I wanted to post this note and see what others have noticed about Bewick’s Wrens. In my experience this year they seem to be everywhere. And either they weren’t here in prior years, at least in these numbers, or I was just oblivious to their presence – which is entirely possible.

My Bewick’s Wren story starts with the post Cheryl Huizinga made on May 29 about having at least 3 singing along Kingfisher Trail in Deer Flat NWR. I was not that familiar with their vocalizations, so I studied up before heading out to Kingfisher Trail in search of the Indigo Bunting. Sure enough I also heard 3 Bewick’s Wren’s and got good photos of one. A new bird on my Idaho Life List. Then June 2 Jim Lyons and I birded Currant Creek Trail in north Boise. One of the first birds I heard caught my attention – another Bewick’s Wren. We got good views of it. (I also went back there today and captured great recordings of its song. See my eBird list from today.) And, in researching past lists at that hotspot, Bewick’s Wrens were reported by Jason Talbot on April 19 this year and Julie Morgan and Cheryl had one last year in May 2018. Now that I am comfortable with their song I have been on the lookout for them. I have heard likely at least 3 different individuals along Crane Creek as it passes through the Crane Creek Golf Course, and to top it all off, I have one frequently passing through my yard in the Highlands area of Boise.

I see from the e-Bird range maps that Bewick’s Wrens have many reports from SW Idaho. But to me they seem to be undergoing a population explosion this year.

Anyone else have any thoughts?

Scott

Well my own indication of the beginning of fall migration arrived today with a few spectacular Rufous hummers guarding the feeders. Bright plumage and feisty, may need to put up a fifth feeder. They are a full week earlier than last couple years. I only see Rufous on their way south. Overall Hummer numbers, based on feeder depletion, are ahead of previous years by a couple weeks, 44 so far.

House Wrens nested in garage, better then under plow truck. It seems Sandhills successfully nested and fledged, dodging coyotes, foxes, bobcats, cougars and misc. dogs, Hooray.

However for first time in twenty years no Bluebirds nesting. Anyone else seeing lack of bluebirds? I have 10+ houses up but just swallows.

Bill Moore
Hoot Owl
Inkom

Sunday, June 16 I walked Bethine Church Trail along the Boise River from
Spring Hill Suites to Barber Park and return. I wore binoculars, but chose
to walk first for exercise and not stop to search for birds. But then I saw
a fellow with a rather large camera lens crouched low at the edge of the
path concentrating on a dead snag. Of course, I stopped to ask. He was
focused on a small hole where a baby woodpecker head was poked out part
way, constantly calling. In a few minutes an adult male flew in, stuck its
head in the hole and flew off. The youngster continued its watching and
calling. The woodpecker was very likely a Downy based on the brief look.

During my return walk I stopped to look at birds along the nearly three
mile return route. I did submit that list to ebird. I am very much a novice
to that process and not yet comfortable with it.

Another Downy Woodpecker feeding scenario was quite exciting. First I heard
incessant high-pitched calling from rather high on a dead snag next to the
path, a different snag than the earlier observation. There happened to be a
large log bench in a clearing across the path where I stationed myself to
watch. Very shortly a male Downy Woodpecker flew in, put its head inside
the hole then flew to a close branch and sat momentarily before flying to
the side of the snag where it pecked at dead wood for several minutes. I
used my phone to video that activity. I was still recording when the female
flew in, stuck her head in the hole, then flew out to the same branch where
the male had been. He took off at some point when the female arrived or
shortly thereafter. The female feked her beak, shook herself, then flew
off. I continued my walk.

Very near the end of my walk was another delightful surprise. I spotted a
male Yellow Warbler fly across the path in front of me to land in a shrubby
area next to the river. It was actually a stand of young cottonwoods. I
focused on him, saw the red streaking and then noticed the NEST! He
disappeared, a female appreared, flew to a near branch for a few seconds,
then flew away. She actually went back to sit on the nest. I used my phone
to take a photo and a video, but have difficulty seeing the nest. It was a
challenge to see it when I was there even with a nearby stationary visual
clue.

Here’s my list:
Downy Woodpecker feeding young M, F
Yellow Warbler on nest M, F
American Kestrel
American Robin eating cherries
European Starling
House/European Sparrow
Swallow sp.
Gull sp.
Flycatcher sp.
Gray Catbird
Northern Flicker red-shafted
Black-capped Chickadee
Great Blue Heron in flight
Hummingbird sp.
Common Nighthawk in flight
Mourning Dove
Mallard
Mute Swan

Birds are getting noisy again after a quiet period, so my guess is there
are lots of young now being fed or looking for food.
Enjoy the little surprises.

Diann Stone Boise Depot Bench

Just captured/banded this morning as part of IBO’s standardized breeding season monitoring. Not sure how “chase-able” she is as our only detection so far has been via the net ?

Sent from my iPhone

Birdwise: had a surprise visit by a lone Pine Siskin to the black-oil sunflower seeds this week. Also, found a singing “whichity-whichity-whichity” Common Yellowthroat by streamside. Lazulis, BH Grosbeaks, House Wrens, House Finches & Cedar Waxwings are all nesting.

If you haven’t yet, you owe it to yourself to take a look at Jupiter through binoculars. We went for a moonlit Ranger-led walk at Craters of the Moon last night. Even with the brightness of a near-full Moon, I could see 3 of Jupiter’s moons with my 8×30’s. Jupiter is rising just to the east of the Moon & will be the 2nd brightest object in the night sky. Definitely worth a look!

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot

Any one try for Brown Pelican today at Mann Lake? Any info – even if tried and didn’t see it – would help some of us from SW Idaho decide on whether to make the trip up there tomorrow
Thanks!
Cheryl Huizinga
Caldwell, Idaho

cool….!!
like how can you miss a pelican?
easy easy easy, took us moocho patience!! thx Denise! =)
that bird is a stinker for sure

From: “Denise Hughes deniseh449@gmail.com [ible]”
To: “IBLE”
Sent: Friday, June 14, 2019 10:41:59 AM
Subject: [IBLE] inland-NW-birders] Brown pelican

Still being seen

BQ_BEGIN

From: Catherine Temple < [ mailto:ctemple99@gmail.com | ctemple99@gmail.com ] >
Date: June 14, 2019 at 10:32:54 AM MDT
To: Inland NW birders < [ mailto:Inland-nw-birders@uidaho.edu | Inland-nw-birders@uidaho.edu ] >
Subject: [inland-NW-birders] Brown pelican

BQ_BEGIN

The brown pelican is still at Mann Lake as of 9:20 a.m. just reported by Keith Carlson. It is still hanging out in the willows below the airport.

—
Catherine Temple
Pet Portrait and Wildlife Artist
Clarkston, WA.
(208) 791-7052
[ mailto:ctemple99@gmail.com | ctemple99@gmail.com ]

[ http://www.catherinetemple.com/ | www.catherinetemple.com ]
[ http://www.flickr.com/photos/ctemple | www.flickr.com/photos/ctemple/ ]

BQ_END

BQ_BEGIN

_______________________________________________
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send email to: [ mailto:Inland-nw-birders@uidaho.edu | Inland-nw-birders@uidaho.edu ]
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BQ_END

BQ_END

Still being seen
>
>> From: Catherine Temple
>> Date: June 14, 2019 at 10:32:54 AM MDT
>> To: Inland NW birders
>> Subject: [inland-NW-birders] Brown pelican
>>
>> The brown pelican is still at Mann Lake as of 9:20 a.m. just reported by Keith Carlson. It is still hanging out in the willows below the airport.
>>
>> —
>> Catherine Temple
>> Pet Portrait and Wildlife Artist
>> Clarkston, WA.
>> (208) 791-7052
>> ctemple99@gmail.com
>>
>> www.catherinetemple.com
>> www.flickr.com/photos/ctemple/
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Inland-nw-birders mailing list
>> send email to: Inland-nw-birders@uidaho.edu
>> manage subscription: https://lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders

Unable to locate Brown Pelican at Mann Lake. 4pm-5pm June 13th. Three boats cruising the willows. I just got my feet wet and lost plenty of blood to the mosquitos. Plenty weedy back there behind the model airplane club with water too high to get good views without waders.

John Hanna
Lewiston, Idaho
>

No news is still news – no sign of the Brown Pelican at Mann Lake this morning between 8:45 – 9:30.

Caveats – for some stupid reason I didn’t have my binocs, and so was using my camera to scan the lake. I was also very limited on time, and only got about 25 minutes by the model airplane field.

I did find three white pelicans, observed on the north side of the lake from my spot at the airplane field. With that in mind, I think I would have picked up the Brown IF it was in the open, but it’s also been established that it really likes to stay up in the vegetation.

On the way out, the white pelicans had moved to the west shore for some nice pics, but no brown in tow.

So, with all that said, it’s completely possible it’s still around and if someone sees it, keep reporting – I may try again on Saturday. With binoculars.

Jane

—– Original Message —–
From: ebird-alert@cornell.edu
To: “Larry Arnold”
Sent: Wednesday, June 12, 2019 3:06:36 PM
Subject: [eBird Alert] Needs Alert for Idaho

*** Species Summary:

Brown Pelican (6 Nez Perce)

———————————————
Thank you for subscribing to the Needs Alert for Idaho.The report below shows observations of species you have not seen in Idaho, based on your eBird observations. View or unsubscribe to this alert at https://ebird.org/alert/summary?sid=SN10357
NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) (1) CONFIRMED
– Reported Jun 11, 2019 14:13 by kas dumroese
– Mann Lake, Nez Perce, Idaho
– Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=46.371455,-116.8511029&ll=46.371455,-116.8511029
– Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S57297730
– Media: 1 Photo

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) (1) CONFIRMED
– Reported Jun 11, 2019 11:00 by Catherine Temple
– Mann Lake, Nez Perce, Idaho
– Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=46.371455,-116.8511029&ll=46.371455,-116.8511029
– Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S57297606
– Media: 2 Photos
– Comments: “Appears to be juvenile bird. Also seen by Keith Carlson, Terry O’Halloran, Carl Lundblad”

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) (1)
– Reported Jun 11, 2019 10:20 by Keith Carlson
– Mann Lake, Nez Perce, Idaho
– Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=46.371455,-116.8511029&ll=46.371455,-116.8511029
– Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S57305263
– Media: 1 Photo
– Comments: “Immature bird”

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) (1)
– Reported Jun 11, 2019 10:20 by Terry O’Halloran
– Mann Lake, Nez Perce, Idaho
– Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=46.371455,-116.8511029&ll=46.371455,-116.8511029
– Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S57306508
– Media: 1 Photo
– Comments: “Immature bird”

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) (1)
– Reported Jun 11, 2019 10:20 by Catherine Temple
– Mann Lake, Nez Perce, Idaho
– Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=46.371455,-116.8511029&ll=46.371455,-116.8511029
– Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S57311125
– Media: 1 Photo
– Comments: “Immature bird”

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) (1)
– Reported Jun 11, 2019 07:45 by Larry Hamrin
– Mann Lake, Nez Perce, Idaho
– Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=46.371455,-116.8511029&ll=46.371455,-116.8511029
– Checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S57295937
– Media: 2 Photos

***********

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