Heya Tweets,

Just a note to say that a trip yesterday to Spring Valley
Reservoir just 10 miles east of Moscow turned up a beautiful Common Loon
in breeding plumage (the first I've seen in breeding and not winter).
Other things of note there:

-About 10 Canada Geese, most of which seem to be fighting for
brooding space on the island we call "Goosey Island."
-2 Ospreys, actively fishing (this place has been the most
reliable place for watching Osprey fish--I think that female Ospreys who
are nesting require something like 93 bites of fish per day--the lake is
small enough that you're sure to see them fish if you visit).
-1 Female Ruddy Duck, but we know there must be lots more hiding.
-About 12 small unidentified flying ducks (UFDs) who flew away
from the other side of the lake and hid behind Goosey Island from us.
These are probably the other Ruddies.
-Lots of Blackbirds, and the females have arrived--making the
males even more ferocious about defending their territory.
-Plenty of Robins
-Lots of little swallows swooping for bugs (which aren't too bad
right now, unlike the UI Arboretum!)
-A bevy of fishermen
-1 extremely well-behaved mutt (no guarantees *he'll* be the dog
you see there. :)


Well, that's about it. Good birding everyone!

-Pat
scott931 at uidaho.edu
Moscow, ID