There are a few open Short-eared Owl survey grids in eastern Oregon. Not sure if there are Iblers who live in Malheur County or in the very western part of Idaho but this is a good chance to get in on some fun. Please contact Ellie Armstrong at the email below if interested.
Monthly Archives: February 2020
Re: Lower dam
Yesterday, 2/9 at Fort Boise WMA near Parma: 1000+ snow geese are resting prior to their push north, several dozen white fronted geese as well. Other notables, many yellow-rumped warblers, a N shrike. Geese are easily viewed from elevated platform blind overlooking marsh. Cheers, Rich Nampa
Photos By: M Marzinelli
Lower dam
L.lowell snow goose up close to dam.+ 5 eared grebes
Re: Sharp-shin
Have you asked him to share?
Sharp-shin
I’ve been watching a Sharp-shinned Hawk plucking and then eating a Eurasian Collared-Dove in my backyard for over two and a half hours.
Kit
Kit Struthers
Idaho Falls, ID
kit619@…
Lake lowell
Lower dam tons of golden eyes several common mergansers two red neck grebes.lions pond sharpie
Snow Day!
In the last week I have been pleased to welcome as many as 30 Pine Siskins at a time to my feeders. Frequently they have been accompanied by A. Goldfinches, a bird that had disappeared from my yard for a while. In fact, for 3-4 weeks in late December into January, I didn’t have to touch my sock feeder because nobody was interested. Then the Siskins arrived and then a horde of L. Goldfinches as well. It’s nice to have them all back.
Also, yesterday, for the first time in a long time (years?), I saw a Spotted Towhee on my regular route. He was skulking in the brush along Remington St., across from the entrance to LarKen, the folks who make concrete vaults for toilets. I was looking for White-crowned Sparrows and he was suddenly there. Hopefully he’ll stick around for a while.
And hopefully tomorrow will be biking weather again.
Tom McCabe, Boise
Hoot Owl BIrds
I haven’t posted this winter as we’re getting usual visitors and no real rarities.
Both BC and mountain chickadees hit the feeders. Mountain numbers are up and, about ⅓ the number of black capped. A few siskens show up but not as many as other years. I see siskens all year long and they hang with the goldfinches. We have a good sized flock of Evening Grosbeaks, counted 40 in the tree in front staging for a feeder rush. Even have juncos at hanging feeder. I’m going through 10-15 lbs black oil sunflowers a week.
Turkeys are around but lying low and providing sustenance for local predators and carcasses as well for general feeding. I saw a flock of 12 Ruffed Grouse in field below, larger flock size than before, but they are always around.
Magpies continue their recent winter feeding habits, hanging off feeders for seeds, scavenging underneath for spills and working dog poop for whatever. I’ve noticed little raptor action except for trolling eagles and our usual good flock of ravens.
Bill Moore
Hoot Owl
Inkom