They come through going south every fall and some hang around longer than others. A few are reported around Treasure Valley all winter. I have photographs of large flocks in mid November going back several years including some from yesterday đ
On Nov 20, 2022, at 2:45 PM, Tom & Susan Soniville <tomnsueid@…> wrote:
We were between Nampa and Marsing when we saw large flocks of snow geese overhead. Drove to the south end of Lake Lowell and found a couple thousand of them on the water or coming in. Seems early.
Tom Soniville
— Tom Soniville Boise. North End
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Ken Miracle chukar28@… 208-570-2780 “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God” 2COR 3:5
We were between Nampa and Marsing when we saw large flocks of snow geese overhead. Drove to the south end of Lake Lowell and found a couple thousand of them on the water or coming in. Seems early.
Todayâs ride started with a FOY Townsendâs Solitaire near 25th and Brumback. Then it continued with W. Grebe, Hooded Mergansers, Barrowâs Goldeneye, Common Goldeneye, 3 RT Hawks, 3 A Kestrels, RN Ducks and most of the usual suspects.
But the big finale was again a Mountain Bluebird, and this time there were 2! One was bright blue, the other a duller, darker blue. When I pointed them out to a passing jogger, a Sayâs Phoebe jumped up from the ground and started âflycatchingâ around. This
all took place on the other side of the path from Veterans Park. Final tally was 36 species in 12 ½ miles.
Thank you for identifying the âlarge stalk of vegetationâ as a wooly mullein stalk. You have expanded my horizons. I see them everywhere, but I had no name for them. Thanks. Tom
My sister and I were walking in the same area you describe and saw the Mountain Bluebird on a spent wooly mullein stalk by the empty canal. I was hoping you and Susan would see it!
Iâm not sure how big a deal this is for everyone else, but my wife, Susan, found a Mountain Bluebird today. I think it may be my first of the year, not just of the season. The bird was at the south end of Veterans Park, where the greenbelt
path is separated from the park by a ditch with a wooden footbridge. We saw the bird on the way out on our (cold) ride, but I didnât see it on the way back. It was perched on a large stalk of vegetation along the ditch and seemed tolerant of the people passing
by on the greenbelt path.
Lots of ducks have arrived, hopefully to stay. Gadwalls are suddenly common, Hooded Mergansers are daily, and Common Goldeneye have started to hang out at Silver Lake. Plus, I saw an Osprey in the last week, but he was a one hit wonder.
Glad you’re back online. Hate it that spammers and ransomware criminals are so widespread and seemingly operating with impunity. The ransomware f***ers are mostly operating from other countries so not much US law enforcement can do about that.
This is Kerry, one of the new Wednesday morning birders. I DO have a great tech guy. He works for Riverstone International School but also does work outside the school. His email is: jbell@…Â Heâs very knowledgeable. He also has a âhome visitâ guy who could come to your house if that would work.
Glad youâre back in business.
Hope this msg. doesnât go to your spam folder!
Best,
Kerry
Home of Idaho Birding and the Idaho Bird Records Committee
