[IBLE] A Good Day

Since my access to some of my favorite places on the river is limited, I
decided to do a Hull’s Gulch tour and then my regular ride. So not a “Big
Day” per se, just a good day (using Harry Krueger’s definition).

My bike trip through Hull’s Gulch netted 35 species, most of them expected
at this time of year, but still a treat. The Blue Gray Gnatcatchers are back
in their usual gully, Western Meadowlarks were singing up a storm, and the
Yellow-breasted Chat did not disappoint. Like Scott, I found Western Wood
Pewees, plus an Olive-sided Flycatcher. And on one of the walking trails I
found a baby Western Screech Owl peering at me from a Wood Duck box.

On the greenbelt I found the 4 Western Grebes that have been hanging out at
Quinn’s Pond, despite the huge number of people that were doing paddleboards
and kayaks there yesterday. Silver Lake also had a single WEGR. But I dipped
on a number of “the usual suspects.”

I rode all the way to the closed bridge at Plantation Island, but most of my
birds came upstream of Veteran’s Parkway. On the way back I was still one
bird shy of my goal of 50 birds (Extreme Daily Allowance), but I again
stopped at the Swainson’s nest near my house and a head popped up, and I was
happy. As I said, a good day.

Tom McCabe, Boise

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