Red-necked Grebes and Mountain Bluebirds

I have not posted for almost 10 months as I became frustrated with all the anon. comments and others stealing my photos.  So I have made a few changes as a lot of people have asked for me to resume.  So I will try another time.

I went fishing on Henrys Lake on Tuesday and had a good time except for the wind that was blowing  when I got there and then started again about 9 after a couple of hours fishing.  As I was coming off the water I saw a battle waging in the shallows.  It was two male Red-necked grebes competing from a female.  It was the first time I ever saw a Red-necked fly and also the first time for a battle.

 

Here is the winner of the female, showing off after chasing off his enemy.

 

 

This was the battle over the female.

 

Driving around the lake, I observed this mother Mountain Bluebird feeding her young.

Busy Summer

Oh, what a busy summer.  Two weeks without a post, so I am sneeking one in.  Guiding fishermen, fishing with family, getting in wood, working on a grant, keeping the garden weedless (almost), attending grandkids activities, attending weddings and building a few things keeps be busy from before sunrise to after sunset.

Someone asked me what I do in my spare time; I replied "sleep, if I can find the time."  But I always manage to find a few things to photograph.

Coming back from guiding a fisherman, I discovered a family of Mountain Bluebirds and stopped for a half hour to work them.  Here the dad sits in all his royal colors, trying to stay between me, the intruder and his family.

Meanwhile, Mom is catching bugs, killing them by pounding them on a hard surface and then feeding one of the four babies begging for food.

Occasionally Dad leaves his command post, catches bugs and feeds the hungry bottomless pits.

All this work is so hard, he appears to take a nap - not really - he is actually scratching an itch. 

And as I go to leave, he gives me a wave good-bye.

What a great way to enjoy the Wilds of Idaho.

House fight - a Battle for a Home

Yesterday the day was too hot for great fishing on Henrys Lake, so on my way home I was taking pictures of some birds.  Many of the old Bluebird nest boxes have been taken over by Tree Swallows.  But a new one had been placed on a pole and the Mountain Bluebirds had a nest of babies there.  The male was guarding the nest while the female came in with some food for the young.

One of the pair would stay perched on the house while the other went for food.

Once when both left for food, a Tree Swallow came and landed on the nest box. It appeared that its mate

tried to tell it that the box was occupied.

They actually got into a fight with them locking bills and the aggressor clawing the other with its feet.

But the swallow wanting the nest box was not convinced until it was attacked by the male bluebird.

The battle was claw and bill combat, but I was unable to stop the action or catch up to them.  But the male continued to fly sorties around the nest box.

He finally landed as the female brought in some food for the babies.

He stayed guard until the babies were fed and the female left the nest box.

This battle over a home between the bluebirds and the swallows happened three times while I watched for a half an hour.

Just another experience in the wilds of Idaho.

Fishing and birding in Island Park

I have posted a fishing report on http://www.billschiessfishing.blogspot.com/ for this week so far.  But on Monday after fishing I worked my way down through Island Park looking for birds.  Had a great time.

I found some beautiful Yellow Warblers and here are a couple of pictures of them.  Here it is flying out to pick off an insect.

And here one is warbling its head off.

Here is a tern, not sure which one, but I think it is a Caspian tern, looking for fish on the Henrys Fork.

As I came off the water from fishing on Henrys Lake, I was greeted by this Black-crowned Night Heron.

I also found this Mountain Bluebird on the shore of the Henrys Fork.

Catching my share of fish and then finding some great birds, what a great day to spend in the wilds of Idaho.