World birding center tx. Yesterday 3:30on great kiskadee-green Jay
-altimera Oriole today a.m.chacalaca – buff breasted hummer -olive sparrow
photos all except sparrow life is great when birding acha badomay sarugay
old African saying

When I got to Remington St. today, the infield pond at Les Bois was pretty
much empty (there was a RT Hawk in a tree right above it), and I only had 28
birds. Then, when I got to my usual turnaround spot, there were a number of
people there, so I just kept going.

I didn’t get bird 29 (Cal. Quail) until the first dredge pond-miles past my
usual turnaround– and bird 30 (RN Duck) was on the next to last pond. But
along the way I saw 8 RT Hawks before I got to Laguna Pointe (my ultimate
turnaround), and another 4-5 on the way back. And lots of different plumage
variations. My impression was that they were generally in pairs, especially
the last 2 who were sitting side by side on a branch.

Bird 35 was a Bald Eagle sitting next to a very large nest in the middle of
the Cormorant/Heron rookery. I had been told that the rookery had to move
last year because the Bald Eagles decided to nest in the middle of their
turf, but I had not seen it myself.

I also saw a Black-billed Magpie carrying nest material in its beak, and
when I caught up with it, the bird was doing some home improvement on a
nest. And a pair of C. Ravens were perched together near 49th St. in Garden
City.

I don’t know the “normal” nesting times for all these birds, but it appears
that the warm weather has some birds at least thinking of “making whoopee.”

Final tally was 38 birds in 23 miles and I was glad to get home.

Tom McCabe, Boise

Another good resource for telling the small white-cheeked geese apart
“Field Guide to the Geese Willamette Valley and Lower Columbia River.”

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/hunting/waterfowl/goose-permits/docs/Goosefieldguide_2ndEdition_final.pdf

Steven F. Kahl
Deputy Project Leader
Southeast Idaho National Wildlife Refuge Complex
4425 Burley Dr., Ste. A
Chubbuck, ID 83202
P (208) 237-6615 ext 112
F (208) 237-8213

*Like and follow us on Facebook
!*

Thank you. These guys are always a challenge.

> On Feb 6, 2018, at 5:09 AM, Cliff and Lisa cliffandlisa@octobersetters.com [ible] wrote:
>
>
> As requested, here are Harry’s Cackling Goose pages from the old Idaho Birds site:
> https://idahobirds.net/identification/cackling.html
> This is the table of contents to the pages. I recommend opening them in a new tab or window in order to keep the contents handy. Don’t try to use the Identification Page link that’s on the pages. That’s broken and will just re-route you to the Idaho Birds home.
>
> I would like to add Cackling Goose and the rest of Harry’s ID writings to the new site when I can, but until that’s done the above address should work. If anyone has any problems viewing it let me know.
> Lisa
>
>
> On 02/05/2018 10:22 AM, ‘Kahl, Steve’ Steve_Kahl@fws.gov [ible] wrote:
>>
>> All – Just wanted to say thanks for your input. I am enjoying the process of learning and hoping I can shed some light on the subspecies of CANG/CACG that winter in our area, and not just taking for granted that they are all moffitti because that is what they are “supposed” to be.
>>
>> Interestingly, the numbers of these smaller geese continues to climb around here. Sat I counted over 700 CANG loafing/preening at the Pocatello Water Pollution Control Plant pond. At LEAST 50 were these smaller birds. I especially noted a group of 6 that separated themselves from the rest of the masses and took off as a (perhaps family) group.
>>
>> Part of my thought process about these possibly being parvipes birds is that the range maps in Baldassare’s Ducks, Geese, and Swans of NA (the update to the famous Frank Bellrose tome) shows parvipes wintering in all of ID, but the SE. In contrast, the map for Taverner’s CACG show them wintering in far west OR/WA. Thus, it would seem to be that the closer wintering population would be more likely to show up here.
>>
>> I did more research on Taverner’s and it underscored the size similarity w/ parvipes that has been mentioned. Coming from the east, where Richardson’s is the typical CACG, I am used to cacklers being very small and obvious..
>>
>> I’m working on the pictures, but can’t seem to get close enough to the birds to get decent snaps. The geese around here still seem very jittery from the waterfowl season.
>>
>> I have not been able to find Krueger’s treatise on these birds. I can find Google hits for it. But they all bring me to the Idaho Birds home page and the article does not seem to be located there anymore. If anybody by chance has a hard copy or some other means to see it let me know.
>>
>> Thanks again!
>>
>> Steven F. Kahl
>> Deputy Project Leader
>> Southeast Idaho National Wildlife Refuge Complex
>> 4425 Burley Dr., Ste. A
>> Chubbuck, ID 83202
>> P (208) 237-6615 ext 112
>> F (208) 237-8213
>>
>> Like and follow us on Facebook !
>
> —
> Cliff and Lisa Weisse
> Island Park, Idaho
> cliffandlisa@octobersetters.com
>
>

Ken Miracle
chukar28@icloud.com
208-908-9493
“Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God” 2COR 3:5

As requested, here are Harry’s Cackling Goose pages from the old Idaho
Birds site:
https://idahobirds.net/identification/cackling.html

This is the table of contents to the pages. I recommend opening them in
a new tab or window in order to keep the contents handy. Don’t try to
use the Identification Page link that’s on the pages. That’s broken and
will just re-route you to the Idaho Birds home.

I would like to add Cackling Goose and the rest of Harry’s ID writings
to the new site when I can, but until that’s done the above address
should work. If anyone has any problems viewing it let me know.

Lisa

On 02/05/2018 10:22 AM, ‘Kahl, Steve’ Steve_Kahl@fws.gov [ible] wrote:
> All – Just wanted to say thanks for your input.  I am enjoying the
> process of learning and hoping I can shed some light on the subspecies
> of CANG/CACG that winter in our area, and not just taking for granted
> that they are all moffitti because that is what they are “supposed” to be.
>
> Interestingly, the numbers of these smaller geese continues to climb
> around here. Sat I counted over 700 CANG loafing/preening at the
> Pocatello Water Pollution Control Plant pond. At LEAST 50 were these
> smaller birds.  I especially noted a group of 6 that separated
> themselves from the rest of the masses and took off as a (perhaps
> family) group.
>
> Part of my thought process about these possibly being parvipes birds
> is that the range maps in Baldassare’s Ducks, Geese, and Swans of NA
> (the update to the famous Frank Bellrose tome) shows parvipes
> wintering in all of ID, but the SE.  In contrast, the map for
> Taverner’s CACG show them wintering in far west OR/WA. Thus, it would
> seem to be that the closer wintering population would be more likely
> to show up here.
>
> I did more research on Taverner’s and it underscored the size
> similarity w/ parvipes that has been mentioned.  Coming from the east,
> where Richardson’s is the typical CACG, I am used to cacklers being
> very small and obvious..
>
> I’m working on the pictures, but can’t seem to get close enough to the
> birds to get decent snaps.  The geese around here still seem very
> jittery from the waterfowl season.
>
> I have not been able to find Krueger’s treatise on these birds.  I can
> find Google hits for it.  But they all bring me to the Idaho Birds
> home page and the article does not seem to be located there anymore. 
> If anybody by chance has a hard copy or some other means to see it let
> me know.
>
> Thanks again!
>
> Steven F. Kahl
> Deputy Project Leader
> Southeast Idaho National Wildlife Refuge Complex
> 4425 Burley Dr., Ste. A
> Chubbuck, ID 83202
> P (208) 237-6615 ext 112
> F (208) 237-8213
>
> */Like and follow us on Facebook
> !/*
>

—
Cliff and Lisa Weisse
Island Park, Idaho
cliffandlisa@octobersetters.com

Hi all! A few days ago, I was driving behind Lake Lowell and saw a field with Snow and Greater White-fronted Geese. This caused me to call out to Fort Boise to see if they were getting activity on their end. As of today, they’re seeing 5,000+ Snow Geese and a few White-fronted between the refuge area and Roswell Marsh. With the warmer temperatures, the officers out in that area aren’t sure what this will mean for the rest of the migration. That being said, I know that GEAS does a yearly field trip out to Fort Boise at the end of March, but my impression is that this time frame may be too late this year. Just thought I’d let you all know about the changes in these birds’ migration.
Kristin A.

—

Greetings, as of ~10am this morning there was no sign of the barred owl in or around the ID Shakespeare Festival grounds. Traveling further upstream of the Boise River (Lucky Peak State Park-Discovery Unit) there were about a dozen red crossbills congregating in the trees around the restrooms building.

Cheers,
Marty Marzinelli

All – Just wanted to say thanks for your input. I am enjoying the process
of learning and hoping I can shed some light on the subspecies of CANG/CACG
that winter in our area, and not just taking for granted that they are all
moffitti because that is what they are “supposed” to be.

Interestingly, the numbers of these smaller geese continues to climb around
here. Sat I counted over 700 CANG loafing/preening at the Pocatello Water
Pollution Control Plant pond. At LEAST 50 were these smaller birds. I
especially noted a group of 6 that separated themselves from the rest of
the masses and took off as a (perhaps family) group.

Part of my thought process about these possibly being parvipes birds is
that the range maps in Baldassare’s Ducks, Geese, and Swans of NA (the
update to the famous Frank Bellrose tome) shows parvipes wintering in all
of ID, but the SE. In contrast, the map for Taverner’s CACG show them
wintering in far west OR/WA. Thus, it would seem to be that the closer
wintering population would be more likely to show up here.

I did more research on Taverner’s and it underscored the size similarity w/
parvipes that has been mentioned. Coming from the east, where Richardson’s
is the typical CACG, I am used to cacklers being very small and obvious.

I’m working on the pictures, but can’t seem to get close enough to the
birds to get decent snaps. The geese around here still seem very jittery
from the waterfowl season.

I have not been able to find Krueger’s treatise on these birds. I can find
Google hits for it. But they all bring me to the Idaho Birds home page and
the article does not seem to be located there anymore. If anybody by
chance has a hard copy or some other means to see it let me know.

Thanks again!

Steven F. Kahl
Deputy Project Leader
Southeast Idaho National Wildlife Refuge Complex
4425 Burley Dr., Ste. A
Chubbuck, ID 83202
P (208) 237-6615 ext 112
F (208) 237-8213

*Like and follow us on Facebook
!*

Good evening all!

The Ruth Melichar Bird Center (AIDA) is preparing for the Spring 2018 baby bird season.

Last week the crow family group that lives in my area delighted me with two days of socialization / begging vocalizations, alerting the world that nesting activities will soon begin.

Last year, our baby bird season began May 1st and lasted through September. However, with the mild temperatures we are experiencing this winter, it is possible that we may be opening earlier.

If anyone notices birds beginning to build nests in the Treasure Valley area, please let me know.

Your help is much appreciated!

Thank you,

Beverly Taylor
Ruth Melichar Bird Center / Animals In Distress Association Inc.

Howdy,
This afternoon I found a Northern Mockingbird about a mile south of Springfield on Chandler Rd., near where it turns into Edwards Rd. It flew into a hedge on the east side of the road. The Danielson Pool (Springfield effluent) is still frozen, as is much of the NE end of the reservoir. Two Bald Eagles were sitting near nests (Edwards Rd. and Strang Rd. on an Osprey platform). It feels like spring is on the way, despite the groundhog’s prediction.
Good Birding!
Chuck Trost

Always forward, never straight…