Sandhill Crane Bird Walk - Saturday, April 3rd 2010

Join the Wild Bird Center, Division of Wildlife Resources and the Nature Conservancy on a free Bird Walk to see Sandhill Cranes as they migrate to Utah for the spring nesting season. Sandhill Cranes make a spectacular display, as males court females in an elaborate dance with ballet like jumps and pirouettes, all with great trumpeting as they vocalize their excitement for the spring mating season.

We will leave from the Wild Bird Center at 10 a.m., Saturday, April 3rd in a car caravan. Bill Fenimore, expert field birder and author of the Backyard Birds of Utah will lead the Bird Walk with Phil Douglass, Division of Wildlife Resources Outreach Manager. Log onto www.wildbird.com/layton or call 801-525-8400 for more details.

Desert Lake waterfowl viewing on May 5

PRICE — The Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) will sponsor a water bird viewing event on Saturday, May 5, 2007 at Desert Lake in Emery County from 8 a.m. until noon. The event commemorates national celebrations of Migratory Bird Day and Wetlands Day. The event is free to the public. DWR biologists will be on-hand with spotting scopes and binoculars to assist the public with waterfowl identification.


Canvasback ducks

Photo by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Desert Lake is located east of the town of Elmo. From either Carbon or Emery County, take State Highway 10 to the Elmo turn-off (State Route 155). Travel to Elmo. On Main Street, travel east out of town until you see a sign for the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry. Follow the sign. In less than a mile, you will arrive at Desert Lake. Signs will direct you to the viewing locations.

Desert Lake serves as a rest area for many species of birds during migration. These include ducks, geese, sandpipers, herons, gulls, terns, pelicans, and cranes. Desert Lake is managed by the DWR for the benefit of migratory waterfowl. Normally closed to public access, the lake also serves as a sanctuary for nesting birds. The DWR encourages Castle Country residents to come out and enjoy this unique opportunity. For more information, contact Brent Stettler at (435) 636-0266 or BrentStettler@utah.gov

Migratory Bird Day Celebration at Desert Lake

The DWR will sponsor a waterfowl viewing day at Desert Lake in Emery County on Saturday, April 30, 2005. Normally closed to the public, Desert Lake will be open from 8 a.m. until noon. Biologists with spotting scopes will be stationed at key locations to help viewers see and identify birds. The event is free and the public is cordially invited. Desert Lake is east of the town of Elmo. From Price, drive south on State Hwy 10. Follow the signs to the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry. Desert Lake in on the way to the quarry.

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge Spring Schedule 2007

Please Leave No Trace While Visiting The Refuge

Bear River, along with 545 other National Wildlife Refuges, is a special place – the only Federal land set aside and managed primarily to protect wildlife and their habitats. Please help protect the Refuge by following these common sense principles.

• Travel only on open and marked roads or trails
  
• Walk and talk quietly
  
• Keep wildlife wild – do not feed or approach the animals
  
• Carry out all trash and dispose of properly
  
• Respect other visitors
  
• Leave what you find - leave the Refuge as you find it
  
• Keep all pets on leash
  

The mission of the Friends of the Bear River Refuge is to promote appreciation and conservation of the wildlife, birds, and habitat of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

Family Refuge Programs

Spring 2007

Sponsored by

Friends of the Bear River Refuge

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

James V. Hansen

Wildlife Education Center 2155 West Forest Street Brigham City UT 84302 435.723.5887

I-15 to Exit 363 – West 1 block

Opportunities to Learn about Nature at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge…

Join us for our monthly Refuge programs! Sponsored by the Friends of Bear River Refuge, our programs are designed to appeal to audiences of all ages. Offerings range from nature related crafts and skills such as bird identification to outdoor photography, guided walks, tours, and more.

Our Spring Schedule!

Saturday, April 21, 2007 Wing Fling II" – Join us to celebrate our wildlife education center's one-year anniversary!

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Artist Debbie Goodman will present: "The Sacred Ibis and the Dove of the Holy Spirit: Four Thousand Years of Birds in Art." Birds and animals have been featured in art objects for as long as humans have created art – images tell the story of the bond between humans and wildlife. Presentation in the auditorium. Debbie's unique bird artwork will also be on display in Classrooms

A & B and will be for sale.

1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Photographer Ted Steinke will present, "Birds of the Great Salt Lake Wetlands" – a presentation showing the different bird species which live around the lake. In the auditorium.

1:00 – 2:30 p.m. "A Family Wetland Ed-venture" will teach your family about the wonders of wetlands with hands-on activities.

10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. "Birding on the Refuge." Members of Wasatch and Bridgerland Audubon will share information on the bird species found on the refuge auto tour route. Bring binoculars!

The days events are all free!

Thursday, May 17, 2007
"The Power of Story" 9am-4pm "Critterman" Denny Olson leads an all-day workshop on oral presentation skills needed to be a good story-teller. Lots of activities & fun! This event is part of the Great Salt Lake Bird Festival. You must sign up on-line at: www.greatsaltlakebirdfest.com Cost: $35.00

Saturday, May 19, 2007
"International Migratory Bird Day" Join us at the Davis County Event Center to celebrate the arrival of our migratory feathered friends. An educational booth will offer family activities from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Cost: Free! www.greatsaltlakebirdfest.com

Saturday, June 9, 2007 "Native Plants and Their Uses" – Kayo Robertson, local naturalist and educator, will lead a family- friendly walk highlighting common traditional uses of Refuge plants. Time: 1:00-2:30 pm. Cost: $1/person and $5 maximum per family.

PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR ALL PROGRAMS. Sign up at the Wildlife Education Center front desk or call 435-723-5887. The Center is open M–F, 8:00 to 5:00, and Saturday, 10:00 – 4:00. For more information, call Kathi Stopher at 435-734-6438 or Betsy Beneke at 435-734-6436. Visit our web site at: http://bearriver.fws.gov

Great Salt Lake Bird Festival May 17-22, 2007

The 9th Annual Great Salt Lake Bird Festival will be held May 17-22, 2007. As usual, birds of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem are the focus of this Festival. Field trips cover many popular birding locations and Behind-the-Gates areas in northern Utah from Utah Lake to the Idaho and Wyoming borders. The workshops, offered Friday May 18th and Saturday May 19th, include specific birding topics and some fun activities for youth of all ages. Bill Fenimore, owner of the Layton, Wild Bird Center has donated two all day birding field trips to Desert Land & Livestock Ranch again this year. Deseret is the largest privately owned ranch in Utah (over 250,000 acres). These trips produce 100 or more bird species in a single day.

This year the Festival spotlight bird is the Marbled Godwit that gathers in large flocks at Great Salt Lake. Bridget Olson from Bear River Refuge will talk about the research project where two birds were equipped with miniature satellite transmitters. These transmitters can provide real-time location data for biologists to track migration between Canada, Great Salt Lake, and Mexico.

The current issue of the American Birding Association’s Birding, covers “The Great Ivory-billed Woodpecker Debate”. Is it a critically endangered species or an extinct species? Great Salt Lake Bird Festival Keynote speaker is Ron Rohrbaugh, Director of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker Recovery Project at Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology. Ron will give us the latest updates on this project and be available for questions. His Keynote address will be at the Dutch oven dinner on Saturday May 19th. Order your tickets early.

As an additional bonus this year, Denny Olson aka Professor Avian Guano Bir.D will be at the Festival with several presentations. Denny focuses on how nature and people are connected. He is an author, student, teacher, and performer. Denny’s presentations are sponsored by Lyon & Healy West Harps and are free to the public. His humor will add something special to the 2007 Great Salt Lake Bird Festival.


For a complete schedule www.greatsaltlakebirdfest.com , or call Davis County Community & Economic Development at 801-451-3286.

Making Bird Nests

Manmade Nests Help a Variety of Birds

Birds ranging from bald eagles to bluebirds benefit

Wildlife biologists are seeing a few more bald eagle nests in northern Utah every year. These nests were likely built by the offspring of eagles that nested on a manmade nest in the same area sometime in the past. Once these eaglets grew into adults, they returned to the area to build their own nests.

Utah*s first artificial nest platform for bald eagles was erected on the south shore of the Great Salt Lake in 1997. Since that time, a pair of eagles has returned to the nest and successfully reared nearly 30 young eagles.

Nesting Habits

Artificial nests have played an important role in wildlife conservation in Utah. In some cases, they*ve actually helped reverse population declines.

*When it*s time to nest, many birds return to the same area, and sometimes even the same nest site, where they were raised,* says Jim Parrish, nongame avian coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. *If their nest isn*t there anymore, the birds will often leave the area and try and nest someplace else.

*Manmade nests provide a wonderful way for us to try and reestablish birds in areas where they once lived, increase the number of birds in a given area or introduce birds to a new area.*

Perhaps the most noteworthy example of reversing a population decline is the role nesting or *hack* towers played in the comeback of the peregrine falcon. Utah was the first state west of the Mississippi River to use hack towers to help peregrines.

Helping Ducks and Geese

The Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area west of Farmington is one of several places in Utah where extensive artificial nest work has been done.

Late each winter, members of the Utah Airboater*s Association gather at the WMA to rebuild and refurbish nest platforms for Canada geese.
Two years ago, volunteers from the Utah Waterfowler*s Association and Delta Waterfowl joined forces with the airboaters to add nest boxes for ducks.

Karl Taylor of Ogden has been the driving force behind the duck nest box project. *This project has given me an opportunity to put more and more back into the system,* Taylor says. *My passion in all of this is to see the kids come out. Those are the same guys that will be out here 10 to 20 years from now, putting on the same thing that we*re doing today.*

Almost 100 volunteers came to the Farmington Bay WMA in late February to work on the nest boxes and the platforms that hold them in place.
Among them was Eagle Scout candidate Kohle Perks.

*A lot of people are going to watch these nests and see the progress of the ducks that use them,* Perks said as he put the finishing touches on securing one of the 10 duck boxes that he constructed for his Eagle Scout project.

See Hundreds of Tundra Swans

Ogden -- Hundreds of pure white tundra swans are migrating through northern Utah right now. You can both see and listen to them at the Seventh Annual Tundra Swan Day.

Tundra Swan Day - March 10

The Division of Wildlife Resources will host its annual Tundra Swan Day on March 10. Viewing will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area (WMA) west of Farmington and the Salt Creek WMA west of Corinne.

DWR biologists and volunteer naturalists will provide spotting scopes and parabolic dishes that you can use to both see and listen to the swans.

Admission is free.

Van Tours:

At the Farmington Bay WMA, naturalists will also conduct "behind the gates" van tours. These tours are for anyone who would like to visit parts of the WMA that are normally closed this time of the year.

The van tours are free.

Swan Activities:

The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge will offer some special Swan Day activities at its Wildlife Education Center at 2155 W. Forest St. in Brigham City.

To reach the center, exit I-15 at Exit 363. After exiting the freeway, turn west and travel one block to the center.

At 10:30 a.m., artist Jean Hawrylo will teach kids how to draw a swan. The drawing class is limited to the first 15 kids, ages nine to 12. There is no cost to participate. You can register your child for the class by calling (435) 723-5887.

At 1 p.m., an activity for the whole family will be held as the center shows the movie "The Trumpet of the Swan." This full-length, animated movie runs for 75 minutes and is free of charge to view.

For more information about Tundra Swan Day, call the DWR's Northern Region office at (801) 476-2740 or the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge at (435) 723-5887.

Watching and Listening To Swans on Your Own

If you can't attend the March 10 event, great opportunities are available to watch and listen to swans on your own.

One of the best viewing opportunities is at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, where you can view swans from your car as you drive along the refuge's 12-mile auto tour loop.

Phil Douglass, DWR Northern Region conservation outreach manager, says he saw large numbers of swans feeding at the Ogden Bay WMA on Feb. 20. He also says that students touring the Farmington Bay WMA on Feb. 21 were thrilled to see and hear tundra swans at the WMA that day.

In addition to the Swan Day locations, he says the Ogden Bay WMA parking area at 5500 W. in Hooper (on the dead end just north of 4000 S.), and the parking area at 7500 W. in West Warren (about one mile south of SR-39 [also known as 12th Street]), are two great places to listen to the "swan song" this spring.

Douglass says the swan migration will peak within the next three weeks.

Twenty Wild Turkeys Make Fremont Indian Ruins Their New Home

Price -- Some Fremont Indian ruins have some new residents living among them: 20 Rio Grande wild turkeys released by the Division of Wildlife Resources on Feb. 8.

The 20 birds - five males and 15 females - were released by the DWR on the Range Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in eastern Utah.

DWR biologists trapped the birds a day earlier at the Nash Wash WMA in the South Book Cliffs.

The Rio Grande subspecies does well in low elevation riparian and agricultural habitats. DWR wild turkey transplants, conducted in partnership with the National Wild Turkey Federation, have allowed the birds to flourish across Utah during the last decade.

Today, Utah is home to almost 20,000 wild turkeys.

The DWR purchased the Range Creek WMA because of the value of its wildlife habitat. After the purchase, the DWR discovered a wealth of artifacts from the Fremont Indian culture. Since that time, archaeologists and anthropologists have heralded Range Creek as a treasure trove.

Since purchasing Range Creek, the DWR's role in the area has evolved. In addition to managing its wildlife, the agency also protects the area's cultural resources.

The Range Creek WMA is home to bear, cougar, deer, elk and even a few bison. The release of 20 wild turkeys will hopefully jump start the area's existing flock of birds, which has dwindled because of years of drought.

For more information, call the DWR's Southeastern Region office at (435) 636-0260.

Quail Find a New Home

Huntington -- Life just got a little calmer for 33 California quail.

After trapping the birds along the busy Wasatch Front, Division of Wildlife Resources biologists released the quail - 19 males and 14 females - at the agency's Emery Farm Harvey Place Wildlife Management Area in central Utah.

The WMA is about one mile north of Huntington.

The 33 birds released on Feb. 10 are among more than 200 quail trapped and relocated by DWR biologists this winter. The biologists will continue trapping quail through the end of March.

Putting Quail in New Places

California quail are relatively abundant along the foothills of the Wasatch Front. As urban sprawl has spread into these foothills, some of the quail have helped themselves to plants and vegetables in peoples' backyards. When this happens, DWR biologists step in and transplant the excess birds to areas in Utah where they'll be more appreciated.

Small numbers of quail have lived at the Emery Farm Harvey Place WMA for more than a decade. The population at the WMA is struggling, however, because of years of drought, poor chick production and predation by raccoons and feral cats.

DWR biologists hope the 33 new arrivals will bolster the existing flock.

For more information, call the DWR's Southeastern Region office at (435) 636-0260.

Sky Should ‘Turn White’ at Snow Goose Festival

Delta -- The sights and sounds of thousands of pure white snow geese flying and feeding will be enjoyed at the Tenth Annual Snow Goose Festival.

Snow geese may be viewed at and near Gunnison Bend Reservoir, west of Delta. The festival runs Feb. 23, 24 and 25. Admission is free. “Spotting scopes will be set up so participants can get a close view of the geese. Division of Wildlife Resources personnel will also be available to answer any questions you might have,” says Bob Walters, Watchable Wildlife coordinator for the DWR.

On Saturday, Feb. 24, free wildlife-related workshops, and arts and crafts and photography exhibits, also will be offered.

Walters encourages visitors to view the geese with binoculars or a spotting scope. “If you get too close to the geese, you’ll probably scare them away,” he says. When viewing from the side of roads, visitors are strongly encouraged to use caution and to watch for vehicles. You should also prepare for cold or wet weather by wearing the proper clothes.

The areas where you can see geese vary according to the time of the day. “The geese usually feed in fields that surround the reservoir early in the morning. Then they fly back to the reservoir before about 10:30 a.m.,” Walters says. “They usually stay at the reservoir until about 4 to 6 p.m., and then they fly out to the fields again to feed.”

Walters says DWR personnel will watch which fields the geese fly to and will direct visitors, who arrive after the geese have left the reservoir, to the fields where the geese are.

For more information about the 2007 Snow Goose Festival call Walters at (801) 538-4771; the Division of Wildlife Resources’ Southern Region office at (435) 865-6100; or the Delta Area Chamber of Commerce at (435) 864-4316.

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New Utah Bald Eagle License Plate

Live bald eagle and school kids part of the day's festivities

Utah's newest license plate * featuring a bald eagle * will be unveiled by school children at a ceremony Feb. 10 near Farmington.

A live bald eagle will watch as the school kids pull a sheet off a large reproduction of the plate.

This event will provide a visual backdrop to an important story: the plate provides everyone in Utah a chance to help wildlife that are in the greatest need of help, including the state's threatened and endangered species.

The unveiling is also part of Utah's annual Bald Eagle Day festivities. Dozens of bald eagles should be near the unveiling site that day, and hundreds of people should be on-hand viewing them.

WHAT: Unveiling of Utah's newest license plate.

WHEN: Saturday, February 10:

10 to 10:15 a.m. * Students from Eagle Bay Elementary in Farmington recently participated in a bald eagle art contest. The winning artwork will be on display, and the students who created the artwork will receive their awards. EnergySolutions and the EnergySolutions Foundation will also present a $1,000 check to the school to help fund the school's art program.

10:15 to 10:30 a.m. * Partners in the event will speak for a few moments. After their remarks Jim Karpowitz, director of the Division of Wildlife Resources, will explain how important this new plate is to Utah's wildlife.

10:25 * 10:30 a.m. * Kids who won the art contest and DWR staff will pull a sheet off a large reproduction of the license plate as a live bald eagle from Tracy Aviary looks on.

After 10:30 a.m. * DWR staff who manage the wildlife that will benefit from the sale of the plates will be available to explain which wildlife will benefit the most and how the funding will be used.

Dozens of bald eagles should be near the unveiling site that day, and hundreds of people should be on-hand viewing them.

Staff from the Tracy Aviary will also be available to talk about opportunities to view bald eagles and other birds at the aviary.

WHERE: Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area (WMA), about 20 miles north of downtown Salt Lake City.

* Once you reach the WMA, follow the signs to the location where the license plate will be unveiled.

Directions:

Traveling north on I-15:

To reach the WMA, exit the freeway at Exit 322. After exiting the freeway, stay right where the road splits, and then turn at the first right. This will put you on a frontage road, and you'll be traveling south. Then turn right at the stop sign, which is Glover Lane. Travel west to 1325 West, and then turn left into the WMA.

Estimated drive time from downtown Salt Lake City:

30 minutes

Traveling south on I-15:

To reach the WMA, exit the freeway at Exit 325. Go to the stoplight and turn right. Travel south to the next light, which is at Clark Lane, and turn right. Travel west to the first stop sign, which is at 1525 West, and turn left. Travel south for three miles to the next stop sign, which is Glover Lane, and turn left. Travel east for two blocks and take the first right at 1325 West. This is the north entrance to the WMA.

Sponsors: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the Great Salt Lake Interpretive Trust, the Wild Bird Center in Layton, Tracy Aviary, EnergySolutions and the EnergySolutions Foundation.

Family Ice Fishing Festival And Bald Eagle Day Slated For February 10.

Volunteers from the Wasatch Audubon Chapter will be at Salt Creek Waterfowl Management Area on Saturday February 10 to help families enjoy and celebrate the presence of bald eagles in Utah.

Anglers at Lost Creek Reservoir are treated to seeing good numbers of bald eagles and turkeys along Lost Creek.

Saturday February 10 could be a wild day for families in Box Elder County!

The Brigham City Recreation department is hosting a “Family Fishing Fest” on the ice at Mantua Reservoir. The free event will run from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Parking is limited, however, so only a limited number of people can attend. The Brigham City Recreation has asked for interested persons to pre-register by calling their office at 435-734-6610 or email them at klaw@brighamcity.utah.gov.

Fun, Games and Fishing

Kristy Law from the Brigham City Parks and recreation Department says the event will offer a long and exciting list of activities. “If learning how to rig a fishing line, fillet or cook a fish are on your ‘need-to-know’ list, we can help,” said Law.

These “need-to-know” clinics will focus on ice safety and fishing techniques and will be held every hour.

Reese Stein and Adam Eakle, hosts of “Roughing It Outdoors” show on KUTV Channel 2 will also be on hand. “Mark your calendar for this exciting event. You can stay for an hour or stay all day. Get registered and come up. It’s going to be a lot of fun” Law added.

In addition to learning more about ice fishing, the event is going to offer an interesting variety of fun family activities that will be held on the ice. Ice bowling and four-person ice drilling relays are just some of the activities that families can participate in. The Family Ice Fishing Festival is hosted by the Brigham City Recreation Department, the Utah Division of Wildlife and Sportsman’s Warehouse.

Bald Eagle Diversion

To make it truly a wild day, take a detour and stop by Salt Creek Wildlife Management Area to see wintering bald eagles and other wintering wildlife. Salt Creek WMA is a hidden gem for wildlife viewing. For more details on eagle day events, visit the DWR website at wildlife.utah.gov.

View Bald Eagles Feb. 3 and Feb. 10

New bald eagle license plate will be unveiled

Two chances are available to view bald eagles in February. And those who attend the Bald Eagle Day event at the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area will get an added treat: they can watch as Utah's newest license plate - featuring a bald eagle - is unveiled at a ceremony that begins at 10 a.m.

Bald Eagle Day

Utah's annual Bald Eagle Day will be held Feb. 3 at sites in central, northeastern and southwestern Utah. On the following Saturday, Feb. 10, viewing will be offered at two sites in northern Utah.

Admission to Bald Eagle Day is free. Viewing times are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. except at the Salt Creek Waterfowl Management Area site, where viewing will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

On Feb. 3, you can view eagles at the following locations:

Feb. 3

Fountain Green State Fish Hatchery, located east of Nephi. If coming from the north, take I-15 and exit the freeway at the second Nephi exit (Exit 225). After exiting the freeway, turn east on SR-132 and travel about 10 miles. About 1 mile before the city of Fountain Green, a Bald Eagle Day sign will point to an access road that leads to the hatchery. Once you reach the hatchery, you'll be given a driving map of the Sanpete Valley that highlights the best areas in the valley to view eagles. Literature, displays and bathroom facilities will also be available at the hatchery. If eagles are near the hatchery, Division of Wildlife Resources staff will set up spotting scopes so you can view them. Spotting scopes will also be set-up at a viewing location about one mile from the hatchery.

Split Mountain / Green River, located north of Jensen and below the Dinosaur Quarry in Dinosaur National Monument (DNM). To reach the site, drive north from Highway 40 in Jensen on the road (SR 149) to the Dinosaur Quarry. First stop should be at the staging area located just inside the DNM boundary where displays, spotting scopes and possibly bald eagles and other raptors await. From the staging area biologists will direct viewers to other sites where they may have better views of eagles and other wildlife of interest. In past years, visitors have seen bald and golden eagles hunting and feeding, as well as prairie falcons, hawks, mule deer, river otters, pheasants, turkeys, sandhill cranes, porcupines, mergansers, Canada geese and other wildlife. During your trip, you may also want to stop and visit the Dinosaur National Monument. The monument's dinosaur quarry is closed, but you can see a few dinosaur bones at a temporary visitor center near the quarry. The visitor center also includes a small bookstore.

Cedar Valley, located on the northwest side of Cedar City. To reach the site, exit I-15 at Exit 59 and travel west on SR-56 to 3900 W. Turn right on 3900 W. and travel north to 2800 N. The viewing site is located at 3900 W. and 2800 N.

On Feb. 10, viewing will take place at the following locations:

Feb. 10

Salt Creek Waterfowl Management Area (Compton's Knoll), located about 10 miles northwest of Corinne. To reach the WMA, take Exit 365 off of I 15 and travel west on SR-83 through Corinne. Stay on SR-83 until you get to 6800 W. (Iowa String). Travel north to 6800 N. Travel west on 6800 N. until you reach the Salt Creek WMA/Compton's Knoll Watchable Wildlife site.

Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, located on the west side of Farmington.

Traveling north on I-15:

To reach the WMA, exit the freeway at Exit 322. After exiting the freeway, stay right where the road splits, and then turn at the first right. This will put you on a frontage road, and you'll be traveling south. Then turn right at the stop sign, which is Glover Lane. Travel west to 1325 West, and then turn left into the WMA.

Traveling south on I-15:

To reach the WMA, exit the freeway at Exit 325. Go to the stoplight and turn right. Travel south to the next light, which is at Clark Lane, and turn right. Travel west to the first stop sign, which is at 1525 West, and turn left. Travel south for three miles to the next stop sign, which is Glover Lane, and turn left. Travel east for two blocks and take the first right at 1325 West. This is the north entrance to the WMA.

"Spotting scopes will available at each viewing site, and Division of Wildlife Resources biologists and volunteers will be on-hand to help you spot eagles and to answer any questions you might have," says Bob Walters, Watchable Wildlife coordinator for the DWR.

Displays will also be set up at each location, and pamphlets and other materials about bald eagles will be available for free, or for a small cost.

Seeing Eagles

The best time to view eagles on Feb. 3 and Feb. 10 depends on the individual, Walters says.

The most comfortable time is late morning and early afternoon, when the temperature is the warmest and the visibility is the best. The warmer temperatures are especially important if you're bringing young children.

You can expect to see eagles during the late morning and early afternoon but not as many as just before sundown, when eagles fly to trees to roost for the night. At most of the sites, the best time to see the greatest number of eagles is probably from 2 to 4 p.m., Walters says.

Walters says those who attend should dress warmly. If there's snow on the ground, make sure you wear waterproof boots too.

If you'd like to photograph the eagles, make sure and bring a telephoto lens. The eagles will be some distance from the viewing areas. Photographers who don't bring the proper equipment and try to get close to the eagles for a better shot will probably scare them away, Walters says.

Walters started Bald Eagle Day in 1990 as a way to introduce people to Utah's wildlife. "It was started as a way of arousing people's interest, whetting their appetite and making them aware of the wildlife around them," Walters says.
Since it began Bald Eagle Day has grown into Utah's most well attended, and one of its most enjoyed, wildlife-viewing events.

For more information about Bald Eagle Day, call Walters at (801) 538-4771 or Division of Wildlife Resources offices in Ogden, Springville, Vernal or Cedar City.

Snow Canyon Hike is for the Birds

Ivins - Visit Snow Canyon State Park Saturday, January 27 from 10 a.m. to noon for the St. George Winter Bird Festival and bird among lava flows and towering sandstone cliffs. Search for red-naped sapsuckers, crissal thrashers, and other wintering residents on this three-mile, round-trip hike. Binoculars are recommended. Space is limited and registration is required. For more information or to register, please call (435) 628-2255.

Layton Wild Bird Center Nature/Bird Walk Schedule

Contact: Bill Fenimore

801-525-8400

Nature/Bird Walk Schedule

Join the Layton, Wild Bird Center on a free nature/bird walk. We leave from the Wild Bird Center, 1860 North 1000 West, Layton (across from the Barnes & Noble bookstore) at 10 a.m., (unless otherwise noted) and carpool to the destination. The walks are designed for birders at all levels, especially families. Dress for the weather and brings binoculars. Here is the schedule for January, February and March 2007:

1/1 Antelope Island (leave from Wild Bird Center at 7:30 a.m.)

Audubon Christmas Bird Count

1/6 Ogden Nature Center

1/27 Farmington Bay

2/03 Bald Eagle Day at Farmington Bay

2/10 Beus Pond

2/24 Kaysville Ponds, USU Botanical Gardens

3/3 Tundra Swan Migration at Farmington Bay

3/10 Riverdale Weber River Parkway

3/24 Kayscreek

3/31 East Kaysville Foothills