Greetings, Birders!
This winter storm dumped large numbers of sparrowsin the Challis and Mackay area. At the Land of the Yankee Fork SP, oriantha White-crowned Sparrows mixed inwith the usual Gambel’s. Chipping Sparrows numbers jumped from a few to 20overnight. Today near Mackay and the reservoir, there was a flock of about 40along the highway and more working through the brush around the reservoir.Vesper Sparrows were singing up a storm along the road up to the Mt. Borahtrailhead before the storm and flushing from alongside the road yesterday inthe snow. Today, they were hard to come by. Lark Sparrows are popping up withtheir pretty little faces as well.

 
Large numbers of Yellow-rumped Warblers are inthe Challis area with some flocks numbering up to 40. Yellow Warblers weresinging and chasing each other around at the Bayhorse Recreation Area on Hwy 75.I’ve heard one or two singing in most riparian areas I’ve visited recently. Anice surprise was a Black-throated Gray that zoomed through at Bayhorse RecArea on Friday.

 
Flycatchers are coming in with Dusky andHammond’s Flycatchers for Global Big Day on Saturday and a Gray today. It was alsofun to watch a Western Wood-pewee foraging for bugs yesterday in the heavy snowfalling at Mackay Reservoir.

 
Since we have no way to fence a yard, we optednot to put feeders up by our RV at the park. As a result, we seem to be missingout on the grosbeaks and buntings. I’ve had one singing Black-headed Grosbeakand a few scattered Western Tanagers but no Lazuli Buntings or hummers yet. 

Good birding,Wendy McCradyChallis, ID