Dutch John, Daggett County — Summer is a great time for road trips. And if said road trip ends in a unique wildlife-viewing experience? Even better! You can see ospreys in the air and on top of their huge nests at a free Utah Division of Wildlife Resources event on Saturday, July 10.
What is an osprey?
Ospreys — sometimes called fish hawks or sea hawks — are unique birds of prey that primarily eat fish, which is why they are drawn to the Flaming Gorge area. They are the only hawk in North America that eats a diet that's almost exclusively fish. And they are very good at plucking fish out of the water.
"The birds at Flaming Gorge are very active, and they can catch a fish one out of every four times they dive," DWR Northeastern Region Conservation Outreach Manager Tonya Kieffer-Selby said. "That's a great success rate."
Osprey can log more than 160,000 migratory miles in their 10–15 year life span, and Flaming Gorge is a very popular place for them.
"The largest breeding osprey colony in Utah, and one of the largest osprey populations in the interior part of the western U.S., is found at the reservoir," Kieffer-Selby said.
Osprey return to Flaming Gorge every year to breed and raise their young because a breeding pair will build on the same nest year after year. It's fairly common to see a 10-foot wide nest at Flaming Gorge.
What should I know about the event?
The free event will be held next to the parking lot at the Flaming Gorge Dam visitor center. The visitor center is in Dutch John, at the south end of Flaming Gorge Reservoir in northeastern Utah. The event will run from 9 a.m. to noon.
Spotting scopes will be available, but if you have your own binoculars, you're encouraged to bring them to see the birds. Biologists and displays will also be available to provide information. Due to the remote nature of the event, you should consider bringing a lunch and plenty of water, as well as sunscreen and bug spray.
"The birds are super active this time of year, especially during the morning hours," Kieffer-Selby said. "The event is great for the whole family. And if it's open, you may also want to take the Flaming Gorge Dam tour. If you take the tour, you might see some of the large rainbow trout that osprey love to eat."
Osprey are fairly easy to spot along rivers, ponds and reservoirs because they have a distinct white head with a brown stripe that runs through their bright, yellow eyes. Their high pitched, whistling calls are also very distinctive and can be heard echoing throughout the dam and Green River.
"If you are lucky, you might be watching right at the moment an osprey decides to dive feet first into the water to capture a fish in its powerful talons," Kieffer-Selby said. "After capturing a fish, an osprey will carry it back to its perch or nest and share it with its mate and young. You'll also hear the ospreys' shrieking calls as they fly around the area."
In addition to ospreys, visitors may see other birds of prey, including golden eagles, turkey vultures and American kestrels, which are frequently spotted at the annual event.
While the event is free, attendees are asked to register in advance. You can register at this Eventbrite link. For more information, call the DWR's office in Vernal at 435-781-9453.
