My wife and a friend were walking at Camelsback Park this morning and sighted a hummingbird. Distance was too great for a solid identification, but movement and the irredecent green were obvious. Anyone else have them visiting?
I had a Says Phoebe show up this morning, first ever here. It didn’t stay long but flew off toward the stream below us. At first I thought it was a Robin, but the behavior, perching and tail wagging, was different and on looking definitely not a Robin. Guess I’ll need to watch our Robins a little closer from now on. Female Red Wings just showed up a day or so ago along with our local Sandhills.
I’ve been doing a Winter Raptor Survey nearby and last week while looking for Raptors, largely skunked, I headed down to Red Rocks Pass and Swan Lake, below Downey, and found over 50 Tundra Swans on the main lake and a few more in the weeds below the lake.
Was finishing up a round of birding at Emmett Wastewater Treatment Plant earlier this morning when I heard the characteristic call. Tracked it down on the footpath running east at the south end of the ponds. Too quick for me to snap a pic but was able to get a wee recording. Tried following it east, and checked Gem Island park as well but the trail went cold. Still, a rare but very cheerful appearance.
This AM, had a bright, spring-plumage male, Cassin’s Finch in yard. Yesterday, a small group (3-4) Mtn Chickadees came through.
Also, most of the week, esp mid-AM have seen & heard (at night) flyovers of thousands of Tundra Swans & Snow Geese, all headed north. And, some Sandhill Cranes, as well. Red-winged Blackbird males are here singing & setting up territories, awaiting the arrival of females. Robins are starting to show in larger numbers, as well.
Had to look up, every spring this is a repeat for me, the mating call of male Spotted Towhees, as their behavior changes from the rest of the year. Getting to watch a male Towhee in his fresh, bright colors, singing from 15′ up in a tree & staying in place, is a treat.
Yesterday I took a longer ride west to Eagle. Twenty-three miles got me 49 species, including a FOY Canvasback (thank you Jason), a pair of Bald Eagles at their nest, and a GH Owl peeking out of its tree nest. I tried hard to get a round number, but the 50th bird eluded me.
Today, I took a ride only half that long (11 miles) and found 45 species. Highlights included a flyover by a large “V” of Sandhill Cranes, a pair of Osprey setting up housekeeping on a light tower at Willow Lane, and a rocket Cooper’s in my back yard. Of course, I got a little colder and wetter than yesterday, but that’s birding.
BTW, today was the 3rd day in 4 that I exceeded 40 species. Gotta love Springtime!
Since I was scheduled to get my 2d vaccine at the VA today, I had to do an early ride or not go at all (which is not a choice). So I headed out relatively early for me, but after the stuff falling out of the sky stopped being white and thick. By the time I had gone 5 blocks, I already had 10 birds. Then at Esther Simplot I found C. Goldeneye and a pair of N. Shovelers, and I started to get my hopes up—although by this time it was pretty wet, and I was getting cold.
The birds kept falling into place as I proceeded down river. Just past Willow Lane, I found #31, a Cooper’s Hawk. Right after that I found a pair of Barrow’s Goldeneye and heard a RB Nuthatch, and the rain intensified. At Les Bois track, I was able to peek through the fence to see a male Bufflehead and a couple of male GW Teal. And the birds kept coming–as did the rain. Number 40 was a huge GB Heron standing in the middle of the river, and 41 was a RT Hawk.
When I got back to Willow Lane, I decided I should try the restrooms to see if I could warm my hands. No luck on that, but just then an Osprey flew over, circled a few times and landed on a light tower with nesting material in his talons. My day was made, but I didn’t get to warm my hands until Esther Simplot.
Final tally was 43 species in about 11 miles. A wonderful, but wet, day.
Brian Carrigan’s posting inspired me to share my recent observations with you. I’m in Tucson, AZ currently and enjoying different opportunities here. Hawk watch is on during the month of March, usually peaking around the 15th. I was at the official hawk watch location on 3/12 and again 3/18. Following is my narrative of 3/18/2021.
———- Forwarded message —– From: Diann Stone<dstoneak2id@…> Date: Sat, Mar 20, 2021, 3:26 PM Subject: Raptors at Tubac 3/18/2021
There are no photos with my posting, but if there were, you would see a Zone-tailed Hawk, Common Black Hawk, Gray Hawk, and in one frame both a very light and a very dark Red-tailed Hawk. The images are embedded in my brain. Thursday was the best ever Tubac Hawk Watch Day. So many birds! There were too many for me to keep a tally. Common Black Hawks were overhead all morning, mostly in small groups. We would watch them approach, soar overhead, then continue across the sky heading northward. What a thrill! We birders often complain about “warbler neck” from looking high into the trees. “Raptor neck” is almost as bad, but a malady I accept for the grand rewards it brings.
On the drive to Tubac:
Mourning Dove
Rock Dove/Pigeon
Gila Woodpecker
Red-tailed Hawk
At Ron Morriss County Park:
Zone-Tailed Hawk
Common Black Hawk
Turkey Vulture
Black Vulture
Gray Hawk
American Kestrel
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Common Raven
Anna’s Hummingbird,
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Vermillion Flycatcher
On to Tumacacori to eat picnic lunch and walk part of the De Anza Trail.
Rufous-winged Sparrow
Verdin
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Hutton’s Vireo
Black Phoebe
Turkey Vulture (4)
Red-tailed Hawk
White-crowned Sparrow
Gray Hawk (heard in Cottonwoods)
Hermit Thrush
Northern Cardinal
Curve-billed Thrasher
Western Kingbird
So there you have it. A happy amateur’s bird list for one wonderful day!
If you want an excellent book to practice your raptor identification skills, I recommend The Crossley ID Guide, Raptors . 101 color plates, species descriptions, maps, comparison photos and self-testing photos galore.
Diann Stone (Boise)
“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” John Muir
Home of Idaho Birding and the Idaho Bird Records Committee
