Just returned home after taking a Sun morning drive over to Sun Valley. Coming back home, saw my first Swainson’s Hawk of the year at Carey. It flew right overhead, so I pulled over & put binocs on it to confirm the field markings. Then, just NW of Blackfoot on Hwy 26, saw my 2nd Swainson’s of the day. I’m going to have to check my records, but believe this is my earliest date of arrival for Swainson’s Hawk.
Back home, still have good numbers of Cassin’s Finches hitting the sunflower seeds. Yesterday, counted at least 20.
Today, have seen up to 18 Cassin’s Finches (9 males & 9 females) at a time at the feeder. As noted in Sibley’s, they tend to forage moreso on the ground for scattered seed, than up on the platform itself. Haven’t seen this many in a number of years. Hope they’re not done coming through!
Others: White-crowned Sparrows, House Finches, American Goldfinches, BC Chickadees, RB Nuthatches & RW Blackbirds visiting the black-oil sunflower seeds. I also put out the thistle seed feeder, in hopes of attracting Pine Siskins. The goldfinches found it, right off!
Thanks for the report, Bill. Guess I’ll put a feeder out now. Given the vagaries of weather lately, was tentatively waiting for first of May. My first spring arrivals are usually Black-chinneds. So, will see when one shows up.
First hummer just now, Broad Tail. Feeders have been up three or so days. We also have had Bluebirds, Tree Swallows and Cassins Finches, with their baseball caps.
White-crowned Sparrows arrived this past week in good numbers & have been present daily around the feeder, feeding on scattered black-oil sunflower seeds. One of my faves came into the feeder yesterday, 2 pairs of male & female Cassin’s Finches. Always a spring treat to see.
Today, showed the best bird of the weekend. A Long-billed Curlew near a friend’s grassy pasture. Before all the area farms became laser-leveled & changed to pivots from flood irrigation, the Long-billeds were regular spring arrivals, and stayed well into summer. Now, a rare treat! This one was working a grassy depression along an old fence line.
I live in one of the subdivisions (the smallest one, Eaglecrest) just across the road from the townhomes and bike park. In which neighborhood / subdivision did you see them?
There has been a flock of red crossbill in the pine trees in the neighborhood adjacent to Eagle bike park. Will be interesting to see how long the flock hangs around.
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