When I got to ESP today, the YMCA was running a triathlon so I exited
quickly without seeing any sandpipers. But when I got back, things had
quieted down and I could search the little mudflat. The baby Killdeer kept
getting in the way, but I finally found a sandpiper, but it was a Spotted. I
traversed back and forth several times and suddenly realized I had both
Spotted and Solitary. They got to within 8-10 feet of each other, so I was
able to study the similarities and differences. The Spotted definitely does
more tail bobbing, but the Solitary is no slouch either. It’s not often that
I get to see 2 very similar birds near each other for direct comparison, as
opposed to photographic comparison.

Tom McCabe, Boise

Thanks for the SOSA, Tom!!

And congrats on your record early “fall migrant” date for the county by several days at least, since the eBird bar chart for Ada County shows it present beginning the 3rd week of July (presumably 15 July or later).

Someone will grab pix, right? 😉

Larry

—– Original Message —–

From: “‘Tom McCabe’ tmccabe9@cableone.net [ible]”
To: “IBLE”
Sent: Friday, July 13, 2018 3:43:07 PM
Subject: [IBLE] Solitary Sandpiper at ESP

Along the Whitewater Park Blvd. side of Esther Simplot Park there is a storm water runoff pond that at times is one long pond and at other times is a mud flat. Today it is mudflats with some shallow water and Killdeer, Mallards and C Geese and a Solitary Sandpiper. I first saw the bird on Wednesday, but I was in a hurry and thought it was a Spotted Sandpiper (because that’s what I was expecting). Then I started reviewing Sibley, iBird Pro and any other sources and began to wonder if it was a Solitary, even though the map in Sibley shows only scattered sightings. When I looked again yesterday, I only saw a Spotted (at the other end of the mudflats), so I decided I’d made a mistake.

But today I had the time to really observe the bird, finding the white spotting on the back and white on the face. So of course I emailed Larry and Missy to ask them to look at the bird. They just called to confirm it’s a Solitary and I’m a happy camper!

If you go looking for it, the runoff area is currently surrounded by orange mesh fencing (apparently because of high levels of e.coli). If you enter from the traffic circle at Stewart and Whitewater, park in the first available parking spot and walk towards the fencing. The bird has been at the end of the mudflats closest to the traffic circle.

Tom McCabe, Boise

Along the Whitewater Park Blvd. side of Esther Simplot Park there is a storm
water runoff pond that at times is one long pond and at other times is a mud
flat. Today it is mudflats with some shallow water and Killdeer, Mallards
and C Geese and a Solitary Sandpiper. I first saw the bird on Wednesday, but
I was in a hurry and thought it was a Spotted Sandpiper (because that’s what
I was expecting). Then I started reviewing Sibley, iBird Pro and any other
sources and began to wonder if it was a Solitary, even though the map in
Sibley shows only scattered sightings. When I looked again yesterday, I only
saw a Spotted (at the other end of the mudflats), so I decided I’d made a
mistake.

But today I had the time to really observe the bird, finding the white
spotting on the back and white on the face. So of course I emailed Larry and
Missy to ask them to look at the bird. They just called to confirm it’s a
Solitary and I’m a happy camper!

If you go looking for it, the runoff area is currently surrounded by orange
mesh fencing (apparently because of high levels of e.coli). If you enter
from the traffic circle at Stewart and Whitewater, park in the first
available parking spot and walk towards the fencing. The bird has been at
the end of the mudflats closest to the traffic circle.

Tom McCabe, Boise

hey Jon, I’ve misplaced your phone number, but email works better anyway, if you don’t mind sharing your email address with me, thanks!
I have questions….. =)
Larry

—

I want to comment of the function if IBLE as an intelligent and informative Forum. In operated as it was supposed to, from beginning to end. And for me , being up on the berm that morning with RL Roland, who talked about Ibis coloration and questioned the species we were scoping. And Janet Phillips, up on the berm, who took the photo of the bird and also  questioned the ibis.  To all the other individuals involved and their input. And the perspective that everyone gave in their eBird and emails and from Cheryl Huizinga whose email made me run to my 5th wheel and retrieve my Sibley ‘Guide to Birds’.  So kool, thanks. 

BOB

So yesterday I went biking-birding *early* along the Boise River Greenbelt……

eBird.org reports that July is one of the least eBirded months, and reminds us that post-breeding dispersal is beginning, that birds are wandering out of their usual ranges, into unexpected habitats, and show up at crazy locations. See https://ebird.org/news/july-ebirder-of-the-month-challenge-2018

I would add that in the western U.S. we have high elevation habitats, e.g., spruce-fir and tundra, where avian breeding activity lags behind that at lower elevations and is still popping! Plus the temperatures are pleasant, eh? =)

Even here in Boise at ~ 2600 ft elevation, the ‘lil beasties are still singing emphatically, and their cousins – the silent ones – are still very active. I’m delightfully surprised at how birdiful it is here in mid-July! By 1130 hrs yesterday I had tallied 67 species, but by 0545 hrs I had already enjoyed these encounters:

Boise River Greenbelt SW 6.4, Ada, Idaho, US
Jul 11 , 2018 4:10 AM – 5:45 AM ? Nocturnal

Protocol: Traveling
2.7 mile(s)
Comments: We stward from SW 6.4, 55F clear and calm, heavily armed with LED headlamp and headlights. Quest for owls and CONI, possibly heard GRHE call once at 0520, but I didn’t use playback to confirm, dang me, I know how responsive they often are! Moon was a mere sliver. Now carrying both 8x and 10x bins (it’s a geezer thing)

22 species (+1 other taxa)

Canada Goose 6
Mallard 2
Double-crested Cormorant 8
Great Blue Heron 6
Bald Eagle 1 0545, adult, why flagged as rare? They nest here annually, 4-6 pr in the area per RL, and in winter there are many more, likely different birds, yes, but Ada County bar chart suggests they’re here every month of the year, eh? Nesting has been photo-documented by several birders.
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Killdeer 4
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Mourning Dove 3
Western Screech-Owl 2 counter-calling at 0410 hrs, thus began this list……….
Great Horned Owl 5 2,3, first time one called, both YBCH and GBHE replied, crazy!! =)
Common Nighthawk 1 0545, almost missed this bird, t’was in warp drive, late for work?
Belted Kingfisher 2
Willow Flycatcher 8
Northern Rough-winged Swallow X
Bank Swallow X
swallow sp. X no idea how many, nor species other than the two that I heard (with low ambient noise at this hour and place)
American Robin 2
Common Yellowthroat 1 seemingly everywhere this year, at more locations than in recent years (just my obs)
Yellow Warbler 5
Song Sparrow 5
Yellow-breasted Chat 1 same comment as for COYE
Black-headed Grosbeak 1

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 ( http://ebird.org )

Happy summer birding,

Larry

—

Went out this afternoon in search of the adult Glossy Ibis. All the birds were clustered in the middle of the north shore and it was extremely windy. I went around the northwest corner as close as I could get overland and finally saw several Ibis at the eastern end of the bird groups. All the Ibis seen had red/brown/green colorations and the red skin patch with white lines around the eye was easy to see; I felt I saw an Ibis with a dark eye and no red skin patch below the eye but I could not get a photo at that distance so I am not going to report it. I changed my 7/10/18 eBird report to reflect indeterminate ID but left the pictures up for people to see.

The reference to Jay’s 12:23 PM email is forwarded below.  Jay refers to a single juvenile on the south shore, (presumably White-faced but???) before he left, the one that I spotted and referred to in my 4:40 email today.  And the one Janet photographed. During my time checking out that bird there were no other ibis on the south shore but that one. The one in Janet’s photo.  When the bird flew west than north I left the group, then  they drove to  NW end of the Reservoir.  The two white-faced ibis that I put on eBird list were a long ways away to make a positive  judgement so I called them white-faces.  You are correct, I did make a incorrect judgement  and [assumed] the first bird I saw and the one in Janet’s was a glossy. I’m still not convinced by looking at Sibley, one way or another.Thanks for your perspective, it made me dig alot deeper. And it really is appreciated. 

BOB

Begin forwarded message:

On Monday, July 9, 2018, 12:23 PM, Jay Carlisle wrote:

Not sure of the current status but before Heidi & I left, the Glossy flew with 4 adult White-faced to the N edge of the reservoir – presumably joining 4 other ibis we’d seen over there from a different angle.  There was a single juvenile ibis (presumably White-faced but ???) that stayed behind on the S shore – of course, that was 2+ hours ago and birds can fly so they’ve likely traded places a few times since then 🙂
Jay

On Monday, July 9, 2018, 10:24:25 AM MDT, Bob Perata wrote:

Glossy Ibis is still out there by itself.  Am parked st the overflow where the cut is on the large berm.  On the road that goes all around to the east end. 

Bob,Boise, Idaho 

On Jul 9, 2018, at 9:25 AM, Jay Carlisle carlislejay@yahoo.com [ible] wrote:

  [Attachment(s) from Jay Carlisle included below]
Adult present right now – preening/roosting with 5 WFIB below eastern edge of dam (~250 yards W of bathroom). Here’s a picture of Heidi’s camera screen:

Face looks right for a pure Glossy plus other pics show leg color (pink joints on gray legs).

Jay

Sent from my iPhone

I guess I have to disagree with you Bob. The bird photographed by Heidi (and first shared by Jay in his initial IBLE report about the bird) shows a definite adult Glossy Ibis with no ring in the bill at all. The photo that Janet took shows a immature ibis that could be either a White-faced or a Glossy but I certainly couldn’t tell myself since I don’t know much about immature ibis. Looking at Sibley’s field guide it would be hard to tell which is which! When I arrived at the dam area, 2 birders already there told me the ibis out on the sandy spit with pelicans, gulls and cormorants was THE bird. I took it for granted that it was even though not getting a good look thru a full power scope. From that spot it flew to south side and I was able to drive to road below the berm, climb up on the berm and get a much better look at the bird. I reported it on ebird that it was a Glossy Ibis, but I’m convinced now that what I saw was an immature ibis and definitely NOT the mature Glossy that Jay/Heidi saw and reported. I am changing my ebird report to say ibis sp. Good lesson for me to not follow the crowd and make sure of the sighting before I get carried away. Not trying to slam anyone here as I know that all there thought it was the Glossy and me along with them. I’ll be like Janet and hopefully get out there again and find the REAL Glossy Ibis.
Thanks, Cheryl

From: mailto:ible-noreply@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2018 4:40 PM
To: Jay Carlisle
Cc: IBLE To Post
Subject: Re: [IBLE] clarification re: age of yesterday’s ibis at Indian Creek

This bird that I encountered, 5 minutes after passing Heidi and Jay on dirt road to Indian Creek Reservoir, I believe is the same bird that was described by jay in his email at 12:23 PM. It is also the bird that Janet photographed with the ‘salmon pink ring near the base of the bill’ in her eBird information. Great pic Janet. I scoped this same bird for almost 11/2 hours moving, walking and flying, back and forth on the south side and below the berm of the dam. During this time 4 other birders had arrived and about 11:15~ the bird flew to the north shore.

Bob Perata
Boise, ID

Sent from my iPad.

On Jul 10, 2018, at 1:13 PM, Jay Carlisle mailto:carlislejay@yahoo.com [ible] wrote:

Based on the reports (here, to Facebook, and via eBird), I get the sense there was some confusion about the age of the Glossy we found/reported. Heidi & I found an adult Glossy in breeding condition/plumage – we haven’t had time to upload our photos to eBird (will soon) but the picture I shared on IBLE & to Facebook yesterday show the reddish/purplish plumage, the gray legs with pink joints, and the narrow blueish facial skin above and below the eye.

Some reports from yesterday have suggested or clearly shown an immature bird – including the great photos in Janet’s eBird list here:

ebird.org/view/checklist/S47097556 (I definitely don’t mean to pick on you Janet! Your photo just provides great food for thought) … but I must admit Heidi & I didn’t even try to identify the young bird 🙂 as that can be difficult & we were so focused on the adult Glossy. I welcome any insights into the identification of juvenile ibis – and whether or not the bird in Janet’s list can be definitively identified.

Thanks,

Jay

eBird Checklist – Indian Creek Reservoir, Ada County, Idaho, US – Mon Ju…

This bird that I encountered, 5 minutes after passing Heidi and Jay on dirt road to Indian Creek Reservoir, I believe is the same bird that was described by jay in his email at 12:23 PM. It is also the bird that Janet photographed with the ‘salmon pink ring near the base of the bill’ in her eBird information. Great pic Janet. I scoped this same bird for almost 11/2 hours moving, walking and flying, back and forth on the south side and below the berm of the dam. During this time 4 other birders had arrived and about 11:15~ the bird flew to the north shore.

Bob Perata
Boise, ID

Sent from my iPad.

> On Jul 10, 2018, at 1:13 PM, Jay Carlisle carlislejay@yahoo.com [ible] wrote:
>
> Based on the reports (here, to Facebook, and via eBird), I get the sense there was some confusion about the age of the Glossy we found/reported. Heidi & I found an adult Glossy in breeding condition/plumage – we haven’t had time to upload our photos to eBird (will soon) but the picture I shared on IBLE & to Facebook yesterday show the reddish/purplish plumage, the gray legs with pink joints, and the narrow blueish facial skin above and below the eye.
>
> Some reports from yesterday have suggested or clearly shown an immature bird – including the great photos in Janet’s eBird list here:
> ebird.org/view/checklist/S47097556 (I definitely don’t mean to pick on you Janet! Your photo just provides great food for thought) … but I must admit Heidi & I didn’t even try to identify the young bird 🙂 as that can be difficult & we were so focused on the adult Glossy. I welcome any insights into the identification of juvenile ibis – and whether or not the bird in Janet’s list can be definitively identified.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jay
> eBird Checklist – Indian Creek Reservoir, Ada County, Idaho, US – Mon Ju…
>
>
>