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
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 not on the order of a Common Crane, but today I had a Merlin perched in a tree a half block away. Still not seeing them every day, so still a treat.
On the other hand, an OSPREY along the Boise River was a bigger treat. I had just finished scanning Silver Lake and was heading upriver when I saw a large bird perched overlooking the river. This is an area where I frequently get Great Blue Herons and Bald Eagles, so I stopped to glass him. Since I kept getting an impression of white on his head, but he wasn’t big enough to be a Bald, I had to wade into the shrubbery to get closer to him. I started into the brush across from the entrance to the Lake River gated community, and I quickly discovered that there’s a pretty defined trail system between the greenbelt and the river. Once I got close enough to get details, it was clearly an Osprey, my first in many weeks. We’ve had them stay late before, but this is the first I’ve seen this late in years.
So if you live in the Boise area, keep your eyes peeled.
Jay, did some looking into and and learned some crane facts. Correct if I’m wrong. Cranes usually migrate by day and may only cover 200 miles a day, relying on updrafts to gain altitude and then glide. If so, we can perimeter potential progress and look for corresponding feeding areas. BTW, one species migrates over the Himalayas at an altitude of 26,000 feet!
It could be in Nevada or California by now but I’ve been trying to think of likely places in Idaho if it did a shorter jump. In addition to Zeke’s ideas, the CJ Strike reservoir area or Duck Valley might be other options (since it was seen heading off in a SW direction) but who knows???
Maybe someone will get lucky soon or on a CBC – or maybe we’ll hear about it further S 😁
I looked around this morning. No luck. Snow is crusted over hard. No geese around at all. Very clear and cold. I’m guessing it’s moved south o we the mountains to the Magic Valley somewhere. Pioneer Reservoir near bliss or down in the Wendell Hagerman Area. Anyone’s guess though.
Zeke Watkins
208-731-1471
Instagram : @idahobirder
Not all those who wander are lost – J.R.R. Tolkien
Without the animals, Man would die of a great loneliness of the Spirit – Chief Seattle
An understanding of the natural world and what’s in it is a source of not only great curiosity but great fulfillment – Sir David Attenborough
Hello! Has anyone gotten any word if the crane is still around this morning? I was going to make a trip out there today, and wondered if it was still there or not.
Thanks!
Aidan Lorenz Caldwell
Home of Idaho Birding and the Idaho Bird Records Committee
