[IBLE] More of Same til Evening

Today, was more of the same: YR Warblers, Wilson’s & Orange-crowned Warblers & numerous RC Kinglets & a few Chipping Sparrows. American Robins are staging & really hitting the Russian Olive trees. But, the best bird was just a few minutes ago: a female Mountain Bluebird, fly-catching from the top of a Russian Olive in the backyard.

Mt Bluebirds rarely put in an appearance along our stretch of the Snake River Riparian Grounds, even though they are fairly common in the more open Sagebrush Steppe just a short drive away. Old-timers tell me they used to be common along the river corridor but, I suspect, the non-native European Starling out-competed them for cottonwood cavity nesting sites years ago. Another bird, which is becoming increasingly more noticeable was a Common Raven this afternoon in our front pasture. In the last 5 years, Ravens have started replacing the Common Crow in our area but haven’t yet made an impact on the BB Magpie. I hope they don’t, as I enjoy seeing the tailored “suit” of a magpie.

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot

[IBLE] More Birds Today

Fall migrants were on the move all day. Figure birds must have held tight for a couple of storm days & are making up for lost time in their southward travels. MacGillivray’s, Wilson’s, Orange-crowned & Yellow-rumped Warblers were common. As were Western Tanagers & White-crowned Sparrows. Also, Ruby-crowned Kinglets & Red-breasted Nuthatches. Did have a Willow Flycatcher come through, as well.

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot

[IBLE] Chaetura Swift near Heise (Bonneville County)

This afternoon I was floating the South Fork of the Snake River upstream
from Heise and I had good looks at a small dark swift foraging over the
river with Violet-green Swallows. It looked slightly larger than the
swallows, was dark blackish gray overall with slightly contrasting rump
and paler throat than the rest of the underparts. My impression at the
time was Chimney Swift but Vaux’s is obviously more likely and I don’t
feel like I saw enough to nail down the ID despite close looks (30 yards
at times) with trees/cliffs behind the bird so it wasn’t back lit,
making color easy to see. So despite my initial excitement I’m calling
it a Vaux’s/Chimney Swift, either of which is a good bird for the location.

There was also a flock of 14 Pinion Jays in the area (further upstream
than I’ve seen them before). Quite a few Yellow-rumped Warblers and
Western Wood Pewees as well.

Cliff


Cliff and Lisa Weisse
Island Park, Idaho
cliffandlisa@octobersetters.com

[IBLE] Bird Bonanza & a Grasshopper Sparrow in Challis (Custer County)

Greetings, Birders!
I got in a few hours of birding duringthe break in the storm today, all of it at the Land of the YankeeFork State Park on the south end of Challis in Custer County. I’vebeen birding this location almost daily since arriving here inmid-April, so was rather surprised to add a number of new species tothe hotspot list today. Fall migrants plus the storm break yielded avery nice bird list which can be seen on eBird:http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S39335042
New additions included Sharp-shinnedHawk, Common Yellowthroat, Spotted Towhee, and Dark-eyed Junco. Therewere large numbers of birds almost frantically foraging in thecottonwoods, willows along the irrigation canal,sagebrush-grasslands, and swale near the Bison Kill Site. Almost twodozen Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 8 Orange-crowned Warblers, 4 Wilson’sWarblers, and a couple of MacGillivray’s were present, along with aconservative count of 75 Yellow-rumped Warblers and over 30 MountainBluebirds. The Black-capped Chickadees are looking very fresh rightnow. Two Rock Wrens remain, along with a single Barn Swallow.White-crowned Sparrows came out in force, vastly outnumbering theVesper Sparrows, Lincoln Sparrows, and Song Sparrow. A single WesternTanager was present and a Swainson’s Thrush popped up by theagricultural fields.
The real highlight, however, was finallyseeing a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW in Idaho. Such a surprise to see thisshort-tailed, big-headed sparrow perch on a low sagebrush in fall. Of course,no camera with me due to occasional drizzle but I won’t soon forgetits beauty. Deep dark yellow lores. The rich color and contrast ofthe wide rufous stripes on the gray scapulars made me think of thosefancy tapestries one sees hanging in castles. What a way to end ourstay here.
Good birding,
Wendy McCradyChallis, ID – for only one more day

[IBLE] FW: recent birds hereabouts

Good morning IBLE!

Recent first-of-season birds in our eBird patch (Boise River Greenbelt)
include:

Ducks – Cinnamon and Green-winged Teal, Ruddy Duck

Raptors – Merlin, Sharp-shined and Coopers Hawk, whereas Osprey and
Swainson’s have all but evaporated

Greater Yellow-legs, Red-naped Sapsucker, Cassin’s Vireo

Swallows – thought to have departed our patch, yesterday we encountered a
foraging frenzy of hundreds: Barn, Tree, and Violet-green

Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Pine Siskin

Warblers – Yellow hasn’t been here for a while; in their place have been
Orange-crowned, Yellow-rump, and Wilson’s

Evening Grosbeak – two in our neighbor’s tree yesterday, nice and vocal!
=)

Happy Autumn!!!

Larry and Missy

[IBLE] Brown Thrasher NW Boise

Hello! I have had a Brown Thrasher in my yard in NW Boise since Sunday, 9/17. He’s enjoying the fall Virginia Creeper and Pagoda Dogwood berries in the area. I’m hoping he’ll stick around. If you are interested in looking for him, you are welcome to text me. I have a driveway gate that is locked most of the time, so I’ll need to make arrangements for people to come observe, if anyone is interested. Feel free to text me at 208-853-6691.

Happy Birding,
Julie Morgan

Sent from my iPad

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