Almost…just almost, the feeling of a hint of Fall this AM. It may just be the rains & cooler temps, but the weather change is welcome, all the same. Just had a Warbling Vireo come through. Others this AM: RB Nuthatch, Gray Catbird, W Wood-pewee & a lone, female BH Grosbeak. The majority of Grosbeaks headed out about a week ago.
Hummingbirds seem to have moved out, too. Not sure if it was the heat or regional wildfires, but have seen only a handful of juv Black-chinneds. Hoping to get more, including Rufous & Calliope pushing through, as Fall arrives.
Yeah, looking at eBird data there are records all the way back to
1997 but more and lower elevation more recently. Interesting that
they seem to be expanding to both higher and lower elevations.
On 8/12/26 06:48PM, Ken Miracle via
groups.io wrote:
Just for clarification, what those who have lived there for a long
time told me was that 10 or so years ago Pileated became more
prevalent in the cottonwood river bottoms and from Hailey
downstream instead of almost always upstream and in higher
elevations where they had seen them for many years. I have never
had a good memory for numbers so do not remember exactly the
number of years they were telling me as they helped me look for a
Pileated that eluded me on multiple attempts in the area when the
“they were in my backyard yesterday” jinx was my lot.
On Aug 12, 2026, at 6:03 PM, Cliff Weisse via groups.io <cliffandlisa@…> wrote:
As far as I know they’ve always been in the Wood
River/Sun Valley area but, aside from one old record in
the Centennial Mountains, they were not known in eastern
Idaho.
Cliff
On 8/8/26 09:32PM, Ken
Miracle via groups.io wrote:
Pileated have been in the Wood River Valley riparian for
at least the last 10 years. They were my nemesis for
some time. I finally went up and saw them for the first
time when I knew what I was seeing at Ponderosa State
Park. Shortly after being surrounded by mom dad and the
kids at Ponderosa I had one fly over my head and land in
a tree at the Intermountain Bird Observatory Lucky Peak
banding station Now I see and hear them quite frequently
all along the Boise Front and they are regulars at IBO
Lucky Peak. There have been a few unconfirmed sightings
in the last couple of years along the Boise River
upstream from the start of the Bethine Church River
Trail upstream to Lucky Peak Dam. Last year I heard one
at Barber Park but could not find it.
On Aug 8, 2026, at 7:17 PM, Cliff Weisse via
groups.io <cliffandlisa@…>
wrote:
A couple days ago I was stuck at a road
construction site on US 20 @ Ashton Hill, about
five miles north of Ashton and Pileated
Woodpecker flew across the road and landed in a
tree it started hammering on. This is by far the
furthest south I’ve seen one in eastern Idaho.
For whatever reason they have moved into the
Centennial Mountains along the Idaho/Montana
border (as well as the Gallatin valley and
Bozeman, MT area). Maybe they’re going to start
showing up in riparian areas in the upper Snake
River Valley? Time will tell.
Cliff
—
Cliff and Lisa Weisse
Island Park, Idaho cliffandlisa@…
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
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
Awakened about 2AM last night to the repetitive single note call of a Saw-whet Owl at edge of backyard, then it headed farther back into the Riparian ground of the Snake River, but kept calling. Around 3 AM, it returned to edge of backyard. I dozed off about 3:15. At 6 AM, when awakened again, there was no more calling. Hadn’t heard one in a few yrs, so took me awhile to figure out which bird I was listening to. Typical of this owl type to keep up such repetitive calls for hours at a time.
Just for clarification, what those who have lived there for a long time told me was that 10 or so years ago Pileated became more prevalent in the cottonwood river bottoms and from Hailey downstream instead of almost always upstream and in higher elevations where they had seen them for many years. I have never had a good memory for numbers so do not remember exactly the number of years they were telling me as they helped me look for a Pileated that eluded me on multiple attempts in the area when the “they were in my backyard yesterday” jinx was my lot.
On Aug 12, 2026, at 6:03 PM, Cliff Weisse via groups.io <cliffandlisa@…> wrote:
As far as I know they’ve always been in the Wood River/Sun Valley
area but, aside from one old record in the Centennial Mountains,
they were not known in eastern Idaho.
Cliff
On 8/8/26 09:32PM, Ken Miracle via
groups.io wrote:
Pileated have been in the Wood River Valley riparian for at least
the last 10 years. They were my nemesis for some time. I finally
went up and saw them for the first time when I knew what I was
seeing at Ponderosa State Park. Shortly after being surrounded by
mom dad and the kids at Ponderosa I had one fly over my head and
land in a tree at the Intermountain Bird Observatory Lucky Peak
banding station Now I see and hear them quite frequently all along
the Boise Front and they are regulars at IBO Lucky Peak. There
have been a few unconfirmed sightings in the last couple of years
along the Boise River upstream from the start of the Bethine
Church River Trail upstream to Lucky Peak Dam. Last year I heard
one at Barber Park but could not find it.
On Aug 8, 2026, at 7:17 PM, Cliff Weisse via groups.io <cliffandlisa@…> wrote:
A couple days ago I was stuck at a road construction
site on US 20 @ Ashton Hill, about five miles north of
Ashton and Pileated Woodpecker flew across the road and
landed in a tree it started hammering on. This is by far
the furthest south I’ve seen one in eastern Idaho. For
whatever reason they have moved into the Centennial
Mountains along the Idaho/Montana border (as well as the
Gallatin valley and Bozeman, MT area). Maybe they’re going
to start showing up in riparian areas in the upper Snake
River Valley? Time will tell.
Cliff
—
Cliff and Lisa Weisse
Island Park, Idaho cliffandlisa@…
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
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
As far as I know they’ve always been in the Wood River/Sun Valley
area but, aside from one old record in the Centennial Mountains,
they were not known in eastern Idaho.
Cliff
On 8/8/26 09:32PM, Ken Miracle via
groups.io wrote:
Pileated have been in the Wood River Valley riparian for at least
the last 10 years. They were my nemesis for some time. I finally
went up and saw them for the first time when I knew what I was
seeing at Ponderosa State Park. Shortly after being surrounded by
mom dad and the kids at Ponderosa I had one fly over my head and
land in a tree at the Intermountain Bird Observatory Lucky Peak
banding station Now I see and hear them quite frequently all along
the Boise Front and they are regulars at IBO Lucky Peak. There
have been a few unconfirmed sightings in the last couple of years
along the Boise River upstream from the start of the Bethine
Church River Trail upstream to Lucky Peak Dam. Last year I heard
one at Barber Park but could not find it.
On Aug 8, 2026, at 7:17 PM, Cliff Weisse via groups.io <cliffandlisa@…> wrote:
A couple days ago I was stuck at a road construction
site on US 20 @ Ashton Hill, about five miles north of
Ashton and Pileated Woodpecker flew across the road and
landed in a tree it started hammering on. This is by far
the furthest south I’ve seen one in eastern Idaho. For
whatever reason they have moved into the Centennial
Mountains along the Idaho/Montana border (as well as the
Gallatin valley and Bozeman, MT area). Maybe they’re going
to start showing up in riparian areas in the upper Snake
River Valley? Time will tell.
Cliff
—
Cliff and Lisa Weisse
Island Park, Idaho cliffandlisa@…
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
Today, while riding along Veteran’s Pond, 2 large white birds flew by, giving me only brief glimpses. They were definitely terns, and their size, whiteness, black cap and bright bills led me to believe they were Caspians. While I have seen Caspian Terns on
my bike rides along the river before, it has been years. I’m hoping someone else will get a better view and a positive ID.
The current one as the Northwest burns as the world heats up is that all the bird sounds are the same cough cough cough.
On Aug 9, 2026, at 6:26 AM, Richard and Ann Rusnak via groups.io <rarusnak62@…> wrote:
Indeed, there are fascinating and tragic wildlife movements occurring across the continent, forced by a rapidly changing climate and the cascade of its effects. One wonders if the PIWO’s are following beetle and drought killed forestry changes? Adapt or perish, the constant burden of all life on this little blue orb. Abhorrently, now humans have created a run away locomotive of innumerable change. Simultaneously a fascinating and depressing time to be alive.
eBird is an invaluable project, in regard to documenting these changes, as we are all well aware.
Does anyone else have similar observations from your years of observations and documentations?
It would be fun to hear more of these 1st hand experiences from the community.
Cheers, Rich
Boise/Valley Co.
<IMG_4696.jpeg>
On Aug 8, 2026, at 21:32, Ken Miracle via groups.io <chukar28@…> wrote:
Pileated have been in the Wood River Valley riparian for at least the last 10 years. They were my nemesis for some time. I finally went up and saw them for the first time when I knew what I was seeing at Ponderosa State Park. Shortly after being surrounded by mom dad and the kids at Ponderosa I had one fly over my head and land in a tree at the Intermountain Bird Observatory Lucky Peak banding station Now I see and hear them quite frequently all along the Boise Front and they are regulars at IBO Lucky Peak. There have been a few unconfirmed sightings in the last couple of years along the Boise River upstream from the start of the Bethine Church River Trail upstream to Lucky Peak Dam. Last year I heard one at Barber Park but could not find it.
On Aug 8, 2026, at 7:17 PM, Cliff Weisse via groups.io <cliffandlisa@…> wrote:
A couple days ago I was stuck at a road construction site on US 20 @ Ashton Hill, about five miles north of Ashton and Pileated Woodpecker flew across the road and landed in a tree it started hammering on. This is by far the furthest south I’ve seen one in eastern Idaho. For whatever reason they have moved into the Centennial Mountains along the Idaho/Montana border (as well as the Gallatin valley and Bozeman, MT area). Maybe they’re going to start showing up in riparian areas in the upper Snake River Valley? Time will tell.
Cliff
— Cliff and Lisa Weisse Island Park, Idaho cliffandlisa@…
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
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
Indeed, there are fascinating and tragic wildlife movements occurring across the continent, forced by a rapidly changing climate and the cascade of its effects. One wonders if the PIWO’s are following beetle and drought killed forestry changes? Adapt or perish, the constant burden of all life on this little blue orb. Abhorrently, now humans have created a run away locomotive of innumerable change. Simultaneously a fascinating and depressing time to be alive.
eBird is an invaluable project, in regard to documenting these changes, as we are all well aware.
Does anyone else have similar observations from your years of observations and documentations?
It would be fun to hear more of these 1st hand experiences from the community.
Cheers, Rich
Boise/Valley Co.
Home of Idaho Birding and the Idaho Bird Records Committee
