My day lists have been getting bigger, thanks to the new arrivals. Yesterday
was a “little wet” but I still managed to find 38 birds during my ride.

But today was the best yet this year, aided by the Western Grebe that’s
hanging out at Quinn’s Pond (and there was another at Silver Lake), plus
Bullock’s Orioles, Black-headed Grosbeaks and my first of year Olive-sided
Flycatcher (by the back pond at Esther Simplot). In addition, I got to watch
a “murder” of crows-with murder in their hearts– harassing a Great Horned
Owl who kept hooting in response to their incredible racket. I left the
noisy scene, but the GHOW looked unscathed when I came back to his location
later.

In addition, I saw a River Otter at Veteran’s Pond, the first time I’ve ever
seen an otter along the greenbelt. I’ve seen plenty of mink, muskrat,
beaver, deer and even a coyote, but this was my first otter. A real treat.

Then, when I got home, my feeder was visited by a female Black-headed
Grosbeak, a bird I haven’t seen in my yard for years. And a short time later
a Lazuli Bunting visited as well, bringing my day list to 43. A good day.

BTW, back in 2007, when I was still recovering from the effects of chemo,
the late Harry Krueger dragged me around southwest Idaho on what I thought
was a Big Day. Since we “only” saw 123 species, Harry decided it was a
“good” day. My recollection is that we drove 450 miles, went as far north as
Crouch, as far east as Indian Creek, and as far south as Silver City. And I
was more exhausted after that than my later “Green Big Days” on a bike. (And
it was Harry who suggested I look at a “green” birding web site that started
me down the path I follow now. I do miss Harry. He taught me a lot about
birding.)

Tom McCabe, Boise