Pleasantly surprised this morning to see a beautiful Steller’s Jay busily
enjoying the cones in one of our many pine trees here in the sandy eastern
edge of Blackfoot. While they are regularly seen in the pine forests of
eastern Idaho at higher elevations, this is the first I have seen at this
elevation surrounded by ag fields and sagebrush/steppe. Hope he will hang
around. He sure was carrying on loudly, more vocal then the magpies.

Some random birding notes from past few days. Best bird at home was an immature Northern Shrike that I saw Fri, when I went down to river to fly-fish. Yest, headed up to cabin & filled tank at Dave’s Jubilee in Ashton & saw a Blue Jay at a residence across from parking lot (my Blue Jay at home seems to have moved on). Between Ashton & Ashton Hill spotted a Rough-legged Hawk soaring above. As I drove through Last Chance, had to pull over, next to Henry’s Fk, & count all the Trumpeter Swans…from one location counted 75 swans. The river is open & looked like the swans were taking full advantage of feeding on underwater vegetation. Got a few great photos with the river, swans, trees & snow-covered Mt Sawtelle in background.

As I got closer to cabin, I watched a Great Gray Owl take off from a spruce tree, sail across the road & head deeper into the woods. Usual RB Nuthatches & Mt Chickadees are up at cabin.

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot