I left about 3:15 .. yes they are breaking hard on the dam … a couple of common loons and the usual coots, grebes
On Oct 30, 2024, at 3:34 PM, Robert Kiernan via groups.io <photobirder@…> wrote:
Any one out there any white caps
Ken Miracle chukar28@… 208-570-2780 “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God” 2COR 3:5
Gotta say, I agree with Bill Moore on the 4 letter species abbreviations. I could live without them on this platform unless it’s particularly appropriate as it might be in some instances. We’re contributing to the ornithological literature that some visiting species may some day unearth…why impress them with our lack of poetry?
I am so sorry Bill and IBLERs, it has been so long since I’ve posted here I defaulted to the way I text to friends. You are absolutely right about the rules.
Hoping to prevent people from trying to hurry to see the YBLO. When looking at photos on the computer and zoomed in I think we were looking at a COLO. I think our confusion came from seeing a for-sure COLO on the far (west end) dam and when we found a second loon at the east end the sun had come out causing a beautiful golden hue on everything. This loon we thought was YBLO definitely had a lighter head and bill appeared yellow through scope and binos. I think this golden-glow fooled us in our excitement for such a great bird. Maybe the other 2 parties that were there have pictures that make the ID more clear and there was a YBLO. For now, I would say what we saw were 2 COLO in very different lighting.
This is one of those humbling/learning experiences for me.
We had a first today. A Mountain Chickadee dropped into our backyard for a quick bite and a sip at the bird bath. In 22 years in Boise, we have never had a Mountain Chickadee
come into our yards. Great treat. Also, we had hawk sightings for seven days straight in the yard. All sharp shinned, one was banded. Our dearth of birds has ended and when the hawks aren’t hanging around we can empty seven feeders in a day. The front coming
in this afternoon really pushed the birds to the seed.
Yellow-billed loon at Lower Dam in Canyon County. First seen by Cheryl Huizinga this morning but she couldn’t be sure since the bird was far out. Refound this afternoon closer to the dam towards the boat ramp area.
