Category Archives: Listserv Posts

Listserv Posts

Birding Marianne Williams Park

Saturday morning 4/18/2020 I decided to try a local Boise birding place that might not have too many people. At Marianne Williams Park by the restrooms (closed) and ponds, there was only one other vehicle around 8:45. By the time I returned around 11, there were 15, so I timed it right for crowd avoidance. 

The sun started warming nicely and birds became more active. I headed towards Eckert Rd. on the paved path finding Red-winged blackbirds, of course. A pleasant surprise was the lone male Yellow-headed Blackbird perched up in a young cottonwood. Other pleasant sightings were Cinnamon Teals, Gadwalls, and a Ring-necked Duck. Have you noticed the duck decoys in the water behind the black wroght-iron fence? What’s the story? Watching a Red-tailed Hawk pestered by a Kestrel was an interesting sight also. I’m not experienced with Ebird but posted a list yesterday.
I paused at Eckert Rd briefly for a “wardrobe adjustment”, taking off my down jacket. Then I started a new Ebird list as I walked the sandy path along the Boise River. I’m so glad I chose that path rather than return the way I had come. Northern Flickers were busy drumming and calling.  For me, the best part of that stroll was watching a male Northern Harrier circling above me. I posted a separate Ebird list for that part of my walk. 
Photo is off my cell phone, so details are not sharp.
Diann Stone Boise Depot Bench
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Enjoying yard birds

Apart from some volunteering on a local Curlew project and brief runs to the store, I’ve stayed home during these COVID-19 times …  lots of yard work and a real appreciation for yard birds. I really miss the social part of birding; sharing the enthusiasm and passion for birds so I thought I would share my morning yard birds in the Boise foothills.

…. Cold start but house finches and gold finches are super busy  and the constant, repetitive song of robins are everywhere; their squabbles too as they fight and chase each other and scream.  A House Wren pokes its head out of a current thicket … welcome back! The Say’s Phoebe is singing … same every morning without fail since I returned home three weeks ago.  “Sip”. Nice, a Chipping Sparrow, the first of four that passes through the yard in the next hour. A stunning male Audubon’s Warbler flycatching from a cottonwood … it’s bright yellow skullcap makes me think back to very different Warblers in Israel only three weeks ago….  A brief trill and an Orange crowned warbler moves into the next tree. With the sun comes the Ruby- crowned kinglets and that crazy downward haphazard spiralling song .. and the raptors. Above the lazy group of turkey vultures are smaller red tails, thernalling more tightly ..  and above them a tiny male sharpie. A male harrier is doing a loop-d-loop display, maybe trying to grab the attention of two birds migrating over so high they are just tiny specks. Up in the blue are mixed flocks of swallows … and now most have moved on again and we are left with a few locals around the cliffs.

Almost 50 species or so, some seedlings transplanted, and some firewood cut.  Happy yard birding.


Steve Dougill, Boise, ID

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Owyhee’s

We decided to go check things out we havent been out there since nov.started out Reynolds area drove past cemetary and got this pheasant in road pulled off and walked road about 1/2 mile no birds drove dirt road over to murphy stopping wet areas for birds only red w.b b’s on to silver city rd.hoping for sparrow or cassins finches nest sites nada on to sinker creek check both sides rd.nada walkedup rd.about 3/4 mi.nada spent about 2 hrs in creek area saw only beautiful blue skies awesome any day in the owyhee’s better then home in these trying times refreshing