Prowling for Owls
Blaine County, ID
Friday 23 August 2024
85 °F
SATURDAY, AUGUST 17:
Once again, I was down the valley to meet up with Kathleen and Robi for another exciting day of birding. While waiting for the bus at East Fork I had beautiful looks at a common but stunning western bird: BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE:
Soon, I was down in Bellevue and we were off to bird Pumpkin Center Rd, Silver Creek Preserve, Hayspur Hatchery, Carey WMA, and Picabo Road to see what we could find. We were treated to this beautiful intermediate morph SWAINSON’S HAWK along Pumpkin Center Rd:
As well as a SANDHILL CRANE, Kathleen’s spark bird from when she started birding in Ohio!
WILLOW FLYCATCHERS abounded along the road:
OSPREY:
As we moved into Silver Creek Preserve we admired this gorgeous dark morph Swainson’s alongside the road:
And a western RED-TAILED HAWK:
A riparian area on the west side of the preserve that is usually productive did not disappoint, bringing us our F.O.Y. HAMMOND’S FLYCATCHER:
AMERICAN WIGEON inside the preserve:
And along a trail we flushed up a covey of almost twenty GRAY PARTRIDGE, the grouse species we had flushed yesterday but had evaded photos till now! The only ones I had ever seen before this trip this summer were my lifers like seven years ago so I was stoked.
Kathleen also pointed out this beautiful roosting LONG-EARED OWL which was a huge highlight of the day:
Male AMERICAN GOLDFINCH:
CEDAR WAXWING:
Immature PIED-BILLED GREBE:
This VIRGINIA RAIL also briefly peeked out of the reeds but unfortunately didn’t allow for looks by Kathleen or Robi:
Then, in the heat of the afternoon, we continued on to Hayspur Fish Hatchery where the COMMON NIGHTHAWKS were roosting so low and conspicuously that we posed with them for selfies!
CINNAMON TEAL here was also nice:
Our next stop was a wind break of trees where we were looking for roosting Great Horned and Barn Owls which Kathleen had all the way back on the Christmas count this year. 
Before we knew it, a huge white owl burst out of the trees — unmistakably our F.O.Y. (and Robi’s lifer!) BARN OWL, way cool!!! Another species I have not caught up with in a few years. 
Look at that beautiful face! It was being chased around by Crows.
Carey WMA was quiet except for a grunting Virginia Rail and this lone WESTERN KINGBIRD:
And another Swainson’s on the way back along Picabo Rd:
It was another great day with Robi and Kathleen and I am looking forward to owling and searching for my favorite Idaho bird, the Great Gray Owl, with them tomorrow!
Happy birding,
Henry
World Life List: 1303 Species
Loooove the selfie with nighthawk! Great that you saw all those owls! Sure bumped about missing all the fun!
by Poo