWLARK, RED-TAILED HAWK, COMMON RAVEN, and GOLDEN EAGLE.  During the breeding season BREWER'S and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS can be found along this stretch, as well as BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD, WESTERN KINGBIRD, and KILLDEER.  The bird list form here is seriously lacking and although there probably aren't a ton of species to be found, this spot is worth checking if you stop by the Blanding WWTP nearby.

Directions:
From the intersection of Main and Center Street in Blanding head south on Main for 1.8 miles.  Turn left onto 1800 South/Browns Canyon Road for 1.1 mile.  At the intersection turn right--this is Perkins Road/Rte 2416/Universe Road.  The hot spot is the road for the next mile on either side.

Blue Creek looking North from Google Street View

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Description:
Blue Creek is a small stream that crosses Golden Spike Drive just outside the entrance to Golden Spike NHS.  Further south the creek meets several springs and forms a wetland habitat which is completely surrounded by farms, grasslands and shrubsteppe.  Blue Creek can be birded from the road, but I am not sure about access to the springs further to the south--there do appear to be some roads off of Promontory Road leading into the area, but I assume this is all private property.  The hot spot is the 2 mile stretch of road from UT-83 to the slight right into the historic site towards the Big Fill--and it can extend as far north or south as you can see or access from here I suppose.

Birding:
I just submitted the first checklist for this location and wanted to get it on the map.  Being that it is the only water source in this tiny depression/valley it seemed worth being a stop on the way into or out of Golden Spike NHS.  Given the habitat many of the birds you are likely to see here, you will also see in the park, but since it is a water source, there will likely be a few other notables here.  RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD were busy singing when I visited, and AMERICAN ROBIN were calling from the sagebrush here.  WESTERN MEADOWLARK are common, while other species you should expect to encounter year round include: HORNED LARK, COMMON RAVEN, RED-TAILED HAWK, and probably MALLARD.  Please take a moment while in the area to submit a list here to help build out this location--it has likely been birded many times before, but the species lists were just included in the Golden Spike NHS location.

Directions:
From I-15 exit 365 head west on UT-13 for 2.5 miles to Corinne.  Continue straight onto UT-83 for another 17.4 miles. Turn left following signs onto 7200 North/Golden Spike Drive. The road and this hot spot continues for 2 miles before entering Golden Spike NHS.  Blue Creek is 1.1 miles from the turn off of UT-83.

Golden Spike photo by Tim Avery

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Description:
Golden Spike is a U.S. National Historic Site located at Promontory Summit, north of the Great Salt Lake that  encompasses 2,735 acres.  It commemorates the completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad where the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad met on May 10, 1869. The final joining of the rails spanning the continent was signified by the driving of the ceremonial Golden Spike.  The park is a fee area and a 7 day pass in the summer is $7 while it costs $5 in the winter.  The park opens at 9:00am daily.

Birding:
Golden Spike mostly gets birders passing through to other nearby sites.  The species list of over 100 is a little confusing given the range of habitat in the site.  I would guess some of the additional waterbirds that have been reported weren't actually from within the park limits--possibly from nearby Blue Creek which has recently been added as a hot spot. There does appear to be some water along the west grade though, so this might be where some of the water birds are being reported.  There are several tour routes one can drive through the area which consists mostly of shrubsteppe, grasslands, farms, and some rocky out croppings.  In general this is the extent of the habitat here.  My birding exploits here have only taken me to the area around the visitor center, the Big Fill, and the East Grade Auto Tour Loop--so I can't lend a ton of info.  Three specialty game birds are located in the park limits though with SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, GRAY PARTRIDGE, and CHUKAR all possible.  A Sharp-tailed Grouse lek location was recently shared about a mile southwest of the visitor center on the north side of the road and can be scoped from the road here.  Other birds typical of the area year round include NORTHERN HARRIER, GOLDEN EAGLE, HORNED LARK, and WESTERN MEADOWLARK.  In the summer SAGE THRASHER, BREWER'S and LARK SPARROW, BURROWING OWL, and WESTERN KINGBIRD are a common sight.  SHORT-EARED and BARN OWL are found year round with a little luck as well.

Directions:
From I-15 exit 365 head west on UT-13 for 2.5 miles to Corinne.  Continue straight onto UT-83 for another 17.4 miles. Turn left following signs onto 7200 North for 2 miles.  Follow the slight right as the road turns into 18400 West/Golden Spike Drive for 4.6 miles. Turn left here and go south for 1.1 miles passing the welcome sign for the park to the Visitor's Center on your right.

Provo River at River Road from Google Street View

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Description:
This spot is directly on the Provo River just North of Heber City near the intersection of Highway 40 and River Road.  Just East of the river on River Road, there is a gravel parking lot with restrooms.  There are also signs directing you to the fisherman access for the river.  There are no entrance fees, and this land that is open to the public. The land on either side of the river is marsh and wetlands, due to the Provo River Reclamation Project.  Tall trees line either side of the river creating a great riparian habitat, and beyond the marsh land are open fields that are mostly for agriculture.  This combination leads to a wide variety of birds being attracted to this spot and the immediately surrounding areas throughout the year.

Birding:
Directly along the river is an excellent place to view a number of interesting birds.  BELTED KINGFISHER are almost always perched in the trees at this location year round intently looking for fish in the river.  If you stay more than just a few minutes, you will be likely to see one swoop down in attempt to catch a fish.  Several songbirds commonly found near water also frequent the trees along the river. During the summer YELLOW WARBLER, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, and BULLOCK'S ORIOLE can be found.  In the winter months WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW and DARK-EYED JUNCO are found.  Year round SONG SPARROW are a common find. This portion of the river is loud, shallow, and fast moving.  As such, it is a perfect habitat for AMERICAN DIPPER, and they are seen here year round.  Take a good look near some of the large rocks that protrude from the river because they often use these rocks as a perch before diving into the water in pursuit of insects. Within approximately one hundred yards on either side of the river are platform nests where OSPREY generally return each summer.  There is at least one breeding pair to the East of the river near Highway 40, and another pair is also commonly found along River Road to the West of the river.

Directions:
From the Intersection of US-40 and River Road north of Heber, head west on River Road for .3 miles.  Turn left into the parking area and park here, following the directions to Fisherman's Access.

Thanks to Case Wade for this location submission.

Entrance to Swede Lane from Google Street View

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Description:
Swede Lane is a road adjacent to River Lane, that passes through mostly agricultural land, as well as marsh and wetland, with some riparian habitat, eventually leading to Utah Lake.  Swede Lane doesn't have nearly the riparian habitat that is found right next door, but the mix of open habitats, disturbed land, and adjacent wetlands makes for a good drive. Like River Lane the first mile follows farm land, before hitting marsh and wetland.  The riparian habitat can be found in patches along the entire road, all the way to the lake, but it's not continuous, and mostly consists of russian olive. There is actually a connecting road between the two locations making for a quick jump from one to the other instead of having to drive back to the highway.

Birding:
Birding here often has the feel of being at a WMA or other wetland habitat--around 20 species of waterfowl have been observed here including ROSS'S GOOS, TUNDRA SWAN, and BLUE-WINGED TEAL.  From the end of the road viewing the lake its not uncommon to see AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, and both WESTERN and CLARK'S GREBES.  All three White egrets in Utah have been observed here.  During the spring when the fields near the entrance are sometimes flooded CATTLE EGRET are often seen with large flocks of WHITE-FACED IBIS.  Scan those ibis carefully, as in recent years GLOSSY IBIS have been found mixed in.  The open habitat here is usually a pretty good spot for raptors.  During the winter months BALD EAGLE, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, and MERLIN can usually be found here.  During the summer SWAINSON'S HAWK are common here.  With nearly 20 species of shorebird being reported here this location has turned up some great birds like PECTORAL SANDPIPER and BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER. SOLITARY SANDPIPER show up occasionally during migration in the wet areas along the road as well.  During the summer months both WESTERN and EASTERN KINGBIRD can be found on the drive--other passerine species are less plentiful i the summer months, but YELLOW WARBLER is quite common; while BLUE GROSBEAK, BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT are also found.  One of the best finds at Swede Lane has to be the BAIRD'S SPARROW on September 9, 2011.  I found this bird, then relocated it once and got a decent shot of it.  During the fall sparrow flocks here present a great opportunity to find rarities mixed in.  VESPER, LARK, and BREWER'S SPARROWS are plentiful and LARK BUNTING has been found in the mix.  Swede Lane isn't the hot spot that River Lane is, but it certainly has its fair share of good birds.  Birding here by car is easiest; getting out at various points to walk the road work as well.  Parking at the end of the road and walking back is a good way to bird the best riparian habitat as well.

Directions:
From I-15 Exit 260 in Springville go west on Rte 77 for 3.9 miles. Take the sharp turn on your right heading due north.  This is the start of Swede Lane. Follow this road for till it turns left and then comes to a T--about .4 miles.  If you were to turn left here this little side road would connect you to River Lane--but to continue birding Swede Lane, turn right and follow this road as it continues another 1.1 mile till it dead ends at a parking lot at the lake.

Antelope Island photo by Tim Avery

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Description:
So one of the major issues with eBird is how and when hot spots were created.  For Antelope Island State Park there is an overarching location for the entire park including the causeway.  There is also this location which is supposed to be any location on the island.  Originally there were only 3 spots for the park--one for the causeway, one for the island, and one for the ranch.  But over the years, trying to be more precise with the data the various locations for the park have popped up.  On the island there are now the following locations:

Marina
Visitor Center & Loop Road
Lady Finger Point
White Rock Bay
Road to Garr Ranch
Garr Ranch
South
Backcountry (incl. Frary Peak Trail)

These are all very specific locations, some with habitat only found at said locations, while others have overlapping habitats, and in some cases are right next to each other.  Many birders who just use eBird to keep lists will create just one checklist for their entire visit to the island and put it on either the causeway, the island location, or the state park location.  Some will even put it on one of the other specific locations skewing the data slightly for those spots.  It is all confusing and there is no great solution for the near future.  But looking at it from this perspective will hopefully help.  The causeway is a very different habitat from anywhere on the island, and the birds you're going to see are very different.  Separating your causeway list from the island list will help at a basic level.  Keeping lists for even more specific locations will make the data even better.  Birding wise, I'm not going to talk about anything else for this location, as there is lots of information on those pages I mentioned above.  At a minimum if you want to use this spot try to do it separately from the causeway to help keep things clean.

Directions:
In Layton, take I-15 exit 332 west bound onto Antelope Drive for about 7 miles to the entrance station to the park.  After paying an entrance fee continue about 6 miles across the causeway to the island. For specific directions to locations on the island see pages for the above listed hot spots.

Antelope Island from the South from Google Street View

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Description:
This hot spot location is a little confusing as it appears quite a few people use it for checklists anywhere south of the loop road and White Rock Bay.  Although technically the Road to Garr Ranch and the actual ranch are on the south part of the island, the hot spot was created technically to list birds south of Garr Ranch. But others, also use it in the mountains, and on the trails in the back country of the island.  It may be worth splitting this location into "South of Garr Ranch" as well as "Backcountry" to be more specific and clean things up.  The habitat in these 2 areas is very different.  South of the ranch the habitat mirrors that of the road to Garr Ranch where primarily grasslands and mixed shrubsteppe make up the majority of the habitat.  Some riparian habitat around springs is present, while the dry lake bed is visible from the island.  The backcountry differs in that near the mountain range base it includes the above mentioned habitats, but is primarily more canyon based, with some mixed oak woodlands in the canyons  Several springs in the back country actually create quite impressive riparian habitats in said canyons.  The backcountry generally follows a spine down the west side of the island but is more centrally based and doesn't really reach the real south end.

Birding:
For the past few years Steve and Cindy Sommerfeld have conducted a monthly bird survey and a good portion of it has focused on south of Garr Ranch creating a great list of at least 100 species occurring there.  Unfortunately for most birders the area is hard to access, or closed all together. For right now I will be leaving this open to add details later.

Directions:
In Layton, take I-15 exit 332 west bound onto Antelope Drive for about 7 miles to the entrance station to the park.  After paying an entrance fee continue about 6 miles across the causeway to the island. At the sign where the road splits stay left and continue up the hill till you see the turn off on your left to Garr Ranch.  Turn left and follow this road 10.6 miles.  The road ends here at parking areas for Garr Ranch on your left, and for some of the back country trails to the south on your right.

Park HQ and Corrals from Bing Birds Eye View

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Description:
White Rock Bay is a campground on the north end of Antelope Island.  The exposed land here is predominantly grassland with mixed shrubsteppe.  Shoreline is also visible from here.  The Buffalo Corrals are used for the annual Buffalo Roundup and are located just behind the park offices.  The habitat here is like a "farm" given the corrals, stables, etc.  There is also a hay barn.  The surrounding habitat is predominantly grassland and shrubsteppe..  The area is generally open year round, although a gate to the corral area is occasionally locked.  Lots of visitors make their way here year round thinking they will see Buffalo.  You do occasionally see them along the road here, but they are only in the corrals during the roundup.

Birding:
Birding wise there are a couple birds found here that draw birders.  Namely both BARN OWL and GREAT HORNED OWL nest in the hay barn near the corrals.  Please if you go to see these birds DO NOT GO IN TO THE BARN!  Stay on the perimeter viewing form your vehicle, or as far out as you can to give the birds space.  They have been using this site for years and have grown accustomed to visitors, so please respect the space and keep this a reliable spot for these species for years to come.  SAY'S PHOEBE are often seen here during the warmer months along with SAGE THRASHER, BREWER'S SPARROW, and LARK SPARROW.  HORNED LARK can be found year round along with WESTERN MEADOWLARK.  The most notable sighting in the area was from April 2013 when a pair of MOUNTAIN PLOVER showed up near the campground for 2 days. Just going to show you never know what might turn up, even in the most likely of places.

Directions:
In Layton, take I-15 exit 332 west bound onto Antelope Drive for about 7 miles to the entrance station to the park.  After paying an entrance fee continue about 6 miles across the causeway to the island. At the sign where the road splits stay left and continue south for 1.6 miles till you reach a turn off on your left to the White Rock Bay.  Turn here and continue straight.  There will be a turn to your right after about 100'--this goes to the campground.  If you want to go to the corrals don't turn and instead continue straight till you reach the park offices.  Continue around the south side of the offices following the road.  It will hit a fence after about 150 yards.  To the left are the corrals, and a small dirt road to the right leads to the barn.

Lady Finger Point from Google Street View

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Description:
Lady Finger Point is a spit of land jutting out of the northwest edge of Antelope Island on the Great Salt Lake.  The point is a primarily barren rock with sparse shrubsteppe, and shoreline on 3 sides.  The point is a popular trail on the island and a quick walk from the parking area.  The parking area is along the Visitor Center and Loop Road.

Birding:
There are a couple of birds that birders typically visit this area for. Most notably is the resident population of CHUKAR that are often seen around the visitor center and specifically on Lady Finger Point.  This is the most reliable location in Utah for this species, and perhaps one of the best in the United States.  It can be found year round, usually in the rocky areas, but also passing between in the shrubsteppe.  While looking for this game bird you often will hear or come across ROCK WRENS, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, WESTERN MEADOWLARK, and HORNED LARK.  During the summer months BREWER'S and LARK SPARROW can be found regularly, while SAGE THRASHER and in recent years NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD have been fairly common here.  SAGEBRUSH SPARROW has been reported sporadically from here. On the point CANYON and BEWICK'S WREN have also been found, while various waterbirds are often observed from the point, including DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT and GREAT BLUE HERON which are often seen on Egg Island from here.

Directions:
In Layton, take I-15 exit 332 west bound onto Antelope Drive for about 7 miles to the entrance station to the park.  After paying an entrance fee continue about 6 miles across the causeway to the island. At the sign where the road splits if you go right you will be on the loop road to the visitor center.  After a few hundred yards there will be a turn out to a parking area on your right.  This is the parking area for Lady Finger Point to the west.

Loop Road from Google Street View

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Description:
The loop road begins when you reach the island. Typically for birding purposes you will want to go to the right at the large sign where the road splits.  From here the road passes through mostly shrubsteppe as it heads west till you reach a pull off at Lady Finger Point.  Lady Finger Point is also a hot spot in eBird and more location can be found on its location page.  The road loops back to the south east here passing through open grassland with mixed shrubsteppe and quite a few exposed rocks.  The Visitor Center rises to your left and can be reached by taking the road up to it.  The habitat surrounding the visitor center is the same, with more exposed rock.  Heading south the habitat is all open grassland and mixed shrubsteppe as you head south along the large beach to your west here.  Imported sand was brought in hoping to make a great beach atmosphere before the lake started receding.  The road eventually turns east and heads across open grasslands before coming to a T intersection.  Going right will take you to the White Rock Bay & Corrals hot spot, or going left will take you back to the north where you can access the Road to Garr Ranch, and Garr Ranch, as well as the Marina, the Causeway, and the start of the loop road again.

Birding:
There are a couple of birds that birders typically visit this area for. Most notably is the resident population of CHUKAR that are often seen around the visitor center, as well as the north part of the loop road.  This is the most reliable location in Utah for this species, and perhaps one of the best in the United States.  It can be found year round, usually in the rocky areas, but also passing between in the shrubsteppe.  While looking for this game bird you often will hear or come across ROCK WRENS, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, WESTERN MEADOWLARK, and HORNED LARK.  During the summer months BREWER'S and LARK SPARROW can be found regularly, while SAGE THRASHER and in recent years NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD have been fairly common here.  SAGEBRUSH SPARROW has been reported sporadically from here, usually near Lady Finger Point.  Further south where the grasslands open up there are several BURROWING OWL burrows where you can usually see these birds from March through the fall.  LONG-BILLED CURLEW are often seen in the fields here.  It's not uncommon to see waterbirds passing over the island, so cormorants, gulls, pelicans, and herons often seen while birding this area.  Feeders at the visitor center have attracted a variety of species in the winter months, including GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH and HARRIS'S SPARROW. In May 2013 a LARK BUNTING was seen on the hillside north of here. No trip to the island is complete without a drive through the loop--you will undoubtedly snag a couple of the main island targets here where photo opportunities are abound since many of the birds have become quite accustomed to the attention.

Directions:
In Layton, take I-15 exit 332 west bound onto Antelope Drive for about 7 miles to the entrance station to the park.  After paying an entrance fee continue about 6 miles across the causeway to the island. At the sign where the road splits if you go right you will be on the loop which comes back to this sign if you drive the whole loop.