Birders,
from where we roost, looks like “Southward-bound” or at least “drifting-about” is The Happening Thing
as of this morning we see peeps and other shorebirds showing up, swallows getting restless, and we’re seeing massive gatherings of Short-tailed Magpies
these appear to be a silent variant of the almost-always-very-vocal Black-billed Magpie and may be more distantly related to the somewhat-less-vocal-and-more-westerly Yellow-billed Magpie
these STMA exhibit another behavioral difference (other than being silent) – they form gangs of 30+ and kind of “wash over the landscape” like locusts do….
😉 Larry

Nice find Tom — we had a couple Lesser Scaup out at Indian Creek on
Sunday as well.

Scott

I was surprised on my ride today when I saw a Lesser Scaup pop up at the
lower end of Veterans Pond. He was still getting his adult feathers, but
enough were present for an ID, especially with his “point” at the rear of
his head.

Also present today, for the second time in a few weeks, was a Herring Gull
at Esther Simplot pond. He was standing next to a small flock of RB Gulls,
and his size difference was pretty obvious, but the beak and red mark were
definitive. He also sometimes does the Herring Gull raucous call that sounds
like he’s complaining about something.

Tom McCabe, Boise

This popped up in a weekly newsletter that I get from the Feds. The USDA APHIS is inviting public comment on an environmental assessment in support of the southwestern willow flycatcher.

Denise Hughes
Caldwell, Idaho

>
> https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=APHIS-2018-0064
>
>
>

My wife & I were in Sun Valley for the Arts Festival on Fri & then up at the cabin in Island Park yest & today. Like has been mentioned, I was surprised by the numbers of Pine Siskins in both places. In one grouping in Sun Valley, saw at least 50 coming into a parking lot for grit.

Now, back home & found my hummingbird feeder empty. So, just refilled & immediately had a female Rufous appear. She’s hit it 3 times in past 5 minutes & just got chased off by a female Black-chinned. July is early for a Rufous at our Snake River home elevation.

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot

Thanks, Larry, I think there is a phenomenon afoot, and I’m afraid in my
neighborhood it is the growing number of Ada County refugees buying 5 acre
lots and setting hens. In other words, redtails are a threat to their egg
industry. No one would ever admit to this – but why are all the nesting
pairs gone?

I still see plenty on HWY 16 – away from the town. But in the meantime,
our gopher population is exploding.

In other news, a night hawk landed on our road and I was able to film him
for a while. We used to have hundreds living on the abundant insect life in
our organic vineyard. They used to land in a row and sleep during the day
– we thought they were sick, but no, just napping.

And I’ve got Yellow Warbler juvies bathing in the sprinklers. Never thought
I’d see that.

Soldiering on,
Liz

I once posited that we might as well put red food color in hummingbird
nectar because they don’t live long enough for a cancer threat. Chuck Trost
countered that some hummers live over 10 years. That’s a long time for
that high speed metabolism. Not surprising that they are greying just like
I am!
Great observation. I’m dealing with a bunch of youngsters at the feeders
now.
Didn’t truly appreciate how great SE idaho birding is until I had to leave.
Enjoy it!

Joel Tinsley
Powell Butte, Oregon
formerly a 25 year resident of Blackfoot, ID.
Still birding and still missing SE Idaho

Tom, I had same impression why all the Pine Siskin’s. I thought the fires brought then down. I have a whole family at my feeder eating like crazy. Hugh

While getting ready for my bike ride, I was watching my feeders to get my
daily count started. I suddenly realized that what had appeared to be a
rather small immature House Finch was in reality a Pine Siskin. While we’ve
often hosted large numbers in the winter, I cannot recall ever seeing one in
my yard in the summer, especially given the heat. Hopefully he’ll stick
around.

Tom McCabe, Boise

IBLE — Here’s a fun note from one of my long-time “humbuds” 😉

(read from bottom up)

Larry

—–Original Message—–
From: aznmbirds-request@list.arizona.edu [mailto:aznmbirds-request@list.arizona.edu] On Behalf Of Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory
Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2019 1:29 PM
To: Stanley Hart; AZ-NM Bird List
Subject: Re: [AZNMbirds] se AZ: Odd Hummer near Madera Canyon

Hi, Stan,

This is a sufficiently common and distinctive pattern of pigment loss in hummingbirds that I’ve given it the name “junco tail.” Though often confused with partial leucism, a congenital condition caused by a genetic mutation, absence of pigment from just a few feathers is more often an acquired condition with similarities to graying hair and vitiligo. Ornithologist Hein van Grouw has dubbed it “progressive greying,” though not all affected birds gain more white feathers over time.

For more on this and other common pigment abnormalities in birds, see this PDF:

[ https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hein_Grouw/publication/273348895_What_Colour_is_that_bird_The_causes_and_recognition_of_common_colour_aberrations_in_birds/links/54ff070b0cf2eaf210b49016/What-Colour-is-that-bird-The-causes-and-recognition-of-common-colour-aberrations-in-birds.pdf | https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hein_Grouw/publication/273348895_What_Colour_is_that_bird_The_causes_and_recognition_of_common_colour_aberrations_in_birds/links/54ff070b0cf2eaf210b49016/What-Colour-is-that-bird-The-causes-and-recognition-of-common-colour-aberrations-in-birds.pdf ]

Hope this helps.

Sheri L. Williamson, Director

Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory

Bisbee, Arizona

sabo@sabo.org

Welcome to SABO!

On 7/9/2019 4:22 PM, Stanley Hart wrote:

> For the past three days, we have been seeing a hummingbird that has

> the size, shape and coloration of a female Black-chinned. The

> difference is this bird has two totally white outer tail feathers.

> These are mostly hidden by the wings when bird is perched, but vividly visible by naked eye while hovering and in flight.

> My wife spent several years banding hummers, and we are both stumped.

>

> Any clues anyone?

>

> Stan Hart

> shart@whoi.edu

>

>

> Home Page: https://list.arizona.edu/sympa/info/aznmbirds

> To unsubscribe use the Unsubscribe button on that page.

> To view archive: click “Archive” on that page.

>