early spring on the Palouse (birds, bugs, and herps)

I was able to get out this afternoon w/ Tom Besser for hikes at Phillips Farm County Park and at his property on the west end of Moscow Mountain. It was a typical spring day hereabouts - cloudy and cool at times but pleasant when the sun came out. Heading up US 95 north of Moscow I noticed the Loch 95 seasonal ponds was mostly cleared out of the ~250 ducks present yesterday. We had a nice hike at Phillip's (eBird list below) and in addition to birds noted swarming ladybugs, calling Pacific Chorus/Tree Frogs, and silent Columbia Spotted Frogs. Later at the Foothill Rd. lower pond we found a drake Cinnamon Teal, 4 Greater Yellowlegs, and 1 Lesser Yellowlegs among others. We noted and confirmed in Sibley the strong flank markings on the breeding plumage Greater Yellowlegs and lack of the same on the Lesser (in addition to bill differences and overall size this appears to be useful characteristic for separating breeding plumage yellowlegs). A nice variety of species were around Tom's place including a couple Ruffed Grouse flushed by his dog, an impressively close Cooper's Hawk rocketing through his feeders, and a "white belly" immature Bald Eagle heading south over Moscow Mountain.

Phillip's Farm eBird list

Canada Goose  2
Northern Harrier  3     appeared to migrating in a small group
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Red-naped Sapsucker  1     heard drumming
Northern Flicker  6
Common Raven  2
Black-capped Chickadee  4
Red-breasted Nuthatch  5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  2
Western Bluebird  2
American Robin  25
European Starling  1
Spotted Towhee  2
Song Sparrow  2
Dark-eyed Junco  40
Red-winged Blackbird  2
Western Meadowlark  2
House Finch  5
Red Crossbill  2
Evening Grosbeak  25

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2 (http://ebird.org) 

--
Charles Swift
Moscow, Idaho
46°43′54″ N, 116°59′50″ W
email: chaetura@gmail.com
skype: charles.swift
google voice: 208-991-2473

--
Charles Swift
Moscow, Idaho
46°43′54″ N, 116°59′50″ W
email: chaetura@gmail.com
skype: charles.swift
google voice: 208-991-2473

Moscow area birds, 4/1 & 4/2 (feeder, neighborhood, and waterfowl)

Howdy All - 

Lots of fun birds (and fun weather!) in and around Moscow these first two days in April. The continuation of various finches in my yard and east side Moscow neighborhood - Cassin's Finches and Pine Siskins in particular and finally yesterday I've got some goldfinches showing up at my feeders and today a few Evening Grosbeaks (plenty of fly overs but few stopping at my on again off again feeders - at least while I'm home). Also lots of singing birds around the neighborhood including among others flickers, robins, starlings, juncos, cassin's & house finches and several Varied Thrushes again after a several week absence. Yesterday morning a pair of Mallards walked through my neighbor's yard which I don't see too often. Probably scouting out nest sites even though we're a good 4-6 blocks from Paradise Creek. Also Friday evening while it was still calm and mild I could hear Pacific Tree Frogs calling down along the creek from my house.

There are also a very nice variety of waterfowl (11 species of ducks plus C. Goose) close to town right now based on some quick checking mostly this morning - as follows below.

thanks, Charles.

UI Dairy (yesterday 4/1)

Mallard 6

Green-winged Teal 2

Northern Shoveler 4

Lesser Scaup 3

A. Coot 1

following all this morning (4/2)

UI Dairy

American Wigeon 2 (all of above apparently departed)

Mallard 8

Loch 95 (seasonal pond on east side of US 95 n. of Moscow near Estes Rd.) - 250-300 ducks including the largest group of pintail I've personally seen in the county, could have been a E. Wigeon in there somewhere but I couldn't find one (also viewing conditions are a bit challenging here)

American Wigeon 80

Mallard 20

Northern Shoveler 5

Northern Pintail 150

Green-winged Teal 4

Hooded Merganser 2 (pair)

Foothill Rd. ponds - only a few mallards but a Say's Phoebe was also present struggling against the wind to hawk insects over the pond outflow

Sora wetlands on Moscow Mountain Rd.: 

Gadwall 2

Mallard 16

Green-winged Teal 2

Syringa Ponds

Mallard 6

Ring-necked Duck 1

Bufflehead 4

Common Goldeneye 1

American coot 3

Tree Swallow 2

--
Charles Swift
Moscow, Idaho
(north-central Idaho, 80 miles SE of Spokane, WA)
46°43′54″ N, 116°59′50″ W
email: chaetura@gmail.com
skype: charles.swift
google voice: 208-991-2473