For 3 days now, & esp today, it’s been non-stop action of YR Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets &, yest, a single Townsend’s Warbler pushing through. Today, the “pip” calls from 30 – 40 ft up in the cottonwoods have been non-stop. Watching 8+ warblers at a time, many juv Yellow-rumpeds, working through, all headed South. A pleasant Fall migration!
A definite Fall “feel” past few days. Cottonwoods & willows along the Snake are starting to turn yellow & gold with some bright orange sumac. It was 41° this AM, dropping into 30s by Mon for lows. And, Fall Warblers are really pushing through today.
Have seen a couple beautiful male Townsend’s, sev Yellow-rumpeds &, most common, Wilson’s Warblers: males, females & juveniles. Handful of Gray Catbirds calling from the willows. Not the numerous waves of mixed flocks of 50-75 birds of past, but groups of 5-7 birds filtering through, often enough to keep the interest up.
Just had a mixed flock of both juv & adult White-crowned Sparrows, Orange-crowned Warblers & at least one female Common Yellowthroat come through. Still hearing a handful of Gray Catbirds about.
I was birding Mann Lake near Lewiston yesterday and came across these shore birds. I am not strong in my shorebirds identification. The two were quite large compared to the surrounding shorebirds. The smokey conditions did not help. I returned this morning but there were only Baird’s Sandpipers and 2 Greater Yellowlegs. If anyone can help me with the identification of them it would be greatly appreciated.
Sounds like the fall push of hummers is definitely following a path thru your direction, Bill. Ours simply never materialized this year. Sitting on back porch, now, enjoying a breeze, a new read & today, mainly, flocks of Chipping Sparrows pushing thru: 30 to 50+ in a flock, one after the other. BH Grosbeaks & Gray Catbirds are gone. Seeing patches of gold in our streamside willows & in narrow leaf cottonwoods & red leaves on the sumacs.
I’ve still got hummers and not much else. They are going through two cups a day of solution, so by energy balance 100 birds. I keep wanting to find them and they stick around, heaviest push at dawn and dusk and then stragglers during the day. I put up a sunflower feeder but no takers yet.
My hummers are also gone. I saw a single individual at one of my two feeders two days ago. Saw none yesterday or today. I guess this weekend I’ll pull the feeders & clean them up for next year.
On a brighter note, two fledgling horned owls have taken up residence at my place for the last week or so. Both are fairly tame, but one especially so. I’ve been able to get lots of nice photos of them, and have had two extremely close face to face encounters only 10-15 feet away without them being alarmed.
Last evening & this AM, Chipping Sparrows are on the move. Finding flocks of 30+, mainly working thru grit of gravel drive. Composed of adults & juveniles. No juncos, yet.
Just a handful of juv BH Grosbeaks & one juvenile BC Hummingbird still about. Pulled the hummingbird feeder, it keeps hitting wife’s petunia basket. Gray Catbirds are decreasing in number & Yellow Warblers are gone.
Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot
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