Bruce, Eric, and Andrew Pratt of Corvallis, Oregon (regular mostly-summer visitors to west-central Idaho) photographed an apparent juvenile Long-tailed Jaeger on the eastern arm of Payette Lake this afternoon. I’m guessing they probably observed it from the eastern shore near “Camp Ida-Haven” which I believe is private property along with most of the nearby land, and I don’t know anything about access. It looks like this bird could be looked for from East Side Road, the Shellworth Island area, Paradise Point, or possibly from within the Ponderosa State Park peninsula, near Huckleberry Bay and the Lilly Marsh Trail (though I don’t think the open water is visible from the trail system). This bird could also be moving anywhere around Payette Lake, and looking for it from a boat would probably be the best strategy. They also had a nice adult Sabine’s Gull. Photos of both are in eBird: https://ebird.org/checklist/S94084836. That’s all the information I have at this time – culled from their eBird checklist.
I was at Fort Boise WMA near Parma yesterday, and I heard this peculiar call that I could not identify right off – and still haven’t done so. You can listen to it at the bottom of this checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S94051216
The call/song in question has three or four down-slurred notes, and is at a pace of about two notes per second. When I was hearing it in the field, it reminded me of a Northern Cardinal, but that would be supremely odd! 😀
Thank you for your help in this puzzle! — Aidan Lorenz Caldwell
I look at the picture I said Greater Yellow legs. When we were at Pahanrangat NWR we saw them together. Somewhere that picture should be around in my many photos.
Bill length (about the same as the head length) would say Lesser Yellowlegs. Lesser Yellowlegs also migrate earlier than Greater, so are more likely now, though both are certainly possible.
Mark Stackhouse westwings@… from Mexico: 01-323-285-1243 (San Blas, Nayarit) 001-801-518-5618 (cellular – U.S. and Mexico) from U.S. 011-52-323-285-1243 or 1-801-518-5618
I’m still not too great with shorebird ID, but this looks like either a Greater or Lesser Yellowlegs to me. I’m leaning more towards Greater, since you said it was a larger bird. 😀
Large sandpiper 7 :45 this a. m. lake lowell far south end lower dam near mud flats wish I could have gotten closer bird flew off after about 10 minutes
Wow, Carl, you answered my question before I asked it…lol, your email wasn’t in my main folder so I hadn’t seen it – thanks for sending us the link!! G’night…Jon
