Just an FYI, there are closures (for wildlife production) of the marshes and other areas in Montour WMA annually from 2/1 to 7/31. This includes those areas accessible by the RR tracks and Park St., among others. The closed areas are posted but sometimes the signs are obscured by shrubs etc. Copy the url below to download the map pdf.
https://idfg.idaho.gov/d7/wma/montour
Also, wild turkey season is on until 5/25 in the open areas. Orange vests advised.
COYE are singing there tonight, and L Wentz had a nice find yesterday of a RNSA in the campground.
I just read kenn Kaufman’s book Kingbird hiway for the second time enjoyed it more because I have been to many of the same areas look same birds he did a big year most by hitch hiking mine driving several years if any one wants I will loan it let me know
Today, Amy Bechtel & I observed a Forster’s Tern swimming at Black’s Creek Reservoir, way over to the left of the entrance in the widest part of the now quite extensive lake. The bird was not feeding, just sitting there on the water.
My question is, I wonder if this swimming habit is particular to this species. Having observed Common & Arctic Terns (or Comic Tens as the British often refer to them collectively), on & off over the last 60 years or so, I have never seen either of these species swimming. Always actively feeding & plunge diving into the water as you would expect from terns.
Can anyone confirm if this is indeed peculiar to the Forster’s Tern? Is it merely their way of resting having completed their migration?
I did not see the Common Loon at Riverside Park in Garden City yesterday. Apparently the pond was big enough for it to take off.
On Thursday, April 27, 2023 at 11:57:41 AM MDT, Jason Talbot <jason.talbot1@…> wrote:
I think we’re about to find out. There is another Common Loon at Riverside Park in Garden City this year. As mentioned, it was moved to a larger body of water last time there was a loon here.
On Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at 02:07:14 PM MDT, Denise Hughes <deniseh449@…> wrote:
Are the ponds large enough for the loons to fly out of.?
Denise Hughes
Caldwell, Idaho
Any day might be a special one-you just had to go outside and see if it was.—-Kenn Kaufman
On Apr 26, 2023, at 12:02 PM, Ken Miracle via groups.io <chukar28@…> wrote:
Thank … you I think a bunch of COLO’s hit ice up north and made a U turn. Way more in the valley than normal.
On Apr 26, 2023, at 12:48 PM, Elizabeth Medes <liz.medes@…> wrote:
Beautiful photos! Our favorite bird.
We counted 19 COLOs on Black Canyon reservoir last night (and more than likely missed a few); a pod of 12 and then scattered pairs among 75 or so WEGR and a large flock of RUDUs.
Just got back from walking to and from my dentist past Parkcenter Pond and there are 3 Common Loons on the pond.
I went to Veterans Memorial Saturday to photograph the 3 Common Loons there, p
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hotos attached.
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
It’s been an atypical spring for us, in Idaho for over 35 years, but grizzled locals say it’s just back to normal. Poor farmers who knows when they can get into fields out here.
Finally melted off enough that I can get to feeder hooks and put up half hummer feeder yesterday. Today Cassins showed up to sunflowers with their bright baseball caps and a Calliope. John Schmidt wins this year. Several Sandhills finally, nesting pair and some juvies. I wasn’t sure last years hatchling made it. It’s been tough on them with not much open land. I’m leaving them alone rather than searching for nest. Rackets are increasing. Two Flickers have decided our two chimney caps are superb sounding opportunities for their mate quests. Hope they find someone soon. Drumming down chimney is disturbing. Wake up to Sandhill calls and Flicker drumming, way cool.
I’ve been using a LUMIX point and shoot for over ten years with great results. Mine has a 12x optical zoom and a Leica lens. I’ve thought of upgrading to their 30x optical zoom, but I guess I’m a cheap Yankee despite the years out here. Great cameras that I highly recommend and they fit it in a shirt pocket. Try that with an SLR.
Redtails are swooping around and it’s too cold at night to open windows to try for Saw Whets. Next are house wrens who built a nest in my satellite dish last year.
Thanks for the input, Cliff. I’m enjoying the heck out of the camera. And, yes, the quality of photos seems amazing to me. Haven’t started playing with the video function, getting still photos down. I used to own Nikon, & lenses, film camera. Gave to my son, who collects film cams now. But, held off on a digital, for quite awhile, until the technology could bring it down to my level to be able to use! Lol!
Those Lumix cameras have Leica lenses and I’ve been super
impressed with the quality of the photos they take, especially the
vivid but true color they capture. As a bonus they take great
video, better than I’ve been able to get with a Nikon DSLR.
Cliff
On 4/29/23 02:32PM, lcarrigan_55 wrote:
DC-FZ80. My sister has another brand point & shoot zoom
camera, twice the cost of mine, & we compared photos. In all
honesty, we liked my camera’s better. Less pixelation at distant
zoom. Not same as those costing thousands of $$$ camera bodies
& lenses, mind you. But, for me…perfect.
