Thank you to everyone who reassured me that I wasn’t just sending things
into a black hole. Sounds like everyone got my original post (from yesterday
around 3:30) this morning, and this morning’s not too long after I posted
it. My second one from yesterday apparently did go into the black hole.

Anyway, today’s ride produced a Dipper, my first ever along the Boise River.
(!!!) I know some folks have seen them up near Diversion Dam, but this was
the first time I’ve even seen one in years. I had stopped at a bend in the
river, about midway between Willow Lane and Silver Lake, to tell a friend
about the 2 Red-tailed Hawks I’d just seen at Willow Lane (yes, one was the
extremely dark morph). I saw a bird fly along the shore, low over the water,
and it made a sound that was not in my usual repertoire. I walked my bike
back a few feet and there was the Dipper, bobbing along on a narrow log that
was partially submerged. At about that time Susan caught up, and we all got
great looks at the little guy. And while we were watching, a Cooper’s Hawk
flew across the river and posed in a tree above us. Needless to say, we
didn’t see the Dipper again.

Bald Eagles (2) were again in evidence, one at Quinn’s and one at Veteran’s.
And the dark morph RTHA was between the playing fields and the river at
Willow Lane. Couldn’t find the Northern Pintail, but I did manage 39 species
and 5 were raptors. (I love winter birding!)

Tom McCabe, Boise