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> No Lazuli Buntings for the past three days. This afternoon three Lazuli showed up with a Indigo Bunting.
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> IMG_0029
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Since my access to some of my favorite places on the river is limited, I
decided to do a Hull’s Gulch tour and then my regular ride. So not a “Big
Day” per se, just a good day (using Harry Krueger’s definition).

My bike trip through Hull’s Gulch netted 35 species, most of them expected
at this time of year, but still a treat. The Blue Gray Gnatcatchers are back
in their usual gully, Western Meadowlarks were singing up a storm, and the
Yellow-breasted Chat did not disappoint. Like Scott, I found Western Wood
Pewees, plus an Olive-sided Flycatcher. And on one of the walking trails I
found a baby Western Screech Owl peering at me from a Wood Duck box.

On the greenbelt I found the 4 Western Grebes that have been hanging out at
Quinn’s Pond, despite the huge number of people that were doing paddleboards
and kayaks there yesterday. Silver Lake also had a single WEGR. But I dipped
on a number of “the usual suspects.”

I rode all the way to the closed bridge at Plantation Island, but most of my
birds came upstream of Veteran’s Parkway. On the way back I was still one
bird shy of my goal of 50 birds (Extreme Daily Allowance), but I again
stopped at the Swainson’s nest near my house and a head popped up, and I was
happy. As I said, a good day.

Tom McCabe, Boise

Spring Migration Continues here in the Highlands/North End area of Boise. What a great time of year to be outside listening to “our fine feathered friends”.

Overall my observation and naming of this migration around the house as “The Warblerless Spring” continues. Since my last post I have heard one Nashville Warbler and that has been it. However, there have been some other goodies. I will keep these brief. I am not covering every bird I have seen – just the highlights.

Wednesday the 17th had an all time new yard bird for me a singing Swainson’s Thrush. Given we have been in this house for 24 years, all time new yard birds don’t happen very often.

With the cold weather mid last week I really had a pileup of Lazuli Buntings at the feeder. At one point I counted 40 or so at one time. A few Black-headed Grosbeaks joined them. Lesser Goldfinches are still coming into the thistle feeder. Also I noticed on cold mornings the hummingbirds would not seem to show up at the feeders until it had warmed up a bit. I don’t know if they need to thaw out a bit from the cold or what. Or, I may be imagining things.

For the last few days there have been a small number of Western Tanagers in the area.

Friday the 19th I had a pair of Red Crossbills flying around. They would land in the top of pines and I got a good look at them, which is rare for them to sit still. For the past several years there has been a small flock of crossbills in the neighborhood during the spring. So, these were not unexpected.

Saturday the 20th I heard my first Chipping Sparrows of the spring and also had a small flock of Cedar Waxwings fly through. A number of Ruby-crowned Kinglets were singing up a storm. It is always amazing at how loud such a small bird can be.

Today the 22nd brought the first Western Wood-Pewee of the year singing away from one of our neighbor’s Cottonwoods. I also heard a lone Pine Siskin. The last time I saw one of those was probably last December or January when there was a single visit to the thistle feeder. I never have been able to figure out when they come and go. They seem to be the neighborhood vagabonds.

Finally, last week I happened to look out my office window in the locust tree in our front yard. There was a Robin starting to build a nest. She would fly down to the ground, pick up pieces of grass and such, and then head back up into the branches. I watched her do that for 30 minutes or so and it was amazing how much progress she made. Unfortunately, then one of the numerous storms blew through and totally destroyed her nest in process. Undeterred I watched her the next morning start the process all over again – again to have the nest blown apart in the afternoon. And, that has been it. She must have moved on to green pastures. I guess the old adage of “Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me” applies to Robins as well.

Scott Tuthill

Hi All,

Heidi Ware reporting from Market Lake “an adult male indigo bunting at
Market Lake in the East Wind row”. Not there myself, just passing it along!

Charles.
—
Charles Swift
Moscow, Idaho
chaetura@gmail.com

A few more arrivals yesterday & today to my yard. Both Willow & Cordilleran Flycatchers & Warbling Vireo. And, just a few minutes ago, 2 Evening Grosbeaks, one in full song mode. Sat & Sun a week ago, I had a Hairy Woodpecker which, curiously, kept harassing a nesting pair of Downy Woodpeckers. It’s since moved on & the Downy pr is still nesting, still haven’t quite figured out what the Hairy was up to.

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot

Western Wings-1st intersection west of the former Western Wings Facility turn North Stilt Sandpiper
Long-billed Dowitchers
2 Sanderlings
Lesser Yellowlegs
Spotted Sandpiper
Red-necked and Wilson Phalaropes
2 Black-bellied Plovers

Market Lake
American Bittern
Gray Catbird
Green-tailed Towhee

Camas Wildlife Refuge
Yellow-breasted Chat
Broad-winged Hawk

Steve Butterworth
Idaho Falls

Toppermost birds today include these beautiful creatures:

1 Virginia’s Warbler City of Rocks–General US-ID 19 May 2017
2 Ash-throated Flycatcher Black Pine Rd. at Stone Hills US-ID 19 May 2017 — hit eBird filter but shouldn’t have, since this area is predictable for them
3 Pinyon Jay Black Pine Rd. at Stone Hills US-ID 19 May 2017
4 Northern Mockingbird Black Pine Rd. at Stone Hills US-ID 19 May 2017 — also hit eBird filter, but shouldn’t for this area?
5 Bobolink (male) Black Pine Rd. at Stone Hills US-ID 19 May 2017 — also hit eBird filter, and I guess rightly so, since it was out of breeding habitat (migrating)

6 Black Tern at Stone Res

I also had a kingbird that I assumed was a Western Kingbird until I saw the whitish terminal tail band, suggesting Cassin’s Kingbird, in the same habitat I found them in W Colorado: old juniper burn areas. If it had called or sang, or if I had been able to see a white chin, I would have claimed it as a CAKI on my eBird list, waaaaaaaaa. was at junction of Black Pine Rd and Cow Creek Rd

Birders, check this out……. the Curlew CG host at Stone Res in Oneida County offered free camping there if I (any of us?) would take him birding! This is a first, eh? =)

good boid’n!
Larry
Boise

Hey fellow birders,
I’m sure some of you have seen my eBird report by now of a Summer Tanager in Mountain home. It is unfortunately at a private residence and inaccessible. I was able to visit my friend today and observe the bird and I will do a rare bird report later today. Just thought you would all want to know about this wonderful vagrant even though it’s not accessible. Happy birding! Mary

Sent from my iPhone

Just saw at close range, a red-wing like bird but slightly smaller and not as glossy as a male red-wing. I t shows a “muddy” white slash where the epaulets should be while perched and reddish on the shoulders in flight. I wonder if I was looking at a first year male tri-color? If so it’s a lifer for me. The Baltimore is still here.

Jack Oar
Howe

On May 19, 2017, at 2:21 PM, Diann Stone wrote:

> Exciting! Your watchful and fiscerning eyes found a special treat.
>
> On May 19, 2017 9:29 AM, “Jack Oar jackoar@atcnet.net [ible]” wrote:
> This morning among the twenty or more Bullocks we had a Baltimore appear at the feeder.
>
> Jack Oar
> Howe, Butte Co.
>
>

My day lists have been getting bigger, thanks to the new arrivals. Yesterday
was a “little wet” but I still managed to find 38 birds during my ride.

But today was the best yet this year, aided by the Western Grebe that’s
hanging out at Quinn’s Pond (and there was another at Silver Lake), plus
Bullock’s Orioles, Black-headed Grosbeaks and my first of year Olive-sided
Flycatcher (by the back pond at Esther Simplot). In addition, I got to watch
a “murder” of crows-with murder in their hearts– harassing a Great Horned
Owl who kept hooting in response to their incredible racket. I left the
noisy scene, but the GHOW looked unscathed when I came back to his location
later.

In addition, I saw a River Otter at Veteran’s Pond, the first time I’ve ever
seen an otter along the greenbelt. I’ve seen plenty of mink, muskrat,
beaver, deer and even a coyote, but this was my first otter. A real treat.

Then, when I got home, my feeder was visited by a female Black-headed
Grosbeak, a bird I haven’t seen in my yard for years. And a short time later
a Lazuli Bunting visited as well, bringing my day list to 43. A good day.

BTW, back in 2007, when I was still recovering from the effects of chemo,
the late Harry Krueger dragged me around southwest Idaho on what I thought
was a Big Day. Since we “only” saw 123 species, Harry decided it was a
“good” day. My recollection is that we drove 450 miles, went as far north as
Crouch, as far east as Indian Creek, and as far south as Silver City. And I
was more exhausted after that than my later “Green Big Days” on a bike. (And
it was Harry who suggested I look at a “green” birding web site that started
me down the path I follow now. I do miss Harry. He taught me a lot about
birding.)

Tom McCabe, Boise