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20 Nov White-Winged Scoter ["Steve" ] 19 Nov Rosy-Finches: Lucky Peak (Discovery) SP ["jonb48" ] 17 Nov FW: [BIRDCHAT] Hilton Pond 11/11/09 (Cedar Waxwings) [Michael Wiegand ] 17 Nov Thanksgiving Bird Count [Denise Hughes ] 16 Nov Project Feeder Watch birds and Canyon Co. Count ["Cheryl Huizinga" ] 16 Nov Idaho Birder: Lew Ulrey ["Robert Mortensen" ] 15 Nov Fwd: Moscow, UI Parker Farm (Plant Science Nursery) - Common Redpoll, etc. - 11/15/09 [Charles Swift ] 15 Nov Rough-legged Hawk, Golden Eagles [Danette Henderson ] 15 Nov Rough-legged Hawk in Canyon County ["sheeptramp" ] 15 Nov Weather Change ["lcarrigan_55" ] 15 Nov CBC update [Cliff and Lisa Weisse ] 15 Nov Idahobirds Field Trips page updated [Cliff and Lisa Weisse ] 15 Nov SIBA Field Trip to Wilson Spring Ponds - 11/14/09 ["Cheryl Huizinga" ] 14 Nov Rosy Finch [alfred larson ] 14 Nov Valley County list [Denise Hughes ] 14 Nov Re: ID help Please ["Mike Munts" ] 14 Nov ID help Please [1 Attachment] ["David Lawrence" ] 14 Nov Merlin ["Lew & Connie Ulrey" ] 14 Nov Valley County Compiler ["Lew & Connie Ulrey" ] 14 Nov Re: Craters Rosy-finches ["Mike Munts" ] 14 Nov Fwd: East Moscow neighborhood birds, 11/14/09 [1 Attachment] [Charles Swift ] 14 Nov BIrd Swarm ["Tim Reynolds" ] 13 Nov Craters finches ["Mike Munts" ] 13 Nov CJ Strike & Bruneau ["rkmorten" ] 13 Nov Canyon Co. Birds for 2009 ["Cheryl Huizinga" ] 13 Nov CBC Dates [Cliff and Lisa Weisse ] 13 Nov CBC Dates [Cliff and Lisa Weisse ] 13 Nov anyone lose a Mandarin Duck? (in K. Albertson park) ["carlislejay" ] 12 Nov Fwd: possible Winter Wren split [Charles Swift ] 11 Nov Another Treasure Valley Cattle Egret ["David Lawrence" ] 11 Nov Southwestern Idaho Birders Association, 11/14/2009, 9:00 am [] 10 Nov Re: Cattle Egret ["Cheryl Huizinga" ] 10 Nov RE: Re: Pine Siskin Disappearing Act and Show-off Nuthatches ["Terry Gray" ] 10 Nov Re: 250K of starlings ["missingmagpies" ] 10 Nov Re: Pine Siskin Disappearing Act and Show-off Nuthatches ["missingmagpies" ] 9 Nov Cascade Reservoir [Danette Henderson ] 10 Nov Indian Creek, Ted Trueblood and CJ Strike ["Tom" ] 9 Nov RE: Re: North-end Boise backyard birds and Wilson Pond [Michael Wiegand ] 09 Nov Re: North-end Boise backyard birds and Wilson Pond ["spencerw100" ] 09 Nov Idaho Birder: Cheryl Huizinga ["rkmorten" ] 8 Nov RE: North-end Boise backyard birds and Wilson Pond ["Lew & Connie Ulrey" ] 09 Nov Help. How to capture an escaped exotic bird. ["Lynn Davenport" ] 8 Nov North-end Boise backyard birds and Wilson Pond [Danette Henderson ] 08 Nov IBRC Update [Cliff and Lisa Weisse ] 08 Nov Pacific Loon continues [Cliff and Lisa Weisse ] 09 Nov Re: Cattle Egret, Pac Loon, WW Scoter in Cascade/Donnelly area (Valley County) ["spencerw100" ] 8 Nov Doing the Emmett LookSee ["Russ Manwaring" ] 8 Nov Cattle Egret [BRIAN P COOPER ] 8 Nov Re: Pine Siskin Disappearing Act and Show-off Nuthatches ["Tom McCabe" ] 08 Nov Townsend's Solitaire ["lcarrigan_55" ] 8 Nov Re: Cattle Egret, Pac Loon, WW Scoter in Cascade/Donnelly area (Valley County) [Charles Swift ] 08 Nov Cattle Egret, Pac Loon, WW Scoter in Cascade/Donnelly area (Valley County) ["carlislejay" ] 7 Nov FW: Hummer recapture ["Bud Alford" ] 7 Nov 250K of starlings [STEPHANY ERWIN ] 08 Nov White-winged Scoter at Mtn. View Res. ["Lynn Davenport" ] 7 Nov Owyhee County 2009 Big Year Birds ["Jim & Bev Holcomb" ] 07 Nov Pine Siskin Disappearing Act and Show-off Nuthatches ["iddanceaway" ] 07 Nov Pacific Loon / Bohemian Waxwings [Cliff and Lisa Weisse ] 7 Nov Southwestern Idaho Birders Association, 11/14/2009, 9:00 am [] 7 Nov SV: starlings ["Eddie Chapman" ] 6 Nov Valley County Compiler ["Lew & Connie Ulrey" ] 6 Nov RE: starlings ["Lew & Connie Ulrey" ] 6 Nov Re:Huge cloud of birds, 250K, Nampa ["Becky Smith" ] 06 Nov Boise County Addition ["spencerw100" ] 06 Nov Indian Creek, Black's Creek, Boise River ["Tom" ] 5 Nov starlings [2 Attachments] [Denise Hughes ] 5 Nov Huge cloud of birds, 250K, Nampa [Denise Hughes ] 05 Nov Canyon County Christmas Bird Count ["LynnD" ] 05 Nov Just Smile !! ["myblogger" ] 3 Nov RE: Biking the Boise River-again ["Lew & Connie Ulrey" ] 04 Nov Biking the Boise River-again ["Tom" ] 3 Nov Hummer recapture [Denise Hughes ] 03 Nov Camas NWR ["Bill" ] 2 Nov Canyon Co. 2009 Bird List ["Cheryl Huizinga" ] 2 Nov Craters of the Moon CBC ["Mike Munts" ] 2 Nov Trumpeters from Blackfoot Ind Res [Steve Bouffard ] Subject: White-Winged Scoter From: "Steve" <tntbutters AT cableone.net> Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:28:39 -0000 I located a White-winged Scoter along with nine Barrow's Goldeneye on the Snake River In Idaho Falls next to Snake River Landing just out from the pier. Other birds of note was a Snow goose mixed with Canada Goose, 3 Bald Eagles, and 5 Wood Ducks, 154 Common Goldeneye, and 91 Robins feeding on Juniper Berries with 1 Townsend's Solitaire. Steve Butterworth Idaho Falls Subject: Rosy-Finches: Lucky Peak (Discovery) SP From: "jonb48" <jbattalio AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:06:56 -0000 It was bright and sunny this afternoon, so I decided to stop by Lucky Peak State Park after work to see if the rosy-finches had returned to the cliffs across Highway 21. I saw nothing flying around, but at 4:55 did locate four Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches by scoping through the swallow nests. Bright sunlight made them easy to see, especially when they would poke their heads briefly outside the nests. About five minutes later, one additional one flew down from the top of the cliffs, stood out in the open for a minute or so, and then flew around briefly before it went into a nest. They are in the usual place on the cliffs above the "June" and "Johnny" graffiti across from the western-most parking lot. John Battalio Boise Subject: FW: [BIRDCHAT] Hilton Pond 11/11/09 (Cedar Waxwings) From: Michael Wiegand <onwingsof_Pearl AT Hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:06:55 -0700 In my not so humble opinion the best down to earth bird life descriptions can be found distributed from Hilton Ponds...sign up for their free periodic 'exposes' and see for yourself... http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek091111.html Michael Wiegand Pearl, Idaho 208-859-3643-c 208-286-0506-h www.habiscapes.com "the truth is out there!" > Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:26:21 -0500 > From: research AT HILTONPOND.ORG > Subject: [BIRDCHAT] Hilton Pond 11/11/09 (Cedar Waxwings) > To: BIRDCHAT AT LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU > > We don't know anyone who doesn't like Cedar Waxwings, so we're pleased "This Week at Hilton Pond" to be able to share our photo essay about these "elegant" berry-eating birds. For some truly up-close looks at waxwings, please visit the installment for 11-17 November at http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek091111.html > > Don't forget to scroll down for a list of banded birds and recaptures, including a wily Eastern Towhee that has been around Hilton Pond a long time. > > REMINDER: the final deadline for our 2010 midwinter Neotropical Hummingbird Expeditions is 24 November 2009, so you still have time to join us for an unforgettable experience in countries that in January and February are warm, sunny, and filled with exotic flora and fauna. Trip info is at a link from the top of the photo essay. > > Happy Nature Watching! > > BILL > > ========= > > RESEARCH PROGRAM > c/o BILL HILTON JR. Executive Director > Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History > 1432 DeVinney Road, York, South Carolina 29745 USA > (803) 684-5852 > > Please visit our web sites (courtesy of Comporium.net): > Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History at http://www.hiltonpond.org > "Operation RubyThroat: The Hummingbird Project" at http://www.rubythroat.org > > ================== > > BirdChat Guidelines: http://www.ksu.edu/audubon/chatguidelines.html > Archives: http://listserv.arizona.edu/archives/birdchat.html Subject: Thanksgiving Bird Count From: Denise Hughes <idahobirder AT hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:22:56 -0700 It's time again for the Thanksgiving Bird Count. Below is information about the count. Procedures for Count: Select a circular area on the ground (may include water area), 15 feet in diameter, to include feeders, bird baths, shrubs, etc., as you wish. Imagine the circle extending upward as a cylinder. Count the numbers of individual birds of each species which come into this circle (or cylinder) during exactly ONE HOUR. Try to judge as best you can the actual number of individuals which are making visits to the Circle, or which fly through the imaginary cylinder. Try NOT to count the same individual bird over and over again. Please print clearly the number for each species in the In Circle column. If you wish to report any, seen outside the Circle, list them in the "Outside" column. Pick any ONE-HOUR period during the day --and make the count on Thanksgiving Day! Please send your count results (even if you see no birds at all) to: Dr. John G. Hewston Natural Resources Building Humboldt State University Arcata, CA 95521 To download a count form, go to: http://www.pvaudubon.org/THANKSGIVING.pdf Denise Hughes Caldwell, ID idahobirder AT hotmail.com There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before. - Robert Lynd Subject: Project Feeder Watch birds and Canyon Co. Count From: "Cheryl Huizinga" <bchuizinga AT cableone.net> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:16:25 -0700 Hi Birders, Started Project Feeder Watch yesterday AM. Great fun to have an Anna's Hummingbird and a Steller's Jay on the same morning in the middle of November! The rest of the species are what would be expected for this time of year in a back yard. Project Feeder Watch just started and is a fun and good thing to do if you haven't signed up to do it as yet. Check out the website - www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw - to get more info and to get started. Runs into April. Really keeps you checking on the birds for your selected spot! Danette Henderson added Canyon Co. Bird #202 at Celebration Park on Sunday - Northern Shrike. We now have 1 more species than we had last year! (Not that it's about the numbers!!) Happy Birding Out There! Cheryl Huizinga Caldwell bchuizinga AT cableone.net Subject: Idaho Birder: Lew Ulrey From: "Robert Mortensen" <robert.mortensen AT suncorid.com> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:44:48 -0700 This week's Idaho Birder Profile features Lew Ulrey of Boise! Stay tuned to the Avimor Birding Blog for upcoming profiles of Heidi Ware, Tom McCabe, Jay Carlisle, Terry Gray and hopefully many many more. Thank you all that have participated so far and to all of you that will participate in the future. It has been extremely enjoyable for me to learn about you and about the great birding in Idaho. Your feedback has also been very encouraging. Keep those referrals coming! During the last week I wrote about great winter birding locations in the greater Boise area. I would love to see your comments about other great winter birding locations across Idaho. You can also read about the constant bird battle to be King of the Cottonwood: The view from my office window . Happy Birding! ---------------------------------- Robert Mortensen http://avimor.blogspot.com Subject: Fwd: Moscow, UI Parker Farm (Plant Science Nursery) - Common Redpoll, etc. - 11/15/09 From: Charles Swift <chaetura AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:39:47 -0800 Hi All - This morning I found a lone Common Redpoll during a brisk walk around UI Parker Farm on the east side of Moscow. It was feeding on the catkins of Ornamental Birch trees w/ a flock of ~30 American Goldfinches. Pretty fun to pick this guy out of the goldfinches. This is one of 2 usual spots on the farm that redpolls show up w/ some regularity in winter. Complete list for the location is below. Also the mostly ice free Syringa sewage pond nearby had ~70 Mallards, a drake American Wigeon, and 18 Bufflehead. Location: UI Parker Farm - Plant Science Nursery Observation date: 11/15/09 Notes: A cold but pleasant walk through the fields and plantings on the farm. The temperature around 30 F w/ a brisk 10-15 mph east wind. Common Redpoll was in one of the 2 usual spots on the farm w/ ornamental birches. Number of species: 19 Canada Goose 100 - ~60 feeding in fields and 40 fly overs Ring-necked Pheasant 1 California Quail 25 Cooper's Hawk 1 Red-tailed Hawk 2 Rock Pigeon 7 Mourning Dove 7 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 6 Black-billed Magpie 5 Common Raven 2 Black-capped Chickadee 1 American Robin 11 European Starling 150 Cedar Waxwing 10 Song Sparrow 1 Dark-eyed Junco 50 House Finch 35 Common Redpoll 1 A lone redpoll was with a flock of ~30 goldfinches feeding on catkins on ornamental birch trees. American Goldfinch 40 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) -- Charles Swift Moscow, ID chaetura AT gmail.com -- Charles Swift Moscow, ID chaetura AT gmail.com Subject: Rough-legged Hawk, Golden Eagles From: Danette Henderson <danette444 AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:45:19 -0700 Hi, After not getting to go on either the Audubon or SIBA outings yesterday, Matthew, Iris and I headed out for a bit of birding at the Birds of Prey NCA today. On Swan Falls Rd., a bit before Dedication Point we saw our first ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK of the winter. What a pretty sight to see it perched and then take off and soar and soar overhead. At Dedication Point we saw a Golden Eagle, just as we all got our binoculars on the bird, it dropped its lunch - a rabbit. I wonder why it let it fall to the ground and fly away - it flew to the West side of the river and we watched it for for about half an hour, we didn't see it go back to get the prey. We drove to Celebration Park, on the way down the hill to the park, a NORTHERN SHRIKE was on the cliff top. Other birds of the day included: Prarie Falcon Northern Harrier American Kestrel Red-tailed Hawk Canyon Wren Rock Wren Ring-necked Pheasant Song Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco House Finch Horned Lark Western Meadowlark Northern Flicker Common Raven American Crow California Quail Double-crested Cormorant Pied-billed Grebe Coot I wonder if the pond South of the Penitentiary ever has unusual bird show-up --- today we saw: Common Goldeneye Canvasback Amercian Wigeon Northern Shoveler Gadwall Mallard Canada Goose Note: The pond can be seen to the East from the corner of Happy Valley Rd and Ten-Mile Creek. It was hard for me to make id's without the scope. It feels a little funny looking around with a spotting scope that close to the guard tower at the prison.... Happy Winter Birding! Danette Henderson Boise Subject: Rough-legged Hawk in Canyon County From: "sheeptramp" <susanlindstedt AT peoplepc.com> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:45:17 -0000 I saw a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK this morning between Notus and Greenleaf, hovering over a pasture NE of the intersection of Notus Rd and Redtop Rd. Its winter. Subject: Weather Change From: "lcarrigan_55" <lcarrigan_55 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:46:28 -0000 The recent snow and cold has pushed a few winter seasonal arrivals into my area over the past few days. Numerous Tundra Swans have been pushing through since Friday and I saw my first Rough-legged Hawk of the season yesterday. A few more Townsend's Solitaires have arrived, and I counted 3 yesterday on the place. This morning, I've had Snow Geese flying over from the north...brilliant white with black wingtips against the blue sky. Brian Carrigan Blackfoot Subject: CBC update From: Cliff and Lisa Weisse <cliffandlisa AT octobersetters.com> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:55:46 -0700 I've now received CBC dates for all but 6 counts. Thanks a million to all who responded. I'm still missing dates for the following CBCs: Bonner's Ferry Cascade Howe Pahsimeroi Valley Salmon Teton Valley If you can send me details for any of these counts thanks in advance. Cliff -- Cliff and Lisa Weisse Island Park, Idaho cliffandlisa AT octobersetters.com Subject: Idahobirds Field Trips page updated From: Cliff and Lisa Weisse <cliffandlisa AT octobersetters.com> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:44:53 -0700 I recently updated the Field Trips page on the Idahobirds web site. If you're looking for something to do check it out. http://idahobirds.net/news/field_trips.html Cliff -- Cliff and Lisa Weisse Island Park, Idaho cliffandlisa AT octobersetters.com Subject: SIBA Field Trip to Wilson Spring Ponds - 11/14/09 From: "Cheryl Huizinga" <bchuizinga AT cableone.net> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 07:14:11 -0700 Hi Birders, 17 hearty birders braved a chilly, but sunny Saturday morning to bird Wilson Spring Ponds in Nampa for the SIBA November Field Trip. Jim Holcomb led the group around the ponds telling about the different species of waterfowl and the field marks to identify each. The path is close to the ponds so it's easy to see the birds up close and personal and even closer yet with a scope.There were numerous Coots, Mallards, Buffleheads, Ring-necked Ducks, Lesser Scaup, Gadwalls, and Wood Ducks. We only saw 1 Canvasback and 1 Green-winged Teal. Three Pied-billed Grebes were in the back pond. Four Great Blue Herons were standing like old hunched men in the back field, and several Black-crowned Night Herons were flying. We did find one Night Heron in the back hunched down. A Belted Kingfisher gave us a flyover and two Marsh Wrens were seen and heard. The only gulls seen were Ring-billed and the only songbirds were American Robins, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Song and White-crowned Sparrows, and House Finches. 1 Red-winged Blackbird without the bright red shoulder patch called from the top of the cattails. 26 species of birds were seen during the two hour walk and then it was off to a warm coffee shop or home. Cheryl Huizinga SIBA Field Trip Leader bchuzinga AT cableone.net Subject: Rosy Finch From: alfred larson <larson83703 AT msn.com> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:09:40 -0700 This is about the time I expect to hear about Rosy Finch sightings at Discovery Park near Boise. Al Larson 160 Daggett Creek Road Boise, ID 83716 E-mail larson83703 AT msn.com Blog: http://allarsonphotography.com Subject: Valley County list From: Denise Hughes <idahobirder AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:20:50 -0700 The following birds were reported by Jay Carlisle on Nov 7th at Cascade Lake 133. Cattle Egret 134. Pacific Loon 135. White-winged Scoter and the birds below were seen by Danette Henderson and her family on Nov 9th, also at Cascade Lake 136. Canvasback 137. Pied-billed Grebe 138. Horned Grebe 139. House Sparrow 4/5 Denise Hughes Caldwell, ID idahobirder AT hotmail.com There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before. - Robert Lynd Subject: Re: ID help Please From: "Mike Munts" <mmunts AT atcnet.net> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:24:30 -0700 Dave, Your bird is a male Sooty Grouse. The sooty gray color is not seen on the Ptarmigan. The ptarmigan is more brown in the summer and would not be a uniform color like this. All the ptarmigan would have more brown/white "flaking" on the back and white on the underside. Ptarmigan also have white feet in all plumages whereas the grouse has grayish-brown feet which is what your pic appears to have. They are both up there though as I have seen both Sooty Grouse and White-tailed Ptarmigan near Paradise myself. According the Park Service database Rock Ptarmigan do not occur at Mount Rainier. Although they do get close to Washington in BC and I have heard rumors of them at North Cascades. For some good pics and description of both birds check out Cornell's species accounts at: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sooty_Grouse/id http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-tailed_Ptarmigan/id Mike Munts Arco ----- Original Message ----- From: David Lawrence To: ible AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Saturday, November 14, 2009 4:47 PM Subject: [IBLE] ID help Please [1 Attachment] [Attachment(s) from David Lawrence included below] I photographed this bird in late May or early June 1994 near the Paradise Visitor's Center at Mt Rainier in Washington. I've been told it is a Sooty Grouse, a Rock Ptarmigan and a White-tailed Ptarmigan. But nobody has been able to tell me Why they call it what they do. Can anybody here help? A higher resolution photo can be seen at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawde13/4103404948/ Dave Lawrence Nampa, ID __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4608 (20091114) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com Subject: ID help Please [1 Attachment] From: "David Lawrence" <lawde13 AT cableone.net> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:47:36 -0700 I photographed this bird in late May or early June 1994 near the Paradise Visitor's Center at Mt Rainier in Washington. I've been told it is a Sooty Grouse, a Rock Ptarmigan and a White-tailed Ptarmigan. But nobody has been able to tell me Why they call it what they do. Can anybody here help? A higher resolution photo can be seen at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawde13/4103404948/ Dave Lawrence Nampa, ID Subject: Merlin From: "Lew & Connie Ulrey" <lulrey AT cableone.net> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:52:22 -0700 Hello everyone, This afternoon while I was making observations for the first reporting day of the 2009-2010 Project Feeder Watch season I was excited to find a Merlin on the top of one of my big spruces. There have been Merlins here before, admittedly not very often, and never on a Project Feeder Watch day. Lew Ulrey Boise lulrey AT cableone.net Subject: Valley County Compiler From: "Lew & Connie Ulrey" <lulrey AT cableone.net> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:44:18 -0700 Hello everyone, Denise Hughes is now the Valley County compiler for the Big Year List Project. It was good of her to step to take this job after Denise Jantzer resigned. Thanks to Denise Jantzer for the work she did while she had the job. Valley County is a very good birding area, and I believe it is important to have it show on the Big Year List. Anyone wishing to submit additions to the Valley County List can check the list at the Facts and Figures section at www.idahobirds.net to see if the species he or she found have been reported earlier. Send additions to the list to Denise Hughes via the link to her email address, also at the Facts and Figures section at www.idahobirds.net . Lew Ulrey Boise lulrey AT cableone.net Subject: Re: Craters Rosy-finches From: "Mike Munts" <mmunts AT atcnet.net> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:47:59 -0700 In case other folks are interested in my answer to Stephany. Yes they do. They are however, difficult to spot much of the winter. Numbers fluctuate greatly from year to year as I have seen groups ranging in size from two to nearly 2000. As some IBLE folks know the only plowed road at Craters is Hwy 20/26/93. Once the snow starts to pile up it can drift over crevices more than 50 feet deep making travel over the lava flows extremely dangerous with some of the more hazardous areas closed to entry. These are also the same type of areas frequented by GC Rosy-finches. That being said they are regularly although not predictably seen from the groomed ski trails and the regular snowshoe trails. Some winters they may be seen almost daily at the visitor center while others I may only see them two or three times a month in the backcountry. We also have seen them on three out of four CBCs we have done at Craters. Black Rosy-finches also turn up occasionally and I have seen them about half the winters I have been here. They are very unpredictable though. Mike ----- Original Message ----- From: STEPHANY ERWIN To: mmunts AT atcnet.net Sent: Saturday, November 14, 2009 8:52 AM Subject: RE: [IBLE] Craters finches Mike do the Gray-crowned Rosy finches winter at craters of the moon? Stephany ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ To: ible AT yahoogroups.com From: mmunts AT atcnet.net Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:31:02 -0700 Subject: [IBLE] Craters finches Right on schedule (they usually turn up about mid-November) I located a flock of about 50 Gray-crowned Rosy-finches at the Caves area of Craters of the Moon this afternoon. Mike Munts Arco Subject: Fwd: East Moscow neighborhood birds, 11/14/09 [1 Attachment] From: Charles Swift <chaetura AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:43:20 -0800 Location: Moscow - East City Area (centered on E. City Park) Observation date: 11/14/09 Notes: Beautiful, sunny, cold, snowy fall morning. About 2" fresh snow, temp. 36-38 F, sunny w/ broken cloud. Roads fairly slick. Many birds right in our block w/ a nice group of robins, starlings, and juncos w/ 3 Varied Thrushs. Number of species: 15 Canada Goose X Rough-legged Hawk 1 dark morph, dark carpal patches visible, dusky white undertail coverts and dark sub-terminal tail band Northern Flicker 6 American Crow 4 Black-capped Chickadee 2 Red-breasted Nuthatch 6 Golden-crowned Kinglet 1 American Robin 15 Varied Thrush 3 European Starling 30 Cedar Waxwing 30 Dark-eyed Junco 35 House Finch 20 American Goldfinch 1 House Sparrow 5 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) These pictures were sent with Picasa, from Google. Try it out here: http://picasa.google.com/ -- Charles Swift Moscow, ID chaetura AT gmail.com http://birdapalousa.blogspot.com/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaetura/ Subject: BIrd Swarm From: "Tim Reynolds" <trec AT onewest.net> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:37:45 -0700 For those of you not near Boise (whichI am not) and unable to wittness the 250K flock of starlings, this U-Tube segment is a hint of what it probably looked like. http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/93176?fp=1 Tim Reynolds Rigby Subject: Craters finches From: "Mike Munts" <mmunts AT atcnet.net> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:31:02 -0700 Right on schedule (they usually turn up about mid-November) I located a flock of about 50 Gray-crowned Rosy-finches at the Caves area of Craters of the Moon this afternoon. Mike Munts Arco Subject: CJ Strike & Bruneau From: "rkmorten" <robert.mortensen AT suncorid.com> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:52:41 -0000 We made a family trip yesterday afternoon up to CJ Strike and Bruneau Sand Dunes. I was hoping to see scooters and loons, but no luck there. There were huge numbers of Common Mergansers at the base of the dam and three beautiful Barrow's Goldeneye. Large rafts of Mallards and Coots on the reservoir. Dunes Lake was teeming with waterfowl, mostly Mallards, but also hundreds of Ring-necked Ducks and Buffleheads. The Broken Wheel Camping Area there had some seemingly late Mountain Bluebirds and Yellow-rumped Warblers. I need to sneak out of work and take the hour drive to Cascade to add loons to my life and Idaho lists. Happy Birding! Robert Mortensen http://avimor.blogspot.com Subject: Canyon Co. Birds for 2009 From: "Cheryl Huizinga" <bchuizinga AT cableone.net> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:20:10 -0700 Hi Birders, Thanks to Brian Cooper for checking his records and coming up with three more species for the Canyon Co. 2009 Count. Happy Birding out There! Cheryl Huizinga Caldwell, ID bchuizinga AT cableone.net 199. MacGillivray's Warbler - 8/15 - 12364 Iowa - Brian Cooper 200. Sage Thrasher - 9/15 - Deer Flat NWR - Upper Embankment - Brian Cooper 201. Hermit Thrush - 10/3 - 12364 Iowa - Brian Cooper Subject: CBC Dates From: Cliff and Lisa Weisse <cliffandlisa AT octobersetters.com> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:02:11 -0700 I've updated the Idahobirds web site with some of this year's CBC dates. If you are a compiler/organizer please take a quick look at the web site and send me the date/info for your CBC so I can update the listing. Thanks in advance. http://idahobirds.net/news/cbc.html Cliff -- Cliff and Lisa Weisse Island Park, Idaho cliffandlisa AT octobersetters.com Subject: CBC Dates From: Cliff and Lisa Weisse <CliffandLisa AT octobersetters.com> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:02:11 -0700 I've updated the Idahobirds web site with some of this year's CBC dates. If you are a compiler/organizer please take a quick look at the web site and send me the date/info for your CBC so I can update the listing. Thanks in advance. http://idahobirds.net/news/cbc.html Cliff -- Cliff and Lisa Weisse Island Park, Idaho cliffandlisa AT octobersetters.com _______________________________________________ Inland-nw-birders mailing list Inland-nw-birders AT uidaho.edu https://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders Subject: anyone lose a Mandarin Duck? (in K. Albertson park) From: "carlislejay" <carlislejay AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:08:58 -0000 Late this afternoon, Heidi & I took a quick look for interesting songbirds in Kathryn Albertson Park in Boise - not much activity and no sightings of Varied Thrush (yet) but we did hear a Winter Wren. On the way out, we stopped to enjoy the rambunctious Wood Ducks and saw a stunning male Mandarin Duck (nw of the rookery gazebo as labeled on the park map). Have I just missed this bird on prior visits or is this new? It'd be more fun if there was any chance of this being a wild bird but it was still pretty cool to see. Cheers, Jay Boise Subject: Fwd: possible Winter Wren split From: Charles Swift <chaetura AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:43:43 -0800 ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Charles Swift Date: Thu, Nov 12, 2009 at 11:43 AM Subject: possible Winter Wren split To: inland birders There has been a lot of chatter about this recently. The blog post below describes recent strong evidence for 2 species of Winter Wren in North America. Interestingly the "Eastern" Winter Wren is more closely related to Eurasian Winter Wrens than it is to the "Western" Wren based on phylogenetic analysis (the Western Wren is basal to the other groups, i.e. it is the founder group). The resident species in Idaho is the Western Winter Wren although Eastern Winter Wrens may be rare-uncommon migrants in the state. Appearance and vocalizations are fairly distinct so identification of these forms may not be that difficult. http://slybird.blogspot.com/2008/07/winter-wren-is-multiple-species.html -- Charles Swift Moscow, ID chaetura AT gmail.com -- Charles Swift Moscow, ID chaetura AT gmail.com Subject: Another Treasure Valley Cattle Egret From: "David Lawrence" <lawde13 AT cableone.net> Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:20:14 -0700 My wife and I saw a single Cattle Egret today at about 12:45pm. It was on the east side of Midland Blvd. between Cherry Lane and Ustick. Dave Lawrence Nampa, ID Subject: Southwestern Idaho Birders Association, 11/14/2009, 9:00 am From: ible AT yahoogroups.com Date: 11 Nov 2009 16:04:01 -0000 Reminder from: ible Yahoo! Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ible/cal Southwestern Idaho Birders Association Saturday November 14, 2009 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Location: Wilson Springs Ponds, Nampa Notes: Meet at 9AM at the parking lot for the ponds located on So Powerline Rd in Nampa, just south of the Idaho Fish & Game headquarters. Two to three hours on a pathed path. Wear walking shoes. Trip leader, Cheryl Huizinga All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Inc. http://www.yahoo.com Privacy Policy: http://privacy.yahoo.com/privacy/us Terms of Service: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Re: Cattle Egret From: "Cheryl Huizinga" <bchuizinga AT cableone.net> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:01:19 -0700 Took a ride over this afternoon to see if the Cattle Egret was still in that spot and it is. Should be called a Horse Egret today as it was following a horse's hooves and snatching up bugs as it walked. Cattle Egret is #198 for the Canyon Co. count. We're getting close to 200. Has anyone seen a MacGillivray's Warbler this year in Canyon Co.? That's one big miss for the list. Happy Birding Out There! Cheryl Huizinga Caldwell ----- Original Message ----- From: BRIAN P COOPER To: ible Sent: Sunday, November 08, 2009 4:47 PM Subject: [IBLE] Cattle Egret There is a single Cattle Egret off of Lakeshore Dr just to the East of Lakeview Nursery in Nampa. It was in a pasture with 2 Domestic Geese. Also 10 Hooded Mergansers and 5 Double Crested Cormorants in the Pond across from the Lower embankment at DFNWR. Brian Cooper Subject: RE: Re: Pine Siskin Disappearing Act and Show-off Nuthatches From: "Terry Gray" <clgtlg AT moscow.com> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:41:59 -0800 Hi Everyone, I have had two lonely Pine Siskins at my feeder here in Moscow this week. If I am out hiking in the mountains near Moscow, I see large flocks of 100 to 200 birds foraging in the pine trees this time of year. They usually come into town once we get a couple good snow storms. Terry Gray -----Original Message----- From: ible AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:ible AT yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of missingmagpies Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 12:35 AM To: ible AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [IBLE] Re: Pine Siskin Disappearing Act and Show-off Nuthatches Kelly: I haven't seen any pine siskins yet either, but I don't think I really began noticing them at my feeders until December last year, so I'm hoping they are still on their way. Jody Hull West Boise --- In ible AT yahoogroups.com, "Tom McCabe" wrote: > > Kelly: I'm in the North End of Boise and I also have no Pine Siskins but I do have a bunch of RB Nuthatches. But they only arrived in the last month. Tom McCabe > ----- Original Message ----- > From: iddanceaway > To: ible AT yahoogroups.com > Sent: Saturday, November 07, 2009 4:27 PM > Subject: [IBLE] Pine Siskin Disappearing Act and Show-off Nuthatches > > > > We had pine siskins in our Boise back yard well into the summer. We heard red-breasted nuthatches all summer as well, but they stayed well hidden. > Normally, we would already have lots of pine siskins by now--but I'm realizing I haven't seen any in well over a month. > On the other hand, we have more nuthatches than ever (in 4 years), and they've been particularly active today. > Normal number of juncos so far. Everyone seems to be hungrier than they were at the same time last year--cold winter coming? > > Mostly wondering if anyone else is lacking in pine siskins? Thanks! > > Kelly Norris > Boise > Subject: Re: 250K of starlings From: "missingmagpies" <jlhull AT spro.net> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:05:51 -0000 My husband and I joined Stephany and two other birders Sunday evening for this SPECTACULAR display of birds. HUGE flocks of starlings started arriving at about 5:10 pm and smaller groups were still coming in when we left at 5:55 pm, too dark to continue watching. I think EVERY starling in the Treasure Valley was there or on its way. Best spot for viewing was the sod farm parking lot across the street from the tree farm (north of Can-Ada and Ustick). I HIGHLY recommend going to see this. It will impress even the most seasoned birder. I will try to get some photos (and possibly a video) posted soon. Jody Hull West Boise --- In ible AT yahoogroups.com, STEPHANY ERWIN wrote: > > > My husband and I went this evening to witness the 250K starlings coming in to roost and what a sight it was. I plan on going tomorrow earlier to find a place further away to watch the wonderful flight and wave patterns. This evening we were in the middle of the roosting ground flight plan and although it was an incredible feeling it was also rather a smelly situation. It was incredible to see the ground totally and densely covered by starlings watching them move into the trees to roost so many that the trees seemed to move about by themselves. > > I know that starlings are to most of us birders a yuk bird but this reminded me that everything has some sort of beauty and awe to it even a lowly starling. > > Stephany Boise Depot Bench area > Subject: Re: Pine Siskin Disappearing Act and Show-off Nuthatches From: "missingmagpies" <jlhull AT spro.net> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:35:18 -0000 Kelly: I haven't seen any pine siskins yet either, but I don't think I really began noticing them at my feeders until December last year, so I'm hoping they are still on their way. Jody Hull West Boise --- In ible AT yahoogroups.com, "Tom McCabe" wrote: > > Kelly: I'm in the North End of Boise and I also have no Pine Siskins but I do have a bunch of RB Nuthatches. But they only arrived in the last month. Tom McCabe > ----- Original Message ----- > From: iddanceaway > To: ible AT yahoogroups.com > Sent: Saturday, November 07, 2009 4:27 PM > Subject: [IBLE] Pine Siskin Disappearing Act and Show-off Nuthatches > > > > We had pine siskins in our Boise back yard well into the summer. We heard red-breasted nuthatches all summer as well, but they stayed well hidden. > Normally, we would already have lots of pine siskins by now--but I'm realizing I haven't seen any in well over a month. > On the other hand, we have more nuthatches than ever (in 4 years), and they've been particularly active today. > Normal number of juncos so far. Everyone seems to be hungrier than they were at the same time last year--cold winter coming? > > Mostly wondering if anyone else is lacking in pine siskins? Thanks! > > Kelly Norris > Boise > Subject: Cascade Reservoir From: Danette Henderson <danette444 AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 21:12:44 -0700 Hello, After reading the recent posts (thank you) about Cascade Reservoir my father-in-law Jay, my daughter Iris and I headed out early to check it out. What a beautiful day! The highlight for me was having a Common and Barrow's Goldeneye in the scope at the same time and getting to really look at the differences. There was also a little flotilla of Barrow's and Common females and seeing their differences was a good lesson. The majority of the birds were at the South end of the reservoir, they included: Common Loon American Wigeon Green-winged Teal Lesser Scaup Canvasback ( just 1m and 1f) Common Goldeneye Barrow's Goldeneye Bufflehead Hooded Merganser (1 m, 2f) Common Merganser Ruddy Duck Pied-billed Grebe (just 1) Horned Grebe (lots) Am Coot Tundra Swans (I think they were Tundra not Trumpeter, North end of the reservoir) Canada Goose Bald Eagle (2 adults) Red tailed Hawk Osprey In the middle of the reservoir there was a very large number of what I imagine were Western Grebe (probably 100-200 birds) but even with the scope this novice was having a hard time telling what they were. By the time we were looking up at them the wind had picked up and the white-caps were a challenge. Any idea what they were? Thanks for the Cascade posts - it was a perfect day. Danette Henderson Boise, ID Subject: Indian Creek, Ted Trueblood and CJ Strike From: "Tom" <tmccabe9 AT cableone.net> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:16:31 -0000 Harry Krueger dragged me screaming and kicking to various bird havens today. We had some interesting birds. At Indian Creek, which was so dead the other day, we spotted a little family group of TRUMPETER SWANS, with 2 juveniles still in gray. At Trueblood we saw some Pied-billed Grebes and Eared Greabes. Below the dam at CJ Strike, we saw 2 BARROW'S GOLDENEYE. While we were watching them dive, a gull flew in and we watched a Ring-billed steal food from a BONAPARTE'S GULL. Also below the dam were lots of Common Mergansers and 4 Hooded. The reservoir itself was full of rafts of Mallards and Coots and Western Grebes, but we also spotted several groups of TUNDRA SWANS and a group of 9 DUNLIN. There were also lots of individual Common Loons. Along the way we saw lots of more common birds, but at the narrows we were treated to a flyover by a pair of GOLDEN EAGLES. And just when I was asking Harry about what to look for in a HARLAN'S RED-TAIL, we spotted one by the Simplot feedlot, along with a Kestrel chasing a PRAIRIE FALCON. Not a bad day's work. I guess I should let him drag me off birding more often. Tom McCabe, Boise Subject: RE: Re: North-end Boise backyard birds and Wilson Pond From: Michael Wiegand <onwingsof_Pearl AT Hotmail.com> Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 19:51:35 -0700 golden-crowned kinglets and red-breasted nuthatches have been increasingly common in the north end of Boise and its peremiter foothills homes this fall season with the kinglets coming on strong recently...while performing our various landscaping duties Habiscapes works with an eye and ear to the sky...a major fringe benefit to the work we do to enhance birding habitat throughout southwestern Idaho... ...our take is that the red-breasted nuthatches have developed breeding colonies in the foothills communities of northern Ada County as many homeowners were wise enough to compliment the upper foothills regions just to the north and the birds have adapted to these maturing coniferous habitats! fun to see and hear for the conservation minded amongst us! Michael Wiegand Pearl, Idaho 208-859-3643-c 208-286-0506-h www.habiscapes.com "the truth is out there!" To: ible AT yahoogroups.com From: spencerw100 AT yahoo.com Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 16:51:42 +0000 Subject: [IBLE] Re: North-end Boise backyard birds and Wilson Pond Golden-crowned Kinglets have been common in Garden Valley lately as well. I've been finding small flocks in several locations. Could be a great winter for them. Spencer Walters Garden Valley, Boise County --- In ible AT yahoogroups.com, "Lew & Connie Ulrey" wrote: > > We have had Golden-crowned Kinglet in our yard this Fall too. They were > here in 2007 as well, but they did not show up in 2008. I guess that > unpredictability is what keeps birding interesting! > > Lew Ulrey > > Boise > > lulrey AT ... > > > > > > From: ible AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:ible AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of > Danette Henderson > Sent: Sunday, November 08, 2009 7:00 PM > To: ible AT yahoogroups.com > Subject: [IBLE] North-end Boise backyard birds and Wilson Pond > > > > > > Hi > > On this beautiful fall day we were excited to have two new birds in our yard > - Golden crowned Kinglet and a Red breasted Nuthatch. Also had a Northern > Flicker, Ruby crowned Kinglet and House Finch and a good number of Juncos. > > > > Made a quick trip to Wilson Pond this afternoon and saw: > > Ring-necked > > Redhead > > Wood Duck > > Lesser Scaup > > Bufflehead > > Gadwall > > Wigeon > > Mallard > > Great Blue Heron > > Red winged Blackbird > > Kingfisher > > House Finch > > > > Danette Henderson > > Boise > Subject: Re: North-end Boise backyard birds and Wilson Pond From: "spencerw100" <spencerw100 AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:51:42 -0000 Golden-crowned Kinglets have been common in Garden Valley lately as well. I've been finding small flocks in several locations. Could be a great winter for them. Spencer Walters Garden Valley, Boise County --- In ible AT yahoogroups.com, "Lew & Connie Ulrey" wrote: > > We have had Golden-crowned Kinglet in our yard this Fall too. They were > here in 2007 as well, but they did not show up in 2008. I guess that > unpredictability is what keeps birding interesting! > > Lew Ulrey > > Boise > > lulrey AT ... > > > > > > From: ible AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:ible AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of > Danette Henderson > Sent: Sunday, November 08, 2009 7:00 PM > To: ible AT yahoogroups.com > Subject: [IBLE] North-end Boise backyard birds and Wilson Pond > > > > > > Hi > > On this beautiful fall day we were excited to have two new birds in our yard > - Golden crowned Kinglet and a Red breasted Nuthatch. Also had a Northern > Flicker, Ruby crowned Kinglet and House Finch and a good number of Juncos. > > > > Made a quick trip to Wilson Pond this afternoon and saw: > > Ring-necked > > Redhead > > Wood Duck > > Lesser Scaup > > Bufflehead > > Gadwall > > Wigeon > > Mallard > > Great Blue Heron > > Red winged Blackbird > > Kingfisher > > House Finch > > > > Danette Henderson > > Boise > Subject: Idaho Birder: Cheryl Huizinga From: "rkmorten" <robert.mortensen AT suncorid.com> Date: Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:43:33 -0000 Today's Idaho Birder Profile features the first finer plumaged gender of our species, Cheryl Huizinga. Next week will feature Lew Ulrey. Please visit the Avimor Birding Blog to read all about Cheryl, along with some other recent posts. There is one about simplified Gull ID, and maybe you can help me answer a few questions I have about Red-winged Blackbirds and hummingbirds missing from a Nampa yard. You are all invited to the penultimate Avimor Bird Walk of the year this Saturday morning at 9:00am. Feel free to e-mail me for more details. Happy Birding! Robert Mortensen Subject: RE: North-end Boise backyard birds and Wilson Pond From: "Lew & Connie Ulrey" <lulrey AT cableone.net> Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 22:02:50 -0700 We have had Golden-crowned Kinglet in our yard this Fall too. They were here in 2007 as well, but they did not show up in 2008. I guess that unpredictability is what keeps birding interesting! Lew Ulrey Boise lulrey AT cableone.net From: ible AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:ible AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Danette Henderson Sent: Sunday, November 08, 2009 7:00 PM To: ible AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [IBLE] North-end Boise backyard birds and Wilson Pond Hi On this beautiful fall day we were excited to have two new birds in our yard - Golden crowned Kinglet and a Red breasted Nuthatch. Also had a Northern Flicker, Ruby crowned Kinglet and House Finch and a good number of Juncos. Made a quick trip to Wilson Pond this afternoon and saw: Ring-necked Redhead Wood Duck Lesser Scaup Bufflehead Gadwall Wigeon Mallard Great Blue Heron Red winged Blackbird Kingfisher House Finch Danette Henderson Boise Subject: Help. How to capture an escaped exotic bird. From: "Lynn Davenport" <sofabird AT clearwire.net> Date: Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:38:05 -0000 For the last two weeks I have had an African Lovebird coming to my backyard feeders. It is always with dozens of sparrows, juncos and finches and when I open the door they all fly. The Lovebird has stayed put once and I was able to get within 20 feet, but it is usually gone when the other birds fly. It is unlikely to survive the winter and I would like to capture it. I would appreciate any suggestions or help on how to bring it in from the cold. Lynn Davenport sofabird AT clearwire.net 208-468-0292 Subject: North-end Boise backyard birds and Wilson Pond From: Danette Henderson <danette444 AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 19:00:24 -0700 Hi On this beautiful fall day we were excited to have two new birds in our yard - Golden crowned Kinglet and a Red breasted Nuthatch. Also had a Northern Flicker, Ruby crowned Kinglet and House Finch and a good number of Juncos. Made a quick trip to Wilson Pond this afternoon and saw: Ring-necked Redhead Wood Duck Lesser Scaup Bufflehead Gadwall Wigeon Mallard Great Blue Heron Red winged Blackbird Kingfisher House Finch Danette Henderson Boise Subject: IBRC Update From: Cliff and Lisa Weisse <cliffandlisa AT octobersetters.com> Date: Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:20:48 -0700 Voting has been completed on the following records: Accepted in first round (7-0): Cackling Goose 34-B-08 Whooper Swan 5-A-08 Glossy Ibis 39-B-09 Williamson's Sapsucker 51-B-08 Williamson's Sapsucker 55-B-08 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1-B-02 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 34-B-09 Eurasian Collared-Dove 10-B-09 Eurasian Collared-Dove 28-B-09 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 36-B-09 Brown Thrasher 35-B-09 Not Accepted in first round: White-winged Dove 44-B-09 (0-7) Accepted in second round: Cackling Goose 65-B-07 (6-1) Cackling Goose 1-B-09 (6-1) Cackling Goose 21-B-09 (6-1) Purple Finch 17-B-09 (5-2) Ruddy Turnstone 28-B-08 (5-2) Not Accepted in second round: Cackling Goose 11-B-04 (0-7) Cackling Goose 35-B-08 (2-5) Purple Finch 101-B-07 (0-7) Purple Finch 13-B-08 (0-7) Purple Finch 57-B-07 (0-7) Not accepted in third round: Western Gull 5-B-84 (3-4) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> -Report rarities to the Idaho Bird Records Committee via the online form at: http://www.idahobirds.net/ibrc/rarebirdreportform.html or you can email your report to rarebirdreport AT idahobirds.net -Helpful tips for preparing your report can be found in this article: http://www.idahobirds.net/ibrc/documentation.html -Don't forget to check the Review List before taking the time to prepare a report: http://www.idahobirds.net/ibrc/reviewspecies.html -You can contact the Secretary via email at this address: secretary AT idahobirds.net -As always you can email any Committee member with questions. Addresses can be found here: http://www.idahobirds.net/ibrc/members.html -- Cliff and Lisa Weisse Island Park, Idaho cliffandlisa AT octobersetters.com Subject: Pacific Loon continues From: Cliff and Lisa Weisse <cliffandlisa AT octobersetters.com> Date: Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:01:52 -0700 I checked McCrea's Bridge this afternoon and the Pacific Loon was again present. I also visited Island Park Dam and the west end of the reservoir and stopped at Harriman State Park and checked out Silver Lake and the Henry's Fork near the Ranch buildings. I didn't find anything unusual but there are lots of dabbling ducks and Canada Geese around. Also Tundra and Trumpeter Swans at Harriman. I saw a mixed flock of Redheads and Canvasbacks on the west end and a few Goldeneyes but the big flocks of diving ducks are yet to come. One very cool sighting at Last Chance. I saw scoping the ducks on the river when they started panicking. I quickly saw a Peregrine begin harassing them. But it was acting unusual, almost hovering over the birds still on the water. I looked closely and realized it was actually an adult Northern Goshawk. It made several short circles then crashed into the water and had hold of a female Gadwall for a few seconds. It lost its grip and flew off so the Gadwall survived this time. I've always wanted to see a Goshawk catch something but never figured I'd have that chance out there far from the forest and not on a duck either. Cliff -- Cliff and Lisa Weisse Island Park, Idaho cliffandlisa AT octobersetters.com Subject: Re: Cattle Egret, Pac Loon, WW Scoter in Cascade/Donnelly area (Valley County) From: "spencerw100" <spencerw100 AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:01:28 -0000 I agree with Charles. Cascade Reservoir is definately a great place to bird at any time in the late summer and fall. Past trips there between August and November have yielded many great birds for me, including Pectoral Sandpiper, Baird's Sandpiper, Black-bellied Plover, Black Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Surf Scoter, Long-tailed Duck and Pacific Loon. I spotted all of these species between the Cascade golf course and the south end of the reservoir. I don't bird the rest of it as much as the south end, but I know there is a lot of potential anywhere in the area. Let us not forget the Great Gray Owls that were nesting south of Donnelly this spring and summer. If there were more people willing to make the journey I'm sure there would be a lot more great birds found. Spencer Walters Garden Valley, Boise County --- In ible AT yahoogroups.com, Charles Swift wrote: > > Cattle Egrets have a habit of turning up this time of year (October - > November) in the inland northwest - usually e. WA but also in n. Idaho > on occasion. It usually only involves a few birds and they are not detected > every year but there is a definite pattern. I have no idea what this > phenomenon is - reverse migration perhaps? I presume this Cattle Egret is > following this pattern. BTW W4 Lane and Old State Rd. are south of Donnelly > on the west side of 55 - also a good area for raptors. > > Among others mentioned in Jay's reports, this should be a good time to look > for Snow Buntings and perhaps longspurs around Cascade Res. Jay's report > reinforces my thought that Cacade Res. in specific and the area in general > are among the best least birded sites in the state (especially close to > Boise). > > Charles. > > On Sat, Nov 7, 2009 at 9:44 PM, carlislejay wrote: > > > > > > > I joined Gary & Heidi for a long but fun day of searching for waterbirds > > around Cascade Reservoir today. First, the highlights: > > > > - *Cattle Egret* about 250 yards NW of the X of hwy 55 and the W4 Lane > > - foraging just south of a fenceline (only the 3rd we've seen in 2009, > > easily the best look, and definitely a big surprise for me at this date) > > - *Pacific Loon* - viewed from USFS (?) boat ramp off of West Mountain > > Rd just north of the residential area at SW end > > - *White-winged Scoter* - on SW side of Davis Reservoir (E of Cascade > > viewed from Warm Lake Rd) - there were actually 2 scoters present but b/c of > > the distance and dimming light (just before sunset), we were only able to be > > sure about the ID of a male White-winged (the 2nd was likely White-winged as > > well) > > > > We circumnavigated the entirety of Cascade Reservoir and saw well over 100 > > *Common Loons* (especially along the SW and W portions) as well as *loads*of other waterbirds of a wide variety. No scoters on the big reservoir and, > > in spite of the huge loon #s, we could only find that single Pacific. Other > > highlights included at least 2 *Northern Shrikes*, a flock of 30+ *Bohemian > > Waxwings*, and a lot of raptors (including an apparent *Harlan's* X > > dark-morph *Red-tail* adult) along W4 and nearby Old State Rd. Also, we > > saw a group of 11 *Pygmy Nuthatches* while walking through Crown Point > > campground! > > > > A great time to be out looking for scoters & loons! > > > > Jay > > > > > > > > > > -- > Charles Swift > Moscow, ID > chaetura AT ... > Subject: Doing the Emmett LookSee From: "Russ Manwaring" <rmanwaring AT idahorcd.org> Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 16:55:04 -0700 We made a little jaunt around Gem Co, this morning to see what migration may be bringing in. Newly in was a Northern Pintail on 7 mile slough; 2 Least Sandpipers on 7 Mile slough; A Harlan's Hawk around Letha, we watch it miss on a ground prey, fly to a tree ruffle its feathers up, then later soar overhead. There are Am Coots on every water body of any size we looked at, also plenty of Pied-bill Grebes. Not being so secretive now. Yard birds are really inconsistent. White crowned sparrows have decided not to stick around, a few DE Junco still here. Red-breasted Nuthatches, while present by call are seldom seen. We usually get N. Flickers each fall and they are here. I always wondered what they eat this time of year. Seldom hear them drilling for tree bugs like the Hairy and Downy if they are around. Later when snow flies I will see them digging up English walnuts the squirrels have stashed in the lawn. So a few days ago I saw one out the window on our deck eating the berries of the Virginia Creeper. Russ Manwaring Emmett, ID Subject: Cattle Egret From: BRIAN P COOPER <bpcooer AT msn.com> Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 16:47:21 -0700 There is a single Cattle Egret off of Lakeshore Dr just to the East of Lakeview Nursery in Nampa. It was in a pasture with 2 Domestic Geese. Also 10 Hooded Mergansers and 5 Double Crested Cormorants in the Pond across from the Lower embankment at DFNWR. Brian Cooper Subject: Re: Pine Siskin Disappearing Act and Show-off Nuthatches From: "Tom McCabe" <tmccabe9 AT cableone.net> Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 13:03:35 -0700 Kelly: I'm in the North End of Boise and I also have no Pine Siskins but I do have a bunch of RB Nuthatches. But they only arrived in the last month. Tom McCabe ----- Original Message ----- From: iddanceaway To: ible AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Saturday, November 07, 2009 4:27 PM Subject: [IBLE] Pine Siskin Disappearing Act and Show-off Nuthatches We had pine siskins in our Boise back yard well into the summer. We heard red-breasted nuthatches all summer as well, but they stayed well hidden. Normally, we would already have lots of pine siskins by now--but I'm realizing I haven't seen any in well over a month. On the other hand, we have more nuthatches than ever (in 4 years), and they've been particularly active today. Normal number of juncos so far. Everyone seems to be hungrier than they were at the same time last year--cold winter coming? Mostly wondering if anyone else is lacking in pine siskins? Thanks! Kelly Norris Boise Subject: Townsend's Solitaire From: "lcarrigan_55" <lcarrigan_55 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:39:13 -0000 Pretty quiet bird-wise lately. But, I had been hearing a Townsend's Solitaire since last Saturday and finally saw it this AM. Also, one Harlan's Red-tailed is back in the vicinity, as well as, one dark-morph Red-tailed. A small flock of Cedar Waxwings has been hitting the Russian Olive berries along with American Robins. Brian Carrigan Blackfoot Subject: Re: Cattle Egret, Pac Loon, WW Scoter in Cascade/Donnelly area (Valley County) From: Charles Swift <chaetura AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 08:48:27 -0800 Cattle Egrets have a habit of turning up this time of year (October - November) in the inland northwest - usually e. WA but also in n. Idaho on occasion. It usually only involves a few birds and they are not detected every year but there is a definite pattern. I have no idea what this phenomenon is - reverse migration perhaps? I presume this Cattle Egret is following this pattern. BTW W4 Lane and Old State Rd. are south of Donnelly on the west side of 55 - also a good area for raptors. Among others mentioned in Jay's reports, this should be a good time to look for Snow Buntings and perhaps longspurs around Cascade Res. Jay's report reinforces my thought that Cacade Res. in specific and the area in general are among the best least birded sites in the state (especially close to Boise). Charles. On Sat, Nov 7, 2009 at 9:44 PM, carlislejay wrote: > > > I joined Gary & Heidi for a long but fun day of searching for waterbirds > around Cascade Reservoir today. First, the highlights: > > - *Cattle Egret* about 250 yards NW of the X of hwy 55 and the W4 Lane > - foraging just south of a fenceline (only the 3rd we've seen in 2009, > easily the best look, and definitely a big surprise for me at this date) > - *Pacific Loon* - viewed from USFS (?) boat ramp off of West Mountain > Rd just north of the residential area at SW end > - *White-winged Scoter* - on SW side of Davis Reservoir (E of Cascade > viewed from Warm Lake Rd) - there were actually 2 scoters present but b/c of > the distance and dimming light (just before sunset), we were only able to be > sure about the ID of a male White-winged (the 2nd was likely White-winged as > well) > > We circumnavigated the entirety of Cascade Reservoir and saw well over 100 > *Common Loons* (especially along the SW and W portions) as well as *loads*of other waterbirds of a wide variety. No scoters on the big reservoir and, > in spite of the huge loon #s, we could only find that single Pacific. Other > highlights included at least 2 *Northern Shrikes*, a flock of 30+ *Bohemian > Waxwings*, and a lot of raptors (including an apparent *Harlan's* X > dark-morph *Red-tail* adult) along W4 and nearby Old State Rd. Also, we > saw a group of 11 *Pygmy Nuthatches* while walking through Crown Point > campground! > > A great time to be out looking for scoters & loons! > > Jay > > > -- Charles Swift Moscow, ID chaetura AT gmail.com Subject: Cattle Egret, Pac Loon, WW Scoter in Cascade/Donnelly area (Valley County) From: "carlislejay" <carlislejay AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:44:24 -0000 I joined Gary & Heidi for a long but fun day of searching for waterbirds around Cascade Reservoir today. First, the highlights: * Cattle Egret about 250 yards NW of the X of hwy 55 and the W4 Lane - foraging just south of a fenceline (only the 3rd we've seen in 2009, easily the best look, and definitely a big surprise for me at this date) * Pacific Loon - viewed from USFS (?) boat ramp off of West Mountain Rd just north of the residential area at SW end * White-winged Scoter - on SW side of Davis Reservoir (E of Cascade viewed from Warm Lake Rd) - there were actually 2 scoters present but b/c of the distance and dimming light (just before sunset), we were only able to be sure about the ID of a male White-winged (the 2nd was likely White-winged as well) We circumnavigated the entirety of Cascade Reservoir and saw well over 100 Common Loons (especially along the SW and W portions) as well as loads of other waterbirds of a wide variety. No scoters on the big reservoir and, in spite of the huge loon #s, we could only find that single Pacific. Other highlights included at least 2 Northern Shrikes, a flock of 30+ Bohemian Waxwings, and a lot of raptors (including an apparent Harlan's X dark-morph Red-tail adult) along W4 and nearby Old State Rd. Also, we saw a group of 11 Pygmy Nuthatches while walking through Crown Point campground! A great time to be out looking for scoters & loons! Jay Subject: FW: Hummer recapture From: "Bud Alford" <budalf AT toast.net> Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 22:35:54 -0700 More info on 9+ yr old hummingbird at this link in Helena newspaper_._,___ http://www.helenair.com/lifestyles/recreation/article_074de72a-9853-11de-b83 e-001cc4c03286.html From Southeast Arizona Bird Observatory's newsletter. Hummingbird banded on the San Pedro River recaptured in Montana Subject: 250K of starlings From: STEPHANY ERWIN <birdeaux3 AT msn.com> Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 22:28:39 -0700 My husband and I went this evening to witness the 250K starlings coming in to roost and what a sight it was. I plan on going tomorrow earlier to find a place further away to watch the wonderful flight and wave patterns. This evening we were in the middle of the roosting ground flight plan and although it was an incredible feeling it was also rather a smelly situation. It was incredible to see the ground totally and densely covered by starlings watching them move into the trees to roost so many that the trees seemed to move about by themselves. I know that starlings are to most of us birders a yuk bird but this reminded me that everything has some sort of beauty and awe to it even a lowly starling. Stephany Boise Depot Bench area Subject: White-winged Scoter at Mtn. View Res. From: "Lynn Davenport" <sofabird AT clearwire.net> Date: Sun, 08 Nov 2009 03:08:54 -0000 I left Nampa at 5:30 a.m. this morning for Duck Valley and Mtn. View Res. in hopes to find a few shorebird stragglers. As I was crossing the dam a little after 8:00 a.m. I spotted the Scoter about forty feet from shore. The facial markings were unmistakable and when it flew the white wing patches were bold and bright. I did not see any other Scoters. I need a little help with a large shorebird identification. Size of a Willet or Greater Yellowlegs. Plumage like a Juvenile Willet with blue-gray legs and a dark, fairly thick, straight bill. (See the illustration on pp 172, Big Sibleys) However, when it flew there was no pattern on it's wings....they were totally brown. There was a prominent white rump patch visible from a great distance. The only other possibility I can find is a Juvenile Greater Yellowlegs with off-colored legs. The only illustrations I can find, even in my shorebird guide, for all ages of Yellowlegs show yellow legs, not blue-gray. I'm leaning toward Willet, but the absence of any wing pattern has be stumped. I'll not list all the birds I found there, just a few of the more unusual finds. There were many duck varieties, a few grebes, many coots, several Red-tailed Hawks and Harriers. Tundra Swan 100+ May have been some trumpeters also, I didn't spend much time scanning them all. Osprey 1 Merlin 1 Rough-legged Hawk 1 Common Loon 5 On the way home I went into Jack's Creek, C.J.Strike and Ted Trueblood. Many duck varieties including: Barrows Goldeneye 13 Common Merganser 25+ Several Hawks including one Coopers Common Loon 1 Western Grebe 8+ Dbl. crested Com. 3 Belted Kingfisher 1 Marsh Wren 1 Cedar Waxwings 25+ Yellow-rumped Warblers 6 Song & White Crowned Sparrows Many Am. Goldfinch 2 It was a great day, but by far the highlight was the Scoter. Subject: Owyhee County 2009 Big Year Birds From: "Jim & Bev Holcomb" <jnbholcomb AT earthlink.net> Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 19:53:46 -0700 A couple of scoters have been seen recently at Mtn. View Reservoir in the Duck Valley Indian Reservation. #200 Surf Scoter 10/31 Mtn. View Reservoir Jay Carlisle & Heidi Ware #201 White-winger Scoter 11/7 Mtn. View Reservoir Lynn Davenport Jim Holcomb Owyhee Co. Compiler Subject: Pine Siskin Disappearing Act and Show-off Nuthatches From: "iddanceaway" <iddanceaway AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:27:59 -0000 We had pine siskins in our Boise back yard well into the summer. We heard red-breasted nuthatches all summer as well, but they stayed well hidden. Normally, we would already have lots of pine siskins by now--but I'm realizing I haven't seen any in well over a month. On the other hand, we have more nuthatches than ever (in 4 years), and they've been particularly active today. Normal number of juncos so far. Everyone seems to be hungrier than they were at the same time last year--cold winter coming? Mostly wondering if anyone else is lacking in pine siskins? Thanks! Kelly Norris Boise Subject: Pacific Loon / Bohemian Waxwings From: Cliff and Lisa Weisse <cliffandlisa AT octobersetters.com> Date: Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:20:06 -0700 This morning I added a new bird to my yard list, a flock of Bohemian Waxwings I first heard calling then saw fly directly overhead. I've seen them close by before but never right here. I also heard Pine Grosbeaks for the first time this winter. This afternoon at McCrea's Bridge (over the Henry's Fork on the Kilgore -Yale Rd., actually the upper end of Island Park Reservoir) there was a juvenile Pacific Look about 100 yards upstream, only the third I've seen here. It was just swimming around the area and didn't dive while I watched it. The sun was behind me and it was probably the best look I've had at a Pacific Loon. Cliff -- Cliff and Lisa Weisse Island Park, Idaho cliffandlisa AT octobersetters.com Subject: Southwestern Idaho Birders Association, 11/14/2009, 9:00 am From: ible AT yahoogroups.com Date: 7 Nov 2009 16:04:42 -0000 Reminder from: ible Yahoo! Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ible/cal Southwestern Idaho Birders Association Saturday November 14, 2009 9:00 am - 12:00 pm (The next reminder for this event will be sent in 3 days, 23 hours, 56 minutes.) Location: Wilson Springs Ponds, Nampa Notes: Meet at 9AM at the parking lot for the ponds located on So Powerline Rd in Nampa, just south of the Idaho Fish & Game headquarters. Two to three hours on a pathed path. Wear walking shoes. Trip leader, Cheryl Huizinga All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Inc. http://www.yahoo.com Privacy Policy: http://privacy.yahoo.com/privacy/us Terms of Service: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: SV: starlings From: "Eddie Chapman" <echapman AT online.no> Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 08:29:41 +0100 Hallo all, Check out this Starling flock in England. http://gimundo.com/videos/view/a-stunning-flock-of-starlings/ Regards, Eddie Chapman, Voss, Norway. Blog: http://www.surfbirds.com/blog/Norway/ Subject: Valley County Compiler From: "Lew & Connie Ulrey" <lulrey AT cableone.net> Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 22:40:16 -0700 Hello everyone, As of about two months ago we no longer have a Big Year List Compiler for Valley County. If anyone would like to take over that job, please let me know. The job is not difficult or extremely time consuming, and it is interesting and instructional. Several other counties no longer have compilers or never have had compilers. At www.idahobirds.net under "facts and figures" all the counties of Idaho are listed along with the name of the compiler for each county, or the word "open" if there currently is no compiler. I feel that Valley County is especially important to have covered because it is so heavily birded. However, it would be great to have all the counties covered. If anyone has a desire to compile for any of the "open" counties I would be glad to hear from you. Lew Ulrey Boise lulrey AT cableone.net Subject: RE: starlings From: "Lew & Connie Ulrey" <lulrey AT cableone.net> Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 21:04:03 -0700 Today at 11:00 AM at 15th and Washington Streets, an intersection I walk through every day, there were what I would estimate to be 200 starlings. Usually it is a big starling day at the location if there are six or eight birds. About two hours earlier at this location I saw a Peregrine Falcon. Maybe the starlings were just celebrating the falcon's departure. Lew Ulrey Boise From: ible AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:ible AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Denise Hughes Sent: Thursday, November 05, 2009 7:51 PM To: Ible; SIBA Subject: [IBLE] starlings [2 Attachments] [Attachment(s) from Denise Hughes included below] I had to go check out the report about the starlings so after work I found myself on Can-ada Road. I don't know if there are really 250K starlings at this spot but that number is probably close to the mark. the birds started arriving about 10 minutes after 5 p.m. I left about 5:50 p.m. and the birds were still arriving. The birds covered the driveway between the gate and building, all of the trees and anything else they could land on. I saw a few house finches in the spruce trees but I could not find any other species but starlings in the large flock. Denise Hughes Caldwell, ID idahobirder AT hotmail.com There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before. - Robert Lynd Subject: Re:Huge cloud of birds, 250K, Nampa From: "Becky Smith" <bsmando AT qwest.net> Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 18:04:15 -0700 Just got back from the flock - Unbelievable ! First in a lifetime for me. Best access is to sit at the gate to the LPG storage facility off of Can-Ada Rd. Agree, about "A Bunch" O Birds. Have no idea how many, but like 10X as many as I have ever seen in my life in one place. Stand out and look to the South West, birds come in just over your head. This would depend on the direction of the wind of course. On a scale of 1 => 10 ... 9.5 + PF ------------------------------------ To Post a message, send it to: ible AT yahoogroups.com To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: ible-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com To view archived messages go to: http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/ible To view the IBLE Photos archive go to: http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/ible/lstYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ible/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ible/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: ible-digest AT yahoogroups.com ible-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: ible-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Boise County Addition From: "spencerw100" <spencerw100 AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:58:17 -0000 It's been a long time since I've had any free time to do some birding, but I was able to take advantage of a couple hours on Wednesday (11/4). While out and about I was able to locatea few good birds and a new bird for the county list. November 4: 167. Lesser Scaup-seen in Garden Valley That's all for now. Spencer Walters Garden Valley, Boise County Subject: Indian Creek, Black's Creek, Boise River From: "Tom" <tmccabe9 AT cableone.net> Date: Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:13:44 -0000 On Wednesday I went to Indian Creek and found a total of 4 ducks (2 Buffleheads, 1 Common Goldeneye and 1 Pintail-all females) plus a GBH and a Harrier. Other than a flyby by a flock of House Finches that was it. Black's Creek was better only in the sense that there were more individual birds, but fewer species (Widgeon, Mallard, Coot and Bufflehead.) Actually there were more individual birds on the pond at the "Flying Wye," where I-184 meets I-84, than there were at the 2 reservoirs combined. There were also a lot more birds on the Boise River, including a Red-tail, and yesterday there was a gorgeous Cooper's Hawk where the new Simplot Park is supposed to be developed. Tom McCabe, Boise Subject: starlings [2 Attachments] From: Denise Hughes <idahobirder AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 19:50:58 -0700 I had to go check out the report about the starlings so after work I found myself on Can-ada Road. I don't know if there are really 250K starlings at this spot but that number is probably close to the mark. the birds started arriving about 10 minutes after 5 p.m. I left about 5:50 p.m. and the birds were still arriving. The birds covered the driveway between the gate and building, all of the trees and anything else they could land on. I saw a few house finches in the spruce trees but I could not find any other species but starlings in the large flock. Denise Hughes Caldwell, ID idahobirder AT hotmail.com There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before. - Robert Lynd Subject: Huge cloud of birds, 250K, Nampa From: Denise Hughes <idahobirder AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 13:26:59 -0700 From: Martha Beller [mailto:mbell AT clearwire.net] Sent: Monday, November 02, 2009 7:52 AM To: backerman1 AT aol.com Hello; I thought you might be interested in this, there are at least 250,000++ starlings/blackbirds converging on a tree farm every night next to where I live. They sometimes land in the pastures around and take off in a black cloud. They come in from all directions, long streams of birds. They are arriving around 5:30pm every night. The tree farm is located on Can-Ada Road, on the property west of the Intermountain Gas storage tank, which is between Ustick and McMillan. This is an incredible sight, that all these birds coming from all over the valley come to this one area to sleep. I'm assuming that they are coming together in preparation to migrate, so I don't know how long this will be going on. Thanks, Martha Beller Subject: Canyon County Christmas Bird Count From: "LynnD" <sofabird AT clearwire.net> Date: Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:38:24 -0000 The reigns for the Canyon County CBC has been passed on to Lynn Davenport and will be held on Saturday, December 19th. We'll meet at the Deer Flat NWR Headquarters that morning. More details will follow. I can be reached at 208-468-0292 or by Email at Bigbirder AT clearwire.net. PS. Dry Lake is drying up. Tuesday night at 5:30 p.m. there were NO birds at all there. Last night, Wednesday, there were 3 Great Blue Herons, 7 Killdeer and 3 Least Sandpipers. Nothing else. There's very little water left and it will probably be gone soon. Subject: Just Smile !! From: "myblogger" <aymanmo60 AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:35:54 -0000 THE EDUCATION ONLINE INVITE YOU..!! ***************************************************** For Five Minutes To Explore the site in just 3 steps: First Step:****** Click the Link Below To Open the Site * Second Step: Choose from the list the best education offer Third Step:******* Compare offers and smile ..!! ******* EDUCATION ONLINE http://1-degree-online-psychology-degree.blogspot.com/ ***************************************************** Best and Deep Regards, EDUCATION ONLINE editor Subject: RE: Biking the Boise River-again From: "Lew & Connie Ulrey" <lulrey AT cableone.net> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 21:18:04 -0700 Last Friday I went to Quinn's Pond and was delighted to find the Common Loon. It is either a juvenile or an adult in non-breeding plumage. The predominate color of the bird was brown. The field guides I consulted showed the birds being gray. Do those books just have their colors not just right? Also present on Friday was the Double-crested Cormorant. It definitely did not like having the loon around. The cormorant would lunge at the loon until it move sufficiently far away. Lew Ulrey From: ible AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:ible AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Tom Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 9:01 PM To: ible AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [IBLE] Biking the Boise River-again The Common Loon continues on Quinn's Pond, along with several Western Grebes. Yesterday there were several Buffleheads as well. Downriver, near the Lake River subdivision, some bikers were stopped with binoculars out. When we stopped we were treated to close looks at a Sharp-shinned Hawk. Near the Lander St. STP we saw a male and female Hooded Merganser. On Veteran's Pond ther was a DC Cormorant, the first we've seen in several days. Tom McCabe, Boise Subject: Biking the Boise River-again From: "Tom" <tmccabe9 AT cableone.net> Date: Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:00:55 -0000 The Common Loon continues on Quinn's Pond, along with several Western Grebes. Yesterday there were several Buffleheads as well. Downriver, near the Lake River subdivision, some bikers were stopped with binoculars out. When we stopped we were treated to close looks at a Sharp-shinned Hawk. Near the Lander St. STP we saw a male and female Hooded Merganser. On Veteran's Pond ther was a DC Cormorant, the first we've seen in several days. Tom McCabe, Boise Subject: Hummer recapture From: Denise Hughes <idahobirder AT hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 17:00:47 -0700 I thought this was interesting... Denise Hughes Caldwell, ID idahobirder AT hotmail.com There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before. - Robert Lynd From Southeast Arizona Bird Observatory's newsletter. Hummingbird banded on the San Pedro River recaptured in Montana 27-Jul-09 11:50 | Sheri Williamson (administrator) A male Black-chinned Hummingbird banded as a juvenile ("hatch-year") on the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area on September 9, 2000 was recaptured and released in the Bitterroot Valley of southwestern Montana on July 26, 2009. Hummingbird banders Ned and Gigi Batchelder report that the bird appeared to be in excellent health and drank heartily when offered sugar water before release. This encounter represents the longest distance between encounters (approximately 1035 miles) for any hummingbird in SABO's 14 seasons of banding and confirms that Black-chinned Hummingbirds on the San Pedro River include migrants from distant populations as well as members of the local breeding population. The bird is also the second oldest individual in this study and possibly the oldest male Black-chinned Hummingbird documented so far. Subject: Camas NWR From: "Bill" <rubybreleigh AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:47:08 -0000 Saturday afternoon I visited Camas NWR and the water is still flowing into the ponds and flooding the fields. There were about 200 sandhill cranes, 75 Trumpeter Swans, hundreds of Canada geese and other waterfowl. I also saw 14 Northern Harriers, hundreds of blackbirds, flickers, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-tailed hawk and Praire Falcon. With water in the canals and ponds, it is rich with birds. Subject: Canyon Co. 2009 Bird List From: "Cheryl Huizinga" <bchuizinga AT cableone.net> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 20:08:56 -0700 Hi Birders, Here's the latest additions to the Canyon Co. Bird Count for 2009. Creeping slowly to 200 which would be a nice number! If you have any additons to the list, let me know! Thanks! Cheryl Huizinga Caldwell bchuizinga AT cableone.net 190. Anna's Hummingbird - 10/2 -Nampa - Andy Crabtree 191. Lewis's Woodpecker - 9/9 - Deer Flat NWR -Jay Carlisle 192. Red-necked Grebe - 10/18 - Lake Lowell Orchard St. Inlet - Denise Hughes 193. Eared Grebe - 10/19 - Lake Lowell Lower Dam - Cheryl Huizinga 194. Dunlin - 10/27 - Dry Lakes - Lynn Davenport 195. Broad-tailed Hummingbird - 8/10 - Ferdinand Farms, So.of Nampa - Lynn Davenport 196. Solitary Sandpiper - 10/30 - Dry Lakes - Darrell Marks 197. Steller's Jay - 10/31 - So. of Caldwell - Cheryl Huizinga Subject: Craters of the Moon CBC From: "Mike Munts" <mmunts AT atcnet.net> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 18:22:51 -0700 The Craters CBC is set for Friday the 18th. Mike Munts Craters of the Moon michael_munts AT nps.gov 527-1353 Subject: Trumpeters from Blackfoot Ind Res From: Steve Bouffard <sh_bouffard AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 14:31:46 -0800 (PST) I have been asked to relay to Idaho Birders to be on the lookout for trumpeter swans bearing red and white collars.  They are part of a reintroduction program on the Blackfoot Indian Reservation in Montana.  They have recently left the reservation.  If you see red & white collared trumpeters please contact Greg or Bill.    Greg_Neudecker AT fws.gov Bill.Long AT wgf.state.wy.us   Steve Bouffard 2219 Colorado Ave Boise, ID 83706 sh_bouffard AT yahoo.com