Thanks for the responses. Today, have seen one adult male BC & a juv BC Hummingbird at feeder. Both have hit feeder sev times. Think this summer’s heat & wildfires have thrown others into a different migration route. As it cools, will see if more show. In past yrs, by now, typical to have had regular visits by Rufous (a handful last mo), Calliope & Broad-tailed.
Did just have a lone Pine Siskin show at platform feeder. And, have 4-5 Gray Catbirds in backyard stream willows this summer. Have nested there for sev yrs now. A Wilson’s Warbler earlier today.
I live in the North End of Boise, and I haven’t seen a big drop in hummers. I have 3 feeders scattered around a yard that is full of colorful flowers. Sometimes we see them at the feeders and other times they ae at the flowers. Compared to last year, this year
has been more productive. Almost all have been Black-chinned, with a few sightings of Rufous.
We live in the West Bench area of Boise and noticed a drop off in humming birds last year. So far this year the sightings have plummeted. My semi-scientific way of measuring
this is by the number of humming bird pictures have taken over the last three years. For 2026, I have taken approximately 70% fewer pictures than 2025, to date. In 2025 I took about 20% few pictures than 2024. We also are not having to fill the hummingbird
feeders nearly as often, this year, as well. Friends that live within a few miles of us have also noticed the drop off in sightings.
What I don’t know is if this pattern holds in other parts of Boise, or the Treasure Valley. May just be someone has prettier and more aromatic flowers in their garden five miles
away from us and we just need to up our gardening game.
Bill Moore, if you see this, suspect you’re probably getting dozens. But, curious, have you noticed any decrease in your hummingbird numbers??? Any other folks out there have info on hummingbird migration?
It’s been 2 yrs since I’ve had a new yard bird. Was clearing trail back in our riparian cottonwood stretch after a windstorm last night. I always have my binocs handy. Spotted a warbler with bright yellow side bars when it fanned its tail. Got all the field marks: overall gray & gray head with a hint of yellow below front wings & flashing its yellow-barred tail as it worked thru middle story of sumac & cottonwoods.
Had to wait til I got back to the house & Sibley’s shows a 1st yr female American Redstart. Many yrs since I’ve seen a Redstart. My old 2nd ed of ID Bird Distribution by Stephens & Sturts shows it to be transient for my latilong. Exciting, as appears Fall migration thru my area has been impacted by this summer’s heat. Most of my Yellow Warblers & Black-headed Grosbeaks have already left. And, sadly, my hummingbird numbers are almost non-existent, now. Hoping for cooler temps & more of an influx of Fall migrants.
Over the yrs, along the Snake of E ID, have GH Owl & W Screech as residents, fairly regular Saw-whet, N Pygmy (once), Great Gray (flyover), Long-eared (stayed around about a week), Barn Owl (occasional) & Short-eared (flyover). Never a Flammulated. But, know of one window strike demise of a Boreal a mile west of me, yrs ago.
From our Valley County spot, I have documented several years of N Pygmy owls, saw whets, and a first this past May a flamm calling. But fewer occurences since seeing a Barred owl, 9/2025. Spring and again in Oct seen to be the most reliable times I catch them on Merlin. Another one off occurrence, several years back, I heard a long eared owl.
My Pygmy owl box has yet to be occupied, after 8 springs, except by flying squirrels.
Thanks for the post! Our most common owl residents are Great-horned & W Screech. But, haven’t heard a screech owl in a couple months. Saw-whet is an occasional visitor to river riparian area. Prob more common in bordering mtn areas.
Some tims this week I heard a Western Screech Owl calling in my yard, but I wasn’t in a position to see it. I had heard one the previous week, and my neighbor heard duetting.
Diann Stone
Depot Bench Boise
Home of Idaho Birding and the Idaho Bird Records Committee
