Again FWIW, the early arrivals I’m used to seeing in early July
are typically males, with females/juveniles arriving later –
probably in Aug when you see them in Blackfoot. Maybe it’s the
males that tend to stick to the mountains? Interesting to
ponder…
Cliff
On 7/4/23 03:09PM, lcarrigan_55 wrote:
Appreciate all the responses to this thread. You hit the nail
squarely on the head, Carl. By the time Rufous start showing at
our place in Aug, may get one or two adult males. Primarily, it’s
juveniles & females. And, suspect they’ve crossed fairly wide
expanses of sagebrush steppe country, before our place. As last
mountains are the Lost Rivers to the north, before reaching
mountains again, along south edge of Blackfoot. The narrowleaf
cottonwood Snake River Bottoms are probably looking somewhat
inviting by that time.
Reason, this push is so interesting. Today’s group is an entirely
new bunch from those seen this last weekend. An adult female &
at least 2 bright orange/rufous adult males. One of the males on
Sun was a green-backed. But, definitely, more males than we
usually observe.
Appreciate all the responses to this thread. You hit the nail squarely on the head, Carl. By the time Rufous start showing at our place in Aug, may get one or two adult males. Primarily, it’s juveniles & females. And, suspect they’ve crossed fairly wide expanses of sagebrush steppe country, before our place. As last mountains are the Lost Rivers to the north, before reaching mountains again, along south edge of Blackfoot. The narrowleaf cottonwood Snake River Bottoms are probably looking somewhat inviting by that time.
Reason, this push is so interesting. Today’s group is an entirely new bunch from those seen this last weekend. An adult female & at least 2 bright orange/rufous adult males. One of the males on Sun was a green-backed. But, definitely, more males than we usually observe.
So small a world. Yes, Karen, I do mean Lewis Batts. I wrote to him recently to thank him for inspiring me. Unfortunately, he had passed, but his children got my note. Without his love for the birds of NZ (and birds, in general), I’d never have had the years on the Ice nor such an appreciation for birds. So touching that you were in his last class. It was a tough one!
Very interesting to read past adventures of all, Kerry, Virginia & Karen, in the biological sciences from Univ days. Texas was a great place for university birding field trips in those days: Big Bend, High Island, Valley, Hill Country. I remember stepping out of the university van at Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge & seeing about a dozen new birds, for me, just at the parking lot, lol! Thread prompted me to go back to my notes: highlight was seeing, in a single oak tree at same time, at Smith Woods, High Island: Blue-winged, Golden-winged, Brewster’s & Lawrence’s Warblers, amongst numerous others. April 21, 1979, day & age when there would be a fall-out of literally 100s of warblers, vireos, orioles, etc upon crossing the Gulf.
Has provided for years of enjoyment, watching feathered friends. Here’s photo of one of the male Rufous from today.
Kerry Fitzharris – I assume you are talking about Lewis Batts! I must have taken the last course he offered (Spring ’77) and loved it. Many of my fellow students are still birdwatchers, although we weren’t so lucky to go to Antarctica – just Point Pelee.
I’m so enjoying this thread and hearing about the backgrounds of my fellow birders. Since retiring, I explain my avid interest in birds/bird photography to my family with this favorite quote: “Once a biologist, always a biologist.” I seem to be unable to stop looking at all the wonderful life around us!
Brian, I have to say that late 70s early 80s was a perfect time (in my humble experience) to be in biological studies, and especially ornithology. Cleveland National Forest east of San Diego was my study area. Interestingly, one of the important things I learned is that rattlesnakes are not as bad as I had been told. They do give you a warning, and they prefer to get the heck out of your way, if you give them that opportunity (unlike other predators!)
Thanks for sharing your adventures! 70s were a great time to be in a university setting, esp if interested in biological sciences. I hope that opportunities to be a field assistant still exist, but given the costs associated with advanced education now, worry it’s not the same as used to be. Has even changed, dramatically, from the past 12-15 yrs when our kids got their degrees.
Also, guess my post was a bit early, as just had 2 adult male Rufous Hummingbirds back at the feeder. Took their time to show up today. So, still passing through.
Yes, the Owyhee County eBird filter goes from zero on 29 June to ten on 30 June to accommodate the arrival of southbound migrants, though that transition could probably be pushed a few days earlier. Rufous aren’t generally known/expected to breed in the Great Basin or in Idaho south of the Snake River Plain, but southbound migrants can be expected throughly the interior west (south to e.g., places like Arizona, New Mexico, and the Big Bend region of Texas) by the end of June. Why arrival dates are often later at individual sites (Brian and Aidan’s homes, for example) I’m not sure, but the earlier migrants may stick largely to the mountains with others spilling over into the valleys later. It could also be correlated with age, as those migrating in June are expected to be mostly adult males. Brian, when yours arrive in force in August, are you still seeing males or mostly females and juveniles?
Interesting how our lives evolve through happen-stance, at times. I ended up in Antarctica because my ornithology professor from Kalamazoo College in 1972 made a movie about the birds of New Zealand. The only way I could afford a trip there was to work in the Antarctic. Then I fell in love with the Ice and got to bird in New Zealand coming and going during the four seasons I worked there. Life is full of odd, yet wonderful twists and turns, no? Thanks for sharing one of yours.
Kerry Fitzharris
Boise
Home of Idaho Birding and the Idaho Bird Records Committee
