Thank you. My Sibleys must be an older version,  no hybrids.  It has returned off and on since the first sighting. It appears to be hanging with 3-4 Stellars Jays.

Just wanted to pass on that there are also Pine Grosbeak today at Boise Peak. Not quite as local as Morris Hill but in case folks want to look in another area. We drove up 8th Street (Sunset Peak Rd) all the way to Boise Peak and hiked around the area. We encountered 6 PIGR, they were frequently calling and perching in the tree tops. Just remember it is hunting season and there are quite a few hunters in the woods so be sure to be visible.

Wow, that is a super cool looking bird! Definitely looks like a mix of Blue Jay and Steller’s Jay features.

I just swept through the area, and expanded a bit. I encountered  a few other folks as well, none of us were able  to re-find as of 12:30 PM.

Thank you Linda, good timing, I actually have to drive right by there in a few minutes, I will take some time to see if I might re-find it as it would be a life bird for me. 

And a quick aside  about Merlin and pine grosbeak. I was at Leslie Gulch last weekend, and Merlin frequently would indicate pine grosbeak, but I did not quite trust it, I think it was being fooled by the many Townsend solitaires that were there – often when one would call, it would indicate both species. Merlin never indicated pine grosbeak by itself, and I never actually heard one calling.  Must be something about those two bird calls that overlaps just enough to fool Merlin!