For several years, I’ve read the accounts of IBLE folks and have appreciated the thoughtful and personal stories of birding outings along our greenbelts, eastern desserts, and the mountain and lake regions to our north. I’ve been fortunate to get to know both the southern and northern flanks of our Idaho bird world. I’ve never been much of a counter, but I have been a constant observer and admirer of birds for over 45 years. Just for the fun of it, I thought I’d share a going-into-summer poem that I wrote while living on the edge of a meadow outside Sandpoint. Bonus points if you can figure out why I’ve entitled it “Basket”. 

Thank you to everyone for passing on their birding joy, and peace to you in this time of isolation. ~ Kerry Fitzharris (Boise)

another day out doors above swan falls east of rd. Birds of prey over look no raptors headed home took victory rd.drove real slow nada turned on warren spur rd.came around curve small raptor sit on rocks started to back away so not spook it flew off got to hi way 45 tired & hungry no more drive slow  drove past turned around and got photo  spent 4 hrs boondocks with 1hr.birds prey over look get main Hi way heading home wam  got what i first thought kriders red tail any thoughts? 

Saturday morning 4/18/2020 I decided to try a local Boise birding place that might not have too many people. At Marianne Williams Park by the restrooms (closed) and ponds, there was only one other vehicle around 8:45. By the time I returned around 11, there were 15, so I timed it right for crowd avoidance. 

A great report. Your backyard is busy with birds!

Apart from some volunteering on a local Curlew project and brief runs to the store, I’ve stayed home during these COVID-19 times …  lots of yard work and a real appreciation for yard birds. I really miss the social part of birding; sharing the enthusiasm and passion for birds so I thought I would share my morning yard birds in the Boise foothills.

…. Cold start but house finches and gold finches are super busy  and the constant, repetitive song of robins are everywhere; their squabbles too as they fight and chase each other and scream.  A House Wren pokes its head out of a current thicket … welcome back! The Say’s Phoebe is singing … same every morning without fail since I returned home three weeks ago.  “Sip”. Nice, a Chipping Sparrow, the first of four that passes through the yard in the next hour. A stunning male Audubon’s Warbler flycatching from a cottonwood … it’s bright yellow skullcap makes me think back to very different Warblers in Israel only three weeks ago….  A brief trill and an Orange crowned warbler moves into the next tree. With the sun comes the Ruby- crowned kinglets and that crazy downward haphazard spiralling song .. and the raptors. Above the lazy group of turkey vultures are smaller red tails, thernalling more tightly ..  and above them a tiny male sharpie. A male harrier is doing a loop-d-loop display, maybe trying to grab the attention of two birds migrating over so high they are just tiny specks. Up in the blue are mixed flocks of swallows … and now most have moved on again and we are left with a few locals around the cliffs.

Almost 50 species or so, some seedlings transplanted, and some firewood cut.  Happy yard birding.

Steve Dougill, Boise, ID

We decided to go check things out we havent been out there since nov.started out Reynolds area drove past cemetary and got this pheasant in road pulled off and walked road about 1/2 mile no birds drove dirt road over to murphy stopping wet areas for birds only red w.b b’s on to silver city rd.hoping for sparrow or cassins finches nest sites nada on to sinker creek check both sides rd.nada walkedup rd.about 3/4 mi.nada spent about 2 hrs in creek area saw only beautiful blue skies awesome any day in the owyhee’s better then home in these trying times refreshing