Zion National Park, UT - 01-04 Sep 2014

Robin and I spent a wonderful four days at Zion National Park, UT. We flew to Las Vegas, rented a car, and drove 2.5 hrs. to the town of Springdale, UT. Located just outside of the park, Springdale is a lovely strip of shops, galleries, restaurants and cafe's. We stayed at the La Quinta Inn and enjoyed nice views of the mountains/canyons from our room. With temps in the 100+F everyday we tended to spend the afternoons napping or watching reruns of Buffy.

Random thoughts of the trip, in no particular order:

It was HOT in the canyon. Mornings were cool (60's) and windy, but quickly warmed as soon as the sun made its way down the canyon walls. We enjoyed late morning/afternoon leisure time in the shade of the Zion Park Lodge, or Human History Museum, and quickly retreated to local pubs when it got too hot.

We took the shuttle from the Visitor's Center to the very end (Shinawava Temple) 1st thing each morning and ran ~4.5 mi (downhill) back to Zion Park Lodge. Views were stunning, though early morning winds were chilly. Luckily, most of the wind was at our backs. Running past 8-pt Mule Deer bucks was a nice treat. Peregrine Falcons and Turkey Vultures were visible soaring above the canyon walls in the early morning. I pished Canyon Wrens and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers while we ran.

Disappointed that we did not see a California Condor. Last time one was reported was 3 months ago, so not too disappointed.

Crowds were heavy day before/of Labor Day, but quickly thinned out on Tuesday. So surprised how many young parents brought toddlers and infants out in the hot sun. Many were on day hikes through the canyon. Germans, Italians, French and Indian were more numerous than Americans during the week. I was ok with that.

Happy to see water flowing down the Virgin River throughout the park. Cottonwood Trees were just starting to turn yellow in some parts, but still weeks away from gorgeousness. I enjoyed seeing all of the sagebrush growing everywhere.

"Utah boasts over 200 species of birds" was what we heard while riding the shuttle. I believe it was a mistake, and they meant to say 200 total birds… Birding was tough, and single birds were hard to come by. But some of the highlights included: Common Ravens, a Great-tailed Grackle that was falling apart in the mid-day heat, Peregrine Falcons soaring over the canyon, Black-chinned Hummingbirds zipping by every once in a while, Lesser Goldfinch and Eurasian Collared-Doves were more visible in Springdale.  I was excited Tuesday evening to see a Say's Phoebe, Black Phoebe, Western Tanager, Mourning Dove, and Black-chinned Hummingbirds in a 5-minute span near the Bit and Spur Restaurant.

Great-tailed Grackle w/ serious feather issues

Black Phoebe in the black

Red-tailed Hawk

Turkey Vulture

Red-tailed Hawk

Lesser Goldfinch

Zion NP--Riverside Walk, Washington, Utah, US
Sep 4, 2014 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
12.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Incidental sightings
16 species

Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)  1
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  2
White-throated Swift (Aeronautes saxatalis)  2
Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri)  2
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)  1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  2
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)  1
Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya)  2
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma woodhouseii)  2
Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana)  1
Common Raven (Corvus corax)  2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)  1
Canyon Wren (Catherpes mexicanus)  1
Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)  2
Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus)  2
Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S101714847

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Kolob Canyon was a nice morning drive on Wednesday. I managed to get photos of Western Scrub Jays, White-throated Swifts, Clark's Nutcracker, and see Stellar's Jay, White-breasted Nuthatch, and Red-tailed Hawks.  A covey of Gambell's Quail was a nice find on the way back to Springdale!

Western Scrub Jay

Clark's Nutcracker

White-throated Swift

Gambell's Quail

While photographing a Black Phoebe trying to bash the brains out of a hummingbird moth that it caught, I saw a small woodpecker fly by in the late evening sky. When I overexposed the images of the bird, I was able to ID a Red-cockaded Woodpecker! They are found in the region, so not an unusual find, but a great bird anytime.

Red-cockaded Woodpecker?

If you want to test your photographic prowess, try photographing the tiny (Brown?) bats flying through the sky at sundown. I took over 300 pics and had only 1 sharp enough to keep. I added a blurry spread-winged shot as a composite just to show the subject.  Dozens of them were flying over the parking lot in Springdale, so it was very enjoyable just watching them.

This photo is a bit soft, but the Greater Roadrunner was captured at 1377mm hand-held!

We stayed at the Palazzo in Las Vegas Thursday nite before flying back to Detroit on Friday. Connected via boardwalk to the Venetian, the place was huge, and our best navigation of the place occurred when we walked outside the hotel to find the Walgreens and restaurants we wanted to try. Lots of $$$ in this place. I tried to play a couple of $0.25 slots, but I would've had to buy credits. Too much work. Spectacular view of Las Vegas and Trump Tower from our 47th floor room. 

Kolob Canyon, Washington, Utah, US
Sep 4, 2014 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
5.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Incidental sightings
7 species

Gambel's Quail (Callipepla gambelii)  6
Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)  1
White-throated Swift (Aeronautes saxatalis)  2
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)  1
Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans)  1
Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)  2
Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S101715441

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

I may have seen a Ferruginous Hawk as we drove out of Utah and into Arizona, but I couldn't stop. It was a 'white-headed' raptor on a light pole with reddish feathering (legs?) on the underbelly.