My direction, I’ve seen: Warbling Vireo, MacGillivray’s & Wilson’s Warblers and Red-breasted Nuthatches. Also, Red-naped Sapsucker. Wondering if you’re seeing anymore hummingbirds, Wendy? Mine appear to have left. Haven’t seen any Rufous or Black-chinned in 2 days.
Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot
Greetings, Birders!
Warblers seem to be coming through. An impromptu walk through the Land of the Yankee Fork State Park this morning yielded MacGillivray’s, Orange-crowned, and Wilson’s Warblers foraging in the willows along the irrigation canal, in addition to the breeding Yellows. The bird list for the park hotspot is nearing 90 species since mid-April. We’ll be heading out of here in less than a month so I’m not sure I can break 100 at this location. ☺
Wendy McCrady
Challis, ID
Don’t dream it, be it.
There’s a Great Crested Flycatcher at Camas NWR. It’s in the row of trees that go east/west about 1/4 mile west of headquarters (locally known as redstart lane). I’ll post pics and more details when I have a better connection.
Darren Clark
Rexburg, ID
Sent from my iPhone
What? Really??? I admit I didn’t look real closely at my books when I
listed it as a White-crowned Sparrow, it just looked like an immature one
to me. It does kind of look like one doesn’t it? But now that I look at
various books closely I can see why you say it is a Clay-colored. Thank you
for checking up on my list, because that’s a lifer for me!
Did you notice the little guys feet? It looks like something is wrong with
them.
I will go and change the sparrow in eBird. Am also adding two grouse I saw
in the same area. I got some ID help on Idaho Birding but I’m not totally
convinced of the one I will list as a Sharp-tail. The crest on the head
looks more like a Ruffed Grouse.
Thanks again!
Marya Moosman
Driggs
Hi all,
I scanned an Ebird checklist by Marya Moosman (location was Teton Valley),
and she reported a White-crowned Sparrow with pics but the photos show a
Clay-colored Sparrow! Cool sighting Marya, and change it when you get a
chance! Checklist link:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S38841281
Austin Young
Pocatello
I decided to check out Brownsville on ebird away from the flooding. I don’t
know their usual at this time of Year but very impressive. Most sightings
were the last two days
This AM have seen 1 female & 1 juv male Rufous Hummingbird, 1 female Calliope & 1 female Black-chinned. Also, juvenile W Tanagers coming through. 10 Black-headed Grosbeaks & they like Russian Olive berries. 1 Red-naped Sapsucker & 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches. A couple of Wilson’s Warblers, as well. And it’s only 9:15 AM!
Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot
While birding along the Salmon River on Hwy 75 between Challis and Bayhorse (Custer County), I came across a very pale Gray Catbird juvenile today. I managed to get a couple of photos through layers of vegetation and posted them on my eBird checklist. (http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S38786956) Looking through photos online of darker juvenile Gray Catbirds makes me wonder if this individual might be leucistic.
I wanted to also note that the birds really like the white berries on the Red Osier Dogwood. Both along the river today and up at Bayhorse yesterday, the bushes were hotbeds of activity with foraging Warbling Vireos and Western Tanagers. Chipmunks also seem partial to the berries, providing some nice photo ops.
Happy Birding,
Wendy McCradyChallis, ID
Four of us set out for Ontario and points northwest, wanting to get into the
zone of totality. The rest area just across the border in Oregon was jammed,
but orderly. We continued on and took the exit at Farewell Bend. The road
was lined with cars in places and the state park looked packed. We continued
on into Huntington and there were lots of cars and campers, but one block
off the main highway we found easy parking. We sat in a small park and had
lunch at a vacant picnic table (never expected that on eclipse day). We
walked uphill a couple of streets to the edge of town and got to watch the
whole thing unfold. Way cool.
What was even cooler was when the eclipse was just a few minutes past its
peak, the sky over town filled with Common Nighthawks, all calling and
flying much closer to the ground than in Boise. Prior to the eclipse we had
not heard or seen any of their ilk.
The drive back was a bit congested at times as folks came down out of the
zone of totality to the interstate, but we were home by 2pm, and it was cool
enough still that we managed a short bike ride (and 20 birds!).
Tom McCabe, Boise
Started really watching eclipse about an hr before totality. My hummingbird feeder suddenly had a male Rufous, female Rufous & 1 female Black-chinned. The seed feeders had from 7-8 Black-headed Grosbeaks, 4-5 House Finches, 2-3 Black-capped Chickadees & a lone Red-breasted Nuthatch coming in, all at once. In the cottonwoods were 2 Red-naped Sapsuckers. Activity increased with a lot of vocalizations & activity, and then, all got quiet the darker it got with the eclipse. Temp went from 69° to 62° & all feeders were empty at totality.
As sun reappeared & daylight increased, it took a good hour before feeder bird activity started returning. Fascinating event.
Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot