Where to See Wild Swans Migrating Through Utah in March

Courtesy Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

Chappell earned her first bachelor’s degree at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York in 2010 studying Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management. Upon graduation, she returned to Utah and worked full time as a chef and caterer until changing careers to spend more time with her children. She then earned her second bachelor’s degree in Nutrition & Dietetics from Utah State University (USU). She is currently working on her master’s degree in Dietetic Administration from USU, and she has 18 credit hours left.

Courtesy Utah State University Extension

Chappell has lived in Wayne County for 13 years and enjoys the small town life. She likes reading books and learning new things. She has worked for the USU Extension office with Create Better Health as a nutrition ambassador. She’s also a social media content creator since 2017. She started a local program in Wayne County called “Buy Dinner for Your Neighbor.” This is a partnership between Royal’s Food Town and the Wayne County Food Bank, and the program has donated over 1,000 pounds of food to the food pantry, which also includes a healthy recipe kit. Her social media work includes a weekly recipe series called “Around the World in 80 Plates,” where the character on her Kids Create Utah blog explores a different country and learns about the foods from that place and physical activates that the local children from that area may be participating in.

Chappell has led an interesting life so far. She’s held a variety of jobs that has allowed her to meet a diverse range of people. Whether she is working in a junkyard, restaurant or fighting wildfires on a helicopter crew, she’s never stopped looking for new things to learn. A couple of fun facts about Chappell are that she was one of the first female high school wrestlers in the state of Utah and that she was a Sterling Scholar in Consumer Science.

Her future plans are to travel around to places that serve delicious food and to eventually rebuild a vintage Volkswagen Beetle to race across Baja, Mexico.

Welcome, Kate Chappell, and good luck in your new position with USU.

—Lisa Jeppson

New Girl Scout Troop Coming to Wayne County

If you want to see migrating wild swans this time of year, two spots in northern Utah (Salt Creek Waterfowl Management Area and Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge) are great places to see these magnificent birds as they wing their way through the state in March. To celebrate the swans’ return, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources also held a special event on March 11 at the DWR’s Eccles Wildlife Education Center and Hasenyager Preserve in Farmington, Utah.

UTAH - If you want to see migrating wild swans this time of year, two spots in northern Utah are great places to see these magnificent birds as they wing their way through the state in March.

Both tundra swans and trumpeter swans stop in Utah's wetlands for some much-needed rest and refueling during their migration north in the spring. Their spring migration takes the swans from wintering grounds in California to nesting sites in Canada and Alaska.

“Swans are amazing birds to see in flight,” Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Northern Region Outreach Manager Mark Hadley said. “You’ll have no problem spotting them—they’re huge and almost pure white in color. I encourage you to take the opportunity to get out and see them during their migration this spring!”

Swan viewing at the Salt Creek Waterfowl Management Area

The Compton’s Knoll viewing area—a small hill on the southeast side of the Salt Creek Waterfowl Management Area—is a perfect place to view swans and other birds. The hill places you above the marsh, providing fantastic viewing opportunities for those who have binoculars or spotting scopes. Two bird viewing blinds are also located at the bottom of the hill.

The Salt Creek WMA is about 12 miles northwest of Corinne. Except for Compton’s Knoll, the rest of the WMA is closed until September. Please remain behind closed gates and only view the swans from Compton’s Knoll or the two bird viewing blinds at the bottom of the hill.

Swan viewing at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the refuge—and its Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge Auto Tour Route—is another great place to see migrating swans this spring. It is located about 12 miles west of Brigham City.

To reach the auto tour route, exit I-15 at exit 363, and travel west on West Forest Street until you come to a large parking area with an observation tower. Stop at the tower to look for swans in the marsh to the north. You can then drive along the 12-mile auto tour route. The route will take you on a journey through the heart of the refuge. You could see thousands of swans in the wetlands along the driving route.

Swan event at the DWR’s Eccles Wildlife Education Center

The DWR’s George S. and Dolores Dore’ Eccles Wildlife Education Center and Hasenyager Preserve held an event on March 11 at 1157 S. Waterfowl Way in Farmington, where attendees could learn more about these birds, participate in fun activities and go on a nature walk.

The DWR’s Eccles Wildlife Education Center is part of the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area. The WMA is closed to vehicle traffic from March 1 until September, but the education center is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

—Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

Correction:

Name Correction

In our March 9, 2023, issue, in the article "WHS Girls Basketball Team Wins at 1A Region 20," we ran the name of one of the players as "Kate Taylor."

Her name is in fact Kate Torgerson.

Apologies to Kate Torgerson for the mistake, and congrats to you on your win.

WAYNE CO. - A new Girl Scout troop is coming to Wayne County, with their first meeting having taken place on Wednesday, March 15th at the Loa Civic Center.

Dani May and MaKayla Barton are the troop leaders and are excited that they have 15 girls signed up already. They will meet twice a month from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. The girls who have signed up so far range in age form Kindergarten to 4th grade. Dani May would like to expand the age range up to include those girls who are in 5th through 7th grades.

Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character—the three C's—who make the world a better place. There are four pillars of Girl Scouting, and they include the "Go-Getter," "the Innovator," the "Risk-taker" and the "Leader." Girl Scouting helps transform these ideas into action, and turns the girls' questions into adventure and grows their confidence through practice. Girls can earn badges and, best of all, they sell cookies, which can be purchased now. You can find a QR code that can be scanned to purchase cookies—and Troop #1647 will get credit for this years' sales—if you are out visiting the following businesses: Royal’s Marinia’s, Ellett’s, Loa Builders and the Sweetgrass. Dani May will also have cookies to purchase later in the spring, but varieties will be limited. With more than 60 million Girl Scouts and alumnae, cheer this new troop on.

—Lisa Jeppson

Publisher: Erica Walz

Layout & Graphic Design: Emily Leach

Reporter: Tessa Barkan

Reporter: Amiee Maxwell Reporter: Kadi Franson

Reporter: Lisa Jeppson

Reporter: Ian Marynowski

Payroll: Trudy Stowe

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