South Idaho Bird Alert
November 9, 1998

This is the South Idaho Bird Alert, brought to you by the Idaho Museum
of Natural History. This alert was updated on Monday, November 9th.
Highlights for this week include a LITTLE GULL and both HARRIS' and
WHITE-THROATEDSPARROWS, in addition to two GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES below
American Falls Dam. Many COMMON LOONS and several PACIFIC LOONS have been
seen recently on American Falls Reservoir and on the Snake River.
There is a first year LITTLE GULL in a flock of about 400 BONAPART'S
Gulls that are roosting on American Falls Reservoir and feeding downstream
on the Snake River. They leave the reservoir at first light (between 6:58
and 7:15am) and return upstream anytime between 2:00 and 5:00 pm. A good
place to view them is from the Transfer Station on the west side of American
Falls. To get there take Falls Avenue at the Circle-K store and turn left
onto McKinley Ave. Drive about a quarter mile past the cemetery entrance and
turn right on the next road to the Waste Transfer Station, and look down on
the river from the bluffs. Another good place might be the bluffs at the
rest stop on I-86 west of American Falls. The LITTLE GULL is very small, has
an "M" pattern on top of its wings, a dark neck collar, and a smudge of dark
on its head. It usually flies behind a group of BONAPARTE'SGULLS. There are
also about 30 BARROW'S GOLDENEYES feeding on the Snake River. AWHITE-WINGED
SCOTER was seen there last week, but it has not been seen for five days.
Two male GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES have been present for over a week near the
boat dock on the south side of the Snake River, just below the dam and on
the rocks just out from the cemetery.
Both a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and a HARRIS' SPARROW were seen last week
at the trout farm along the north side of the Snake River below the dam. To
get there cross the dam, take the first left, and then left again and follow
the Sportsman's Access signs to the trout farm. The WHITE-THROATED was in
the Russian olives on the east side of the trout farm, and the HARRIS' was
in a flock of WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS near the entrance to the trout farm. A
winter plumage SWAMP SPARROW was spotted Saturday a week ago in some brush
and cattails by the effluent of the spring at the Fish and Game Trout Farm
about 100 yards from where it empties into the Snake River, but has not been
seen since. Another HARRIS' SPARROW was seen Saturday in the bushes beside
the Snake River off of Pipeline Road, just before the cable bridge. To get
there take the frontage road west of American Falls for about two miles and
turn fight onto Pipleine Road just before the "town" of Neeley.
At least 30 COMMON LOONS have been present between the dam and Seagull
Bay on American Falls Reservoir, including several PACIFIC LOONS. Saturday a
PACIFIC and 6 COMMON LOONS were right by the dam. There are also both HORNED
and EARED GREBES on the reservoir out from Willow Bay. Another pair of
PACIFIC LOONS were seen Saturday at the boat dock on the west end of
Massacre Rocks State Park, west of American Falls.
For further information, to report a bird sighting, or to reach Chuck
Trost, you can call 208-236-3337and leave a message at the sound of the
beep. Or you can call Chuck at home at 208-233-4538.

Deborah K. Beutler
Dept. Zoology
Washington State University
Pullman, Whitman Co., WA

dbeutler at wsunix.wsu.edu