Pinyon Jays and others

I went back out to where I saw the Pinyon Jays yesterday and set up my blind and sit there for two hours.  The jays came in twice and I was able to get some better pictures.

I also watched over 30 American Goldfinch with three Lesser Goldfinch mixed with them.

I also had 20 Dark-eyed Juncos around me.  They ran from a very dark head to a light grey head.

Some appeared to be almost a blue head and throat.

I also saw Housefinch, magpies, Juniper Titmouse, Canada Geese, Trumpeter Swans, starlings, Red-shafted flickers and Downy woodpeckers.

Another great day celebrating the wildness of Idaho.

Pinyon Jays and Downys

This evening I went hunting for a flock of Pinyon jays along the South Fork of the Snake River.  I found them visiting a house with feeders near junipers.  With the heavy cloud cover and lateness of the day, good pictures were hard to come by.  Here is a male feeding in a juniper.

Another male takes off from the top of a juniper bush.

I got permission to set up a blind on the property and the first day we have good light, I will be there waiting for some good photos.

I also found a pair of Downy woodpeckers flirting with each other.  Here is the male with his red skull cap on.

Here the female is playing a little coy as she glances at him.

What a great way to spend some time in the wilds of Idaho and the birds of Madison County.

Sharp-shinned hawk attack

Wednesday as I was eating dinner, I watched a Sharp-shinned hawk attack a starling.  Life in the world of nature is both cruel and interesting.  This was both of them. 

I watched as the hawk tore off the legs of the live starling.  By the time I ran down stairs to get my camera and got out behind a shed, the hawk was tearing off the head as the starling still struggled minus its already eaten legs.

As I slowly approached, the hawk flew up on a log to finish its dinner.

All that was left of the starling were legs, feathers and the head.

The next day it was back again.  Only this time I found him in a tree with another starling.  He can stay in my yard as long as he leaves the goldfinch, chickadees and evening grosbeaks alone.

Another great time in the wilds of Idaho.

Trumpeter swans invade Rexburg area

In the snowless fields around Rexburg this year, there are hundreds if not close to a thousand Trumpeter swans feeding on rotten potatoes and wasted grain in the stubble fields.  In one field alone I counted 443 trumpeters and one Tundra swan last week.  On two sides of the field are power lines and at times these wonderful birds crash into them like the one below.  Each casualty has been reported to the authorities.

Last week we had a tagged trumpeter show up and am waiting for its life history from the feds.  We do know it was banded in Canada in 2003.

We really need some air flight controllers as I have seen several mid air collisions during the high winds.

There are also some interesting pictures as the swans come in to feed.  Here two geese flying together looks like a single with four wings.

Here two of four fly in unison and it appears as one swan has two heads.

I spend one or two evenings each week, counting, taking photos and enjoying these fantastic birds alone or with a friend or grandchild.  Just enjoying the wildness of Idaho.