SALT LAKE CITY -- Two free beginner-friendly bird-watching excursions will be held at Lions Park and Wood Hill this November, organized by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, to help complete challenges for the Utah Birding Slam.
The first will be held on Saturday, Nov. 8, from 8-11 a.m. at Lions Park at 1850 N Highway 191 in Moab, and the second on Saturday, Nov. 15, from 8-11 a.m. at the DWR Price Office at 319 N. Carbonville Road in Price.
The Utah Birding Slam is a way to formalize bird-watching and earn a reward for consistent searching for new birds.
Those interested in claiming the prizes, a unique enamel pin, will need to sign up on the DWR website and pay to enter the competition. Each challenge costs $20 for participants 18 and older, or $10 for participants 17 and younger.
According to the DWR website, the funds generated by the challenge will be used to support a number of habitat improvements and research projects, which will in turn help support many different species, including the birds that are being watched.
There are six different challenges, each of which has their own unique bird pin.
All bird sightings will be marked using the eBird account, though participants are not allowed to use bird sightings from before Sep. 1, 2025. Participants must also have already paid the $20 registration purchase in order for their eBird sightings to count toward slam completion.
According to the DWR website, the challenge does not expire, meaning bird-watchers can search for as long as they need to fulfil the requirements and earn their pin.
During the free Nov. 8 bird-watching event, participants will meet at Lions Park for bird-watching instructions and resources at 8 a.m. before traveling to the Grandstaff Canyon Trail to meet with an experienced DWR biologist.
"We are hoping to see a few of the birds common in the Moab area, including the red-tailed hawk, northern flicker, Woodhouse's scrub-jay, canyon wren and spotted towhee," DWR Southeastern Region Outreach Manager Brandon Behling said. "We hope that this event helps spark a lifelong love of bird-watching for our participants!"
During the free Nov. 15 bird-watching event, participants will travel to the DWR Price Office to receive information regarding the Utah Birding Slam before traveling to Wood Hill in Price for hands-on bird-watching.
"At the Price viewing event, we are hoping to see bird species like the pinyon jay, mountain bluebird, house finch, juniper titmouse and golden eagle during our outing," Behling said.
For participants interested in either the Nov. 8 or the Nov. 15 event, the DWR recommends signing up for the events on Eventbrite to be notified if either event has weather-related updates.
Participants should bring binoculars, water and a smartphone so they can download the eBird app to use during the events.