Going into Friday, I had no idea that my mom and I would be driving 16 hours to see an Ivory Gull at Flathead Lake in northwestern Montana. But when my good friends sent me the Facebook post, I knew it was an opportunity that I might not get again. The Ivory Gull was first spotted Thursday, and reported Friday. I heard about it Friday morning, and I immediately convinced my mom to take me on Saturday. The bird was seen throughout Friday afternoon, so we had high hopes that we could see it Saturday. We got up bright and early Saturday morning (or dark and early), and left for Montana. This would be my first time birding in Montana so I was excited! The drive up was grueling. We encountered heavy fog, serious black ice that had wrecked 4 semi-trucks and a mini-van, and 60 mph winds that had blown over 2 trailers. But we persevered and through all that we ended up in Montana. Early that morning, birders had been looking for the gull but the winds were so bad that people had started to leave to look elsewhere, and to look for a nearby Northern Hawk Owl. It turns out that was probably for the better since a huge tree snapped in half and came down right where the birders had been standing! We arrived in the afternoon and the wind was no better. There was no sign of the gull and there were very few birds. We met a group who had traveled 14 hours from Colorado overnight just to see the bird. After a couple hours of looking ourselves, we decided that it was more worth our time to look for the Hawk Owl. However, the mile and a half walk through 5 ft of snow put us a little late so we didn't have much time to actually look for the owl. We left disappointed and soaking wet as it started to pour down rain. We hurried back to where we were going to stay, while anxiously looking at the weather for Sunday. It was looking to be particularly stormy for our drive back. Disappointed and worried, we booked a hotel room and prepared for the next day. We woke up to a beautifully calm, crisp morning. Our car doors were frozen shut and branches that had been broken off by the severe winds littered the streets. We headed straight for Blue Bay Campground, where the gull had been seen, praying that we could see the gull before we left to beat the severe storms in southern Idaho. We arrived just as the sun started to brighten the lake. We spent the next hour staring at the docks and the shore, waiting for the gull to appear. I got overly excited a few times as some Ring-billed Gulls flew in from afar, but I had my hopes up - at least there were some birds today! Red Crossbills flew over, Townsend's Solitaires called from the tops of the trees, and an American Dipper sang his heart out on the shore. We were in below freezing temperatures so I hopped back in the car to warm up my fingers and replace my camera battery. I look up and see a beautiful white gull flying in to the docks. "There it is!!!" I exclaim. The incredible IVORY GULL flew gracefully in to dock. It alighted on the railing and sat in all its glory. What an incredible bird! Another birder from Seattle approached and pointed and shouted "There it is!" We spent the next hour and a half staring at the bird as few other birders began to arrive. Over the course of the day people from all over would be able to see the beautiful gull. We left at 10:00, not quite prepared for the drive home. The 7.5 hour drive back home ended up taking 9 hours due to heavy snow, ice, and winds. However, we got back safe, and even now I can't quite believe that we drove 16 hours and got to see a first state record, a code 3 bird from the arctic planes north of Canada, an Ivory Gull. What an incredible experience!
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This month has seriously been crazy. In addition to going to Georgia for Camp TALON, I also went to Santa Barbara to tour the Reagan Ranch. While there I was able to do some sightseeing and birding. At the Beverly Hills Hotel we saw lots of lifers Mitred Parakeets: Then we went to the Chinese Theatre and that area to see the Hollywood sign: At our hotel there was yearbird Hooded Oriole: As we drove around we saw lots of yearbirds Band-tailed Pigeons: Then we went birding up by Ojai. I spotted a decent rarity, an American Redstart: Then found a pretty California Sister: After a small issue with getting trapped behind a private gate, we drove to Las Casitas lake, where I saw yearbirds White-breasted Nuthatch and Cassin's Kingbird: As well as yearbirds Great-tailed Grackles: Adorable baby Western Grebes and baby Pied-billed Grebe: Lifer Oak Titmouse: Yearbird Phainopepla: After spending some time in Santa Barbara (and finding lifer Scaly-breatsed Munia in the process) we drove to find some Yellow-billed Magpies: Adult and Juvenile lifers Yellow-billed Magpies (the young one was the only one who would let me get close enough for a decent picture): We also saw yearbird California Scrub-Jay: Yearbirds Acorn Woodpeckers were everywhere: Then we went to the Santa Clara River Estuary and got some pictures of American Avocet: Lifer Snowy Plover, which were nesting in the area: Least Terns were nesting and dive-bombing every bird that came near their territories: Least Tern egg! We also saw yearbird Western Sandpiper, my first one in breeding plumage. The poor bird had an injured wing. Heermann's Gull: Then we went to look for White-tailed Kites and saw them hunting! Then, of course as the highlight of our trip, we took the ferry out to Santa Cruz island to see the Island Scrub-Jays which inhabit only that island. Song Sparrow: Juvenile Spotted Towhee: The gorgeous lifer (obviously) Island Scrub-Jay: Island Fence Lizard: Woodland Skipper: Male Red-shafted Northern Flicker: Echo Azure: Skipper sp.: Loggerhead Shrike, island subspecies, the grayest version of this bird: Lifer Hutton's Vireo: Santa Cruz Island Fox: Western and California Gulls: California Gull: On the way back we got a great show by a ton of Common Dolphins: Lifer Sooty Shearwater: Humpback Whale: On our way back to LAX we stopped to look one more time for Rufous-crowned Sparrow. Didn't see the Sparrow but the guide ahead of us on the trail found a Western Patch-nosed Snake: And we also saw yearbird California Thrasher: Well that was an amazing trip! It was beautiful weather and LA traffic wasn't that bad. Overall another successful trip!
Where do I even begin with this one? This trip was absolutely amazing. The opportunity provided by the Georgia Audubon Society, Bob Sargant and Julie Duncan is just unfathomable. The last day of May I left to fly from Twin Falls to Salt Lake City to Georgia, nearly 9 hours of travel time. Some incredible people housed me for the night and the next day we drove off to Macon where I met the group of 15 people I would be with for the next 6 days. We hopped on a bus and drove off to Saint Simons Island, where we stayed at an incredible place whose staff woke up half an hour early to serve us an early breakfast. Many thanks to them for amazing food for every meal! Since we visited so many places and I find it hard to remember where things are, especially with a group, I figured I'd go about this trip report with my best photos first, and then the best birds but maybe not so good photos, and then the photos of birds that meant something to me particularly. Especially since there are 163 photos here to go through, so you don't get bored looking at bleh photo after bleh photo. I won't label which ones were lifers for me since most of them are. Also, I will probably squish two or three photos together in a line so it may be hard to see the photos. If you'd like to see all of the photos in full, they are all in the gallery along with some I didn't include. Here goes! I'll start off with the amazing Roseate Spoonbills, by far one of the coolest birds we were able to see. These were taken at Little Saint Simons Island: At the same location, we saw some beautiful White Ibis: Boat-tailed Grackles were everywhere, but we got the best photos at this location: Mottled Ducks and a female Painted Bunting, same location: A little farther along on Little Saint Simons Island, we visited an amazing rookery full of Great and Snowy Egrets, Wood Stork, and Anhinga. Alligators at miscellaneous places around Georgia: That's a young one. This is a 9 ft adult: The largest one we saw, an 11 ft one: Broadhead Skinks (top and middle left) and a Six-lined Racerunner (middle right and bottom): Green Anoles: Eastern Fence Lizard and a Brown Anole: Interesting plant and insect life: This is a Pitcher Plant, a carnivorous plant much like the Venus Flytrap: Common Buckeye: Imperial Moth: Weird bug: Crazy looking Caterpillar: Assassin Bug: Blue Dasher: A largus beetle: A tiny scorpion: Black-necked Stilt: These are Least Terns. We saw tons of them and also got to see them nesting! Wilson's Plover. We also got to see adorable baby plovers, but the photos aren't very good so they're coming later. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher: Osprey on a nest: Yellow-throated Warbler: Cumberland Wild Horses: Sandwich Tern: Black Skimmer: If you're scared of spiders, avert your eyes! We saw tons. A massive Wolf Spider and Orb Weavers: A Water Snake: Slider: Can't forget the beautiful Northern Cardinal: At our last stop we were able to see a beautiful Prothonotary Warbler, and then a second showed up! Female Boat-tailed Grackle: Now we're moving into the not-so-good pictures of good species! Here are the incredible Red-cockaded Woodpeckers we were privileged to see: They were checking nests. Here's the camera they used, and the picture of the eggs inside: Here's the habitat we were in, with those really crazy Longleaf Pines: At the same location we got to hear lots of Bachman's Sparrows, but they're so hard to see in the open that this is the best photo I got of one: Gull-billed Tern: Tricolored and Green Heron: We heard lots of Clapper Rails, and at one point we actually got to see one! Beautiful male Painted Bunting... darn bird wouldn't turn his head! Another female Painted Bunting: Barred Owl: Beautiful Red-headed Woodpeckers: Incredible Swallow-tailed Kite, eating on the wing as well! Black-bellied Whistling Duck: Yellow-crowned Night-Heron flying over: These are definitely the world's best photos of a Least Bittern and American Oystercatcher: Wood Stork flying over: Another Laughing Gull: Marsh Rabbit: A really stunning Summer Tanager! Black-necked Stilt with an adorable baby: Black-necked Stilt and a Glossy Ibis: Common Gallinule: Wilson's Plover with chick: Common Ground-Dove: The rarest bird we saw was this Blackburnian Warbler. They are normally in higher altitudes with pines and other coniferous trees, but we found this one on Little Saint Simons Island, almost right on the ocean! You can see she's panting. Fiddler Crabs: Blue Crab and Hypanus-type Ray: A pair of Gray Kingbirds, known to nest in this parking lot: Tiger Beetle, very well camouflaged against the sand: Manitees and Bottlenose Dolphins: Ruddy Turnstone with a Willet: Blue Grosbeak: Armadillo! Finally, the not-so-good ones that I care about: Carolina Wren: We heard tons of Northern Parula but this is my best photo of one: White-eyed Vireo: Pileated Woodpecker, a species I've been looking for forever! Sandwich Tern and a Forester's Tern in the same photo: Black Skimmer with a fish: Brown Thrasher: A Fuzzybean flower: My first Ruby-throated Hummingbird and my only photo of an Orchard Oriole the whole trip: There were lots of butterflies(left column down, then right column down: Spicebush Swallowtail, Carolina Satyr, Phaon Crescent, Queen, Palamedes Swallowtail, Little Yellow, Eastern Black Swallowtail): The last thing I want to cover is the landscapes we encountered: Phew! If you made it to the end, congratulations! That was a lot to go through. The trip was incredible and everyone who worked on making it possible deserves a huge thank you. Thank you Camp TALON for being an amazing experience!
The past few days I've been enjoying some relaxing birding. I saw a Sora for the first time: Side-blotched Lizard and Great Basin Fence Lizard: Common Nighthawk: Yellow-breasted Chat: The sun today: Finally, a Violet-green Swallow:
Things have been crazy! I just finished standardized testing, which is why I've been way too busy to pay attention to this website. This is a long post, including lots of stuff that I just uploaded. It is long, but stick to the end! Despite all the schoolwork, I've still managed to get some birding in! In late March my dad and I went to San Diego again. We went to La Jolla and saw some pretty awesome birds. There were nesting Brandt's Cormorants: Some really pretty Brown Pelicans and a Heermann's Gull: Lifers Surfbird and Black Turnstone: We also visited Balboa Park again and saw some really neat species. Clockwise from top left: Red-shouldered Hawk, Townsend's Warbler, Black Phoebe, Bewick's Wren, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Townsend's Warbler. Male and Female Nuttall's Woodpecker: I also got a nice picture of a Lesser Goldfinch: Fence Lizards: Hummingbird nest with an adorable nestling sticking its head out: We also went on a whale watching cruise. We saw a Gray Whale mom with calf: Black-Vented Shearwater and Scripp's Murrelets: On the way out we saw some Surf Scoter, Brant, and Marbled Godwit: We ran across a pod of Common Dolphins: We went with the sailing yacht replica "America": Since San Diego is a naval base, there was lots of military activity. Clockwise from top left: Amphibious Transport Dock, Carrier, Destroyer, C-17, Blackhawk Helicopter, F-18 Of course, we also did our usual baseball game. It was military weekend so we got an amazing show. There was a really powerful national anthem with an F-16 flyover. Here is their video: It was really an incredible experience! In addition to uploading all my San Diego photos (they are not in a separate section of the gallery), I also added a bunch from a couple winters ago and the past few months. We went on a Short-eared Owl survey and the full moon was really pretty, as well as the sunset: This is at Cauldron Lynn: After hanging out at Cauldron Lynn we went to Wilson Lake Reservoir. Here are just a few Western Terrestrial Garter Snakes: Recently I had a few interesting birds in my yard: a leucistic Eurasian Collared-Dove, a Lincoln's Sparrow, a Green-tailed Towhee, and a Sharp-shinned Hawk: Shortly after I went to see rarity and lifer Rose-breasted Grosbeak in a friend's yard: Here is a Vesper Sparrow in and out of a bush. They are practically impossible to see when they're hiding! I've gone down to Dierkes Lake a couple times. Here is a Say's Phoebe I found singing there: Here is an adult Great Horned Owl, and then a fledgling in the same crevice at Dierkes: Great Basin Fence Lizards at Dierkes: I recently discovered these. They are unofficially called Bumble Bee Scarab Beetles. This one is in Genus Paracotalpa: Hummingbird Moths at and near my house: We recently went to Echo Canyon in Utah to follow the train commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad. Thousands of people turned out for it. They were double heading with 4014, one of the 25 Big Boys (the largest locomotives ever built) meant to haul freight between Utah and Wyoming, and the 844 locomotive which was the last engine made for Union Pacific. (The 844 is behind the Big Boy and its coal car) Afterwards, we went to Antelope Island State Park, where the most prominent wildlife were non-biting midges. No, that second photo is not out of focus, but the bugs were so thick it seems that way. We've also spent some time up north. Red-naped Sapsucker working on a pine tree: Steller's Jays: Back home, I've been taking pictures of our Black-billed Magpies. The last photo shows one picking up mud for a nest. The nest was successful and one chick fledged. Here are photos from 2017 of a Semipalmated Plover and a Pectoral Sandpiper: A year ago we went to the Blue Mountains in Oregon in search of Great Gray Owls. Although we didn't see any owls, we did see a Williamson's Sapsucker nest, a fairly rare sight. The male and female: We also saw a Black-backed Woodpecker, who did exit a nest hole but it was hard to see if the nest was actually being used. I don't remember exactly where this is, but it's cute nonetheless. Elk with calf: And finally, we end with my favorites, the foxes! I was able to photograph a gorgeous silver fox with a slight tinge of red. Wow, that was a lot! I hope you enjoyed, and good on you for getting all the way to the end. Let me know which photos you liked the best and if you enjoy the little bits of information or non-bird things. Sometimes I feel like I'm rambling. I did just get back from a weekend where I was able to lead some birding exhibitions so hopefully I can get those photos up and I will make a post about it. My yard is full of birds! There's one Robin nest, the Kingbirds are setting up their nest, the Magpies have already nested, and the Orioles are preparing their nests. Also, don't forget, the kestrel cam is still up and running and there are 5 chicks getting their hungry little beaks fed! I will be travelling a lot this next month, and if I keep up with my photos, I will hopefully be able to get trip reports up. Again, I hope you enjoyed, and keep an eye out for more reports!
Here is a beautiful dark morph Rough-legged Hawk. They are only 10 percent of the population of Rough-leggeds!
We have started a Kestrel Box stream! Watch it live here:
Well, I finally got around to making this blog post. Back in May 2018, my whole family decided to go to Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City all in one big two week trip. We also decided to fly directly from our small Southern Idaho town to Salt Lake City and then to DC - meaning we got to walk out on the tarmac to get to the plane. We landed after a substantial 5 hour flight and got to our hotel across from Union Station on North Capital St NW. We could see the Capitol Building from just outside the lobby! On the way there, I saw lifers Red-eyed Vireo and Carolina Chickadee. The Red-eyed Vireo: We went to the National Museum of American History: Thomas Jefferson's Desk on which he wrote the constitution. The constitution hanging is one of 100 copies made of the original: A piece of Plymouth Rock: One of Muhammad Ali's boxing gloves and Apolo Ohno's ice skates: Then we had to put all our stuff in lockers at the museum so we could tour the White House! It was really amazing to be in such a historical place. While waiting to get in, I heard yearbird Blackpoll Warbler and afterwards saw lifer Ovenbird. We got our stuff back and on the way to dinner I saw lifer Bay-breasted Warbler: The White House at night: The next day we grabbed a quick breakfast and then rode rentable bikes all the way to Ford Theater. While there my brother grabbed this amazing shot of me holding a young starling: Then we checked out the FBI building (it's not much to see). Then we went to the Smithsonian National Air and Space museum. After going through the usual half hour of security, we spent a good half day there. The original Star Trek Starship Enterprise: The Wright Brother's first successfully flying airplane: Yuri Gagarin and John Glenn's space suits: There was so much there! Then we went to the National Portrait Gallery and hung out there for a while. Then we went to the Tidal Basin and checked out all the monuments there: The next day we went to the Capitol Building for our tour. My camera doesn't do well with indoor light but I did get one photo from inside the dome: When we were done we went to the Supreme Court: We got to sit in the room where all our country's most major decisions are made. We also saw a disgruntled looking Justice Kennedy exiting an elevator. Pretty Song Sparrow just outside: There were quite a few Chimney Swifts around and I managed to get a picture of one: There were also so many Gray Catbirds, much more than out west: We walked by the National Museum of Natural History: Green Heron and Black-crowned Night-Heron: The Lincoln Memorial steps: Lincoln Memorial interior: The view from the memorial: The next day we went to Arlington Cemetery and watched the changing of the guard. Blue Jay in the surrounding trees: On the way there we saw the Pentagon. Then we went to the Library of Congress: We even got official membership cards to get in to the main Library! The next day we hopped on bikes and we rode down to the National Archives where we saw the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence. We rented a car and drove do Philadelphia. On the way I saw lifer Black Vulture: AWe arrived in Philadelphia and checked in to the Thomas Bond House. Then we headed off on a self-guided walking tour and saw the Pennsylvania Hospital, America's first hospital. There I saw lifer Eastern Wood-Pewee: While walking around Philadelphia I saw lifer Northern Parula and got a picture of a Blackpoll Warbler: Another Gray Catbird: Then we went to a Phillies game. The next day we went and saw the Liberty Bell: And the Old City Hall: We ate at Reading Terminal, which was super fun. I also got photos of a Carolina Chickadee and a flying Black Vulture: The next day, we went to the Philadelphia Art Museum and hung out around Philadelphia the whole day. The next day we went to Bowman's Tower where I saw lifer Indigo Bunting: Yearbird Black-and-White Warbler: A beautiful Red-spotted Purple: Blue Jay: Fish Crow, ID'd by call due to their extreme similarity to American Crows: Eyed Click Beetle that landed on my dad's shirt: Potato Beetle: Ichneumon Wasp: Fireworks from our parking garage: The next day we went to Valley Forge for the whole day. Eastern Kingbird: Lifer Immature Orchard Oriole: Northern Mockingbird and lifer Field Sparrow: Adult Orchard Oriole: Yearbird Red-bellied Woodpecker: Gray Catbird and lifer Eastern Towhee: I saw Lifer Wood Thrush and got a photo of Yearbird Eastern Phoebe: Another Red-bellied Woodpecker: The next day we did some birding in John Heinz at Warbler Woods! Lifer Carolina Wren: Common Yellowthroat: Lifer American Redstart: Lifers Baltimore Oriole and Canada Warbler: House Wren: Downy Woodpecker: Tufted Titmouse: Lifer Great Crested Flycatcher: A photo of previously-seen-without-camera Ovenbird: Lifer Acadian Flycatcher: That afternoon we drove to New York City as our last stop. We checked into our hotel on 54th street, and then we went to an amazing performance by John Rutter in Carnegie that evening. The next day we enjoyed walking around NYC: Lifer Laughing Gull and Great Black-backed Gull: The Brooklyn Bridge: Walking to 911 memorial: The next morning the whole city was clothed in fog as we left for the Statue of Liberty: Ellis Island: And finally, the Statue of Liberty: Common Tern: View from the pedestal: The stairs: Staggering view from the crown: Last look: View on the way out: Ellis Island: The next day we visited the Rockefeller Center: The fog kept rolling in and out so we switched around when we went up in the Empire State Building multiple times, but we finally went up the next day during the fog and it was definitely worth it. The streets: Times Square: New York Public Library: Northern Cardinal in Central Park: Then we went to the Phantom of the Opera performance at the Majestic Theater. The next day we went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (They kick everyone out 15 minutes early for some reason), where we saw the first piano: That evening we went up in the Rockefeller building: Then we went to the Intrepid museum to see the Concord and the Space Shuttle Enterprise: The Empire State Building in daylight: Finally, we went to an amazing performance by the New York Philharmonic at the Lincoln Center. It was such a tiring but such a fun trip. A full 2 weeks spending every bit of time exploring this trifecta of huge cities. My feet were already killing me by the first few days. It is such a blessing to be able to go on these amazing trips.
So on Friday I went to see a Barred Owl in Boise. What a beautiful bird! (The rest of the photos of this bird are in the Gallery)
I found a Milkweed Borer the other day and that got me excited to see what other interesting species of bug I have near my house! All of my best photos are in the Bugs section of the Gallery, but for now here are the best pictures from the past couple days: This is a female Velvet Ant. Their stings can hurt much worse than a normal wasp!
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Youtube:The first Kestrel chick fed!
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February 2020
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