Summer advances..the McGillvray’s warblers were all silent today in Teton Valley foothills.
Best, Susan

________________________________________
From: ebird-checklist@cornell.edu
Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2018 2:56 AM
To: susan_patla@hotmail.com
Subject: eBird Report – Packsaddle Estates, Jun 27, 2018

Packsaddle Estates, Teton, Idaho, US
Jun 27, 2018 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.2 mile(s)
Comments: Birded the loop in the subdivision: from home down Grandview ( a bit of Aspen lane) and back on Caldwell Lane. Lots of bird sound this morning until the wind picked up after 10. One mule deer with very young twins.
36 species

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 1
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 4
Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) 1
Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus) 5
Calliope Hummingbird (Selasphorus calliope) 2
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) (Colaptes auratus [cafer Group]) 3
Dusky Flycatcher (Empidonax oberholseri) 4
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 9
Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) 1
Common Raven (Corvus corax) 1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 1 in nest box on house
Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina) 2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 2
Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli) 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) 2
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) 7
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) 2
Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides) 1
Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) 1 by Packsaddle Creek
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 8
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 1
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon’s) (Setophaga coronata auduboni) 3
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) 5
Brewer’s Sparrow (Spizella breweri) 4
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) (Junco hyemalis [oreganus Group]) 2
Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) 2
Green-tailed Towhee (Pipilo chlorurus) 7
Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) 1
Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) 3
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 8
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) 2
Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus) 1
Cassin’s Finch (Haemorhous cassinii) 4
Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) 4
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 1

View this checklist online at https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Febird.org%2Fview%2Fchecklist%2FS46845841&data=02%7C01%7C%7C65a4d3af7e86414dba9708d5dca2c520%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636657514002550566&sdata=q6Q3YbSTJtq%2B9Pbx3gl%2BH8q%2BVx5RIhvFospvvvzr%2F8U%3D&reserved=0

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Febird.org&data=02%7C01%7C%7C65a4d3af7e86414dba9708d5dca2c520%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636657514002550566&sdata=yV2SPijxv%2FgSrHlIM7RKnfnBH8xhpXK2aw%2F8emPwnqc%3D&reserved=0)

At least one Alder Flycatcher is still present at the coordinates in the Ware/Carlisle eBird checklists. In fact, the habitat picture in their June 21st checklist is exactly what I was looking at while listening to the male’s two-note song. Most of the time I heard the song closer to the rocky ridge but couldn’t see the singing bird amongst the dead trees for over an hour. He moved side to side not west to east. I was about to give up when an Alder Flycatcher started to sing much closer to the road—just west of that log pile seen on the right side. He sang from one location for quite awhile and I was able to get some good photos. Based on previous reports, I think there are two Alder Flycatchers, one of which is bolder and stays closer to the road.

Recently, I’ve read sev articles about Long-billed Curlew numbers dropping in S ID & a disturbing reason for the decline. It appears that poaching, specifically “target shooting” is a major factor. The LB Curlew is federally protected by the Migratory Bird Act but that, obviously, doesn’t deter everybody. As unconscionable as “thrill-killing” such a magnificent bird is, I would also like to raise the discussion of, perhaps, another factor playing a role in lower Curlew numbers.

30 years ago in SE ID, LB Curlews were fairly common in most irrigated fields, particularly pastures. But, about a decade ago, I started seeing fewer & fewer. To the point now, at least in my area, Curlews have become rare. I think the switch from flood irrigation to sprinkler irrigation is a factor in the decrease. Certainly, sprinkler irrigation conserves water & is less labor intensive but the flooded fields with standing water have virtually disappeared. And with the disappearance of soaking wet, short grass pasture fields, appears the Curlews have moved on. I’m not advocating a return to flood irrigation, but I believe the change has made a difference. Food for thought. I’d be interested in what others may think.

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot

I had a male Lesser Goldfinch come into the feeders this AM. Also have both male & female Black-chinned Hummingbirds coming to the nectar feeder & at least one male Rufous. I believe the Black-chinneds are nesting on our place again, should know in the next month, if immatures start coming to the feeder.

Also, at least a dozen Black-headed Grosbeaks are on the place, hitting the seed feeders. Others seen regularly are Bullock’s Orioles, Lazuli Buntings, Am Goldfinches, House Wrens & Cedar Waxwings.

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot

There was a White-winged Dove at Camas this morning sitting on a feeder when Darren Clark and I arrived this morning. We also refound the young male Blue Grosbeak found by Darren yesterday as was the mosquitos. A storm storm soon developed so we did not find much else. Lots of water there still.

Steve Butterworth
Idaho Falls, idaho

Fun to see these species being reported in N ID during our drive across S Canada through their expected breeding ranges, hearing/seeing them daily =)

Today we saw that the Central Flyway is alive and well, tallying 118 species this morning in SW Saskatchewan =)

Whilst shopping for old licence plates (we collect them), we saw this plaque: “We don’t skinny dip, we chunky dunk”

Still sampling eBird hot spots along the Trans Canada Highway ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Larry and Missy

Quick post to share that late afternoon yesterday Heidi & I easily found Alec’s bird right at the location of his eBird checklist – in fact, it was the first bird we heard singing when we opened the car doors!  As an added bonus, after ~15 minutes we both started hearing a second Alder Flycatcher counter-singing ~200 yards upslope – we tried for a recording but that 2nd bird never came close to the road and we didn’t feel up for bushwhacking :-).  Might add evidence to the idea that Alec’s bird is on a summer territory – & could this end up as a breeding location?  Any others up & down the road???

Here’s our eBird list (ebird.org/view/checklist/S46709335) that includes a digiscope pic Heidi got of the (relatively) close Alder singing and a digiscope video I got in which you can hear the song (if you turn up the volume) as well as make out the greenish hue on the back.
Great find Alec and thanks to folks who’ve kept the reports coming!
Jay

I found two Blue Grosbeaks at Camas NWR (Jefferson County) this evening. The birds were at the southern end of Toomey Pond, which is the big pond at the south end of the auto loop. The birds were in dead willows along a road that heads south from Toomey Pond (this road is closed to vehicles). The mosquitoes are very thick and aggressive. The birds were very skittish. I was able to get a coule of distant photograph of the male (a bird born last year as it is mostly brown). Please don’t play tapes, I’m guessing these birds will try to nest. This location is about .5 miles from a pair of birds that were found last fall at Camas (I wonder if one or both of these birds was born at Camas last year).

Photos can be seen on bird checklist here:https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46711426

Darren Clark
Rexburg, ID

Scott Weidensaul has a column in the July/August issue of Bird Watchers Digest about his hearing loss, relevant to us geezer birders who often take our hearing for granted, eh?
just an FYI note from latitude 49, somewhere in Manitoba, where we are enjoying an array of Purple Martin vocals…… =)

Larry

Today, while trying to come up with my Highly Recommended Daily Allowance of
40 birds, I was scanning the back pond at Esther Simplot, the pond parallel
to Veterans Pond. There were, as usual, a few gulls flying around, but I
suddenly realized that one had black on its head, and then I realized it
wasn’t a gull at all. The CATE flew down the length of the pond, turned
around and then headed back. I think he wanted to make sure I got the ID
right because he flew within 20 yards of me as I followed him with my 10
powers. I think he especially wanted me to see his red beak, which was
stunning.

Since I knew I had seen a Caspian Tern in the same location in the last
year, I did a quick search of the IBLE discussions on the Yahoo site and
found that I reported one from this location at the end of June last year
and again in early July. (Ironically, had I not been in that exact location
for the few minutes it took him to make a down and back pass, I never would
have seen him. Luck and timing!)

Tom McCabe, Boise