Fwd: McCall area, 28-29 January 2006

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Charles Swift <chaetura@gmail.com>
Date: Jan 30, 2006 9:51 PM
Subject: McCall area, 28-29 January 2006
To: ible@yahoogroups.com, Inland <inland-nw-birders@uidaho.edu>

Hello -

 

A few notes from a weekend in McCall.

 

1/28 -

 

Pine Grosbeak - flock of ~10 at Brundage Ski Area (Adams Co.) while riding the lift (another skier sharing the ride was glad to know what they were and mentioned he often sees them here)

Bohemian Waxwing - large flock in McCall across from Paul's Grocery

 

1/29 -

 

Black-capped Chickadee, Mountain Chickadee, & Pygmy Nuthatch - in a loose feeding flock at the Aspen Conodos in McCall

 

Williamson's Sapsucker - Ponderosa State Park, this was a real surprise, a first winter bird seen near the main parking lot as we returned from a ski tour, I never got great looks at this bird even returning w/ binos after we got back to the car. It was foraging in an open conifer stand, low on the main trunks, and made several short flights between trees. Brownish upperparts w/ barring on back and wings, white rump well seen in flight. Although I wish I had gotten a better look, I'm sure it was not a flicker. This species breeds here and I presume this young bird lingered in the fall until it was too late to leave. I'd be interested to hear of other winter records of this species in Idaho.

 

thanks, Charles.

 

--
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura@gmail.com

--
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura@gmail.com

Fwd: Snowy Owls - Latah *and* Lewis County, ID

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Charles Swift <chaetura@gmail.com>
Date: Jan 29, 2006 9:02 PM
Subject: Snowy Owls - Latah *and* Lewis County, ID
To: Inland <inland-nw-birders@uidaho.edu>

Hi All -

 

We fairly easily found one of the Berger Rd. (Latah Co.) SNOWY OWLS on Friday, 1/27/06 at about 3:30 PM. It was on a ridge about 300 yds. northeast of where Berger Rd. makes its turn south (this is the general area reported by Terry earlier in the week). Deb picked it out from inside the car, it was some distance north of white "bucket bird" but easily distinguished from the "bucket bird"! In the scope it appeared to have a fairly pale head and dark markings on the body. (I'm getting more information on  

 

We also noted 2 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS, at Berger & Danielson Rds. A fairly uncommon winter occurrence on the Palouse (prob new for county year list).

Amazingly (although this is obviously the year to do it!) we found a second SNOWY OWL along US 95 near Craigmont on the north end of the Camas Prairie as we were driving to McCall. It was perched on a power pole just beyond the north business 95 interchange to Craigmont. As we approached at ~65 mph I could see a raptor perched on the pole, perhaps, I was thinking a Great Horned Owl as they often do at dusk. I looked back as we passed to see a brilliantly white Snowy Owl. After a quick u-turn, we were able to study the bird for several minutes from the side of US 95 at fairly close range and got some decent digiscoped images in the fading light (which I will post later).

 

We also had 2 SHORT-EARED OWLS, 1 flying across Us 95 near Ferdinand and a second along the Johnston Rd. cut-off just west of Grangeville (both in Idaho Co.). 

 

This evening (1/29), on the way home from McCall, we drove north through the Camas Prairie, east of US 95 from Grangeville to Nez Perce, and then west from Nez Perce to Craigmont where we picked up US 95 again. No more Snowies to report but there is lots of good looking country here and I imagine there must be more of them on the Camas Prairie right now. We sis see some N. Harries (always common here) and a flock of GRAY PARTRIDGE along Powerline Rd. near Grangeville - a decent Idaho Co. bird.  

 

thanks, Charles.
--
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura@gmail.com

--
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura@gmail.com

Short-billed Dowitcher

Fwd: Asotin Co. shorebirds etc., 8/14/2005

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Charles Swift <chaetura@gmail.com>
Date: Aug 14, 2005 9:51 PM
Subject: Asotin Co. shorebirds etc., 8/14/2005
To: inland-nw-birders@uidaho.edu

Hi All -

I had a bit of time today to check shorebirds at Swallows Park on the
Snake R. just south of Clarkston.

Killdeer
Semipalmated Sandpiper - 5, digiscoped picure on photo blog
Least Sandpiper - 2
Short-billed Dowitcher - juvenile, digiscoped picture on photo blog
( http://inwb-photos.blogspot.com/)
Spotted Sandpiper

A flock of gulls was loafing just south of the park although I was
biking at the time and didn't have my binocs. At least 100 gulls were
flying down the Snake R. just west of Clarkston at dusk.

Western Wood-Pewee and Yellow Warbler were still singing away in the park.

At Joseph Creek in far southeast WA, a Red-eyed Vireo was also still
singing. Also along Joseph Creek were many Wild Turkeys and turkey
broods.

A number of Osprey were along the Snake R. from the Clearwater
confluence upstream to Heller Bar (mouth of the Grand Rhonde).

In the ungulate department we had groups of 21, 6, and 3 Big Horn
Sheep along the Snake R. south of Asotin (the latter right on the
road). Mule Deer and a group of ~25 Elk were along Joseph Ck. in the
wildlife area.

At Genesee on the way down this morning were 3 Red-necked Phalarope
and a Long-billed Dowitcher among 20 species observer in ~15 minutes.

Good birding!

Charles.

--
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura@gmail.com


--
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura@gmail.com