I have not seen the woodpecker again but I just stopped by the bridge and talked to a guy who spends a lot of time in this area. He said he’s seen it twice, and is familiar with the species from living in Maryland. So, it is apparently still hanging out.

Also lots of Western Tanagers and Yellow Warblers, Wilson’s/Orange-crowned/Macgillivra ‘soaking  Warblers, aGray Catbird, Least Flycatchers, nesting Bullock’s Orioles, calling Spotted Sandpipers, and more. You can see my checklists on ebird.

If you bird here, please note that Challis Bridge is now a hotspot location on ebird. If you’ve birded here before, you can merge your personal location with the new hotspot.

Good birding,
Wendy McCrady
Challis, ID
On May 25, 2017 3:14 PM, “damnempid damnempid@yahoo.com [ible]” wrote:
>
>  
>
> Greetings, Birders,
>
> I had an adult Red-headed Woodpecker in Challis today. It was in the deciduous trees at the Challis Bridge BLM day use area between the flooded boat ramp area and the parking area. I lost it high in the trees and could not relocate it before several vehicles of rowdy young folk and dogs showed up, parking in the boat ramp area. I plan to return shortly and try again. With school out and the holiday weekend, I’m not sure how much human activity there might be at this particular area that might hamper birding efforts.
>
> Feel free to e-mail me if you come to look for it. My location is literally 3 minutes away and I’d be delighted to meet other Idaho birders.
>
> Wendy McCrady
> Challis, ID
>

Was watching the Black-chinned Hummingbird, & from a distance through binocs to not disturb it, trying to locate its nest. Looks like it must be about 15 ft up & on an inner branch, so probably will never actually see the nest. But, then, movement beneath the spruce caught my eye & out hopped a Swainson’s Thrush. This is noteworthy because May 29th is a late date for one on our place. They usually push through to higher country and are gone by 1st part of May. After this winter though, seems all bets are off. Looks like the Lazuli Buntings & Western Tanagers went west of us this spring & just overall numbers of Warblers in general & Bullock’s Orioles are down, at least along our stretch of the Snake River corridor.

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot

I haven’t checked the Latilong nest data yet, but I’ve been watching a female Black-chinned Hummingbird most of the morning. At first, I thought she was just visiting the flower baskets my wife filled last week. Then, I noticed her working along the house logs & an Aspen tree. She kept going back & forth from the house to a nearby Blue Spruce.

Finally, the Hummer perched for just long enough to see through the binocs that her bill tip was holding spider silk! The Black-chinned is building a nest. A new nesting bird for our property, here on the Snake River, west of Blackfoot. It’ll be fun to see how this goes. Also have: Cedar Waxwings, Am Robins, Am Kestrel, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Black-capped Chickadees, House Wrens, Am Goldfinches, Downy Woodpeckers, N Flickers & Yellow Warblers, all nesting now.

Got back home last night after spending a few days at the cabin in Island Park. And, had a raucous mob of about a dozen Stellar’s Jays keeping me company. Also, quite a few Evening Grosbeaks about. Plenty of Mt Chickadees & Red-breasted Nuthatches around, too. Sure that Cliff & Lisa can add many more to that list.

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot

Accepted in first round (7-0):
Brown Pelican 60-B-2015
Green Heron 57-B-2015
Dunlin 68-B-2015
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 61-B-2015
Gray Catbird 69-B-2015
Brown Thrasher 64-B-2015
Brown Thrasher 67-B-2015
Hooded Warbler 63-B-2015
Purple Finch 65-B-2015
Northern Hawk Owl 32-B-14
Iceland Gull 62-B-2015
Purple Finch 66-B-2015

Accepted in second round:
Pectoral Sandpiper 71-B-2015 (7-0)
Mountain Quail 37-B-2015 (7-0)
Red Knot 54-B-2015 (5-2)
Snow Goose 37-B-14 (5-2)
Clay-colored Sparrow 14-B-2015 (5-2)
Red-shouldered Hawk 39-B-14 (5-2)

Not Accepted in second round:
Parasitic Jaeger 58-B-2015 (1-6)
Red-breasted Sapsucker 55-B-2015 (0-7)
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 39-B-2015 (1-6)

Not Accepted in third round:
Glossy Ibis 33-B-14 (4-3)
Glossy Ibis 34-B-14 (3-4)
Swamp Sparrow 11-B-2015 (4-3
Winter Wren 4-A-14 (0-7)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I’ve been asked a few times about the meaning of the alpha-numeric codes
shown after the species name in the list of reviewed records I send out
in these updates. All records are in this format:
Species name, Record Number, (Vote).
Species name is self explanatory.
The record number is in 3 parts separated by hyphens. The first part is
the number of the record within a given year. The second part is a
letter, either A or B, which designates whether the report is for a
species with previous Idaho records (B), or if the report is for a
species not yet documented in Idaho (A). The third part is the year in
which the report was submitted.
The numbers in parenthesis are the final vote arrived at by IBRC for the
record, with the first number for “accept” votes, the second for “not
accept” votes. First round votes must be unanimous to be decisive so
any record Accepted/Not Accepted in first round is necessarily 7-0 or 0-7.

Here’s an example:
Lincoln’s Sparrow 11-B-13 (7-0)
In this case the species is Lincoln’s Sparrow.
The record number, 11-B-13, shows that this is the 11th report submitted
to IBRC during the year, the “B” shows that there are previous records
for Lincoln’s Sparrow, “13” is the year, 2013.
The numbers in parenthesis, (7-0), are the final vote on the record. 7
votes to Accept, 0 votes for Not Accept.

Accepted in first round:
Bewick’s Wren 15-B-13

Accepted in second round:
Lincoln’s Sparrow 11-B-13 (7-0)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

-Report rarities to the Idaho Bird Records Committee via the online form
at:
http://www.idahobirds.net/ibrc/rarebirdreportform.html or you can email
your report to rarebirdreport@idahobirds.net
-Helpful tips for preparing your report can be found in this article:
http://www.idahobirds.net/ibrc/documentation.html
-Don’t forget to check the Review List before taking the time to prepare
a report:
http://www.idahobirds.net/ibrc/reviewspecies.html
-You can contact the Secretary via email at this address:
secretary@idahobirds.net
-As always you can email any Committee member with questions. Addresses
can be found here:
http://www.idahobirds.net/ibrc/members.html

—
Cliff and Lisa Weisse
Island Park, Idaho
cliffandlisa@octobersetters.com

Darren Steve Pat and I watching it now. At front corner of redstart lane.
Cheryl.

Cheryl Huizinga
Caldwell, Idaho

Wed.tom rennebaum and I birded w.fork sinker crk.off of road to silver city
got there about 3: 30 birds very active especially chat got good photos
other birds blk hd.gros.kestral lazuli bull.oriole med.lark.w.king
brd.gam.quail n.flick.olive side fly cat.lewis.wood pk.am.gold finch
w.tanager Thursday drove to silver city ny.summit always place for Mt.
Blue bird onto silver city area yellow warbler yellow rump warbler song
sparr.chip sparr.willow fly cat.violetgr.swall.blk.chin humm.house finch
h.wren fox sparr.nice to see lots of birds of color

I have at least 4 different Black-headed Grosbeak pairs coming into my feeders now. And I’m finding that the males have distinctive head patterns. 2 have the more common black head & burnt orange throat pattern but another one has a very distinct white chin & throat patch while an additional one has a lemon yellow chin patch. Also their belly patterns are distinct. Some with definite lemon yellow fading into the burnt orange and others with barely any yellow on the belly. It’s just been fun watching their increasing numbers over this past week.

Bullock’s Orioles have arrived now, as have female Red-winged Blackbirds. And I found a small flock of Chipping Sparrows coming through today.

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot

After a leisurely breakfast and a late start, I headed out for my daily
ride. Western Tanagers were again/still in my neighborhood, and our
neighborhood Swainson’s was up stretching her legs. While watching her, I
heard the distinct sound of an Osprey and discovered one doing loop-de-loops
high above the North End. I think he may have had a fish in his talons while
he was doing aerobatics. A real treat.

I arrived at Hull’s Gulch just hoping to see something new. As it turns out,
I met another IBLEr, Mary Rumple, and she helped me locate several birds
that had eluded me the other day. Gray Catbirds were noisy and then visible,
and a baby Great Horned Owl was peeking out of the Russian Olive near their
nest. Mary and I walked part of the center walking trail together, and it
was obvious we both have BADD (Birders Attention Deficit Disorder).

I entered Hull’s Gulch with 13 birds and left with 46, including a pair of
Cooper’s Hawks soaring above Camelsback. I then stopped at the house for
another leisurely meal and headed for the river. At Quinn’s Pond there were
at least 20 paddleboards on the water, plus a BFD dive crew practicing, so I
couldn’t find the Western Grebes that have been hanging out there. But I was
able to increase my tally to 58 birds, despite the newest chain link fencing
that totally cuts me off from Veteran’s Pond. I rode the south side of the
river to Ann Morrison Park, because the north side is impassable in many
places. When I got back to Quinn’s, there were only a few people on the
water. I scanned from several vantage points and found the 4 WEGR’s that
have been there at least a week. Final tally was 59 birds in 13 miles.

Another good day. And thank you, Mary! Tom McCabe, Boise

Greetings, Birders,
I had an adult Red-headed Woodpecker in Challis today. It was in the deciduous trees at the Challis Bridge BLM day use area between the flooded boat ramp area and the parking area. I lost it high in the trees and could not relocate it before several vehicles of rowdy young folk and dogs showed up, parking in the boat ramp area. I plan to return shortly and try again. With school out and the holiday weekend, I’m not sure how much human activity there might be at this particular area that might hamper birding efforts.
Feel free to e-mail me if you come to look for it. My location is literally 3 minutes away and I’d be delighted to meet other Idaho birders.
Wendy McCradyChallis, ID

Hi IBLErs,

I got an early morning tip from Missy Arnold that a White-winged Dove was present at the Warm Springs Golf Course. Presumably this is the same individual that’s used the area on and off for a couple of years now. I made it over there a little after 8 and could hear it calling from deep within one of the large pine trees between the clubhouse and the greenbelt, but couldn’t get a visual. It kept going silent as I approached, and must have flown out the backside (towards the clubhouse) as I approached from the greenbelt, because I heard it calling again in some trees on the far side of the clubhouse as well. I ran out of time to try to get a visual on it before I had to get back to work, but others may have better luck.

Thanks for the heads up Missy!

Good birding!

Stoddard Davenport

Boise