I birded on Sunday in Latah, Nez Perce, and Clearwater Counties beginning
at Spring Valley and Moose Creek Reservoirs, which finally had 100% open
water but no unusual birds. More exciting were my Latah County first
SANDHILL CRANES near the east end of Hog Meadow (on the north side of
Highway 8 between Helmer and Bovill). Sandhill Cranes were observed at
this location (always while I was away from Idaho) each year from
2015-2017, and may nest nearby. Driving Little Bear Ridge between Troy and
Kendrick produced a GREATER YELLOWLEGS, my FOY CINNAMON TEAL, a flock of
TUNDRA SWANS with one SNOW GOOSE, and a continuing REDHEAD (locally
uncommon, a second one was near Vassar, Idaho). Migrant MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS
were in a couple of locations in eastern Latah Co. In downtown Juliaetta,
I had my FOY VAUX’S SWIFT flying with swallows.

At the Dworshak Reservoir Dam/Bruce’s Eddy, I had 4 COMMON LOONS and a
flock of Scaup that looked pretty good for Greater but were too far away
for me to feel confident before they were flushed by a boat. I stopped at
the Lewis-Clark Canoe Camp to look at lots of (mostly California and some
Ring-billed) gulls feeding near the confluence of the North and South Fork
Clearwater Rivers (and near the outflow pipes of the Clearwater and
Dworshak Hatcheries). Here I found a group of 5 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, 2
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, and a few other ducks. I see only one previous
Clearwater County record of Red-breasted Merganser in eBird (and not
particularly well documented). A second VAUX’S SWIFT was over the Orofino
Cemetery and my FOY Cliff Swallows were on the Clearwater near Spalding
Site. Mann Lake produced small flocks of Snow Geese, American White
Pelicans, and both Greater and LESSER YELLOWLEGS. Finally, another SNOW
GOOSE was in a field southeast of the Genesee Sewage Lagoon.

Good Birding,

Carl Lundblad
Moscow, ID