Utah Trip: Part 1

.We started our Utah trip by flying into Las Vegas and then driving up to Hurricane, where we were to spend our first two nights.

As soon as we had unpacked, I drove up to Quail Creek State Park to check out the birding possibilities there.

Even before I got out of the car, I spotted a Greater Roadrunner. (Pity the car windshield wasn't clean!)_

An Ash-throated Flycatcher and a Say's Phoebe were the next birds to appear.

They were followed by a Horned Lark and a group of Black-throated Sparrows (below).

I was hoping for Gambel's Quail but I had to settle for a noisy bunch of Common Ravens and some Turkey Vultures instead.

Back in town, we took a stroll around the streets next to the motel. A Western Kingbird perched next to House Sparrows and House Finches, while an open area had White-crowned Sparrows. A much more exciting sighting, though, was of several Phainopepla, a species we hadn't seen since our last trip to the botanical gardens in Phoenix.

Still to Come
Our plan for Monday was to drive over to Zion National Park. The main attactions in Zion are the views but we also hoped to fit in a little birding.
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