I’ve been asked by the Tricolor Blackbird Portal to check for bands on the birds seen/photographed in Payette County. They have banded over 106,000 TRBL, primarily females, and on the left leg.
If any of you observers were fortunate enough to get photographs close enough that would expose a band, could you please email me?
It’s been many years & sightings have always been in early Spring, but just had a Say’s Phoebe land on back deck rail. Heard it’s 2-note call before locating the bird, as it gave call while coming in to land on rail. Got great binoc views through window about 15 ft away.
Adding a note here so that others interested in this sighting will see it: DO NOT USE PLAYBACK ON THESE BIRDS. This is an endangered species, the ABA Code of Ethics states that playback should never be used on threatened or endangered species. I need to look into it more, but in many cases for threatened species (e.g. western Yellow-billed Cuckoo) it is actually a violation of federal law to use playback on them. https://sc.audubon.org/news/using-bird-calls-ethically
What an unusual find by Peter and Katie. Maybe they are already in the know, but I shared the sightings on the observation portal at UCDavis’ Tricolored Blackbird page.
Found at least 9 tricolors in a flock of redwings out in a field about 1 mile east of the Big Willow OHV parking area and another 3 at a feedlot at the intersection of Stone Quarry and Little Willow roads. Will be posting photos and videos on Idaho Rare Birds and Discussion Facebook page when get back home.
A Tricolored Blackbird is in Payette County. The bird was originally found by Katie Sorensen and Peter Osloy on Sunday. The bird was also seen yesterday and again today.
The bird is in a large mixed blackbird flock. The flock is being seen on Big Willow Road. There is a feed lot at Big Willow and Gulch and a second one approximately 6 miles further on Big Willow. The bird has been seen at both feed lots.
There is a report of more than one Tricolored blackbird.
Denise Hughes Caldwell, Idaho Any day might be a special one-you just had to go outside and see if it was.—-Kenn Kaufman
In line with FOY sightings, yesterday I spotted a W. Meadowlark at Beeches corner on my way home from town. Also saw some kind of seagull while I was in town. And the RW Blackbirds have been here for over a week, even though most of eastern Idaho is still heavily snowed over.
In keeping with first of year sightings, Osprey have made their return to the Boise River Greenbelt. Plus, yesterday, in the middle of a wet ride, I found a W. Meadowlark at Esther Simplot Park. I think it was too snowy in the foothills
for him. Also, Say’s Phoebes are now more common, and I’ve been hearing (but have not seen) Sandhill Cranes flying over. Ain’t Spring grand?
My first turkey vulture sighting for this yr, 5 in a group soaring from east to west overhead. Have also spent the past decade restoring a sagebrush grassland on our Snake River property. Getting rid of the cheat grass (not easy btw!), expanding the native bunchgrass, as well as, the native sagebrush & rabbitbush already on the place. It paid off today! New bird #181 for our property: a Sagebrush Sparrow! Beautiful bird with all field markings. Actually listed as breeding per “Idaho Bird Distribution” in spite of what eBird may think…rolls eyes.
