Date: 5/31/26 7:56 am From: Lucian Davis via groups.io <lucianjdavis...> Subject: [IBLE] Bay-Breasted Warbler at Camas NWR
Intermountain Bird Observatory songbird banders just released a female Bay-breasted Warbler near the observation tower at Camas NWR in Jefferson County! Approximate location: 43.92833, -112.27006 - she was released from here but we just saw her fly off to the southeast and have not relocated her, although she did land in the sagebrush not too far from the path. She was originally caught around here: 43.92519, -112.27469, so she may return to that area.
I believe this is the 3rd state record if all records are on eBird.
She was banded and released as part of research efforts to understand water usage and its impact on migrating songbirds, with a federal permit from the USGS Bird Banding Lab.
Date: 5/22/26 8:57 am From: lcarrigan_55 via groups.io <carriganbw...> Subject: [IBLE] Juvenile American Robin
Yesterday, I saw my first juv American Robin of the year, spotted breast & begging parent for food, hopping around the backyard. I know of one Robin pair just starting their nest. Believe this juv Robin is probably the earliest I've seen here. Looking it up, had to have come from an egg laid in April. Shows how mild our winter was this year.
Believe a Black-chinned Hummingbird pair is working on, if not already, nesting, as well. They definitely hit the nectar feeder, but are great at fly-catching, too. Have watched them sallying forth from a high tree limb perch to nab midges mid-air. As they arrive, before much is blooming, think insects make up a large part of their diet, esp in early Spring.
Date: 5/21/26 8:00 am From: lcarrigan_55 via groups.io <carriganbw...> Subject: [IBLE] Western Tanager
Sitting on back deck with my morning coffee, watching Black-chinned Hummingbirds come into feeder. And, movement in a tree caught my eye: beautiful male Western Tanager. So, all my Spring birds have arrived!
There have been several reports of Broad-winged Hawk already this spring
so they were on my radar screen. Yesterday afternoon I was getting gas
in Ashton and looked up to see a distant interaction between hawks. A
Red-tailed was chasing a much smaller buteo so I immediately thought
Broad-winged. I watched for a minute or two and the smaller bird behaved
just like the Red-tailed only with faster wing beats. All I could really
make out from the distance was stark white under side of the wings and a
white band on or near the base of the tail. Northern Harrier crossed my
mind but the whole shape and behavior was wrong. There really isn't
anything else it could have been so I'm confident in the ID despite the
distance and short duration of the observation. This is the second
Broad-winged I've seen here in spring. I've seen three in the area in
October and one in June hunting stone flies that were hatching from the
Henry's Fork of the Snake River downstream from Island Park dam. Not
anywhere near as cool as the Little Blue Heron seen earlier this week
(unfortunately not by me) but still a pretty good bird.
Cliff
--
Cliff and Lisa Weisse
Island Park, Idaho
<cliffandlisa...>
Date: 5/17/26 6:44 pm From: lcarrigan_55 via groups.io <carriganbw...> Subject: Re: [IBLE] Waiting on Western Tanager
Saw my first group of little yellow fluffy goslings sandwiched between parents at front & back, all in a line, down on the Snake this AM. Had gone down to check on fishing conditions. River came up a bit during the night. Did see a couple of good rises. Water's supposed to drop again mid-week.
Date: 5/17/26 9:17 am From: lcarrigan_55 via groups.io <carriganbw...> Subject: [IBLE] Waiting on Western Tanager
All my usual bird harbingers of Spring are now here (House Wren, Yellow Warbler, Bullock's Oriole, BH Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting, Swainson's Hawk, RW Blackbird, Black-chinned Hummingbird) except for Western Tanager. Tanager can be fickle along the Snake River Bottoms. Sometimes, passing through in large numbers, other times...one or two & have to be at right place at right time. If I miss at home, will head into mountains to a spot that never fails me to locate one.
Date: 5/11/26 7:04 pm From: lcarrigan_55 via groups.io <carriganbw...> Subject: [IBLE] New Spring Arrivals
This evening, first Swainson's Hawk of season came overhead. Others, over past week: Black-headed Grosbeak, female Red-winged Blackbird (males arrived over a month ago), numerous Chipping & White-crowned Sparrows pushing through, Red-naped Sapsucker, Tree Swallows & Violet-green Swallows. Best bird was a Black-backed Woodpecker pounding on a dead fir tree, near Island Park Reservoir, this weekend.
Date: 5/11/26 1:21 pm From: rattlesnake4873 via groups.io <Rattlesnake4873...> Subject: Re: [IBLE] Warning/Alert cleaning optics with air can dust remover
OK, Rich. I have two scopes if you change your mind.
Dean
> On May 11, 2026, at 2:15 PM, Richard and Ann Rusnak via groups.io <rarusnak62...> wrote:
>
> Dean, that is incredibly gracious thanks for the offer. I think I’ll be OK. It’s only minimally opaque, like 95% perfect image. I’ll just get it repaired after I return from Malhuer. Take care, and have a great spring birding time. Cheers, Rich
>
>> On May 11, 2026, at 12:01 PM, rattlesnake4873 via groups.io <Rattlesnake4873...> wrote:
>>
>>
>> II have a vortex spotting scope. You are welcome to borrow for your trip
>>
>>
>> Dean Jones
>> "A world of facts lies outside and beyond the world of words." Thomas Huxley
>> 208-859-0072
>>
>> On Mon, May 11, 2026 at 8:54 AM Richard and Ann Rusnak via groups.io <http://groups.io/> <rarusnak62...> <mailto:<gmail.com...>> wrote:
>>>
>>> I hope this never happens to any of you, beware.
>>> See photo, and be very careful if you clean your optics lenses of dust using a can of compressed air, designed for PC keyboards. The issue occurs when the can is held flat or upturned, resulting in extremely cold moist air to be released.
>>> My Vortex scope now has a damaged inner layer to the lens. Surprisingly the image viewing is not severely degraded and usable with only a tiny degree of opaqueness at all magnifications.
>>> Huge freak out when this occurred as you can imagine, but Vortex customer support is sending me a postage paid label to return the scope for no cost repairs. This is exceptional news and worthy of the price for Vortex HD series scope.
>>> Leaving for Malhuer tomorrow no less and this happens, LOL!😂
>>> Cheers ya’ll, and happy lifer pursuits!
>>> Rich Rusnak
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
Date: 5/11/26 1:16 pm From: Richard and Ann Rusnak via groups.io <rarusnak62...> Subject: Re: [IBLE] Warning/Alert cleaning optics with air can dust remover
Date: 5/11/26 11:01 am From: rattlesnake4873 via groups.io <Rattlesnake4873...> Subject: Re: [IBLE] Warning/Alert cleaning optics with air can dust remover
II have a vortex spotting scope. You are welcome to borrow for your trip
Dean Jones
"A world of facts lies outside and beyond the world of words." Thomas Huxley
208-859-0072
On Mon, May 11, 2026 at 8:54 AM Richard and Ann Rusnak via groups.io
<rarusnak62...> wrote:
>
> I hope this never happens to any of you, beware.
> See photo, and be very careful if you clean your optics lenses of dust
> using a can of compressed air, designed for PC keyboards. The issue occurs
> when the can is held flat or upturned, resulting in extremely cold moist
> air to be released.
> My Vortex scope now has a damaged inner layer to the lens. Surprisingly
> the image viewing is not severely degraded and usable with only a tiny
> degree of opaqueness at all magnifications.
> Huge freak out when this occurred as you can imagine, but Vortex customer
> support is sending me a postage paid label to return the scope for no cost
> repairs. This is exceptional news and worthy of the price for Vortex HD
> series scope.
> Leaving for Malhuer tomorrow no less and this happens, LOL!😂
> Cheers ya’ll, and happy lifer pursuits!
> Rich Rusnak
>
>
>
>
>
>
Date: 5/11/26 8:02 am From: Richard and Ann Rusnak via groups.io <rarusnak62...> Subject: [IBLE] Warning/Alert cleaning optics with air can dust remover
I hope this never happens to any of you, beware.
See photo, and be very careful if you clean your optics lenses of dust using a can of compressed air, designed for PC keyboards. The issue occurs when the can is held flat or upturned, resulting in extremely cold moist air to be released.
My Vortex scope now has a damaged inner layer to the lens. Surprisingly the image viewing is not severely degraded and usable with only a tiny degree of opaqueness at all magnifications.
Huge freak out when this occurred as you can imagine, but Vortex customer support is sending me a postage paid label to return the scope for no cost repairs. This is exceptional news and worthy of the price for Vortex HD series scope.
Leaving for Malhuer tomorrow no less and this happens, LOL!😂
Cheers ya’ll, and happy lifer pursuits!
Rich Rusnak
Date: 5/4/26 6:38 am From: John Schmidt via groups.io <jsecho03...> Subject: [IBLE] Spring birds
I thought I'd make a list of spring birds that have been around the house (Moonlight Mine area, east of Pocatello) and nearby sage and fir slopes this weekend: northern house wren, mountain chickadee, black-capped chickadee, dark-eyed junco, pine siskin, American robin, common raven, black-chinned hummingbird, hairy woodpecker, Canada goose, song sparrow, red-breasted nuthatch, yellow-rumped warbler, wild turkey, red-winged blackbird, orange-crowned warbler, spotted towhee, green tailed towhee, saw-whet owl, ruffed grouse, great-horned owl. I'm sure I've missed a few...
