Cheryl just found a tufted duck at mountain home reservoir.

Denise Hughes
Caldwell, Idaho

Hope y’all enjoyed his extraordinary presentation on OWLS as much as I did!!
(last night at the GEAS Banquet in Boise). He delivered a LOT of
information, with no words wasted! And I was very happy that he discussed
our need to retain public lands as public lands, out of the hands of private
interests, eh?!

Larry

I did some birding around Lake Coeur d’Alene today. 15+ VIOLET-GREEN
SWALLOWS and 2+ TREE SWALLOW were at North Idaho College Beach in Coeur
d’Alene. 4 more VIOLET-GREENS were over fields adjacent to the Saint
Maries Airport later in the day. Among the many waterfowl were at least
2000 TUNDRA SWANS spread out from Wolf Lodge Bay to Lake Chatcolet, a flock
of about 10 GREATER SCAUP at Wolf Lodge Bay, and a flock of over 100 HOODED
MERGANSERS in Harrison Slough.

Good Birding,

Carl Lundblad
Moscow, ID

Hi Birders,

Kirsten Dahl and I ran the Moscow ID South Raptor Run this morning. Latah
County birds of note are:

Red-tailed Hawk – 15
American Kestrel – 3
Great Horned Owl – 1 on nest

Spring Arrivals and others:

Ring-billed Gull
Northern Shrike
Wilson’s Snipe
Killdeer 4 in one location + others
Say’s Phoebe
Western Meadowlark
Northern Pintail – 14
American Wigeon – 1 adult male
Common Redpoll -60
Gray Partridge – 2 paired up
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch – 8
Bufflehead at least 59 at the Genesee Sewage Lagoon

Good Birding,

Terry Gray
890 Stefany Ln
Moscow ID 83843
208-596-5212

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…a day or two can make at this time of year, re: just along our little
stretch of the Boise Greenbelt from SW 6.4 travelling W or E for a mile or
so.

Yesterday, crane music was raining down and killdeer seemed to be everywhere

This morning, many birds were singing much earlier than they have been, and
RC kinglets have arrived en masse

Wood ducks are moving upward into the trees

Quail are much more present with all of their calling

Dove sp are singing and displaying

Kingfishers are way more vocal

Say’s Phoebes are singing in more places

Crow numbers have exploded, loudly so

Robins are caroling early, finally!

Warblers are arriving (OC and YR, our expected ones for now)

Juncos are in mad-chase mode, and trilling mode

Song sparrows and RW blackbirds are in full-on song, earlier and earlier

Pine siskins and Am goldfinches are changing their tunes, some molting we
see

IT’S SHOWTIME!! =)

Larry, Boise

Today 6 western bluebirds (males and females) on Kingfisher Trail about 2 miles from Gott’s Point, perching on white metal fence with pipe-like round poles and horizontal top bar.
Maybe a little closer to Tio Lane access point, or at the end of culdesac off Ginger Lane pictured below
My ebird account is all screwed up cannot submit our list from today, also Say’s Pheobe among other notables
If you need further instructions let me know
Rich Rusnak, Nampa

> Begin forwarded message:
>
> From: Richard Rusnak
> Subject: Google Earth Image
> Date: March 9, 2018 at 6:24:54 PM MST
> To: rarusnak62@gmail.com
>
> Google Earth streams the world over wired and wireless networks
> enabling users to virtually go anywhere on the planet and see places
> in photographic detail. This is not like any map you have ever seen.
> This is a 3D model of the real world, based on real satellite images
> combined with maps, guides to restaurants, hotels, entertainment,
> businesses and more. You can zoom from space to street level instantly
> and then pan or jump from place to place, city to city, even country
> to country. Get Google Earth. Put the world in perspective.
> (http://earth.google.com)

Since the weather varies from day to day, I look for more substantial signs
that spring is on its way. Two days ago, Killdeer showed up at Esther
Simplot Park in numbers, filling the air with their unique call. Then a pair
of Canada Geese decided to copulate right in front of me in the middle of
the river where the bridge is out. They obviously had no regard for my
delicate sensibilities. 😉

Then, yesterday, I heard Red-tail Hawks outside my house. I ran out in time
to see a pair land in a tree on 19th St. and proceed to copulate in plain
view. Then, a few minutes later, one of them flew off to the southwest with
nesting material in its beak. Obviously I’ll be looking for that particular
nest.

By the time I left the house yesterday, I had already tallied 14 species,
including a Sharp-shinned Hawk that likes my feeders. So with 14 birds and
thoughts of springtime, I headed downstream from Esther Simplot and biked
all the way to Laguna Pointe. The high point was when I turned on to
Remington St. and heard a flyover of Sandhill Cranes, a FOY bird. Their
distinctive flight call is always a treat.

My next FOY bird was a Double-crested Cormorant in a dredge pond near the
West Boise STP. I later saw 2 more flying around the area, but I wonder
where they are nesting this year, since the Bald Eagles that are nesting in
the middle of the rookery seem to have the whole place to themselves.

Final tally was 47 birds in 18 ½ miles, 48 if you count the Mute Swans. Six
of those species were raptors (Cooper’s, Red-tail, Sharp-shinned, Merlin, A.
Kestrel, and Bald Eagle). Another great day to be birding the Boise River.

Tom McCabe, Boise

While sitting in my office, I noticed a flash, and a longish gray-and-white bird had just flown into my nearby bush. For a second I got very excited, since I still have never seen a Mockingbird in Idaho – but, it turned out to be the first Northern Shrike I’ve had in my yard for many years, so it still is a great bird! I am still looking at it right now, since it has been hunting from this perch for about 10 minutes now…

Still having Lesser Goldfinches show up among the American GF & House Finches. Oh wow! As I was typing, a male Lesser Goldfinch landed in the same bush! I was worried there for a minute.

Enjoying this beautiful winter up in Horseshoe Bend…Jonathan Barnett

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

2 Snow Buntings in with a huge flock of Horned Larks along 113th North near Shattuck Butte NW of Idaho Falls this afternoon.

Kit

Kit Struthers
Idaho Falls, ID
kit619@centurylink.net

While out walking along the south channel of the Boise River, near the waste water treatment plant, three different groups of sandhill cranes flew over high in the sky. Two groups (qty 6 and 24) were headed SE while the third (5) was headed west. It was nice to hear them while enjoying the sunny weather.

Marty Marzinelli
Eagle