We had a first today. A Mountain Chickadee dropped into our backyard for a quick bite and a sip at the bird bath. In 22 years in Boise, we have never had a Mountain Chickadee
come into our yards. Great treat. Also, we had hawk sightings for seven days straight in the yard. All sharp shinned, one was banded. Our dearth of birds has ended and when the hawks aren’t hanging around we can empty seven feeders in a day. The front coming
in this afternoon really pushed the birds to the seed.
Yellow-billed loon at Lower Dam in Canyon County. First seen by Cheryl Huizinga this morning but she couldn’t be sure since the bird was far out. Refound this afternoon closer to the dam towards the boat ramp area.
Louisa Evers
Take care of the birds and you take care of the world
On my daily bike ride, I go up 24th St. in the North End, hoping to find the resident flock of W. Turkeys. I didn’t encounter them today, but on the way back down 24th, I heard an unfamiliar call. I started to head
east on Heron when I saw 3 gray birds running along the ground. My initial reaction was that they were some kind of quail. They disappeared under a trailer, and I stopped in the street and activated Merlin. The unfamiliar call was still coming from somewhere
nearby, so I waited to see Merlin’s opinion. I was quite surprised when it said Gray Partridge. The call continued, but the 3 birds never showed themselves again. From what I saw, they were consistent with a Gray Partridge, but other than color and behavior,
I didn’t see any field marks.
Needless to say, I will be looking for them (and the turkeys) tomorrow.
Tom McCabe, Boise
Read that same article, Bill. Haven’t seen nor heard any Sandhills flying over yet, my way. And, haven’t headed to Camas to look. Just finished a long walk back in our woods & along the river. A few flyovers by Canada Geese, couple of Bald Eagles, but otherwise unusually quiet.
Best birding event was an ongoing, repetitive 2-note “conversation” I carried on for over 5 minutes with a Townsend’s Solitaire located at the tip-top of a cottonwood. The Solitaire wasn’t disturbed in the least. Always amazed at how a Solitaire can project its calls in 3 or 4 different directions from a single location!
Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot
I saw an article by Bill Scheiss about a thousand far northern Sandhills staging by Camas and Market Lake. Interesting I didn’t realize they staged nearby. Are they still there? Anyone go look?
Timing and locations to view. Today would have been day to go with weather deteriorating per forecast.
Bill Moore
Inkom
A couple of Fall arrivals this weekend: Pine Siskins & a White-throated Sparrow.
Plus, more small columns of Red-tailed Hawks overhead.
And, a Sharp-shinned Hawk has kept House Finches away from the platform feeder for a 2nd day now. I noticed yesterday afternoon the only visitors coming into the feeder were all BC Chickadees. And, most were giving alarm “chatters”. Plus, all the DE Juncos were gone. Toward evening, House Finches returned &, suddenly, there was the streaking missile flight of a bird with a screeching whistling through its feathers as it pulled up suddenly at the feeder! A Sharp-shinned Hawk attack…unsuccessful. This morning, it must have had better luck, as I found a small pile of Junco feathers under a spruce tree in the yard. And, once again, other than Chickadees, feeder activity was quiet.
Looks like our amazing Fall is about to move more toward Winter conditions, as the week progresses. But, what a mild & colorful Fall it has been!
Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot
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