After having to “confess” last week that I had used a piece of paper to keep track of my birds, I decided I had to do it the old way today. I managed to remember all 51 species, although a couple may not be in the right order. As usual, the highlight for me is the Bald Eagle nest and the Great Horned Owl nest, but the Wild Turkeys were again a treat. Another treat was 2 different sightings of Barrow’s Goldeneye. A treat of a different sort was the Crow chasing a Red Tail away from its nest in the neighborhood adjacent to Esther Simplot Park.
The major newcomers this week have been the swallows. I saw Tree and Violet Green today, and Northern Rough Winged a couple of days ago. The only FOY bird today was Marsh Wren at the ponds at the Eagle end of the paved path.
Fortunately, the head wind wasn’t too bad on the way out, and it was a wonderful tail wind on the way back, especially at the end of a 22 mile ride.
Not exactly birds, but, useful for birders to know.
While not a big or unexpected announcement here in SW ID,… ticks … are out.
Picked one up yesterday, likely from Blue Lakes here in Ada Co.. Not quite expecting this early, found it on me this morning, just a few mins. ago in fact. So, should you be like me and tend to chase around in the sagebrush for birds, be careful, check yourself afterward.
CGB. RL, self-certified tick magnet.
Motto: If they’re out there, we will find each other.
Hey Cliff, thanks for the confirmation. It was the only other sparrow I could find in my app that potentially sounded similar I thought too. I think the bird sounded more like the Grasshopper song, but since the Savannah is a possibility,
I’m not going to make a decision, lol. Interesting story, Alan… Best, JB
The Grasshopper Sparrow’s vocalization is very distinctive: tick, tick, tick, pizzzzzzzz
I recorded male Grasshopper Sparrows singing in a grassland seeded by strip-mining remediation in the old anthracite coal belt of northeastern Pa. Cassette tape deck. That dates me. ☺
Does any other bird sound enough like a Grasshopper Sparrow to confuse the two? I was in a grassy field near Lake Lowell and the song was very close to me, but I had no binoculars. Only my App to confirm sound. Thx… Jonathan
Just had a flyby of 2 Tree Swallows & a pr of Sandhill Cranes have been calling all morning from down by the Snake River, below home. Evening Grosbeaks are still coming to the feeders.
Also, of note, first Least Chipmunk of season is below feeder, picking out spilled black oil sunflower seeds.
Brian Carrigan Blackfoot
Home of Idaho Birding and the Idaho Bird Records Committee
