---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Charles Swift <chaetura@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, May 7, 2008 at 11:33 AM
Subject: Latah Co. Lewis's Woodpecker etc., 5/4/08
To: inland birders <inland-nw-birders@uidaho.edu>
Hi All -
This past Sunday I wandered east of Moscow to Deary, then south to Kendrick, and back north to Troy via Little Bear Ridge Rd. then home to Moscow.
- A stop at Spring Valley Res. was unproductive due to the large number of fisherfolk around and on the lake - on warm weekend afternoons it's best to avoid SVR!
- The Deary sewage ponds had 45 Bufflehead and a few other ducks (Bufflehead seem to really like sewage ponds - what is the attraction??).
- Heading south from Deary on ID-3 I checked some ponds and fields (and visited a couple of old rural cemeteries in the area). This is a really impressive drive w/ excellent views of mountains and the eastern Palouse wheat fields in all directions. Along the grade down to Kendrick I stopped at a nice road cut just past mp 16 where I had Bank, Rough-winged, and Violet-green Swallows all nesting or checking out (in the case of the Bank Swallows) nest holes in various strata including sandstone. At this point the road is above the Potlatch R. providing good foraging for the swallows. Looking back up the hill I noticed a Lewis's Woodpecker flycatching from trees near the house at mp 16 (west side of the rd.). I went back to get a closer look but couldn't relocate the bird. It looks like a great area for them and suspect nesting in the area is likely. I've had my eye on nearby Little Bear Ck. canyon for this species as well so was not totally surprised at this discovery.
- At Kendrick I noted Cliff Swallows (which nest on the grain elevators) and heard a Yellow Warbler. (Iris had woken up by this point so we stopped in town to play in the park and get an ice cream bar for the drive home.) Just outside of town heading up Little Bear Ridge Rd. an adult Bald Eagle was soaring around - perhaps one of the nesters from nearby Dworshak Res. which isn't far from here as the eagle flies (I understand there are 3 active eagle nests on the lake this year).
- Finally there were only a few ducks on the Little Bear ponds but they included a foy Blue-winged Teal and several downy Killdeer chick w/ adults on the shore.
It was nice to be back home - what a difference from Florida!
--
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura@gmail.com
From: Charles Swift <chaetura@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, May 7, 2008 at 11:33 AM
Subject: Latah Co. Lewis's Woodpecker etc., 5/4/08
To: inland birders <inland-nw-birders@uidaho.edu>
Hi All -
This past Sunday I wandered east of Moscow to Deary, then south to Kendrick, and back north to Troy via Little Bear Ridge Rd. then home to Moscow.
- A stop at Spring Valley Res. was unproductive due to the large number of fisherfolk around and on the lake - on warm weekend afternoons it's best to avoid SVR!
- The Deary sewage ponds had 45 Bufflehead and a few other ducks (Bufflehead seem to really like sewage ponds - what is the attraction??).
- Heading south from Deary on ID-3 I checked some ponds and fields (and visited a couple of old rural cemeteries in the area). This is a really impressive drive w/ excellent views of mountains and the eastern Palouse wheat fields in all directions. Along the grade down to Kendrick I stopped at a nice road cut just past mp 16 where I had Bank, Rough-winged, and Violet-green Swallows all nesting or checking out (in the case of the Bank Swallows) nest holes in various strata including sandstone. At this point the road is above the Potlatch R. providing good foraging for the swallows. Looking back up the hill I noticed a Lewis's Woodpecker flycatching from trees near the house at mp 16 (west side of the rd.). I went back to get a closer look but couldn't relocate the bird. It looks like a great area for them and suspect nesting in the area is likely. I've had my eye on nearby Little Bear Ck. canyon for this species as well so was not totally surprised at this discovery.
- At Kendrick I noted Cliff Swallows (which nest on the grain elevators) and heard a Yellow Warbler. (Iris had woken up by this point so we stopped in town to play in the park and get an ice cream bar for the drive home.) Just outside of town heading up Little Bear Ridge Rd. an adult Bald Eagle was soaring around - perhaps one of the nesters from nearby Dworshak Res. which isn't far from here as the eagle flies (I understand there are 3 active eagle nests on the lake this year).
- Finally there were only a few ducks on the Little Bear ponds but they included a foy Blue-winged Teal and several downy Killdeer chick w/ adults on the shore.
It was nice to be back home - what a difference from Florida!
--
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura@gmail.com
--
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura@gmail.com
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