Anybody headed to the SW for birding this winter/spring?  If so, check out this birding “game” in which birders can help scientists by visiting new areas to help fill information gaps on desert bird distributions.
Enjoy if you go!

Jay
—
Jay Carlisle
Research Director, Intermountain Bird Observatory
Associate Research Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University
Coordinator, Idaho Bird Conservation Partnership, IBCP on Facebook
http://works.bepress.com/jay_carlisle/

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Duberstein, Jennie
Date: Thu, Jan 25, 2018 at 11:39 AM
Subject: Help Needed spreading the word about Desert Avicaching
To: SONOJV-L@listserv.uark.edu

Hi all!

On February 1, 2018 the Sonoran JointVenture, Point Blue Conservation Science, Great Basin Bird Observatory, theBureau of Land Management, and eBird are joining forces to launch thefirst-ever Desert Avicaching game.

Avicaching, originally created by theCornell of Ornithology, is simply eBird + the idea of Geocaching: searchingspecific locations to spot as many birds as possible. The data collected byAvicachers fill in gaps in knowledge and help guide management and conservationdecisions. Birders go designated eBird hotspots, observe birds, and submittheir checklists. The result? Avicachers get a fun new game to play whilebirding, and we get valuable data to help guide future bird monitoringand conservation efforts. Even better, everyone who plays has the chance to winprizes donated by Desert Avicaching sponsors.

The game runs from February 1, 2018through June 15, 2018. We will update the leaderboard weekly and will havemonthly drawings for prizes, as well as an overall winner at the end of the game (the more checklists you submit, the better chanceyou have of winning).

In order for this to be successful, weneed your help! We created a Social Media Toolkit (attached) with some ideas for promotingDesert Avicaching on your website, in your newsletter, and on your social mediachannels. Please feel free to adapt things as appropriate and share thisToolkit with anyone else who could help promote the game.

The game is being highlighted on the eBird blog today, and I’m writing to ask you to consider working this into your social media and communications calendar over the coming months. We’re making a big push next week since the game launches on February 1, but will be continuing to promote it until the game ends on June 15.

Thanks in advance for your help in spreading the word, and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions, need resources, or have issues accessing anything. 

Please forward this message to anyone who you think would be interested in playing the game or spreading the word!

Jennie

http://sonoranjv.org/ avicaching

— 
Jennie Duberstein, Ph.D.Coordinator/Coordinadora
Sonoran Joint Venture / Alianza Regional Sonorense738 North 5th Ave, Ste 102Tucson, AZ 85705Tel. (520) 882-0837Fax (520) 882-0370Cel (520) 269-9313Skype: canicas123
www.sonoranjv.orgwww.mexicobirdingtrail.org
Click here to subscribe to the SJV eBulletin!Haga clic aquí para suscribirse al eBoletín del SJV!

Conserving the unique birds and habitats of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico / Conservando las aves y los hábitats excepcionales del suroeste de Estados Unidos y noroeste de México

For the last few days there has been a female duck at the upper end of
Veterans Pond, mixed in with an A. Coot, a C. Goldeneye, and various other
ducks. Because the greenbelt is closed at that point, it is not possible to
get very close. I have been noting it in my day lists as a Lesser Scaup. But
today, Jason Talbot happened by while I was looking at the duck, and he
wondered if it might not be a Greater Scaup. As he reminded me, there were 3
greater Scaup on the same pond at one point last year, but they didn’t stick
around very long. We both equivocated as to the identification, and it
hadn’t been a problem for me since I regularly see (male) Lesser Scaup in
the infield at Les Bois track (but not today). Since I don’t keep track of
the # of individuals, just the # of species, it hasn’t been an issue. But at
the same time, I don’t like mis-identifying birds (much like I didn’t like
witnesses mis-identifying my clients).

Anyway, long story short, when I found 2 females at Laguna Pointe, it became
obvious to me that the one at Veterans is a Greater Scaup. The white around
the bill is more extensive, and the head shape, while difficult to see at a
distance, is quite different than the 2 at Laguna Pointe. Plus, the
coloration is duller on the Lessers and brighter on the Greater. Hopefully
someone with more experience with these birds will get down there and prove
or disprove my identification.

Directions: follow the greenbelt to the Veterans Park end of Esther Simplot.
There is a lot of construction/destruction going on in the vicinity and
backup alarms are a constant noise. There’s a large chain link fence erected
to keep people from going into Veterans from Esther, but you can stand at
the fence and look at the quiet little bay at the upstream end of Veterans
Pond. The duck is usually in company with the Coot and the Goldeneye, but
there are other ducks there as well.

Tom McCabe, Boise

P.S. I took a longer ride today, down past the Garden City West Bridge.
There were 2 adult Bald Eagles sitting side by side on a tall power pole
across the river and upstream from the heron and cormorant rookery. I also
encountered 3 different Merlins, one very dark, almost black, one with
reddish streaking, and the 3rd intermediate between the others. I also found
my FOY GW Teal, and, thanks to Danette, I found my FOY Pacific Wren. Final
tally was 43 birds in over 22 miles.

No luck also

Vern Tunnell
866-820-7506

> On Jan 24, 2018, at 8:20 AM, Denise Hughes deniseh449@gmail.com [ible] wrote:
>
> So far we have not located the owl this morning. But I left one birder in the area looking.
>
> The fields where the owl was seen belong to a grower that I know. I called her this morning to ask permission to go down the road to the hop yards and she told me no. She is concerned about the wet fields and roads and asked me to pass along this to the birders. Please respect private property.
>
> Denise Hughes
> Caldwell, Idaho
>
>

So far we have not located the owl this morning. But I left one birder in the area looking.

The fields where the owl was seen belong to a grower that I know. I called her this morning to ask permission to go down the road to the hop yards and she told me no. She is concerned about the wet fields and roads and asked me to pass along this to the birders. Please respect private property.

Denise Hughes
Caldwell, Idaho

probably a hops field pole in that area

> On Jan 23, 2018, at 5:48 PM, John Powell johnpowell20@hotmail.com [ible] wrote:
>
>
> We watched the owl from 4:50 to 5:50 this evening. He was in the field to the north east of the intersection. He just flew to the far east side of the field and landed on top of one of the tall fruit fence things. Pretty far away from the road now.
> From: ible@yahoogroups.com > on behalf of Ken Miracle chukar28@icloud.com [ible] >
> Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2018 1:56:28 PM
> To: Denise Hughes
> Cc: ible@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [IBLE] Snowy Owl
>
>
> Thanks Denise … bummer that I can not go today. Margie has to go to the humane society for some of her volunteer work there.
>
>
> Hopefully it will still be in the area tomorrow.
>
>> On Jan 23, 2018, at 11:30 AM, Denise Hughes deniseh449@gmail.com [ible] > wrote:
>>
>> There is a Snowy Owl in the Wilder area (Canyon County) near the intersection of Peckham and Allendale Roads. It’s in an ag field sitting on a ditch bank.
>>
>> A lot of people are going to want to see the bird so don’t get out of your vehicles or try to approach the owl. It’s skittish and has flown when someone cruised by very slowly.
>>
>> Denise Hughes
>> Caldwell, Idaho
>>
>
> Ken Miracle
> chukar28@icloud.com
> 208-908-9493
> “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@icloud.com
208-908-9493
“Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God” 2COR 3:5

We watched the owl from 4:50 to 5:50 this evening. He was in the field to the north east of the intersection. He just flew to the far east side of the field and landed on top of one of the tall fruit fence things. Pretty far away from the road now.
________________________________
From: ible@yahoogroups.com on behalf of Ken Miracle chukar28@icloud.com [ible]
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2018 1:56:28 PM
To: Denise Hughes
Cc: ible@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [IBLE] Snowy Owl

Thanks Denise … bummer that I can not go today. Margie has to go to the humane society for some of her volunteer work there.

Hopefully it will still be in the area tomorrow.

On Jan 23, 2018, at 11:30 AM, Denise Hughes deniseh449@gmail.com [ible] > wrote:

There is a Snowy Owl in the Wilder area (Canyon County) near the intersection of Peckham and Allendale Roads. It’s in an ag field sitting on a ditch bank.

A lot of people are going to want to see the bird so don’t get out of your vehicles or try to approach the owl. It’s skittish and has flown when someone cruised by very slowly.

Denise Hughes
Caldwell, Idaho

Ken Miracle
chukar28@icloud.com
208-908-9493
“Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God” 2COR 3:5

Thanks Denise … bummer that I can not go today. Margie has to go to the humane society for some of her volunteer work there.

Hopefully it will still be in the area tomorrow.

> On Jan 23, 2018, at 11:30 AM, Denise Hughes deniseh449@gmail.com [ible] wrote:
>
> There is a Snowy Owl in the Wilder area (Canyon County) near the intersection of Peckham and Allendale Roads. It’s in an ag field sitting on a ditch bank.
>
> A lot of people are going to want to see the bird so don’t get out of your vehicles or try to approach the owl. It’s skittish and has flown when someone cruised by very slowly.
>
> Denise Hughes
> Caldwell, Idaho
>
>

Ken Miracle
chukar28@icloud.com
208-908-9493
“Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God” 2COR 3:5

Awesome sighting! I am hoping to come down from McCall today or tomorrow. Has anyone else gone to look?

I would really appreciate any updates anyone has! Thanks a bunch.

John Powell
________________________________
From: ible@yahoogroups.com on behalf of Denise Hughes deniseh449@gmail.com [ible]
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2018 11:30:54 AM
To: ible@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [IBLE] Snowy Owl

There is a Snowy Owl in the Wilder area (Canyon County) near the intersection of Peckham and Allendale Roads. It’s in an ag field sitting on a ditch bank.

A lot of people are going to want to see the bird so don’t get out of your vehicles or try to approach the owl. It’s skittish and has flown when someone cruised by very slowly.

Denise Hughes
Caldwell, Idaho

There is a Snowy Owl in the Wilder area (Canyon County) near the intersection of Peckham and Allendale Roads. It’s in an ag field sitting on a ditch bank.

A lot of people are going to want to see the bird so don’t get out of your vehicles or try to approach the owl. It’s skittish and has flown when someone cruised by very slowly.

Denise Hughes
Caldwell, Idaho

I checked the wetland along Siphon Rd (Chubbuck) this morning. It had no
ice and a similar diversity in waterfowl as the last three weeks but
numbers have decreased each week. Waterfowl included TRUS, CANG, MALL,
AMWI, GADW, GWTE, NSHO, WODU, REDH, RNDU, BUFF, COGO, and AMCO. A VIRA
called from the bulrush for the third week in a row. Other noteworthy
species included NSHR, 2 GBHE, 3 PBGR, BEKI.

The Pocatello Wastewater Treatment Plant pond had very few birds, but one
was an NSHO. 2 adult BAEA circled low over head, acting like they were
probably a pair.

The gravel pit pond on Hildreth Dr had most of the waterfowl mentioned
above, but also a lingering SNGO and RUDU.

Sent from my iPhone