Great pics! Looks like a merlin to me.
Merry Christmas everyone!
John in Cascade
Monthly Archives: December 2021
Raptor ID
Took these pictures at Veterans Park two days ago. I’m thinking juvenile Merlin, seems too small for a Sharp Shinned and not quite right for Kestrel. Would appreciate your thoughts.
Thanks,
Tom Soniville
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Tom Soniville
Boise. North End
R-b Sapsucker at Morris Hill
Hey there Boys and girls in ible-land.
Been studying and culling my not-so-good photos I took yesterday at Morris Hill Cem. here in Boise. Was very bothered. Then went back to the photos taken by others and posted on ebird. Then went into some research in the “Peterson Reference Guide to Woodpeckers of N.A.“, Stephen A. Shunk, 2016 (see photo on pg. 128 but esp. one on pg. 129). In other words, a lot of back-and-forthing. Be happy if anyone can correct me, but, I think maybe we’d better re-look at that called R-b sapucker, daggetti, a bit closer. The head appears to be way too much R-n sapsucker-ish in appearance. The black-and-white face continuing fadingly on the side of the head with just a hazy slash of red coming up thru and behind the eye. Even a daggetti should have more of a red head than I see in all the photos. There are a couple on ebird that show what appears to be some yellow on the upper breast. Could that indicate an imm. bird. Similar to HOFI’s where the imm. males show yellow where they will eventually have red? Just a thought or two, that as I said I earlier would be happy to be corrected about.
A Merry Happy Holidays to you all and Continued Good Birding. RL
Been studying and culling my not-so-good photos I took yesterday at Morris Hill Cem. here in Boise. Was very bothered. Then went back to the photos taken by others and posted on ebird. Then went into some research in the “Peterson Reference Guide to Woodpeckers of N.A.“, Stephen A. Shunk, 2016 (see photo on pg. 128 but esp. one on pg. 129). In other words, a lot of back-and-forthing. Be happy if anyone can correct me, but, I think maybe we’d better re-look at that called R-b sapucker, daggetti, a bit closer. The head appears to be way too much R-n sapsucker-ish in appearance. The black-and-white face continuing fadingly on the side of the head with just a hazy slash of red coming up thru and behind the eye. Even a daggetti should have more of a red head than I see in all the photos. There are a couple on ebird that show what appears to be some yellow on the upper breast. Could that indicate an imm. bird. Similar to HOFI’s where the imm. males show yellow where they will eventually have red? Just a thought or two, that as I said I earlier would be happy to be corrected about.
A Merry Happy Holidays to you all and Continued Good Birding. RL
Re: Seeking records of nests in knotweed
Thanks for the question, Russ.
Mostly common shrub-nesting species including red-winged blackbird, gray catbird, brown thrasher, northern cardinal, American goldfinch, cedar waxwing, dark-eyed junco, indigo bunting. One record of wild turkey (on the ground under knotweed). Many nests are found in winter and are difficult to identify. Likely there are many additional species.
Erik
Erik Kiviat PhD PWS, Executive Director, Hudsonia Ltd.
P.O. Box 5000 / 30 Campus Road, Annandale NY 12504 USA;
tel. 845-758-7273, fax 845-758-7033; kiviat@…; www.hudsonia.org
P.O. Box 5000 / 30 Campus Road, Annandale NY 12504 USA;
tel. 845-758-7273, fax 845-758-7033; kiviat@…; www.hudsonia.org
Hudsonia is a tax exempt, nonprofit, non-advocacy, scientific research and
education institute: Please support us at http://hudsonia.org/support/
Re: Seeking records of nests in knotweed
Have you been able to document what different species are using knotweed.
Seeking records of nests in knotweed
Good evening,
Please see the attachment.
While participating in a CBC or any birding endeavor this winter, please check knotweed stands for nests.
Thank you for your assistance!
Erik
Erik Kiviat PhD PWS, Executive Director, Hudsonia Ltd.
P.O. Box 5000 / 30 Campus Road, Annandale NY 12504 USA;
tel. 845-758-7273, fax 845-758-7033; kiviat@…; www.hudsonia.org
P.O. Box 5000 / 30 Campus Road, Annandale NY 12504 USA;
tel. 845-758-7273, fax 845-758-7033; kiviat@…; www.hudsonia.org
Hudsonia is a tax exempt, nonprofit, non-advocacy, scientific research and
education institute: Please support us at http://hudsonia.org/support/
Email and day report
After I posted my 3 days of biking, I received several emails to my old Cable One address. I’m still working through the process of updating everybody, but just to be safe, my new email address is
tmccabe9@….
BTW, today seemed even colder than the prior days, but the birding was still quite good. I tallied 40 species, again in 11 miles. And I had not realized today was the Christmas Bird Count. There were multiple people with giant cameras on
the path today, each working their assigned turf. I considered doing a list of birders. 😉
Tom McCabe, Boise
Re: Biking and birding in the cold
It’s so great that you continue biking for birds even as temperatures drop in winter. Thank you for posting your explorations and sightings for us on IBLE email. I appreciate your narratives. The Townsend’s Solitaires and Bohemian waxwing would have brought joy to my day also. Just reading about those brought me a smile. Thanks.
Diann Stone Boise Depot Bench
Re: Biking and birding in the cold
Thank you for your bike birding update! It sounds like your winter is off to a good start. 😀
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Aidan Lorenz
Caldwell
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Aidan Lorenz
Caldwell
Biking and birding in the cold
As the weather has shifted to winter temperatures, the birds have amazingly become more cooperative. Tuesday was too wet and icy, but Wednesday eased up. Highlights included a Bald Eagle at Esther Simplot Park and a Great Horned Owl roosting
along the greenbelt. During the ride, I found 4 Redtail Hawks, 4 A. Kestrels, 11 Great Blue herons and 13 DC Cormorants (the DCCO’s were all together). Final treat was a Bohemian Waxwing in a flock of Cedars near 25th and Brumback. My FOY! Final
tally was 40 species in 12 miles.
Thursday was nearly as bird filled, starting with a Cooper’s Hawk in our back yard, plus 2 Bald Eagles at Veterans Pond and a final tally of 38 species in 11 miles. Today was even better, with 40 species in 11 miles. The 2 Bald Eagles were
again hanging out in a tree between the back pond at ESP and Veterans Pond. My big treat today was 2 separate Townsend Solitaires, one at 23rd and Brumback and the other at 25th.
Wonder what I’ll find tomorrow?
Tom McCabe, Boise