So, for biking my usual eBird patch (nearest section of Boise River Greenbelt, just west of Glenwood), I’m still wearing my knee-high Tingley’s because water on the path is 10” deep in places. Water is receding though. And I discovered it’s time to begin carrying DEET.

I noticed all three HY Great-horned Owls have departed from their nest, in fact may have departed their tree. I took another “sound level reading” at the site and recorded 60-80+ dBA, then asked the Bird Gods why owls in particular would nest this close to active gravel operations. ??

Also saw a few Wild Turkeys, adults with poults, at the West Boise Biosolids Recycling Site (basically looks like a pasture, has in the past hosted horses, cows, sheep, goats. Onward to some 45 species for my slow-motion morning bike ride. =)

Still no Willow Flycatchers in my patch, not a surprise because in prior years (n=6) they didn’t arrive until 22-29 May. And the last migrant/breeder I expect to arrive here is Common Nighthawk, typically 26 May to 05 Jun.

In an overwhelming moment of agony, I realized that during our six yrs here, many of the remaining remnants of habitat along the greenbelt have succumbed to development, improvement, “progress!” Like Ada County’s mission statement is to “redefine or remake every square foot if possible.”

But I thought of a more serious problem: that of using four-letter alpha codes on my bird lists. Suppose I see or hear a Killdeer, then something happens to me, like an accident that leaves me unconscious, and someone discover my bird list… I’m pretty sure I’d be added to a terrorist watch list. Ya think?

Hey Ken, thank you for being a fabulous host when Missy and I were there looking for your Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Big smiles and g reat memories of that!

Good boid’n all,

Larry

Hello Again Idaho Birders:

My apologies for no signature on the earlier email from my phone.

Here is a link to the eBird checklist with photos of the White-winged
Scoter.
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S56275229

Cheers,
Eric
………………….
Eric Hynes
Placerville, CO
———————
Field Guides Birding Tours
www.fieldguides.com

Eric Hynes

Hello Idaho Birders:

Todd Day and I just left Swan Falls Dam on the Snake River where we observed an immature male White-winged Scoter. It was on the upstream of the dam. More than a dozen Common Goldeneye were present as well.

Good birding,
Eric

Sent from my iPhone

This morning had a few singing Yellow Warblers (FOY), Orange-crowned and Yellow-rumped Warblers, Black-headed Grosbeaks and one Warbling Vireo.

The Green-tailed Towhees are back in force also and in full song as are the House Wrens.

One Hammond’s Flycatcher singing also. And a pair of Northern Harriers yacking at me.

Getting pretty noisy out here! May need ear plugs soon.

Wish spring could last four months!

Susan

us too…. four months !! =)

From: “Susan Patla susan_patla@hotmail.com [ible]”
To: “IBLE”
Sent: Monday, May 13, 2019 8:50:41 PM
Subject: [IBLE] Teton Valley, Packsaddle Estates

This morning had a few singing Yellow Warblers (FOY), Orange-crowned and Yellow-rumped Warblers, Black-headed Grosbeaks and one Warbling Vireo.

The Green-tailed Towhees are back in force also and in full song as are the House Wrens.

One Hammond’s Flycatcher singing also. And a pair of Northern Harriers yacking at me.

Getting pretty noisy out here! May need ear plugs soon.

Wish spring could last four months!

Susan

Sent from my iPhone
Still at east end of Black’s Creek R

I haven’t seen this posted on IBLE yet, but it just came through on the
eBird review queue.

Here’s the checklist with photos:

https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S56179786

Happy Mother’s Day to the birder moms.

Bryce

Overnight, Yellow Warblers arrived by the dozens. Males are singing from cottonwoods all through the Snake River Riparian area, quickly establishing their territories. BH Grosbeaks are doing the same. As are Lazuli Bunting males, spotted 6 singing & staking their spots this AM on the place. I did put the Oriole feeder out which has 2 small, shallow jelly cups (so none of the smaller birds can get stuck in jelly) & 2 prongs for orange halves. The only visitors, so far, have been the BC Hummingbirds going from orange halves to their nectar feeder. Suspect the hummer pr will quickly move to nesting.

Also have seen WC Sparrows & Chipping Sparrows this AM. Heard the Blue Jay again, earlier. But no longer visits the seed feeder. Another surprise was a Townsend’s Solitaire which landed at the top of a spruce tree. They’re usually gone by mid-April, so this is a late date for my yard. Am finding House Finch egg halves, meaning on this Mother’s Day, they’re already feeding hatchlings.

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot

We hiked out to the west end this afternoon and it was pretty busy. We
found a Whimbrel in with Curlews in the Sagebrush and a male Pectoral
Sandpiper (only the second I’ve seen in spring) in flooded Sagebrush a
long way from the reservoir. The res is only 85% full so there’s a lot
of habitat out there right now. There was probably more small terns than
I’ve seen before, all Forster’s (I usually don’t see Common until late
May so not unexpected they were all Forster’s). There was a flock of 10
Black-bellied Plovers and 11 dowitchers too far away to ID. A small
mixed flock of Wilson’s and Red-necked Phalaropes, a flock of maybe 80
American Avocets, 11 Sanderlings (I think the most I’ve seen up here),
plenty of Willets, a few Killdeer and Wilson’s Snipe and single Spotted,
Western and Semipalmated Sandpipers rounded out the shorebirds.

Cliff

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

Relaxing on back deck this evening & heard the Blue Jay! Thought, at first, I was trying to make a Magpie call into the jay. But, it was so typical for the jay. Then, it landed in a nearby cottonwood, letting me get a good look through the binocs. And then flew a semi-circle around the yard, disappearing back in the woods. It didn’t even glance at the feeder. Obviously, is feeding on natural sources now.

I don’t even know what to think anymore about this bird. Or even if it’s the same one? Have to think it is, but no sightings in nearly a week. If I can locate it on the 15th, that would make a full 7 months of its residency here.

I filled the hummer feeder & since filling, have had at least one each male & female Black-chinned Hummingbird visit it. A male Lazuli Bunting has been hitting the black-oil sunflower seeds most of the afternoon. And, a male Bullock’s Oriole arrived this evening, too. Time for the jelly cups. Two more to go: Yellow Warbler & Western Tanager.

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot