So, for biking my usual eBird patch (nearest section of Boise River Greenbelt, just west of Glenwood), I’m still wearing my knee-high Tingley’s because water on the path is 10” deep in places. Water is receding though. And I discovered it’s time to begin carrying DEET.
I noticed all three HY Great-horned Owls have departed from their nest, in fact may have departed their tree. I took another “sound level reading” at the site and recorded 60-80+ dBA, then asked the Bird Gods why owls in particular would nest this close to active gravel operations. ??
Also saw a few Wild Turkeys, adults with poults, at the West Boise Biosolids Recycling Site (basically looks like a pasture, has in the past hosted horses, cows, sheep, goats. Onward to some 45 species for my slow-motion morning bike ride. =)
Still no Willow Flycatchers in my patch, not a surprise because in prior years (n=6) they didn’t arrive until 22-29 May. And the last migrant/breeder I expect to arrive here is Common Nighthawk, typically 26 May to 05 Jun.
In an overwhelming moment of agony, I realized that during our six yrs here, many of the remaining remnants of habitat along the greenbelt have succumbed to development, improvement, “progress!” Like Ada County’s mission statement is to “redefine or remake every square foot if possible.”
But I thought of a more serious problem: that of using four-letter alpha codes on my bird lists. Suppose I see or hear a Killdeer, then something happens to me, like an accident that leaves me unconscious, and someone discover my bird list… I’m pretty sure I’d be added to a terrorist watch list. Ya think?
Hey Ken, thank you for being a fabulous host when Missy and I were there looking for your Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Big smiles and g reat memories of that!
Good boid’n all,
Larry
