[IBLE] Teton Valley FOY’s

On Saturday and Sunday, I noted the following FOYs in Teton Valley:

Ski Hill Road (WY) from Teton Canyon up to Grand Targhee:

Fox Sparrow, Ruby-crowned Kinglets-many singing along road, Yellow-rumped Warbler

Teton River (Bates Bridge):  Yellow Warbler-singing, Long-billed Curlew, Willet, Wilson’s Snipe-winnowing, Swainson’s Hawk, Brewer’s Blackbirds

Driggs:  Brown-headed Cowbirds (also a group near the mouth of Horseshoe Canyon)

Teton River (Cache Bridge):  Cliff Swallows (35)

Packsaddle Estates:  Yellow-rumped Warbler including one Myrtle form, Green-tailed Towhee, House Wren, Vesper Sparrow

Susan Patla

Our neighborhood videoed a few Turkeys near Tetonia this week as well.

[IBLE] FOYs in Challis area (Custer County)

Greetings, Birders.
It’s been a great few days in the Challis area with a number of FOY sightings.
At Bar-D Reservoir, 20 White-faced Ibis, 2 Red-necked Grebes, and 3 Spotted Sandpipers greeted us this morning after the storm. Driving over the swollen Salmon River was impressive.
Lewis’s Woodpeckers have been popping up in the last couple days: Thursday at the Land of the Yankee Fork State Park, Friday at the Bluebird Trail around the Challis golf course, and today just south of Cottonwood Campground north of Challis on Hwy 93.
FOY Western Kingbird at Mackay Reservoir on Friday was followed up the next morning by one at the LYF State Park.
FOY Yellow Warbler was singing at the Challis Hot Springs yesterday.
FOY Western Tanager at McNabb’s Point this afternoon.
Chipping Sparrows have been seen sporadically since mid-April but the numbers increased with this storm.
FOY Lark Sparrow yesterday near the park with several at the park this afternoon.
Good birding,
Wendy McCrady
Challis, ID

[IBLE] FOS’s

Today was the second day that I found Chipping Sparrows a half block away on Eastman St. (between 18th and 19th), but the first day I was confident there were OC Warblers with them. Today was also the first time I’ve seen a Lewis’s Woodpecker this year. He was on Plantation Island, being harassed by a BB Magpie.

And 2 days ago I saw a Spotted Sandpiper at Quinn’s Pond, but I haven’t been able to relocate him. For the last few years I’ve been able to find them nesting on the gravel bar that usually forms under the Main St. bridge. But with the river the way it is, I don’t think that gravel bar will be dry until July or August.

Some one-day wonders in the last week or so include little rafts of Ruddy Ducks and Buffleheads, both on Quinn’s and Silver Lake. Plus, Silver Lake had my first W. Grebe of the year, but he didn’t hang around. Also, Yellow Warblers arrived on the river a couple of days ago and are constantly singing.

It’s that wonderful time of the year when you know what you ought to see, but you never know what you will see. (But maybe that’s the fun of birding any time.)

Tom McCabe, Boise

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