Still present as of Friday (6/15), for more information and precise
location see eBird checklists:

https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46514564
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46573727
—
Charles Swift
Moscow, Idaho
chaetura@gmail.com

I’d like to surprise a friend by finding him a Bobolink because he’s never seen one. I’m from Boise. Anyone know where the nearest sighting of one might be? I know where I can find them in North Idaho, but anywhere closer?

Thanks,
Kerry

Hi Birders and apologies for the late report.

I birded and explored Benewah, Kootenai, and Shoshone Counties this last
rainy weekend. The first major surprise was a very late female
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER at Chatcolet Marina (Heyburn SP) on Saturday
morning. 1-2 CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS were spotted during a particularly
heavy downpour on the Prairie Trail in Rathdrum, between Huetter and Atlas
Roads (closer to Atlas), where they were in 2016, with a Western Kingbird.
3 CASPIAN TERNS were at the Coeur d’alene River delta near Harrison. A
Virginia Rail was at Hell’s Gulch Flat (Goosehaven Lake Road), west of St.
Maries.

Saturday evening and Sunday, I explored the St. Joe River from St. Maries
to the end of the road at the Spruce Tree Campground. Along the Benewah
County portion of the St. Joe River Road, I had locally-produced broods of
BUFFLEHEADS and Hooded Mergansers (another brood of the Mergansers were in
DeSmet, earlier) with another VIRGINIA RAIL and a PEREGRINE FALCON. The
Shadowy St Joe River was a delight with easy to find RED-EYED VIREOS,
AMERICAN REDSTARTS, and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES (these specialties were seen
at numerous other stops, as well).

Sunday, constantly fluctuating rain continued all day on the Upper St. Joe,
but was often light enough to still permit productive birding. Expected
breeding birds were well represented including some Wilson’s Warblers in
suitable breeding habitat above Red Ives Ranger Station. 2 cooperative
male BOBOLINKS were south of the river on the road into Calder.

A fun soggy time was had by all. More details on eBird.

Good Birding,

Carl Lundblad,
Moscow, ID

Indigo Bunting still at MP 1.7, 30 meters past the 1.7 mile marker.
At 9:31am

Bob,

Hi All,

As you may have heard, I found and documented an Alder Flycatcher in Boundary County yesterday afternoon, which would represent a state first if accepted.

For audio recordings, photos, and more specific location information, see my eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/view/ checklist/S46514564 https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46514564

For handheld videos that I took of the bird, see my post in the ABA Rare Bird Alert FB group: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/ABArare/permalink/ 1888958301164804/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/ABArare/permalink/1888958301164804/. For those without FB, unfortunately I don’t have a better way to get these to you right now.

My description, from the eBird checklist, is below:

****State first, pending acceptance by the IBRC.

Driving slowly with the windows down, I saw a Traill’s-type flycatcher cross the road. Aware of the potential for ALFL in this area I got out to investigate, and noted immediately that the bird in question had a number of traits that I interpreted as highly suggestive of Alder rather than Willow, and especially rather than western Willow.
Among these traits were:

-The bird’s decidedly greenish mantle (western Willow generally appears rather brownish), which contrasted firmly with its cool-grayish crown.

-A round-headed (or flat-ish headed) profile, rather than the distinctly crested look typical of WIFL.

-Dark, contrasting wings with clearly white, not brownish, wing bars. To me, this part of ALFL is more or less reminiscent of LEFL’s wing panel, which is not generally something I associate with WIFL, who’s wings are consistently less contrasty.

-A bright white throat, also contrasted with the grayish auriculars.

-Moderate to longish primary projection, similar to eastern but NOT western Willow, which generally has distinctly shorter primary projection.

-A smallish bill for a Traill’s-type.

-A decently well-defined eye ring that would be on the far end of WIFL’s range of variation.

The combination of these traits convinced me to hang around and wait for the bird to vocalize. When it eventually sang it was, well, obviously Alder. Recordings were made with my phone of the bird’s ree-BEEAH song and also its pip call (which it took FOREVER to make), and were minimally edited.

Additionally, I got (somewhat shaky but workable) handheld video of the bird singing, and will add that after going through Macaulay.

It appeared to be on territory, so will be worth checking up on as the season progresses. The habitat was a fairly recent burn with extensive ~alder~ in the understory, and nearby marsh access. I think that there’s a high chance that this bird represents a sparse breeding population rather than a vagrancy, hence deliberately looking for this species here in the first place. Please refrain from using playback here- the bird is loud and should be easy to find, and will probably be visited by birders many times.

The bird was working both sides of the road but mostly the western (uphill side). This checklist is more or less an exact location, but I also took a reading from my GPS: UTM zone 11 535856 5420129

Photos are placeholders until I can upload video.

Good birding,

Alec Hopping

Currently enjoying free wifi (which was harder to find than any bird) at the Bonner’s Ferry visitor center

The Indigo Bunting is still at MP 1.7 exactly at 1 p.m. and he is singing almost continuously from the tree tops between the trail and the lake.

p.s. “Canadian stop signs” are abundant in the maritime provinces, i.e., MOOSE !!!

and regarding recent IBLE postings, Alder Flycatchers are singing at many of our birding stops =)

—– Original Message —–

From: “LARRY ARNOLD”
To: “IBLE”
Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2018 6:45:10 AM
Subject: Notes from Cape Breton Island, part trois

Birders,

Missy and I birded SW Newfoundland for a few days and have some favorites to share:
Nesting endangered Piping Plovers
Resident Black-headed Gulls, lifer for me, but not for Missy, eh??
Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, very colorful, thick as warblers in a healthy fallout =)
Warblers of 20 species, plus a few we didn’t identify
Our favorite eBird hot spots were Codroy River Valley and Stephenville Crossing, yeehah!!

oh, and brrrrrrr!!!
Larry, Boise, someday, perhaps……

The Idaho Bird Records Committee has/is reviewed/ing 3 records of Alder
Flycatcher. 2 from Jefferson County (Camas NWR and Market Lake WMA), by
careful observers, but not ultimately deemed acceptable for a first state
record. Robert Bond reported one from Coolin (Bonner County), last June,
and that record appears to still be under review. I know there have been
other reports of Alder Flycatchers, over the years (and it’s a species we
should expect in Idaho), but I don’t remember the Kootenai Co. report from
2000 (nor does it appear in the IBRC database).

Carl Lundblad
Moscow, ID

On Wed, Jun 13, 2018 at 11:08 AM, Jane Westervelt jwestervelt@live.com
[ible] wrote:

>
>
>
> Wasn’t an Alder Flycatcher reported from Kootenai County, around 2000 give
> or take a couple years, along the Chain Lakes route? I don’t remember the
> exact location, might be able to with a map, but it was near the north end
> of the route.
>
> Jane
>
> Moscow, ID
>
>
> ——————————
> *From:* inland-nw-birders-bounces@uidaho.edu uidaho.edu> on behalf of Charles Swift
> *Sent:* Wednesday, June 13, 2018 9:02 AM
> *To:* inland birders; IBLE
> *Subject:* [inland-NW-birders] potential Idaho state first Alder
> Flycatcher (Boundary Co. eBird report)
>
> Hi All,
>
> A potential state first Alder Flycatcher was reported from Boundary
> County, more information and video/audio forthcoming, approx. location with
> some details on eBird here: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46514564.
>
> There is also a recent report of Black and White Warbler from Boundary
> County although I’m unsure if it’s still present or chaseable (but some
> information on that is ob eBird). This seems to be a good time to search
> for vagrants in the far northern part of the state (other possibilities
> include Ovenbird, Tennessee Warbler, etc.).
>
> thanks, Charles.
> —
> Charles Swift
> Moscow, Idaho
> chaetura@gmail.com
>
>
>

Wasn’t an Alder Flycatcher reported from Kootenai County, around 2000 give or take a couple years, along the Chain Lakes route? I don’t remember the exact location, might be able to with a map, but it was near the north end of the route.

Jane

Moscow, ID

________________________________
From: inland-nw-birders-bounces@uidaho.edu on behalf of Charles Swift
Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2018 9:02 AM
To: inland birders; IBLE
Subject: [inland-NW-birders] potential Idaho state first Alder Flycatcher (Boundary Co. eBird report)

Hi All,

A potential state first Alder Flycatcher was reported from Boundary County, more information and video/audio forthcoming, approx. location with some details on eBird here: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46514564.

There is also a recent report of Black and White Warbler from Boundary County although I’m unsure if it’s still present or chaseable (but some information on that is ob eBird). This seems to be a good time to search for vagrants in the far northern part of the state (other possibilities include Ovenbird, Tennessee Warbler, etc.).

thanks, Charles.
—
Charles Swift
Moscow, Idaho
chaetura@gmail.com

Kathy Lopez and I saw the Indigo Bunting this morning at mile marker 1.7 on Deer Flat Refuge Kingfisher Trail. Looks to be a first summer male.
Cheryl Huizinga

Cheryl Huizinga
Caldwell, Idaho

> On Jun 12, 2018, at 9:23 PM, Cliff and Lisa Weisse cliffandlisa@octobersetters.com [ible] wrote:
>
> I just found an eBird checklist from today at Deer Flat NWR with an
> entry for passerine sp. that includes photos of a male Indigo Bunting.
> Here’s a link to the checklist:
> https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46504185
>
> Cliff
>
> —
> Cliff and Lisa Weisse
> Island Park, Idaho
> cliffandlisa@octobersetters.com
>
>