Carolyn Bishop and I did our winter raptor survey north of Idaho Falls today and saw one flock of about 200 Snow Geese flying along 97th North between 15th East and 5th West. Later we saw a flock of probably 2000 Snow Geese flying near 3100 East between 530 North and 650 North. We also checked out the area along 105th West north of the Arco Highway. There is still a lot of snow there and also a few snow melt ponds but no geese. There was one flooded area with about 100 gulls, three California Gulls among the many more Ring-billed Gulls. We also saw many Trumpeter Swans both in the air and in the fields.
Started red top ponds ducks we were seeing 4 canvas back a few shovlers buffle head,scaup ruddy then the snows started coming in by the hundreds on to fort boise as expected tons of snows lots of white front on to roswell marsh triple header tons of snows some white front back side off opal road sandhills out in field
A large group, 30ish, of white -winged scoters landed in the first open spot in the Teton River in front of my house on March 4th. They were skittish and disappeared when I tried to get an angle on the opening to take a photo. They flew north and did not return.
curious who in Eagle is hosting the california scrub jay I saw fly across the road from homes near the Crunch Fitness Club (formerly Rocky Mtn. Fitness) this past week ?
that fitness club is just east of the Albertsons on Eagle Road between the old and new State Streets
with all the imports from California the past few years it is not surprising that one hitched a ride 😉
Feb 24th we logged in tree swallows working the Payette west of Emmett… mind boggling. And today our neighbor’s apricot trees bloomed. Flummoxed in Gem County,
On March 3rd I spotted a Violet-green swallow flying over the Pend Oreille River near Priest River. It was 10 days earlier than I had ever spotted one in this area. Last year one arrived on the 13th making the earliest arrival. I have been keeping an unofficial migratory record here since 1991. You could count on seeing the swallows arriving at approximately 2 pm on the 17th every year. I always considered it the unofficial start of spring. Today I spotted over 50 swallows, at least one was a Violet-green, feeding low on the water in the same location. Normally that volume doesn’t arrive until the end of the month. Did anyone else notice such an early arrival?
