Greetings, Birders!
On my way home from the Challis Hot Springs this evening, I got to witness the amazing spectacle of seeing at least 500 Common Nighthawks foraging over the agricultural fields along Hot Springs Road. Rather than cause a traffic accident, I pulled off to marvel at the sight and try to capture the numbers with my cellphone camera. It was certainly more fun seeing huge numbers of nighthawks than it will be to deal with the huge numbers of out-of-towners coming in for the Braun Brothers Festival starting tomorrow.
Photos can be seen on the eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S38565771
Wendy McCradyChallis, ID
[IBLE] More Hummer Obs
Interesting observations today. This AM was such non-stop action at the hummingbird feeder that I did have to refill it about noon. Feeder activity continued in earnest until smoke from area fires descended into the Snake River Valley. The feeder is down by 1/2 now but activity has noticeably decreased. Also, by noon, the only hummingbirds coming in were Black-chinned and then, only juveniles. In fact, today I believe the only adult hummer I saw was one female Black-chinned. No adult males of any species & all others were juveniles. Some in molt & were difficult to ID.
The other interesting note, is the birds are ravenous. In fact, as evening approaches, I have seen some feeding behaviors I haven’t witnessed all season. I may need to back off, a bit, my war on White Bryone (a miserable, introduced vine growth that can literally cloak an entire tree). White Bryone does get a white flower that produces a fruit poisonous to humans, but I watched Black-chinned Hummingbirds sipping nectar from its abundant flowers. Also, I watched a Black-chinned flying from leaf to leaf at the top of a cottonwood, gleaning insects from the leaf surfaces.
All in all, it’s been an interesting day of hummingbird activity. I do think area fires have made for some concentrated effect into river bottoms, esp at my location, and that fall hummer migration is definitely on. No doubt, there was a flush of Rufous early this AM, with a smattering of Calliope thrown in. And, have the adults already gone? Like many shorebirds, do the juveniles inherit a genetic “map” of migration & do so on their own? And, where are the Broad-taileds? These are the questions that, for me, make birding fascinating.
Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot
[IBLE] Totally Agree
Totally agree, Larry, about the energy of the Rufous Hummingbird. And its fighting spirit! The Rufous will tackle any interloper to the feeder, bigger or smaller (whether Black-chinned or Calliope). As the day has wore on, there’s less activity at the feeder with most visits now being Black-chinned. Will see as evening approaches which Hummers are still here. I would guess, for a while, there were at least 15 different individuals early AM.
Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot
[IBLE] Hum Report
Henry, welcome back to Idaho! =)
Cheryl, Brian, and others, thank you for your hum-wishes; Rufous has arrived with a vengeance!
Each spring, balance is restored to our Universe (smallish urban yard) when Black-chinned Hummingbirds show up.
And each fall, chaos returns with our first Rufous Hummingbirds. 😉 Gram for gram, I can’t imagine more kinetic energy, or more personality, than a Rufous can pack around!
Larry, Boise lower west end
From: ible@yahoogroups.com [mailto:ible@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of hgriffinwarbler@yahoo.com [ible]
Sent: Sunday, August 6, 2017 12:37 PM
To: ible@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [IBLE] Sun Valley Area Ramblings
Hello birding friends,
Once again, I have returned to the Sun Valley area for the symphony season! I have been busy with music camp the last two weeks but I have had a few notable avian sightings including a soaring GOLDEN EAGLE just north of Smiley Creek Lodge along Highway 75 on the way to Redfish Lake, STELLAR’S JAY near the Community School in Sun Valley, a few CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHERS and a hooting GREAT HORNED OWL in the Warm Springs neighborhood as well as a possible tooting Pygmy/Saw-whet which I couldn’t confirm. More birding in the coming days!
Henry Griffin
(Ketchum, Blaine County)
[IBLE] Sun Valley Area Ramblings
Hello birding friends,
Once again, I have returned to the Sun Valley area for the symphony season! I have been busy with music camp the last two weeks but I have had a few notable avian sightings including a soaring GOLDEN EAGLE just north of Smiley Creek Lodge along Highway 75 on the way to Redfish Lake, STELLAR’S JAY near the Community School in Sun Valley, a few CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHERS and a hooting GREAT HORNED OWL in the Warm Springs neighborhood as well as a possible tooting Pygmy/Saw-whet which I couldn’t confirm. More birding in the coming days!
Henry Griffin
(Ketchum, Blaine County)
RE: [IBLE] 3 Types! plus others
Brian
We’ve still been having good numbers of hummingbirds coming to the three feeders – all three kinds Black-chinned, Rufous and Calliope (all breed near here). Only a Black-chinned adult male is still here. Two very competitive rufous females are being very territorial. The hummers really went through a lot last evening – it was especially smoky yesterday. The numbers aren’t so high this morning so we’ll see how many show this evening at the feeders. They are here and there in the flower and vegetable gardens and shrubs so it’s hard to tell who’s still here. I have not noticed an Anna’s although sometimes we see them later.
Many of our breeding birds are still around because the hawthorn berries are now ripe. Black-headed grosbeaks, Spotted Towhees, Gray Catbird (at least one), Western Tanagers, Chipping sparrows. At least 1 male grosbeak and 1 male tanager seen today with the females and juveniles. House wren and Robin are still feeding young in nests.
Swainson’s thrushes, Yellow-rumped warblers, Townsend’s solitaires are newer arrivals this week.
I’ve only seen a few other warblers (unidentified seen too briefly) and two vireos (one warbling, one cassin’s) this past week.
Nancy Miller
Viola
From: ible@yahoogroups.com [mailto:ible@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of lcarrigan_55@yahoo.com [ible]
Sent: Sunday, August 6, 2017 6:31 AM
To: ible@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [IBLE] 3 Types!
Overnight, our hummingbird population tripled or more. This AM, we’re seeing 3 hummingbird types at the feeder.
Black-chinned, Rufous & Calliope are present. What’s interesting, is that the majority of the birds are juveniles. A couple of adult females are feeding but haven’t seen an adult male.
As fast as they’re hitting the feeder, will have to refill by noon. I’m convinced the combination of dry conditions & area wildfires have pushed the hummers into the more moist & still flowering conditions of the Snake River Riparian Grounds, as they migrate south.
Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot
[IBLE] 3 Types!
Overnight, our hummingbird population tripled or more. This AM, we’re seeing 3 hummingbird types at the feeder.
Black-chinned, Rufous & Calliope are present. What’s interesting, is that the majority of the birds are juveniles. A couple of adult females are feeding but haven’t seen an adult male.
As fast as they’re hitting the feeder, will have to refill by noon. I’m convinced the combination of dry conditions & area wildfires have pushed the hummers into the more moist & still flowering conditions of the Snake River Riparian Grounds, as they migrate south.
Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot
RE: [IBLE] More Hummingbird Action
Unlike previous yrs here in W Boise, we see/hear no certain Rufous yet, only Black-chins, and we’re seriously attentive to our feeders and salvias…….
Hoping hums have plenty of nutrition on high! =)
Becoming hazy/smoky here,
Larry
From: ible@yahoogroups.com [mailto:ible@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of lcarrigan_55@yahoo.com [ible]
Sent: Saturday, August 5, 2017 7:48 PM
To: ible@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [IBLE] More Hummingbird Action
For a week now, the only hummingbird visitor to the feeder has been a female Black-chinned. By mid-morning today, I noticed the nectar level had dropped moreso than usual. So, I started watching. Juvenile Rufous Hummingbirds are hitting the feeder now. Appears to be both males (finely spotted streaked throats with a few central dark orange fluorescent feathers) & females. I suspect all the area wildfires have caused some dispersal into the river corridor.
Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot
[IBLE] More Hummingbird Action
For a week now, the only hummingbird visitor to the feeder has been a female Black-chinned. By mid-morning today, I noticed the nectar level had dropped moreso than usual. So, I started watching. Juvenile Rufous Hummingbirds are hitting the feeder now. Appears to be both males (finely spotted streaked throats with a few central dark orange fluorescent feathers) & females. I suspect all the area wildfires have caused some dispersal into the river corridor.
Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot
[IBLE] FW: Yampa Valley Crane Festival
FYI………..
Yampa Valley, Steamboat, and Carpenter Ranch are delightful places to experience cranes =)
Larry, Boise
From: Grand Valley Audubon Society [mailto:karen.levad@gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, August 5, 2017 3:08 PM
To: larnold47@cableone.net
Subject: Yampa Valley Crane Festival
Grand Valley Audubon Society
Members & Friends of Audubon
Yampa Valley Crane Festival
Labor Day Weekend
Aug. 31 – Sept. 3
Visit Steamboat Springs and the beautiful Yampa Valley in Northwest Colorado for the sixth annual Yampa Valley Crane Festival
The festival celebrates the majestic Greater Sandhill Cranes as they migrate through the Yampa Valley and features guided crane viewings, nature and bird walks, expert speakers, films, bird art, workshops, children’s activities, live raptors presented by HawkQuest, ranch tours, a community picnic at The Nature Conservancy’s Carpenter Ranch and more.
The festival’s keynote speaker is George Archibald, co-founder of the International Crane Foundation.
For the complete crane festival schedule and registration information, visit www.coloradocranes.org
Visit our website www.audubongv.org
Our most up-to-date information is posted on the Grand Valley Audubon Facebook page!
Check out
Birds and More
Nic Korte’s Daily Sentinel Blog
Grand Valley Audubon Society, P.O. Box 1211, Grand Junction, CO 81502
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