Quail Creek State Park from Google Street View

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Description:
Quail Creek Reservoir is a 600 acre man made body of water that was completed in 1985 to provide irrigation and culinary water to the St. George area. Most of the water in the reservoir does not come from Quail Creek, but is diverted from the Virgin River and transported through a buried pipeline. Two dams form the reservoir with a maximum depth of 120' .  The surrounding red rock desert and dry slopes create an oasis in the desert.  There is a campground along the main road with a number of deciduous trees creating a migrant trap.  The shore line provides numerous beaches, sandbars, and exposed rocks.  Near the inlet there are often mudflats when there is low water, and an overgrown riparian habitat created  a lush environment in this otherwise arid location.

Birding:
Quail Creek really is an oasis in the desert.  For over a decade it was the only major body of water in the area and attracted a fair share of amazing birds.  With the addition of Sand Hollow just to the south there is some competition, but the rare birds still find their way here.  For birders this is often a better location due to there being fewer water sports enthusiasts than Sand Hollow.  In any event, the bird list here is approaching 200 species and from October through April just about anything can show up. With 27 species of waterfowl on record the list is impressive.  EURASIAN WIGEON, BLACK, SURF, and WHITE-WINGED SCOTER have all been seen here.  Quail Creek is one of the few lakes in Utah where all 4 Loon species found in Utah have been seen.  RED-THROATED, YELLOW-BILLED, and PACIFIC LOON in addition to COMMON have all been seen here on multiple occasions. All regularly occurring grebes have been seen here as well as RED-NECKED GREBE.  During January 2015 a BROWN PELICAN was here for less than 24 hours and NEOTROPIC CORMORANT has been seen here a handful of times.  During the winter it is not uncommon to see all 3 MERGANSER species here, as well as WESTERN GREBE, and large rafts of gulls that are usually mostly RING-BILLED with some CALIFORNIA GULLS. With these gulls there have been some great finds. MEW, THAYER'S, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL have all been seen, while HERRING GULL is reported occasionally.  During fall migration SABINE'S GULL are reported form time to time; while in the spring FRANKLIN'S and BONAPARETE'S GULLS are often reported.  All 4 regularly occurring Utah TERN species have been seen as well.  In October 2007 a very confiding LONG-TAILED JAEGER provided a lot of Utah Birders with their state lifer for this species here.

While waterbirds are the focus here, the shoreline boasts its own impressive species list.  Migrant shorebirds can't help but use this location--and that means a variety of species have been seen.  Notably PECTORAL SANDPIPER, BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, MARBLED GODWIT, and LONG-BILLED CURLEW. Moving away from the shore the campground is a great spot to look for migrants in May and during the fall. What is actually expected here is up to interpretation.  The campground host in the past has had feeders for hummingbirds and songbirds.  ANNA'S and COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD have been seen, as have WHITE-THROATED and HARRIS'S SPARROW.  Some of the best passerine birding though is by the inlet.  The thick riparian habitat here attracts various warblers--with YELLOW and LUCY'S breeding here.  YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, PACIFIC WREN, and WILLOW FLYCATCHER have been seen here.  One of the better finds here has been a PRAIRIE WARBLER!  The cliffs at the inlet are a good location to look for both CANYON and ROCK WREN.  BLACK-THROATED SPARROW can be found here and RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW has been observed as well.  The list goes on and on--really the best way to learn more about the birds here is to go birding at Quail Creek.  You won't be disappointed.

Birding here is all done along the west edge form the main road.  There is a pullout at the dam which is good for scanning the lower reaches of the reservoir for waterbirds. In the spring keep an eye out for BLUE GROSBEAK here.  You can scan the middle portions of the reservoir from the campground, as well as the main beach.  Walking here is easiest by parking in the campground area and walking the trees, and also in the boat launch area to walk or scope.  Near the inlet there are numerous pullouts to scan the upper reaches of the reservoir, and to park and walk into the riparian areas.

Directions:
From I-15 exit 16 for Hurricane/Zion head east on UT-9 for 2.5 miles. Turn left at the light and follow the road 1.1 miles tll you reach the dam on your right.  There is a viewpoint here where you can park.  You can also continue on the road another .9 miles to the campground on your right.  From here is is another .9 miles till the inlet.  Alternatively from southbound I-15 north of Leeds you can take ext 23 and go left under the freeway. Turn right onto N. Main Street and follow this road south for 3.8 miles.  Turn here and youare at the inlet and can follow the raod along the reservoir.

Antelope Island Marina from Google Street View

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Description:
The marina at Antelope Island State Park is used to launch various craft on to the Great Salt Lake.  Most use is by the state as well as sailors launching private sail boats.  The marina has also been used by a minority of "hunters" who have taken to the practice of stalking birding listservs to attempt to hunt the rare ocean species of waterfowl that over winter here in small numbers.  Due to the drying up of the lake the marina sees far less usage then in former years.  The small marina has jetties/breakwalls on the north and west sides, while the causeway provides the break to the east.  To the south is the island with a decent amount of shrubsteppe habitat in direct view of the marina.  The north jetty can be walked while you can drive the west jetty via the south side of the parking lot at the marina.  Just follow the dirt road as it loops to the west.   The habitat at the marina is shrubsteppe as well as disturbed land, with a beach on the north side of the north jetty facing out.  Mud flats inside the jetties, and on the outside provide additional shorebird habitat.  The open water of the Great Salt Lake to the north and the west is the primary habitat at this location.

Birding:
As with several locations on the island, the marina isn't a major birding destination, but a small part of the great birding on the island.  Scanning the shoreline inside the jetties, and on the beach to the north can turn up shorebirds in the spring and fall including RED-NECKED and WILSON'S PHALAROPE.  The beach here is a spot where RED PHALAROPE has been seen historically and is always worth checking.  Small flocks of WESTERN SANDPIPER are occasionally seen sheltering here, and have had BAIRD'S and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS mixed in. During the winter months SNOW BUNTING has been reported along the west jetty.  Sea ducks like HARLEQUIN DUCK, LONG-TAILED DUCK, SURF, WHITE-WINGED, and BLACK SCOTER have all been observed inside the breakwater as well as to the north from the jetties. Also during the winter look to the brushy areas south of the marina for AMERICAN TREE SPARROW.  In spring and summer breeding RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS can be seen and heard in the same area.  In May 2013 a LARK BUNTING was seen just up hill from the marina to the south.  One potential for the area that isn't often taken advantage of is a lake watch.  The area on the jetty provides a great vantage point looking north and to see birds following the causeway then heading west around the island in stormy weather.  A LONG-TAILED JAEGER in September 2014 was seen in this general area and these types of rare finds probably pass the island annually going unnoticed as they cruise out over the open water.

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. The marina will be on your right when you arrive.

Fish Springs NWR photo by Seldom Seen Steven

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Description:
Fish Springs NWR is an oasis in the desert--surrounded by hundreds of miles of barren land.  Fish Springs started as a Pony Express and Overland Stage station, and got its name from the fish that populated the springs, which were reported to be over 6 inches in length. The fish are left over from ancient Lake Bonneville which receded about 14,000 years ago. Several natural springs feed the wetlands, which are the main feature of the 28.11 square miles refuge.  The housing areas, visitor center, and refuge headquarters have numerous deciduous trees making for a migrant trap for songbirds.  The land surrounding the marsh is mixed shrubsteppe and arid desert.

Birding:
If it wasn't for its remote location Fish Springs would probably get a lot more visitors than it currently does.  At the least its about a 3 hours drive from Salt Lake City, across open desert with no gas stations, services, or human assistance of any kind.  But at the refuge your are in one of Utah's premier birding locations.  Aside from the waterfowl that migrate through in spring and fall, numerous ducks over winter on the open water from the warm springs.  More TRUMPETER SWAN have been recorded here than anywhere else in the state.  EURASIAN WIGEON, WHITE-WINGED and BLACK SCOTER have all been recorded here in the middle of the desert. Any waterbird having traversed the vast desert to this point will fall into here to survive--which is why multiple PACIFIC LOON have been seen and even a YELLOW-BILLED LOON was reported once. AMERICAN BITTERN are a year round resident of the marsh.  This is one of the best places in Utah to see this secretive species. Surprisingly rare waders don;t show up here that often, but in August 2007 a REDDISH EGRET was present for a couple weeks.  RED-SHOULDERED HAWK has been recorded from time to time, possibly indicating nesting somewhere nearby in the vast desert. Shorebirds find this haven a life saver in an otherwise inhospitable region for them--more than 30 species have been recorded here including some mega rarities for Utah like: PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER, HUDSONIAN GODWIT, RUDDY TURNSTONE, and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER.  The refuge interestingly is the only place in Utah where all 3 JAEGER species have been recorded.  It also has had a few rare gulls and terns including Utah's first ever BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE in the 70's, and SABINE'S GULL during fall migrations.  Both COMMON and LEAST TERN have been seen on the refuge grounds to round out the rare waterbirds for the area.

The list of rarities goes on and on--WHITE-WINGED DOVE spending weeks here, sightings of YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, and LEAST FLYCATCHER.  BLACK PHOEBE, VERMILION FLYCATCHER, and SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER have all shown up here, hundred of miles form where they normally occur.  PACIFIC WREN, VARIED THRUSH, and BROWN THRASHER have all been recorded in the trap--while McCOWN'S, LAPLAND, and CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR have all been seen during the early winter on the refuge.  Mist netting, and ardent birders have recorded more than 20 species of Warbler here including a lot of eastern vagrants like: OVENBIRD, MAGNOLIA, CHESTNUT-SIDED, and BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS.  There is even a record for LUCY'S WARBLER--way north of its normal range.  Both SUMMER and SCARLET TANAGER have been recorded around the housing area.  One of the most famous bird sightings here was Utah's first PAINTED BUNTING--a male bird that stayed for several weeks during the summer of 2007.  BALTIMORE ORIOLE, INDIGO BUNTING, and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK round out the notable mentions for the non-waterbirds.  As you can see the bird list here is just lain impressive.  AT around 300 species in such an isolated location it truly is a Utah birding hot spot!

Directions:
There are several ways to get to Fish Springs, but unless you've been before getting lost in the desert is a real possibility on some of the shorter less marked routes.  The best way to make it to Fish Springs form Salt Lake City is to take I-80 westbound to exit 99.  Take the exit merging onto Hwy 36 for 3.8 miles.  Take the slight left to stay on Hwy 36 for 36.3 miles.  Turn right on to Pony Express Road and go 12.6 miles.  Continue onto Simpson Springs Road for 12.4 miles.  Continue on Pony Express Routes/Simpson Springs-Callao Road for 31.2 miles.  Continue onto Pony Express--Overland Stage Tail for 10.6 miles. Take a right on the Auto Tour Route and you are now on the Auto Tour Loop.