I was wondering if someone could tell me if this is a Lesser or an American Goldfinch.  (Photos attached)  Last year I ID’d a Lesser Goldfinch within 1/4 mile of where this one was found in North Meridian.  I’m leaning toward the Lesser because of the color of the bill and the yellow by its cloaca.

Ruthann Greene
North Meridian, ID

Have always thought a great research project for a field ornithologist Master’s degree student would be studying local patterns of migration. I don’t see as many reports from Camas as in yrs past. But, could used to read observations from Camas & know that I would be seeing same bird species in a week to 10 days at my location. Has always seemed to me that there’s an East to West pattern of migration along the Snake River Riparian area. Even though I use Blackfoot as my “location”, am somewhat outside of town to the SW. Now, reading bird observations from Idaho Falls & eastward, noting same trend in bird arrival timing at my area. 

Alas, I just wish migration numbers were what I used to see 3-4 decades ago…

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot 

New yard bird, male RBGR.  Bird is partly obscured in the photos but still identifiable.

And I was seeing them on territory in Warm River (east of Ashton)
on May 8th.

Cliff

It’s interesting that your Bullock’s Orioles are
just showing up. My first one this year was May 6th. I live just
south of Ammon in Idaho Falls area. About a week later I had
eight males in my flowering crab apple tree at the same time. It
was gorgeous. They’re eating me out of house and home with all
the grape jelly they eat. I’ll have to try strawberry jam too! 
I haven’t seen any of them drinking from my hummingbird feeders
yet but one was checking it out this morning.

-- 
Cliff and Lisa Weisse
Island Park, Idaho
cliffandlisa@...

My last harbinger of Spring, this AM! A bird working & moving just a bit differently through a Russian Olive a bit ago. Binocs revealed a beautiful, male Western Tanager chasing down bugs among the leaves. 

I don’t feel “complete” until I’ve seen BH Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting, Bullock’s Oriole & Western Tanager for my Spring arrivals. And, that’s usually the order of their arrival at my location. 

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot 

My Bullocks showed up over a week ago. They scold me if I don’t put some jam in the cup for them, and I’ve caught them raiding the hummingbird feeder in the mornings if I don’t make it out there soon enough, lol. I buy strawberry jam from the dollar store and squeeze some out in a cat food can on a nail for them. They love it. 

Yep, you’re correct, Bill. I meant to write the Black-headed Grosbeaks hit the seeds all day long. That’s what I get for being so excited over the Orioles & not proof-reading, lol!