We all know how much fun it is to see a new bird, but that becomes harder as
we explore our environs. So we fall back to the joy of the first time we see
a bird in a particular year or even a season. We expect it when spring
arrives, but I wasn’t expecting it at the end of January.

My first FOY bird for today came at about 2:30 in the morning when a Western
Screech Owl started calling from the Ponderosa just outside our bedroom. We
have been looking and listening for them on our evening walks, but this one
came to us!

My second FOY bird for today came when I found at least 4, and maybe 6,
Northern Shovelers at Esther Simplot Park. I saw 2 in the main pond where it
is closest to Whitewater Park Blvd. The next 4 were in the back pond.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t be certain that the first 2 hadn’t moved over to
the back pond, hence the uncertainty as to numbers. And they were definitely
male/female pairs.

The third FOY bird was a Northern Pintail at Mallard Point, an assisted
living type operation at 50th St. in Garden City. In prior years I’ve seen a
Northern Pintail, probably this same one, across the river near Silver Lake.
But because Veteran’s Park is partially closed to bikers and the greenbelt
under Veterans Parkway is still being rebuilt, I haven’t been on that side
of the river for some time. Fortunately, he decided to come visit. 😉

A separate treat was a pair of Brown Creepers who flew across the path right
in front of me as I arrived at Ann Morrison today. They then posed for me on
the trunk of a small Locust tree. Even though they weren’t FOY’s, it’s
always fun to see them.

Tom McCabe, Boise