Idaho Day 6: Twitching the Phantom of the North

SUNDAY, AUGUST 6:

After a wonderful day at Redfish yesterday, as well as welcoming Caroline and Ann to our condo, today was another (and the last of this year’s) full day of birding with Poo and Kathleen. Our goal for today was to go up and over Galena Pass in hopes of finding montane species, specifically the black-backed-type woodpeckers in burned areas, as well as Great Gray Owl - AKA the “Phantom of the North.” Great Gray would be particularly fun as it is my second favorite bird in the world (second-only to Resplendent Quetzal) and I haven’t seen one at our spot for them in Idaho since we got it as my lifer there in 2015. (though I have seen them since, including over the New Year this year, in Minnesota where they are “easier”)

Our first stop was over to Triumph, ID to visit a prime hummingbird feeder house where apparently all four local species were visiting. On the way, we heard EVENING GROSBEAKS fly over so it was time to lean out of the window and photograph:

They were gorgeous!

And the hummingbirds were prolific in numbers, as well, with BLACK-CHINNED leading the charge:

As well as a number of RUFOUS including this stunning male:

At least one bright-green, smaller, CALLIOPE was present as well, always a nice sight as it is one of the two rarer species in the area:

We also had a heard-only BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD buzz us at one point; however, we could never narrow down exactly which female it was as they were all moving by so quick. All we know is that it was extremely loud and buzzy compared to the other hummers, and this is its telltale identifying trait. Awesome to get all four in one spot!

Plenty of other birds were present in the yard, as well, probably owing to all the mosquitoes — BULLOCK’S ORIOLE:

BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK:

RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER:

We then continued northwards, passing one of my favorite views in Idaho: the Boulder Front.

The moon!

A stop at Baker Creek Road didn’t net us the hoped-for Fox Sparrow, but we did get an actual Red Fox trotting along the road!

As well as a DUSKY FLYCATCHER:

And a WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW:

Next we birded the Titus Lake Trail for a bit:

We had a few birds but they were all relatively common such as MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE:

Policecar moth — thanks for the ID, Poo!

And male CASSIN’S FINCH:

Another Cassin’s posed beautifully for us on a pull-off just on the other side of Galena:

And a Golden-mantled Ground-Squirrel at the Sawtooth Overlook:

Great views from the Overlook:

Kathleen’s car ride shenanigans!

Next, we tried a burned area from last year’s forestfire in search of woodpeckers.

Our best woodpecker species there turned out to be a juvenile Red-naped Sapsucker:

But the real highlight was finding not one, two, or three, but TWENTY-SIX Morel Mushrooms growing in the burn.

Poo and Kathleen both had plenty still from this spring, and were astounded to find this many growing so late in the summer. It was pretty unprecedented, but explained possibly due to the combination of the burn last year and the wetter summer this year. So awesome! I brought these home and Caroline, Ann, mom, and I enjoyed a steak dinner rich with morel mushrooms. Delicious!

Next, after a brief obligatory stop at Smiley Creek Lodge, Poo took us to another burned area where earlier this year she had a Long-toed Salamander poking its head out of a hole in the ground, and since this would be a lifer for me, we started flipping.

Sure enough, on the third flip, the moist ground underneath revealed two incredibly-beautiful, bicolored Long-toed Salamanders, the one salamander native to this specific part of Idaho. I have been wanting to find this species for a long time and especially wanted to be a lifer to be an adult, so I was ecstatic to find these beautiful specimens!

Here is a comparison photo to my hand to show size. Poo had only ever seen two before, and this was Kathleen’s lifer, so suffice to say it was an awesome highlight of the day— one of the few herps that calls the boreal Sawtooth Valley home. What a stunner.

Next stop was Alturas Lake where we posed for a few photos before it rained a bit. Again, it is been unseasonably wet and cool while I have been here this year.

Soon, the Sawtooth Mountains were shrouded with rain:

We stopped along Highway 75 for a drenched PRAIRIE FALCON, the first of this species I have ever seen in the Sawtooth Valley:

After dipping on our “trusty” Spruce Grouse spot, we continued on to the Stanley Sewage Ponds in search of shorebirds and other species to add to our day list. By this point, the weather was starting to clear for gorgeous views of the Sawtooths — the weather always changes quickly in the mountains:

We were greeted by some waterfowl including a pair of BUFFLEHEAD:

GADWALL:

NORTHERN SHOVELER:

I asked Poo and Kathleen if we were gonna check the back pond and Kathleen replied, “Well, I don’t know!” so I took that as my cue to scan the pond and I am glad I did, haha! There was a WILSON’S SNIPE:

SEMIPALMATED (right) and WESTERN (left) SANDPIPERS, note the straight bill and grayer appearance of the right bird, though this is admittedly a tough ID. Unfortunately it had flown before Poo and Kathleen could get to it:

LEAST SANDPIPER, the third local Peep species (yellow legs):

A nearby forest service road provided beautiful views but few birds:

Our next stop netted us OSPREY:

COMMON MERGANSERS:

Female YELLOW WARBLER:

Along with a fuzzy juvenile:

And finally, it was that time of the evening to carry on to our Great Gray Owl road, which is always birdy (and great for large game, too!) no matter if we get the owl or not.

Today was no exception, with WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW:

COMMON YELLOWTHROAT:

RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET:

Beautiful views of silhouetted SANDHILL CRANES:

DUSKY FLYCATCHER:

Plenty of Pronghorn Antelope were around:

Along with Elk:

Then, at 8:49pm, I spotted a large, rectangular bird perched across the meadow on a snag seven feet over the willows and I instantly knew what it was—

IT WAS A FRIGGIN’ GREAT GRAY OWL!!!!!!!

Ahhhh!!!!!

This is one of the toughest breeding birds in Idaho to get as they are uncommon, local in territory, crepuscular, and their sightings are completely censored online as to protect the wellbeing of this highly sought-after species. It is, perhaps, the crown jewel of central Idaho birding, and suffice to say it was a perfect way to end three incredible days of birding with Poo and Kathleen. I have found this species now just twice among eight times of specifically seeking it out in Idaho to give an idea of how challenging it is to find, and there is something particularly magical about seeing it out here since you have to find it yourself as opposed to twitch a telegram message in the Sax-Zim Bog. Just wow.

Takeoff.

We watched it hunt for just under ten minutes, taking these distant photos, before a light drizzle seemed to usher it back into the dense forest nearby, and like a phantom, it silently disappeared from sight. These birds rely on open meadow and willow habitat for hunting small rodents, bordering dense conifer forest for nesting and roosting. WHAT a BIRD! This is one species that is so exciting to see that it seems like a lifer, every time you see it. There are very few species this magnitude of exciting.

Special shout-out to Nubs Fratt who was a dear friend of ours who passed this May and I know would’ve loved to join us on this trip. He was well aware of my obsession over Great Grays and we like to think that he sent us this bird. Love you, Nubs, and rest in peace…

Our evening wasn’t over; though, as stargazing and owling in the dark up on Galena Pass yielded a single meteor, a few satellites, and one lone hoot from a LONG-EARED OWL. Super cool!!!

Bird-of-the-day to the Great Gray Owl with runners-up to the Evening Grosbeaks, Prairie Falcon, Semipalmated Sandpiper, and Long-eared Owl. Special shout-outs to all the tasty Morel mushrooms and my lifer Long-toed Salamanders. What an amazing day in the thick of the Idaho wilderness with great friends.

Already looking forward to next year’s adventures, Poo and Kathleen. Thanks for everything.

Happy birding,
Henry
World Life List: 1171 Species