While I missed getting to 30 species last week, I more than made up for it with a nice day today (38 species) and really padded my year list (9 new today and now at 57 species). I started out early in hopes of finding a Sage Grouse lek, but came up empty in that quest (I've since had the opportunity to chat with the wildlife biologist with Dixie National Forest and know where they are - snow, however, will prevent me from getting to them until more melts off). Just down the road from where I'd hoped to find the grouse I picked up a new "lifer" when I happened upon some Sage Thrashers. Another mile down the road I found a couple of first-of-the-season Northern Flickers and, a short time later, nice looks at a singing male Cassin's Finch.

I was stuck at 28 species (1 better than last week's total), with 3 new "year birds", when I gave up for the morning, headed home to have a little lunch, do a few chores around the ol' homestead, then do a little shopping. Following up on a tip, late in the afternoon I went to check out a pond down in the valley between Tropic and Cannonville (east of the park) and that is where I hit paydirt: Ring-necked Duck, Ruddy Duck, American Coot, Redhead, Cinnamon Teal, and Northern Shoveler were the new-for-the-year species I picked up out of the 10 species I found there. I also saw a small flock of swallows zip past, but they were gone before I could get the binos on them, unfortunately.

The other side of seeing more species migrating into the area is that many of the winter birds are now heading out. I haven't seen a Rough-legged Hawk in about 2 weeks and see fewer Bald Eagles and Horned Larks these days.