Thanks for the warning. I’m so sorry that happened to you and Amy.
Denise Hughes
Caldwell, Idaho
Tio Lane – East Dike Road
Amy & I were birding the East Dike trail yesterday afternoon.
When we got back to the parking lot we found our car had been broken into and Amy’s purse was stolen, and at least one other car was also broken into.
Just wanted to say, don’t leave any valuables in your vehicle if you’re planning a trip there, I know quite a few of you have been there recently.
The birding was pretty good, the highlight was a Green-tailed Towhee right at the far end of the wooded trail before you hit the river.
John Shortis
I
Island Park Reservoir / Fremont County
I checked out the west end of IP Reservoir again this afternoon. The Greater White-fronted Goose, Black-necked Stilt and one of the Semipalmated Plovers were still there as well as two Common Terns. New arrivals included a flock of American Avocets and about twenty dowitchers. Most of the dowitchers were Long-billeds but at least one was a Short-billed (there might have been a couple other Short-billeds but they didn’t call and I didn’t feel comfortable making the ID by plumage). The next week or so should be prime time out there but I probably won’t get there until next weekend.
Cliff
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Cliff and Lisa Weisse
Island Park, Idaho
cliffandlisa@octobersetters.com
arrivals in Blackfoot
The floodgates opened yesterday at our property. Suddenly in our backyard we had Evening Grosbeaks, Black Headed Grosbeaks, Bullocks Orioles, and Cedar Waxwings arrive and more Red Breasted Nuthatches than usual. Our Great Horned Owls have been nesting again this year although they never seem to hatch anything. Our pair of Swainson’s returned a couple weeks ago and so far have built 2 new nests. One is in a huge cottonwood directly over our corral fence where there is lots of human activity and the second is in a smaller cottonwood about 30 feet from our picture window. This morning there were over a hundred ibis in our pasture where I am flood irrigating and I swear I saw various size shorebirds in with them. Will have to take binocs on the next irrigation check and see if one of these days I can find a glossy mixed in. So glad that winter is over!
Re: Cassin’s
Very cool, esp on the Avocets. Just walked quite a bit of Snake River Bottoms looking for morels. No luck, either too early or it’s going to be another bust year, like last spring. Just got back to house & Chipping Sparrows now underneath feeder, getting scattered seeds.
Brian Carrigan
Re: Cassin’s
Yesterday I had a female Cassin’s in my back yard. The males came through a week or two ago.
Also, yesterday I found a flock of 16 American Avocets at the Les Bois racetrack. Quite a treat.
Tom McCabe, Boise
Cassin’s
This AM, have both Cassin’s Finch & Evening Grosbeak…males & females of both hitting the platform feeder. Also, good-sized group of Cedar Waxwings (16) in the Rocky Mtn junipers. Usually will nest in the junipers. So far, filling up on juniper berries.
Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot
Island Park Reservoir / Fremont County
We took a hike out to the west end of IP Reservoir yesterday afternoon. It’s very dry and the creeks are really low. There is quite a bit of good shorebird habitat but it was kind of quiet. A Black-necked Stilt, a Solitary Sandpiper, and three Semipalmated Plovers were the highlights, although not terribly unusual. There was also a single Greater White-fronted Goose (my first during spring migration) hanging out with a flock of Canada Geese and at least one Common Tern (a bit early for this location) among the Forster’s.
Cliff
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Cliff and Lisa Weisse
Island Park, Idaho
cliffandlisa@octobersetters.com
Re: Blue wing teal Valley Co
Sighted one last week at Falk Bridge, Payette County – such a dapper duck! Nice pic.
Liz Medes
Emmett ID
Re: Blue wing teal Valley Co
Nice photo Richard,
Dean