Birding in Boise

 

Last week I went on my first bird watching trip in Idaho. The walk was held at Kathryn Albertson Park and was led by a group of birders whom I met at a volunteer pollinator garden cleanup outing that was coordinated by the Golden Eagle Audubon Society. Boise has many municipal parks and Kathryn Albertson Park is part of the "Ribbon of Jewels." A series of public spaces that are named after prominent Boise female leaders and which are situated along the Boise River Greenbelt. 

Kathryn Albertson Park is also part of the Idaho Birding Trail which has over 250 locations across the state that have been identified as being  good for bird and wildlife viewing. 

The temperatures in Boise have been reaching or exceeding 100 almost every day, so early morning is definitely the best time to do any outdoor activities. Prior to coming to Idaho, I was given several Idaho specific  nature identification books. On this birding outing, I learned that there is also a specific field guide just for "Boise's Birds." It is interesting that there are birds in this book that are not listed in any of my Idaho specific bird identification materials. Of course, many of the birds out here are the same species as those out East, but if a bird looks only slightly different than a bird I know, I jokingly call it a "western" such and such bird. 

This time of year, some birds have or will soon be breeding a second brood, so once again, one can hear the males being very vocal as they call for a mate. Two new birds that I saw at Kathryn Albertson Park were a Black-chinned Hummingbird and a Gadwall (photos below).

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Gadwall

Wood ducks are one of the showiest waterbirds and they seem to be common out here.

Two Wood Ducks

Another great place to look for birds in Boise the Foothills where there are over 190 trails for a variety of recreational uses such as running, hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. It is definitely not the place to go if you are seeking solitude, but it is still a great place to connect with nature. 

The Boise Foothills provide fantastic views of the surrounding landscape

Many of the trails are totally exposed, but the Red-winged Blackbird and Goldfinch trails wind around some wetlands and have a good amount of shade. Some portions are pedestrian only, which make them  relatively quiet. It was on the Goldfinch trail that a community of California Partridges crossed my path. There were two adult pairs, and more babies than I could count. They were not at all skittish and it was fun to watch them hopping in and out of the brush.

A male California Partridge

The adults came out first and soon the babies joined them. The parents were definitely keeping on eye on all of the babies.

A family of California Partridges

Venturing a little further outside the city, I attended an official Golden Eagle Audubon led field trip on the Interpretive Nature Loop Trail around Mores Mountain. This trail had a lot of variety, from woods to open rocks and wildflower meadows. We heard or saw 30 species of birds.

Bogus Basin Ski Trails as seen from Mores Mountain Nature Trail

 

Lots of wildflowers were blooming on Mores Mountain

Most of the birds did not stay still long enough to be photographed, but this Western Tanager stayed several minutes at the top of a dead tree, providing a clear view for a picture.

Western Tanager

Another bird that didn't seem to mind our presence, was this Clark's Nutrcracker who was too busy finding and storing food to notice us.

Clark's Nutcracker

But the coolest thing I saw on Mores Mountain was a Warbling Vireo along with its nest which contained at least two babies. I did not want to scare the parent or the babies, so I only took a picture of the outside of the nest and continued on my way. 

Warbling vireo nest

 In summary, Boise is a great city for birding. I have already added seven species to my Birder's Life List and look forward to adding more.