Farmington Bay WMA: Main Dike and Unit 2 Dike

The Farmington Bay Wildlife Management Area in Farmington is an excellent place to go for birding. In the winter months the main dike road is open to vehicles, which makes it a lot easier to get into the area. It appears that all of the other dikes are closed to vehicles. So this will be part scenic drive, and part short walk, but really, mostly about the birds. For that reason I am posting it all together, rather than splitting the 2 like I normally would.

It has been a while since we came out this way so I thought we’d come back today. Plus February is a good time to catch bald eagles.

Scenic Drive:

Scenic Drive Details:

Length: 7.2 miles out and back.
Time Needed: 1/2 - 1 hour depending on how much stopping you do.
Road Conditions: Groomed dirt road that is a little rough in some places. Most cars should be fine.
Summit: NA
Restrooms: There are some just past the main gate. Today I noticed several porta pottys scattered throughout the area as well. But don’t count on them unless you see them.
Interesting Things: Over 200 species of birds to discover.
Other Info: The wildlife.utah site has removed the informative page for the WMA and replaced it with a map. Historically though, cars are allowed on the main dike 9/25 - 2/28 click the link above for more detailed list of historical closures.

PSA: We all get excited when we see wildlife, particularly if it is a lifer. But please, consider other people. Use your signal, and pull all the way over so people can still get around you.

To Get Here:

This is located behind the Great Salt Lake Nature Center You will want to take exit 322 in Farmington. Immediate take the first right on to the frontage rd. Then take the first right onto Glovers Ln and head over i15. Go about 1.4 miles and turn left on 1325 west. If you hit the Nature Center you went too far.

Not the best shot, but the vastly changing SLC cityscape (Passenger Seat Photography (PSP). We are getting a couple of new high rises and they seem to be coming in pretty quickly.

The Adventure:

The main dike road (PSP). It is actually open to vehicles to Goose Egg Island year round. The road beyond Goose Egg Island closes in March.

Some kind of hawk hanging out on this tree. With just a silhouette I am not even going to try to identify it.

Then we saw a red tailed hawk soaring above.

Shortly afterwards we saw our first bald eagle! Well, today is certainly off to a good start!

We decided to do a quick stop up on Goose Egg Island so Landis could change into boots, which in hind site he didn’t need to do. We didn’t encounter any mud today.

Fun Fact. Goose Egg Island was built during the historic floods of 1983 it was where they deposited the debris that flooded around town.

While Landis put his boots on I decided to check out the bald eagle some more.

I noticed a photographer on the other side of the island taking pictures towards the other diction so I started working myself around the island. When I passed him I asked if he noticed the bald eagle over there he said no, but thanks. Then informed me there was a kestrel over where he was so I thanked him. Hey, we gotta help each other out.

Yay, the kestrel was still there. I think kestrels are my favorite. They our our states most adorable (and smallest) murder birds.

Oop, I think it spotted something.

In a new branch.

Almost out of frame, but still cool.

Eventually we got back onto the dike road.

Our little eagle friend was still hanging out here.

Not much further in we found a hawk grooming itself.

My initial thought was a northern harrier, but I am not seeing the facial disc, so now I am leaning towards a red tailed hawk? But still not 100% sure.

I believe these are tundra swans.

A pair of great blue herons.

Loads and loads of swans, ducks, geese, seagulls, and well, probably a couple other birds as well.

White faced ibis.

Caught the pretty green wing tips.

Pair of them.

More great blue herons.

Then I noticed a bald eagle flying by.

We reached the Turpin Parking lot where we found these bones.

A few years ago the DWR held a wildlife viewing event for bald eagles here, and this is where we could see a pair of bald eagles so I thought, hey maybe. But no. haha. So we decided to walk down the dike on the west side of Unit 2.

Unit 2 West Dike Trail

Quick Details:

Length: You can do a 2.6 mile out and back without turning, or there is a 4.6 mile loop option, or a couple of longer loop options as well. We did about 1.7 miles out and back today.
Trail Type: Flat dike roads.
Difficulty: DR3.
Elevation Gain: NA
Restroom: There is currently a porta potty at the TH, but if it is gone, there is a permanent restroom towards the beginning of the WMA.
Dogs? Leashed, during winter months.
Other Info: This trail is open to bikes and walking during winter months. After march it is closed for nesting season.

To Get Here:

Within the Farmington Bay WMA, head towards the Turpin Parking Lot at the end of the main dike road. Just before you turn right for the Turpin lot, you will notice a pretty much 4 way split in the dike roads. Park here and head south. Note there are 2 dikes that head south, we did the one further east.

The Trail:

Right after parking at the trailhead we noticed a couple bald eagles flying about.

Wow!

I caught this one grabbing lunch! Holy crap! I think this might be the shot of the day!

One of these days I will get me a proper super telephoto lens. Until then, I am pretty pleased with what I caught today.

2 eagles, a million seagulls and some other birds.

Eagle and duck.

Lone eagle.

5 bald eagles. At some point we counted about 10 total hanging out on the ice. They do seem to keep their distance from the dike, so even with my 300 mm lens they are still pretty small.

Incoming.

These two guys settling in.

7 of them here.

Pelican.

I love the way this one came out.

Lots of eagles.

For the most part they just sit there chilling on the little sand bars. So I was thrilled to get a couple action shots.

More flight.

Lots of action today.

These guys are just massive.

Oh snap! I caught a second shot of a lunch grab. You can just make out a fish in the left talon of the guy landing.

I think the other one is contemplating stealing it.

More flying.

A lot of times when they start flying around they stir up a bunch of seagulls, which can be a little discombobulating. BTW, I count 11 in this shot.

Coming home, only to have dad yell at you for being late.

A line of pelicans taking off.

I eventually managed to peel myself away from the eagles and continue along the dike.

Looking west towards Antelope Island.

Looking east towards Deuel Creek Canyon.

The hoards of seagulls were a little frustrating today. Every time I thought I saw something noteworthy, it ended up being a seagull. Not that they aren’t special in their own right, they are just super common.

Parrish Creek Canyon and Deuel Creek Canyon.

Couple of hawks fighting.

The dike.

I think this is a group of tundra swans.

We decided to call this junction our turn around point. At about .85 miles. As I mentioned you can keep going to 1.3 miles and turn around, or do a 4.6 mile loop or go right here for a much longer (8 + mile) loop around the Turpin Unit. I didn’t realize that would be so long, and almost decided to try that. I am glad I decided against going for the unknown today haha. We turned around here.

Looking back north. You can faintly make out Ben Lomond back there.

Tundra swans? Or maybe geese.

Phragmites as far as the eye can see.

Antelope Island again.

I thought this was something else, but now it looks like a bald eagle flew by.

Back to the eagles.

I got to watch one go fishing!

Looks like it was a miss.

I believe this is a great egret.

A group of American avocets. It’s been a minute since we have seen one of those.

Back to the eagles.

Back to just chillin.

Up to 7.

Loads and loads of crows flying overhead.

View of the mountains. Ford Canyon, Parrish Creek Canyon, and Deuel Creek Canyon.

The eagles are for the most part just chilling now so I managed to peel myself away.

Loads and loads of seagulls.

Mountains.

Back to the Scenic Drive

I am certain this is a great blue heron, but it seems lighter than I am used to.

A group of them.

Tundra swans (PSP).

Some kind of hawk hanging out in this tree.

Pretty sure this one is a red tailed hawk.

Yeah, definitely a red tail.

Some sunset on the way back home (PSP).

Downtown SLC (PSP).

Wow. That was a successful adventure today! I wanted to see some eagles, and well, we saw some eagles, and a couple other fun birds today, including a new one for me, the great egret. It was not terribly busy either, only a few idiots. Lately I have been separating scenic drives and the side hikes we do on them, but eh, like I said, today was all about the birds, and I didn’t have a whole lot to add to the scenic drive. So combined, 10 out of 10 squirrels today.

As for difficulty, its flat and like paved, but can be a little bumpy, DR3.

Dogs are allowed, leased in the winter months. Starting March they are no longer allowed.