Greetings, Birders!
I got in a few hours of birding duringthe break in the storm today, all of it at the Land of the YankeeFork State Park on the south end of Challis in Custer County. I’vebeen birding this location almost daily since arriving here inmid-April, so was rather surprised to add a number of new species tothe hotspot list today. Fall migrants plus the storm break yielded avery nice bird list which can be seen on eBird:http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S39335042
New additions included Sharp-shinnedHawk, Common Yellowthroat, Spotted Towhee, and Dark-eyed Junco. Therewere large numbers of birds almost frantically foraging in thecottonwoods, willows along the irrigation canal,sagebrush-grasslands, and swale near the Bison Kill Site. Almost twodozen Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 8 Orange-crowned Warblers, 4 Wilson’sWarblers, and a couple of MacGillivray’s were present, along with aconservative count of 75 Yellow-rumped Warblers and over 30 MountainBluebirds. The Black-capped Chickadees are looking very fresh rightnow. Two Rock Wrens remain, along with a single Barn Swallow.White-crowned Sparrows came out in force, vastly outnumbering theVesper Sparrows, Lincoln Sparrows, and Song Sparrow. A single WesternTanager was present and a Swainson’s Thrush popped up by theagricultural fields.
The real highlight, however, was finallyseeing a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW in Idaho. Such a surprise to see thisshort-tailed, big-headed sparrow perch on a low sagebrush in fall. Of course,no camera with me due to occasional drizzle but I won’t soon forgetits beauty. Deep dark yellow lores. The rich color and contrast ofthe wide rufous stripes on the gray scapulars made me think of thosefancy tapestries one sees hanging in castles. What a way to end ourstay here.
Good birding,
Wendy McCradyChallis, ID – for only one more day