I did some weekend birding in Latah, Nez Perce, Idaho, Lewis, and
Clearwater Counties in the southern Panhandle. It was notable for
featuring BOTH good weather and good birding, which are often mutually
exclusive during migration periods around here. Migrant songbirds (mostly
warblers and sparrows) were present at almost every location, and large
numbers of finches (Pine Siskins, Evening Grosbeaks) added some winter
flair. My first notable bird on Saturday was a GRAY FLYCATCHER working the
fence lines at the Genesee Sewage Lagoon (
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59979618). A late Violet-green Swallow
flew over, and 4 Long-billed Dowitchers were on the pond. Probably my best
stop was at Hell’s Gate State Park in Lewiston, which was packed with
migrants including as many as 150-200 warblers dominated by Audubon’s
Yellow-rumps, 5% Myrtle Yellow-rumps, Orange-crowned, Wilson’s, Townsend’s
Warblers, dozens of Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and ~100 Violet-green Swallows.
The best birds at Hell’s Gate were a COMMON TERN and another GRAY
FLYCATCHER, and the full list is on eBird:
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59985611 . These 2 Gray Flycatcher
records will be the first and second in eBird for Nez Perce County. Mann
Lake had 3 Red-necked Grebes (also 3 Westerns) and a similar crop of
shorebirds as reported by Keith the following day.

Saturday evening, my latest VAUX’S SWIFTS (~40) for Idaho came in to roost
at the Monastery of St. Gertrude near Cottonwood, and I was present when
they emerged and quickly dispersed around 7:50 the nest morning.
Otherwise, the Monastery was fairly quiet except for a couple of
Orange-crowned and Audubon’s Warblers, Chipping, Lincoln’s, and good
numbers of White-crowned Sparrows. 200+ American Pipits were all over the
dirt fields in the Tolo Lake area near Grangeville, and a careful perusal
might have revealed many times that number. Tolo Lake, itself, hosted one
each Horned and EARED GREBE, a BARN OWL, and a RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER. A
flock of swallows included my latest BANK SWALLOWS (4+) for Idaho and at
least one Violet-green. A nice Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warbler was at Pioneer
Park in Grangeville. Along the upper portion of “Old Whitebird Highway” I
observed my latest BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK for Idaho and briefly observed
what appeared to be yet another Gray Flycatcher, which disappeared before I
could study it closely. I briefly birded the Salmon River south to Slate
Creek, but found not much going on down there, and I headed back north. A
migrant HERMIT THRUSH was nice to see at the Nezperce Cemetery, and a
kettle of 12 Turkey Vultures was over the Clearwater River above Orofino.

Good Birding,

Carl Lundblad
Moscow, Idaho