Fall migration is fascinating & bittersweet. It depicts a change in the seasons to my favorite fly-fishing time of the year…fall. But, also represents the time when you realize the flush of our most colorful birds pushing through won’t return for another 6-7 months.
For the past 10 days, I’ve had Black-chinned & Calliope &, yesterday, Broad-tailed Hummers draining the nectar feeder every 2 days. Bill Moore has quite aptly pointed out to me that amt of nectar represented probably 80 individual hummingbirds draining the feeder. This AM, I’ve seen only a couple of Broad-tailed & Black-chinneds.
Plus, it seems like all have pushed through about 2 weeks early, esp the Rufous that came through a few wks ago. Maybe another bunch will arrive, but, as the majority have been juveniles, makes me wonder how many more are left in the Rockies?
One of the researchers at Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge is looking for 2 volunteers to help with grebe surveys. If you are interested please contact me by phone or email and I’ll pass along the rest of the information.
Today my family and I hiked up to Sawtooth Lake in the Sawtooth Wilderness of central Idaho with two target birds in mind: Spruce Grouse & Black Rosy-Finch. Unfortunately, I missed both of these targets but a few other interesting birds were present to make up for them: PEREGRINE FALCON, WILLIAMSON’S & RED-NAPED SAPSUCKERS, many BROWN CREEPERS, & both KINGLETS. I also had three finch species including RED CROSSBILL & CASSIN’S FINCH at Galena Summit. Overall, decent numbers & average diversity of birds for a hike in mainly montane forest habitat.
Good birding,
Henry Griffin
Ketchum ID
(Chicago IL)
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Just a quick note. Big change at feeder here at daybreak this AM. Equal numbers of juv Calliope & juv & female Broad-tailed Hummingbirds. 4-5 each. Not a single Black-chinned in sight. And no adult Black-chinneds in 3 days.
Past 2 days have seen the arrival of more juvenile Calliope Hummingbirds. Both males & females & not an adult in the bunch. Black-chinned juveniles are outnumbering the Calliope & it’s always a toss up as to whether they’ll peacefully take up opposite sides of the feeder or do battle! I did have a single juvenile Broad-tailed come in about dinner time.
Lazuli Bunting juveniles are still present with at least 25 around & an add’l 5 adult males. Also, a few more Chipping Sparrows have arrived. There are noticeably fewer BH Grosbeaks around. Only filling my seeds every 2 days, instead of 2-3 times/day.
A friend sent me a link to a “subreddit” entitled “Birds Aren’t Real.” If
you scroll down, you’ll find some interesting videos, etc. Here’s the link:
https://www.reddit.com/r/BirdsArentReal/.
Hiked about half way up Bald Mountain in SV from the Warm Springs side yesterday. Overall very quiet with long stretches of 0 birds, but I did have a few nice finds including Calliope Hummer, Cordilleran, Dusky, & Hammond’s Flycatchers, & a single Orange-crowned Warbler.
Good birding,
Henry Griffin
Ketchum ID
(Chicago IL)
Had my first female Calliope Hummingbird of the season visit the nectar feeder this AM. Along with adult male & female, and now, juvenile Black-chinneds, the feeder is getting a lot of use.
Black-headed Grosbeaks are still coming into the seed feeder. And, had a bumper crop of Lazuli Buntings hatched on the place this summer. Walked through a native grass/sagebrush area adjoining our Sainfoin wildlife food plot & scared up at least 20 Lazulis, about 3/4 were juveniles.
Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot
Home of Idaho Birding and the Idaho Bird Records Committee
