Listserv Posts

Re: Transition day

The Veterans Park pond is huge. Plenty of room for the current resident to take off. The pond where the Loon couldn’t take off was Riverside Pond, 2.6 acres. VP pond is 17 acres. If you Google it, you’ll see that it stretches along the river quite a ways. Usually
there are a few DC Cormorants there, but I think they’ve moved downriver. I think they and the loon like it because F&G stocks it.
Tom
Listserv Posts

Transition day

My daily obsession with 30 species on my bike rides has had mixed results of late. Fortunately, some of the birds I’ve been finding have been quite rewarding. Today was a very special day. 
As I entered Esther Simplot Park today, I caught movement high up. My binos revealed that there was a Bald Eagle circling above me. Always a treat.
My next treat was a perched Osprey by the river near Silver Lake. Another raptor was circling nearby, but that one went behind the trees. I found an Osprey last Wednesday, near Vets Parkway and thought he was kind of late, but not as late as this bird.
Final real treat was an immature Common Loon at Veterans Park pond. I got a glimpse of the bird a few days ago, but I didn’t see it well enough to call it. Today the bird was much more cooperative. If you go looking for the bird, be prepared to wait through
some pretty long dives, but the wait is well worth it.
Final tally for the day- so far- is 29 birds. Of course, if Alice (our neighborhood Cooper’s Hawk) shows up, I’ll get my 30th.
Happy birding!
Tom McCabe, Boise 
Listserv Posts

Re: Ibis help

Hi Ken,

I looked at your photos and I’m just not sure you can ID this
individual with any confidence. I can’t see any white streaking on
the head so I’m guessing this is a juvenile. I can see a hint of
the pale facial lines of Glossy but White-faced also show this
pattern on juveniles.The iris doesn’t necessarily turn red until
later in winter so that isn’t useful on this individual. I guess
I’d have to say this is a plegadis sp. unless I’m missing
something???

Cliff

On 10/26/26 08:08AM, Ken Pahlas via
groups.io wrote:

[Edited Message Follows]

I saw and photographed this Ibis at Camas Centennial Marsh on
Sunday, Oct 25. Through the scope, I saw dark eyes and dark
legs. No coloration on the face so I’m assuming a juvenile of
whatever it is. Glossy or White-faced?  One Pic attached and
many more here….https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17EIcmcpVAdy0aCYQk8x1zpyW9aLUYeIE
-- 
Cliff and Lisa Weisse
Island Park, Idaho
cliffandlisa@...
Listserv Posts

Ibis help

I saw and photographed this Ibis at Camas Centennial Marsh on Sunday, Oct 25. Through the scope, I saw dark eyes and dark legs. No coloration on the face so I’m assuming a juvenile of whatever it is. Glossy or White-faced?  One Pic attached and many more here….https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17EIcmcpVAdy0aCYQk8x1zpyW9aLUYeIE
Listserv Posts

Evening Grosbeaks

Started out as a lone female Evening Grosbeak coming into the sunflower seed platform feeder just over a week ago. Now, there’s at least 8, with 4 adult males, coming in. There’s more, as am hearing others giving their single note calls back in the woods, as 8 were at feeder all at once. 
 
Brian Carrigan 
Blackfoot 
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Re: Interesting predator vs prey interaction

Interesting! As of today, I still have a single Blue Jay coming into the platform feeder for sunflower seeds. Fri, had an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk come in & scattered all the House Finches & BC Chickadees, but didn’t faze the jay, in the least. Just kept right on gathering seeds. 
 
And, as of Fri, a single Steller’s Jay was still back in the woods. Today, have noticed the White-crowned Sparrows have moved on, but Juncos are still here in good numbers. And, a few Pine Siskins are still coming into the feeder. Otherwise, kinda’ quiet. Waiting for Snow Geese, Tundra & Trumpeter Swans to appear. 
 
Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot
Listserv Posts

Interesting predator vs prey interaction

Howdy All, After 15 fall/winters feeding jays and several other species at our Valley Co. place I observed an interesting kerfuffle between a sharp-shinned hawk and 2 corvid species.
This went on continually for almost 90 minutes and as far as I could tell never resulted in a kill for the raptor.
My multi block suet feeder was being fed on by both Stellar’s jays and magpies at the time, when a SSHA began diving in and chasing the corvids.
Often the hawk would briefly perch on limbs feet away from the jays or w/I a few yards away before trying again. While the hawk watched the jays would almost immediately resume feeding.
With each attack the corvids either easily evaded the attack or ganged-up on the “inexperienced sharpie”. The raptor appeared to be a first year male as its size was barely larger than the 4-5 Stellar’s jays it was attacking.
All the while these attacks persisted the corvids continued to immediately return to the suet feeder, not appearing to be the least bit “panicked” by the attacks.
I’m guessing 3-4 dozen attacks occurred before the unsuccessful sharpie left the scene?
By that time I was feeling rather sorry for this hungry sharpie. 🤣 Sorry for the poor quality pics, thru glass.
Fun day in the Ponderosa’s, Cheers and happy birding.
Rich Rusnak

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