Random Rambler: Farmington Bay Turpin Unit Loop

Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area located in well, Farmington is a great place to go birding. This time of year is when the bald eagles typically start arriving. Not today though. But we still saw a bunch of nice birds and had a nice walk. We come here often, but it's always a neat adventure.

Quick Details:

Length: The full loop around the Turpin Unit looks to be about 8ish miles or so. We did a shorter 2.5 miles loop and a spur.
Trail Type: Loop with spur. Shorter or longer loop options.
Difficulty: DR3. It’s flat old dirt roads.
Elevation Gain: NA
Restroom: Yes near the north entrance where the pavement ends.
Dogs? Seasonally. September 25th - February 28th.
Other Info: This trail is seasonal. September 25th - February 28th. Closed to humans the rest of the year.

To Get Here:

This is located behind the Great Salt Lake Nature Center You will want to take exit 322 in Farmington. Take the right fork then 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.

Downtown SLC (Passenger Seat Photography (PSP)). I have been enjoying watching the skyline change over the last few years.

Well this is interesting. I thought this rooster had been purchased by a restaurant and moved to it (PSP). I am aware that art pieces can be molded and copied but since they looked identical, and I looked at google earth, this rooster was gone for a while. I guess it was because it was being painted blue. Or it’s possible they sold the white one and obtained a new blue one.

The West Davis connection seems to be coming along (PSP).

It will have freeway style on and off ramps (PSP).

The Waterfowl Management Unit

The first half mile is paved (PSP). It leads to a little information center that has pit toilets.

After the information center you will be a dirt roads (PSP). A lot of it is really well graded and smooth. A lot of it is full of potholes and is fairly bumpy. But, most cars should be able to handle it.

Just past Goose Island (PSP). This is the part that is only open to vehicles in winter.

Not the best shot, but I think this is a northern harrier (PSP).

Again (PSP).

I am almost 100% certain this is a great blue heron that is just tucking his neck in.

Here is how I am used to them looking. Now that I am comparing both images, I am now certain that they are both definitely great blue herons.

What do we have here coming in for a landing?

Holy crap! It’s a black-crowned night-heron! I have been wanting to catch one of these for a while now! We got a quick glimpse of one in Ogden (I think), but I didn’t get a picture. Then I finally saw some at Tracy Aviary, but this is my first wild capture! Yay!

I had no idea how much smaller than the great blue heron it would be. But I guess that why it is a great heron, because it’s a lot bigger. I am thrilled I caught them both in the same shot.

Great blue heron.

Black-crowned night-heron.

Back to the great blue heron.

Back to the night-heron.

Great blue heron.

Particularly rough spot on the road (PSP).

The Trail:

The canal. There are trails on either side. Last time we did the east side. Today we will do the west. There is a bridge here, and another one about 9/10th of a mile down which would make a 1.8 mile loop. We did a little extra.

I thought this was a hawk of some sort at first, but now I am leaning towards some sort of waterfowl, but I have no idea what?

Well, now I am leaning towards a juvenile black-crowned night-heron. What are the odds that my first two sightings were on the same day! Wow!

The west dike. It was a little muddy in spots, but not too bad.

American pelicans.

Terrible lighting, but I think this is an American avocet.

This looks like a killdeer next to a duck. I can’t say I have ever seen a killdeer in the water, even though they tend to nest by it.

Again.

Tundra swans.

Something striking a fish and startling the tundra swans. Pretty sure it is a kingfisher, even though I can't see a mohawk, all other markings seem right.

Tundra swans taking off.

More tundra swans.

Tundra swans.

They are very noisy creatures! I thought it might have been because we were walking by, but it continued long after we passed them.

Take off.

Lots and lots of swans!

Some flying above.

A faint Antelope Island through the smog.

These always fascinate me. I assumed this was due to rocks being thrown onto the ice, but I guess it could be animal related.

More swans.

Looking across toward Unit 2 where we saw bald eagles last time. None today. A lot more tundra swans though.

There are a bunch of smaller ponds in the Turpin Unit.

Back towards Unit 2. I see a pair of Canada geese in amongst the tundra swans.

More little ponds in the Turpin Unit.

Mountains above Unit 2.

Antelope Island again.

Panoramic showing the full island.

The trail on this side is a little thinner but not too bad.

Another little pond.

This ice break look neat.

Random mound of dirt. We saw 2 of these along the way. I wonder what it is for.

More neat ice cracks.

I thought this might have been a hawk at first, but something didn’t seem right…

The it turned and it looked more heron shaped. Oh! I think this might be our juvenile black-crowned night-heron. Possibly even the one we saw sleeping before. Actually it is an American bittern, which is pretty uncommon here so that is pretty cool.

Coming up on the 4 way intersection. For a short loop option you can go left and head back on the other side of the canal. That will be about 1.8 miles. However we decided to go right and stay along the Turpin Unit.

Common golden eye.

Not the best shot, but I am pretty sure this is a northern harrier.

Little better. If you get a good look at their face, they are easily identified by the fact that they resemble owls. But for me, their hunting behavior immediately clues me in. They fly low, and are quite acrobatic.

Coming in for a landing.

Another random pile of mud.

Muskrat!

Cute little guy.

Better face shot.

Another pond.

The trail.

Another northern harrier.

Random bridge.

Well, we were tired of hiking into the sun, so we called it and turned back.

The mountains above Turpin Unit.

Panoramic.

Another little pond.

Mountains again.

Ducks running across the water during take off.

A rather large foot print. My guess is a great blue herons.

Back to the large canal crossing. We decided to head back on the east side. This canal seems to originate as a split off from the Jordan River, then joined by Duel Creek, Barnum Creek, and Holbrook Creek.

On the Unit 2 dike. There was a lot more snow on this side.

Mountains.

Again.

Some driftwood with what appears to be a nest on it.

The trail again.

Sunset starting. It looks like it is just hitting the layer of smog.

I love the glittery effect of the setting sun reflecting off of windows.

More tundra swans and ducks.

Great blue heron.

Coming in for a landing.

More reflected sunset.

More tundra swans.

Sunset again.

More swans.

Sunset.

Another northern harrier.

More sunset.

Nearing the trailhead, with another northern harrier friend.

This is an adult male, all the previous ones were females or possibly juveniles. The males turn grey, the females brown.

Beautiful birds.

Sunset again.

Another northern harrier.

A large flock of… I'm not sure but maybe snow geese?

The canal again.

Some sunset with a pair of great blue herons.

Another northern harrier.

Getting some nice color in the sunset.

Tundra swan.

American pelican. Getting a little too dark for photos.

We eventually finally saw a barn swallow, so we had a successful Superb Owl Sunday! Unfortunately, it was too dark for a photo. But, I am happy we got to see it.

Well, we did not see any bald eagles, but we had a pretty successful day of birding. I am completely thrilled that I got my first images of not only an adult black-crowned night-heron but a juvenile as well! Plus we had a pretty good northern harrier day. Plus with the other Sunday event going on today it was not very busy at all. However, other than the birding it isn’t a particularly stunning hike. So losing a squirrel for that. 9 out of 10 squirrels.