I haven’t checked the Latilong nest data yet, but I’ve been watching a female Black-chinned Hummingbird most of the morning. At first, I thought she was just visiting the flower baskets my wife filled last week. Then, I noticed her working along the house logs & an Aspen tree. She kept going back & forth from the house to a nearby Blue Spruce.

Finally, the Hummer perched for just long enough to see through the binocs that her bill tip was holding spider silk! The Black-chinned is building a nest. A new nesting bird for our property, here on the Snake River, west of Blackfoot. It’ll be fun to see how this goes. Also have: Cedar Waxwings, Am Robins, Am Kestrel, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Black-capped Chickadees, House Wrens, Am Goldfinches, Downy Woodpeckers, N Flickers & Yellow Warblers, all nesting now.

Got back home last night after spending a few days at the cabin in Island Park. And, had a raucous mob of about a dozen Stellar’s Jays keeping me company. Also, quite a few Evening Grosbeaks about. Plenty of Mt Chickadees & Red-breasted Nuthatches around, too. Sure that Cliff & Lisa can add many more to that list.

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot