Thrashing and Burrowing Again in Utah's Sagebrush Plains

The title of this post may lead one to believe my wife put me in the dog house and I'm the one out thrashing and burrowing in the sagebrush plains. Actually, I needed some time to contemplate an important decision Tuesday afternoon after taking care of some business so I pointed my Toyota Tacoma westward from American Fork and drove to Saratoga Springs in Utah County. Saratoga Springs is a relatively new community that is situated on the northwest edge of Utah Lake. It has Lake Mountain as its west-side backdrop with a view eastward across Utah Lake to more populated cities such as American Fork, Pleasant Grove (my home), Orem, and Provo. Once you pass through the small community of Saratoga Springs heading south you are quickly reminded that much of Utah is a high desert with lots of dry sagebrush plains. This particular area has lots of sagebrush with an occasional juniper tree or three placed here and there. The junipers become roosts for Short-eared Owls at different times of the year.

I drove for about 30 minutes as I moved south on State Road 68. I was curious to see if I could locate my first Burrowing Owls of the season. I am aware of several burrows that are used during breeding season so I decided to drive by and check them out. I didn't see any owls driving south so I was tempted to continue driving the full 100-plus miles for a complete loop of Utah Lake. Fortunately, I noticed a bird perched atop a bush and took a quick glance toward the bird as I passed. I was delighted to see that it was my first Sage Thrasher for the year. I did a u-turn and used my truck as a blind to pull over for a closer look. It was a handsome male singing a beautiful warbling melody on what must now be his breeding ground. I was certainly impressed with his song. You can hear one version of a Sage Thrasher's song by clicking the play button below. It might be good background music as you continue with the rest of today's blog post.

A Loggerhead Shrike flew by and the Thrasher left his perch for the ground below.

Sage Thrasher Near Saratoga Springs, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

He soon resumed his perch on a budding bush and allowed some time to capture a few photos as he checked out his surroundings.

Sage Thrasher Near Saratoga Springs, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Sage Thrasher Near Saratoga Springs, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Sage Thrasher Near Saratoga Springs, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

The image of the bird's upper side allows a slight view of the white that covers the corners of the outer tail feathers.

Sage Thrasher Near Saratoga Springs, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

The Sage Thrasher is North America's smallest thrasher and is common but usually solitary in sagebrush plains. They eat insects and other invertebrates. We get to see these skittish, duck-and-cover birds during the spring and summer in Utah. They generally don't like to be the center of attention for us and our camera lenses so today's bird was actually very kind to me.

After spending a little one-on-one time with the thrasher and seeing the Loggerhead Shrike pass by I decided to nix the "loop of the lake" idea and took the shorter route back toward home. Thank goodness because this view allowed me to spot a pair of Burrowing Owls near the entrance to their burrow. I pulled off to the side of the road and used my truck as a blind again. This burrow was about 100' away from the road and on the private side of a barbed wire fence. The male was keeping watch over the burrow while the female stayed hunkered near the entrance with her head just breaking the surface of the ground (lower left of the image). Breeding for these owls usually starts late March/early April.

Burrowing Owl Pair (male above, female peeking from burrow) Near Saratoga Springs, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Oops! Now they both know I'm peeking through the lens at them.

Burrowing Owl Pair (male above, female peeking from burrow) Near Saratoga Springs, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

He looks like such and good little soldier. I'm sure he's a great companion, protector, and provider for the lady and little ones! 

Burrowing Owl at Burrow Near Saratoga Springs, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Burrowing Owls are on about the same schedule as the Sage Thrashers when it comes to returning to and breeding in Utah. I've watched Burrowing Owls hunt and return with small rodents to the burrow during daylight in this area before. The owls will also eat some reptiles, small birds such as sparrows and Horned Larks, and large arthropods such as beetles and grasshoppers. I was glad to see both the Sage Thrasher and the Burrowing Owls for the first time of the year on the same day and sharing the same habitat.

I think it would be safe to say that Tuesday's pair of Burrowing Owls produced the little guys in the image below during last year's breeding season in Utah. Some research informed me that Burrowing Owls are generally monogamous and often return to the same or nearby burrow for breeding each season.These siblings were staying close to the very same burrow last year while mom and dad were perched and/or hunting nearby.

Burrowing Owl Fledglings at Burrow Near Saratoga Springs, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)