Eccles Wildlife Education Center unveils new trail and viewing platform for visitors

SALT LAKE CITY — The Eccles Wildlife Education Center unveiled some upgrades for visitors, especially bird enthusiasts.

Bird watchers now have access to a new trail and viewing platform at the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, allowing them to visit the 12 million birds that migrate through the wetlands every year.

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Ashley Kijowski, a wildlife coordinator with the Eccles Wildlife Education Center, said the Center is a great place to see birds all year, not just in the spring and fall.

“It really depends on the time of year on what birds you’re going to see when you come here. Obviously, the spring and the fall are great times to come, like April and May, and then August and September during spring and fall migration. You’re going to see a lot of different species of waterfowl along (with) the shorebirds.”

Migratory birds come from South America, Mexico, and southern California and are either heading up to Alaska or heading back south. Wildlife experts say the Great Salt Lake is the place to see several bird species like Bald Eagles, Northern Harriers and Swallows.

Kijowski added that the Great Salt Lake is like an oasis for traveling birds, giving them a place to fuel up before they finish their migrations.

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Kijowski said these wetlands require a lot of people to keep them up so that the waterfowl can continue to visit.

“I think a lot of people, you know, they’ll come out here and they’ll see the wildlife … but they don’t realize that behind all of that is a lot of management. So the wetland managers will have to move water, removing invasive species, and basically just constantly manage those different areas in order to provide this habitat.”

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