Monticello WWTP photo by Tim Avery

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Description:
Clay Hill Road is a side road in the town of Monticello that leads form down town through a rural sub division dotted with oak and juniper, several family farms, and mostly private property, until you reach the towns waste water treatment ponds on the east end.  The drive is less than 2 miles from end to end and can be done in a couple minutes--the ponds are the main reason to visit this area for birds.

Birding:
If you look in eBird you'll notice the month of April has a pretty good data set from this location--I have been here almost every week of the month over the years and never leave town without driving this road to see whats at the ponds on the east end.  I have never found anything really noteworthy, but there are some usual suspects.  Waterfowl are usually a target here, and amongst the CANADA GEESE and MALLARD there have been GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, CINAMON and GREEN-WINGED TEAL, NORTHERN SHOVELER, RING-NECKED DUCK, LESSER SCAUP and RUDDY DUCK here.  EARED GREBE round out the waterbirds.  TURKEY VULTURE are almost always seen in the ravine leading out of town here, while GOLDEN EAGLE and COOPER'S HAWK have been observed too.  SAY'S PHOEBE are typically present, while HAIRY and DOWNY WOODPECKER have both been found.  WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, BEWICK'S WREN and WESTERN BLUEBIRD are worth mentioning. And both COMMON RAVEN and AMERICAN CROW are often seen here. Over 50 species have been seen here in just a handful of trips by various birders.  It's one of those easy to make side stops when birding in the area, and I highly recommend it.

Directions:
From the intersection of Main and Center in Monticello head south on Main Street for .3 miles. Turn left onto 300 South and go .4 miles. Take the slight right and you are on Clay Hill Road which continues 1.3 miles where you can stay left and drive 100 yards to the water treatment ponds.

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.

Charleston City Park from Google Street View

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Description:
Charleston City Park is a small town park about 1/10 mile wide by 1/10 mile long.  It sits in the southwest corner of Charleston, just off the shore of Deer Creek Reservoir.  The park is mostly grass covered but there is a small playground on the west side.  Various deciduous and coniferous trees line the streets surrounding the park, while the east half is open space.  The entire perimeter can be walked in about 5 minutes, or birded well in under 10.

Birding:
For a number of years there was a specific reason to travel to Charleston City park in the summer months--breeding COMMON GRACKLE seemed to be an easy get here. Otherwise the birding is typical of other sots in Heber Valley; MOURNING And EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE are rampant--WESTERN KINGBIRD, SAY'S PHOEBE, and  various species of SWALLOW might be seen in the summer months.  RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, AMERICAN ROBIN, and AMERICAN KESTREL are often present as well.  If passing by Deer Creek in the spring or summer, its probably worth a quick stop to see if the grackles are still using the pines in the southwest corner of the park.

Directions:
From the intersection of Main Street and 1200 South/US-189, head southwest on US-189 for 3.2 miles.  Turn right on to 3600 South and go .5 miles till you reach the park and parking lot on your right.

Beryl Juncton from Google Street View

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Description:
Beryl Junction sits in the middle of agricultural land miles form anything resembling modern day America.  The area is a throwback to times of the past, and its refreshing to spend some time here in the middle of nowhere. Recently a nice school has been built here, but there are only a a few other private homes, and a small community housing project here right at the intersection of SR-56 and SR-18 which is the Beryl Highway leading to the ghost town of Beryl.  There are various tree lines and small groves in the area that provide some migrant habitat--particularly to the southwest of the intersection there is one large property which you can drive the perimeter of. The same for the property just to the northwest of the intersection--this property is larger, so many more trees are here. But the farms are the main "habitat"  pastures, hay--huge circles of crop seen form space if you look on Google Maps.  Outside of that, poor grassland habitat, shrubsteppe and desert surround the area.

Birding:
Beryl Junction is a great mid-winter birding spot, mostly know for the number of raptors that over winter there.  Between November and March the birding and photo opportunities for hawks, eagles, and falcons can be great here.  NORTHERN HARRIER, BALD EAGLE, FERRUGINOUS HAWK, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, RED-TAILED HAWK, and PRAIRIE FALCON can all be found here during the winter months, and sometimes in decent enough numbers to make this a raptor hot spot in Utah.  In the summer SWAINSON'S HAWKS replace the roughies and there aren't nearly as many birders visiting the area.  I like to leave ST. George, and head north on back roads to get here, then cut over to Cedar City to head back north if I have time.  It's an extra couple hours if you plan on birding, but you might see lots of hawks.  I tend to drive the Beryl Highway north a few miles from town, and then crisscross any roads along the way, and back down south of town.

Directions:
From I-15 Exit 59 in Cedar City head west on SR-56 for 35.3 miles to Beryl Junction.