Idaho Day 9: Herping and birding

Wood River Valley, ID

Thursday 19 August 2021 70 °F

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18:

Today, I met with fellow birders & herpers (and extremely-knowledgeable all-around biologists) Brian S and Larry B to try to track down some herps in the Sun Valley area in the morning. Then, in the afternoon, after lunch with Tian, she and I would meet up with Kathleen and Poo for an afternoon of birding.

Brian, Larry and I started in a canyon offshoot off the Wood River Valley to look for birds, and for Great Basin Rattlesnakes which inhabit the region. I had never before seen a Rattlesnake so my hopes were high! This was the view for the morning’s scramble up the sides of this drainage:

At one point, Brian spotted this DUSKY GROUSE a half-mile away!

Well, we did manage to hear a Rattlesnake rattle for a number of seconds, but unfortunately we could never lay eyes on it. We guessed it was hiding deep in a crack in the rocks since it was a cool morning. Strange since they usually only rattle when you’re extremely close to them, and we searched all around us.

On the way out I got my year-bird LEWIS’ WOODPECKER!

Then, we continued to a nearby trail where the two of them told me we had a chance for Horned Lizards which would a lifer for me. Sure enough, after a bit of hiking, a spotted tiny yearling scurrying across the trail so I scooped it up for photos!

Here you can its impressive camouflage against the sandy rock:

After herping, we tried a spot for Veery alongside the Big Wood River and came up empty but did find a CASSIN’S VIREO:

Then, after lunch with Tian, she and I bussed to Kathleen’s house where there were a good number of birds moving around. PINE SISKIN:

Female RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD:

Poo soon arrived so the four of us headed down to Silver Creek Preserve to try for a Northern Waterthrush that had been reported there yesterday. Well, we found this WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW acting like a Waterthrush!

Male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD:

BALD EAGLE:

WILSON’S WARBLER:

OSPREY:

This adorable MARSH WREN decided to take a dust bath in the road just in front of us!

SPOTTED SANDPIPER:

Immature VESPER SPARROW:

EASTERN KINGBIRDS:

CINNAMON TEAL:

We were quite surprised to find this BAIRD’S SANDPIPER, an uncommon species for Silver Creek, feeding on the mat of algae at Silver Creek!

WILLOW FLYCATCHER:

A cute SONG SPARROW missing its tail!

Unfortunately, we missed the Northern Waterthrush, so we continued on to Croy Creek Wetlands just west of Hailey. As usual, CEDAR WAXWINGS were giving great views at the wetland observation area:

BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD:

WARBLING VIREO:

WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE:

Then, we headed over to Poo’s neighborhood for one last chance at Evening Grosbeaks which would be an Idaho lifer for me. Here is a RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER:

And as soon as we opened the car doors at Poo’s house, I heard the harsh trilling calls of EVENING GROSBEAKS in the trees just across the street! Wow! An incredible Idaho life bird as they are quite nomadic but have taken to nesting in the Wood River Valley this summer. Here is a male perched in a tree:

And a pair:

Then, we crept around the side of Poo’s house and found a couple of immature birds, proving nesting in the area! Awesome!

It was so wonderful to bird one last time with Kathleen and Poo before I leave friday. They are some of the kindest, most generous people I have ever met and it is such a blast to bird with them. Till next year!

Bird-of-the-day to the Evening Grosbeaks with runners-up to the Dusky Grouse and the Lewis’ Woodpecker.

Good birding,
Henry
World Life List: 1125 Species*

I lost one life bird due to the recent revision to the Clement’s checklist which just lumped the Crested Caracara I saw in Florida and the Southern Caracara I saw in Argentina into one species: Crested Caracara.

Posted by skwclar 19:30 Archived in USA