North Lehi Field from Google Street View

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Description:
The North Lehi Fields are a section of the only remaining agricultural land in north Lehi.  From the Jordan River west to Redwood Road, and from Thanksgiving Point south to Lehi Main Street are the orders of the fields.  The Allred Hog Farms as well as Mink Farms sit in the central part of the fields, while Allred's Pond sits near the southern edge.  The best birding is from the far north end of 3600 West all the way to Lehi Main where the road become 10420 West.  This is the only major north-south route through the fields.

Birding:
Birding can happen here year round, but the best birding is from late March through May when migrants are on their way north.  Gulls, WHITE-FACED IBIS, some shorebirds, and waterfowl use the fields to rest and feed.  Large flocks of FRANKLIN'S GULLS can be seen roosting and flying through, occasionally with BONAPARTE'S GULLS mixed in.  FORESTER'S TERNS also have been seen flying over.  Halfway south along 3600 West, the road elbows and there is often water in the ditches and fields here.  This spot is worth checking for SOLITARY SANDPIPER.  When the large flocks of ibis (sometimes 1,000's) are in the fields its worth checking for GLOSSY IBIS, which have been seen several times. Raptors frequent the area and in the winter months several HARLAN'S HAWKS have been seen here. Both Peregrine and Prairie Falcons may show up, while in the winter Rough-legged Hawks are present--and in the summer they are replaced by Swainson's.  Sometimes huge flocks of Brewer's Blackbirds can be found in teh vicinity of the farms, and during the fall, winter, and spring these flocks may contain goodies like 2 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS, Yellow-headed Blackbird, and Brown-headed Cowbirds.  On the north end of the fields is an old orchard and stand of trees where a GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW was seen in September 2012.

Directions:
From I-15 in Lehi take exit 282 westbound.  Follow the road for 1 mile to the Jordan River.  Once you cross the river you are in the fields.  The main birding route is north and south along 3600 West through the center of the fields.

Hickman Flats with the Abajos photo by Tim Avery

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Description:
Hickman Flats is a shrubsteppe and agricultural area that is best known for housing the remaining Gunnison Sage-Grouse population in Utah.  There are various public roads cutting across the entirely private and/or protected land that can be birded.  There are several small ponds and creeks as well as patches of juniper that provide additional habitat as well.

Birding:
Hickman Flats is known to most birders for being the only place in Utah to see GUNNISON SAGE-GROUSE.  There are several leks located here, that are protected by the government on private land.  The active leks are not visible from public roads, and viewing of the grouse can only be arranged through the DNR.  If you visit to look for these species, DO NO trespass, or do anything to put birders in bad light with the state, or more importantly could be harmful to the grouse.  However the shrubsteppe habitat here is ideal for local specialties like SAGEBRUSH SPARROW, SAGE THRASHER, and VESPER SPARROW.  Juniper habitat provides home to JUNIPER TITMOUSE and in recent years LEWIS'S WOODPECKER have been in the area.  The prairie habitat attracts numerous raptors including GOLDEN EAGLE, PRAIRIE FALCON, and NORTHERN HARRIER.  Several small "lakes" or ponds attract a variety of waterfowl and have had TUNDRA SWAN at them during migration in the past.  Birding is typically best her in the late spring into early summer.  The location in the state gives it the opportunity to play stop-over grounds for a number of prairie species that otherwise are rarely or never seen in Utah.  Longspurs, Mountain Plover, Sprague's Pipit, Baird's Sparrow, and other birds that breed in the far west plains potentially could show up here.

Directions:
From the intersection of Center Street and Main Street/Hwy 191 follow Hwy 191 north 5.3 miles then turn right onto Hickman Flat Roads.  From here you can drive east almost to the Colorado border and drive the various roads east and west, and north and south in the area.