The surf scoters were still present at Jensen Grove Park yesterday (Monday)
evening. They were widely scattered across the pond.

I was wondering what food might be in the large pond to make them stay
since Saturday. Scoters aren’t usually fish or submerged aquatic
vegetation eaters and I didn’t think they would find much in the way of
mussels. But I was able to see 2 resurface from dives with large crayfish
wriggling in their bills.

Also present were 3 common loons, an eared grebe, bufflehead, and a female
American wigeon among a small flock of mallards.

Steven F. Kahl
Deputy Project Leader
Southeast Idaho National Wildlife Refuge Complex
4425 Burley Dr., Ste. A
Chubbuck, ID 83202
P (208) 237-6615 ext 112
F (208) 237-8213

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For those of you in Boise, Quinn’s Pond had some interesting birds today.
Besides the Western Grebe that’s been there for some weeks, the raft of
Buffleheads doubled to about 16 or so. Plus, they were accompanied by a
Barrow’s Goldeneye, my FOS. Also, earlier-but not later-there were 4
Ring-necked Ducks floating nearby.

In addition, there was a bird floating around with the WEGR that looked like
one of the medium grebes, Horned or Eared, in winter plumage. Problem was,
he never untucked his head so I never figured out what he was. If he hadn’t
been hanging out with the WEGR, I would have thought it was just flotsam.

Also present were the usual winter residents, including A. Wigeons and A.
Coots.

Over by the river, near the rest rooms in Esther Simplot, there was a very
dark Merlin lurking in a tree. This guy is almost black and his breast
streaks are very thick and close together. Last week he was hanging out with
a much lighter Merlin, but I haven’t seen the latter since then.

Finally, there are 2 Hooded Mergansers hanging out at the upstream end of
Veteran’s Pond, and today there were also 2 at the duck pond in Ann
Morrison.

Thanks to all of the above, my day lists have been climbing into the mid to
upper 30’s. And there’s a weather change coming!

Tom McCabe

There was a Pacific Loon very close to the Massacre Rocks State Park boat
launch yesterday afternoon. Also seen were a few common loons, western
grebes, and a pied-billed grebe.

Steven F. Kahl
Deputy Project Leader
Southeast Idaho National Wildlife Refuge Complex
4425 Burley Dr., Ste. A
Chubbuck, ID 83202
P (208) 237-6615 ext 112
F (208) 237-8213

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I birded in the northern Idaho panhandle this weekend and came up with the
following highlights:

Cackling Goose: 8 were at Sandpoint City Beach on 10/28.

Eurasian Wigeon: One at Hawkins Point, Lake Pend Oreille on 10//28.

Bonaparte’s Gull: 2 at Boundary Creek WMA on 10/29 were my first for
Boundary County.

American Pipit: 6 were still at the Clark Fork Delta Driftwood Yard on
10/28.

GRAY CATBIRD: One was very late (by nearly 2 months) at the confluence of
Boundary Creek and the Kootenai River, on the international boundary at
Boundary Creek WMA Sunday 10/29:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S40189846

SNOW BUNTING: 2 flew over and circled Sandpoint City Beach early on the
morning of 10/28. Another likely snow bunting flew over Hawkins Point a
few hours later.

American Tree Sparrow: My first for Bonner County was at the Clark Fork
Delta Driftwood Yard on 10/28.

HARRIS’S SPARROW: One was on the south side of the Kootenai River along
Riverside Drive about 1.5 miles east of Kootenai NWR on 10/28:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S40176273

Common Redpoll: My first since early 2016, a flock of 15-20 flew over
Lakeview Park on the morning of 10/28. 2 were in residential Bonners Ferry
on Sunday 10/29.

Good Birding,

Carl Lundblad
Moscow, ID

Made a trip into town & checked out Jensen’s Grove. As Darren reported yesterday, there are 6 Surf Scooters. This AM, one was fairly close to the parking lot with the boat ramp & making multiple dives. A raft of the other 5 was farther out. Also, of note, this AM was a Ruddy Duck & a Common Loon, both in binocular range of same location.

On the place this AM, the Evening Grosbeaks are still hitting the platform seed feeder.

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot

SCOTERS not scooters. Thanks for nothing, spell check!

Brian

There are six Surf Scoters at Jensen’s Grove Park in Blackfoot.

Darren Clark
Rexburg, ID

Sent from my iPhone

This AM, both Evening Grosbeaks and Red-breasted Nuthatches are present. The Grosbeaks are back at the feeders & Nuthatches are working through the spruce tree cones. Yesterday, I ended up with a total of 12 Evening Grosbeaks: 6 males, 2 females & 4 immatures.

Also, Am Robins are present & Townsend’s Solitaires are staking out their junipers for the winter.

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot

The results of the weekly waterbird survey at Bear Lake Refuge included
Canada Goose – 151, Trumpeter Swan – 6 (2 adults and 4 cygnets), Mallard –
198, American Wigeon – 405, Northern Shoveler – 31, Redhead – 2, Ruddy Duck
– 5, American Coot – 1983, Pied-billed Grebe – 1, American White Pelican –
3, Western Grebe – 11, American Bittern – 1. The first Bufflehead of the
season were counted as well (11). There is a large number of mixed ducks
and American Coots on the southeast corner of Mud Lake, so viewing
opportunities for the public are good along the east end of North Beach
Road and from Merkley Lake Road along the east side of the refuge.

A Pacific Loon is still being found at Minidoka Refuge. It is most often
found on the Snake River just below the Lake Walcott spillway. Many
waterbirds are being seen including Mallard, Northern Pintail, American
Wigeon, Gadwall, Ruddy Duck, Western Grebe, Common Loon, American White
Pelican, and thousands of Canada Geese. A few late shorebirds are still
hanging around, including Long-billed Dowitcher, Pectoral Sandpiper, and
Killdeer.

The weather looks great for this weekend, fall migration is still in full
swing, and it won’t be long before the marshes freeze up. So come out and
visit us and let us know what you are seeing!

If you want to know about all what we’re doing at Bear Lake, Camas, Gray’s
Lake and Minidoka Refuges, check us out and Like us at
https://www.facebook.com/SEIdahoRefuges/. We have posts about a bison skull
found at Bear Lake NWR, Idaho’s bats, and more.

Thank you!

Steven F. Kahl
Deputy Project Leader
Southeast Idaho National Wildlife Refuge Complex
4425 Burley Dr., Ste. A
Chubbuck, ID 83202
P (208) 237-6615 ext 112
F (208) 237-8213

*Like and follow us on Facebook
!*

What a delightful surprise to have beautiful bird colors along with autumn
leaves. Lesser Goldfinches and Robins as well as the Red-breasted
Nuthatches have been frequenting my feeders and birdbath. Dark-eyed Juncos
and a Mourning Dove were feeding yesterday also. Here’s to a colorful
birding season.

Diann Stone
Boise Depot Bench

Diann

*The Earth has music for those who listen. George Santayana*

On Fri, Oct 27, 2017 at 9:39 AM, lcarrigan_55@yahoo.com [ible] < ible-noreply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

>
>
> Just when I was thinking it would be a dull AM of birding, I was proven
> wrong. Thought I would find myself in the “in-between” stage of being past
> fall migrants & too early for the full arrival of winter residents.
>
> But a flock of 9 Everything Grosbeaks proved me wrong! 5 adult males & 4
> juveniles have been alternating between my black oil sunflower seed
> platform, the top of a nearby cottonwood & the berries of a Russian Olive
> tree for an hour now, really putting on a show & being quite vocal. Seems
> that a couple of winter travellers are making the rounds. First, the
> Red-breasted Nuthatches through most of Sept & now, Evening Grosbeaks.
> Hopefully, a good irruption season in the making.
>
> Brian Carrigan
> Blackfoot
>
>