South Idaho Bird Alert
September 28, 1998

This is the South Idaho Bird Alert for Monday, Sept. 28th, brought
to you by the Idaho Museum of Natural History. To report a sighting call
(208) 236-3337.
Highlights for this week include an two SABINE'S GULLS near
American Falls Dam. In western Idaho there are also many passerine and
hawks migrating near Boise.
Two juvenile SABINE'S GULLS were seen Sunday foraging over American
Falls Reservoir out from a point along the south side, not far from the
dried up Pacific Ponds. To get there take Marina Drive off the By-Pass east
of town, take a left on Pacific Road just after crossing the railroad
tracks. Drive past the dry ponds on the right and out onto the beach, then
right for a quarter mile to a rocky peninsula. There are also many
FRANKLIN'S, RING-BILLED, and CALIFORNIA GULLS feeding and resting along the
point, but the SABINE'S don't come into shore. There are also several COMMON
TERNS feeding in the area. and last weekend an adult ARCTIC TERN was seen
right here.
A PRONTHONOTARY WARBLER was spotted Saturday along the Boise River
on the east side of Boise, in a park off Eckert Road. You can call Dave
Trochell at (208) 385-9202 to find out exactly where he saw it. Many ther
warblers (including 4 BLACKPOLLS) and sparrows (including 4 GOLDEN-CROWNEDs)
have been caught and banded in the last few weeks at Lucky Peak, just east
of Boise. Accipiters and buteos are migrating past the lookout also,
especially in the afternoon. Over 130 were counted Monday, including
several BROAD-WINGED HAWKs. You can find out how to get there by calling
Greg Kaltenecker at (208) 377-1440, or on the internet at:
www.virtualbirder.com/vbirder/HAWK/bg/Find.html
Deborah K. Beutler
Department of Zoology
Washington State Univeristy
Pullman, WA

dbeutler at wsunix.wsu.edu