See Rocky Mountain Goats April 12

Fun activities for kids also part of the event

Salt Lake City -- Colorful flowers and warmer weather aren’t the only
signs that spring is here -- so are mountain goats at the mouth of
Little Cottonwood Canyon!

You can see and learn more about the goats at a free wildlife-viewing
event. The event will be held Saturday, April 12.

Free activities for kids also will be offered.

“This event will be a great opportunity to get out and enjoy the
sure-footed antics of these goats,” says Bob Walters, Watchable
Wildlife coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources.

The event will be held at the Park-and-Ride lot at the mouth of Little
Cottonwood Canyon in Salt Lake County. DWR biologists will be at the
lot from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

To reach the canyon, travel east out of Salt Lake City on 9400 South.

“We’ll have powerful spotting scopes and binoculars available so
you can get a close look at the goats,” Walters says. “You can also
pick up a Rocky Mountain goat fact card and a poster.” And activities
for kids will be held from 9 a.m. to noon.

“Your kids can stamp goat tracks using ink stamps and paper we’ll
have on hand,” Walters says. “We’ll also have some mountain goat
horns and fur for them to handle.”

For more information, call Walters at (801) 538-4771

100's of Tundra Swans on Tundra Swan Day

Tundra Swan Day - March 8

The Division of Wildlife Resources will host its annual Tundra Swan Day on March 8. Admission is free.

Viewing will take place at three sites -- the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area west of Farmington, the Salt Creek WMA west of Corinne and the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge west of Brigham City.

Farmington Bay and Salt Creek

Viewing at the Farmington Bay and Salt Creek WMAs runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

DWR biologists and volunteer naturalists will have spotting scopes set up so you can get a close look at the swans. They’ll also provide parabolic dishes you can use to get a crystal-clear listen to the unique sounds the swans make.

At the Farmington Bay WMA, you can also hop into a van for a “behind the gates” tour. These free tours will take you to parts of the WMA that are normally closed this time of the year.

Bear River

Viewing at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge runs from sunrise to sunset. You can see swans from your vehicle as you drive along the refuge’s auto-tour route.

Before heading to the refuge, stop by its Wildlife Education Center at
2155 W. Forest St. in Brigham City for maps and information. The center is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

To reach the center, exit I-15 at Exit 363. After you’ve exited the freeway, turn west. The center is about one block west of the freeway.

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 on your own

If you can’t attend the March 8 event, some great opportunities are available to watch and listen to swans on your own.

The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is one of the best. You can see hundreds of swans along the refuge’s auto tour loop. The 12-mile loop will take you across most of the refuge that’s open to the public.

The Ogden Bay WMA also provides two good spots to see and listen to swans.

One of those spots is the parking area at 5500 W. in Hooper. The parking area is at the end of 5500 W., about one mile north of 4000 S.

The other spot is the parking area at 7500 W. in West Warren. The parking area is at the end of 7500 W., about one mile south of 12th Street (SR-39).

The migration of swans through Utah should peak within the next three weeks. Thousands of swans will be in Utah then.

See Thousands of Snow Geese

Snow Goose Festival set for Feb. 29 and March 1 and 2

Delta -- Those who have watched snow geese fly in and out of Gunnison Bend Reservoir call it one of the greatest spectacles of nature.

You can see that spectacle Feb. 29, and March 1 and 2, at the Eleventh Annual Snow Goose Festival. The festival will be held at and near the reservoir, just west of Delta. Admission is free.



As many as 10,000 snow geese have been at the reservoir during past festivals. Except for the black tips on their wings, snow geese are pure white.

“Spotting scopes will be available so you can get a close look at the geese. We’ll also be available to answer any questions you have,”
says Bob Walters, Watchable Wildlife coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources.

Free wildlife seminars, and arts and crafts and photography exhibits, will also be offered on Saturday, March 1.

The best times to view

The areas where you can see the geese vary according to the time of the day. “Early in the morning, the geese are usually feeding in fields that surround the reservoir. They usually stay in the fields until about 10:30 a.m. Then they take off and fly back to the reservoir,”
Walters says.

“They usually spend the next few hours on the reservoir. Then, between about 4 to 6 p.m., they take off again and fly out to the fields.”

DWR biologists will watch which fields the geese fly to. If you arrive after the geese have left the reservoir, the biologists will direct you to the fields where the geese are.

Festival tips

- Use binoculars or a spotting scope to view the geese. If you get too close to the geese, you could scare them away.

- If you pull off the road to view the geese, pull as far off the road as you can and watch for cars.

- The weather could be cold or wet. Make sure to wear the proper clothes.

For more information about the 2008 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.