As I got my bike out for my morning ride, I happened to look up. Above me
were about 30 Turkey Vultures, spiraling up on an updraft. They were
proceeding generally southeast from the North End.

My next surprise was a Western Grebe at Quinn’s Pond, followed by a pair of
Red-necked Grebes at Silver Lake. A flyover by some Red-tails at Remington
St. was not a surprise so much as a treat.

When I got back to Quinn’s Pond, I discovered that a pair of Ruddy Ducks had
joined the crowd, although they and the raft of A. Coots were outnumbered by
the SUP boarders. Final tally was 35 birds in 11 miles, an improvement over
recent rides.

On a separate note, I seem to have a flock of Cassin’s Finches, male and
female, enjoying the offerings in my back yard. I also have attracted the
attention of a Cooper’s Hawk that hangs out sometimes in our neighbor’s pine
tree. Our other neighbor has named it “Alice.” (In my younger days I
actually got to experience an Alice Cooper concert. Very different.)

Tom McCabe, Boise

I did some weekend birding in Latah, Nez Perce, Idaho, Lewis, and
Clearwater Counties in the southern Panhandle. It was notable for
featuring BOTH good weather and good birding, which are often mutually
exclusive during migration periods around here. Migrant songbirds (mostly
warblers and sparrows) were present at almost every location, and large
numbers of finches (Pine Siskins, Evening Grosbeaks) added some winter
flair. My first notable bird on Saturday was a GRAY FLYCATCHER working the
fence lines at the Genesee Sewage Lagoon (
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59979618). A late Violet-green Swallow
flew over, and 4 Long-billed Dowitchers were on the pond. Probably my best
stop was at Hell’s Gate State Park in Lewiston, which was packed with
migrants including as many as 150-200 warblers dominated by Audubon’s
Yellow-rumps, 5% Myrtle Yellow-rumps, Orange-crowned, Wilson’s, Townsend’s
Warblers, dozens of Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and ~100 Violet-green Swallows.
The best birds at Hell’s Gate were a COMMON TERN and another GRAY
FLYCATCHER, and the full list is on eBird:
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59985611 . These 2 Gray Flycatcher
records will be the first and second in eBird for Nez Perce County. Mann
Lake had 3 Red-necked Grebes (also 3 Westerns) and a similar crop of
shorebirds as reported by Keith the following day.

Saturday evening, my latest VAUX’S SWIFTS (~40) for Idaho came in to roost
at the Monastery of St. Gertrude near Cottonwood, and I was present when
they emerged and quickly dispersed around 7:50 the nest morning.
Otherwise, the Monastery was fairly quiet except for a couple of
Orange-crowned and Audubon’s Warblers, Chipping, Lincoln’s, and good
numbers of White-crowned Sparrows. 200+ American Pipits were all over the
dirt fields in the Tolo Lake area near Grangeville, and a careful perusal
might have revealed many times that number. Tolo Lake, itself, hosted one
each Horned and EARED GREBE, a BARN OWL, and a RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER. A
flock of swallows included my latest BANK SWALLOWS (4+) for Idaho and at
least one Violet-green. A nice Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warbler was at Pioneer
Park in Grangeville. Along the upper portion of “Old Whitebird Highway” I
observed my latest BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK for Idaho and briefly observed
what appeared to be yet another Gray Flycatcher, which disappeared before I
could study it closely. I briefly birded the Salmon River south to Slate
Creek, but found not much going on down there, and I headed back north. A
migrant HERMIT THRUSH was nice to see at the Nezperce Cemetery, and a
kettle of 12 Turkey Vultures was over the Clearwater River above Orofino.

Good Birding,

Carl Lundblad
Moscow, Idaho

A juvenile plumage Sabine’s Gull was present on the Snake River near the boat ramp below Minidoka Dam – an area locally known as Bishop’s Hole. I was there from 9:30 to 11:00 and again briefly about 1:00. The bird was present during these times. Also present were numerous Franklin’s and Ring-billed Gulls, a fair number of California Gulls and a few Forster’s Terns. The water flow has been reduced in the north channel exposing the river bed attracting many gulls and some shorebirds (Greater Yellowlegs, Killdeer & western Sandpipers). 
Steve Bouffard 2219 S. Colorado Ave.  Boise, ID 83706 sh_bouffard@yahoo.com