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2005 Bonner County Big Year

 

2006 BONNER COUNTY BIRDING BIG YEAR

Compiled by Lisa Hardy

Bonner County in Idaho's Panhandle hosts a wide range of habitats, from alpine landscapes above 6000' in the Selkirks and Cabinets, to Idaho's deepest lake, Pend Oreille. With no regular reporters from the county, a respectable 175 species were noted for the 2005 Big Year. Bonner County has the potential to turn up a similar number of species (~200) as its neighbor to the south, Kootenai County, if it were as heavily birded. Sandpoint, on Lake Pend Oreille's northwest shore, has hosted a disproportionate number of state rarities, in part due to location, but also due to the skills of expert birder Earl Chapin.  Robert Bond,  expert birder and summer resident at Priest Lake,  has also added several rare species to the list.

 If you visit Bonner County this year, check the list below and see if you can add to it, or beat any already posted dates. Send your reports to Lisa Hardy 682-4808 or basalt@earthlink.net.

BONNER COUNTY BIRD LIST

Compiled by Shirley Sturts

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

common = 106

Uncommon = 39

scarce = 47

rare = 40

accidental = 33

Bonner County Total (seen since 1950) = 265

Historical record only ( h ) (pre-1950) =  3

OCCURANCE CATEGORIES

( c ) COMMON: Found every year, often seasonal, in many areas, in high to moderate numbers and some searching in appropriate areas may be required.

( u ) UNCOMMON: Found every year, often seasonal, in limited areas, in small numbers, and may require repeated search attempts in more specific areas.

( s ) SCARCE: Found most years, but difficult. Either very specialized and local in distribution; difficult to distinguish from similar, more common species; or only passes through briefly on migration.

( r ) RARE: Not seen every year, mostly irregular, some periodic.

( # ) ACCIDENTAL: Just a few total sightings with a low expectation of being found in the future.

Total Seen = 160 as of November 1

Species

Date

Location

Observer

 

 

 

 

 SWAN, GEESE, DUCKS

 

 

 

Greater White-Fronted Goose ( r )

 

 

 

Snow goose ( s )

 

 

 

Ross's Goose ( r )

5/1

Pend Oreille Lake - Hwy 200

Earl Chapin

Brant ( # )

 

 

 

Canada Goose ( c )

1/22

Sandpoint

Lisa Provolt

Trumpeter Swan ( s )

 

 

 

Tundra Swan ( c )

3/5

Pack River delta

Mike Haldeman

Wood Duck ( c )

2/20

Sandpoint area

Terry & Christine Gray

Gadwall ( c )

2/19

Sandpoint area

Coeur d'Alene Audubon field trip, Dick Cripe leader

Eurasian Wigeon ( s )

10/24

Morton Slough

Terry Gray

American Wigeon ( c )

1/29

Sandpoint area

Terry & Christine Gray

Mallard ( c )

1/22

Sandpoint

Lisa Provolt

Blue-winged Teal ( u )

5/11

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Cinnamon Teal ( c )

 

 

 

Northern Shoveler ( c )

4/9

Sandpoint area

Terry & Christine Gray

Northern Pintail ( c )

3/5

Pend Oreille Lake

Mike Haldeman

Green-winged Teal ( c )

4/20

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Common Teal (Eurasian race of the Green-winged teal (#)

 

 

 

Canvasback ( u )

4/9

Sandpoint area

Terry & Christine Gray

Redhead ( c )

1/29

Sandpoint area

Terry & Christine Gray

Ring-necked Duck ( c )

2/19

Sandpoint area

Coeur d'Alene Audubon field trip, Dick Cripe leader

Greater Scaup ( s )

10/21

Sandpoint City Beach

Mike Haldeman

Lesser Scaup ( u )

2/19

Sandpoint area

Coeur d'Alene Audubon field trip, Dick Cripe leader

Harlequin Duck ( r )

 

 

 

Surf Scoter ( r )

 

 

 

White-winged Scoter ( r )

10/30

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Black Scoter ( # )

 

 

 

Long-tailed Duck ( r )

 

 

 

Bufflehead ( c )

1/29

Sandpoint area

Terry & Christine Gray

Common Goldeneye ( c )

1/19

Sandpoint

Lisa Provolt

Barrow's Goldeneye ( s )

10/30

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Hooded Merganser ( c )

1/22

Sandpoint

Lisa Provolt

Common Merganser ( c )

1/29

Sandpoint area

Terry & Christine Gray

Red-breasted Merganser ( r )

1/29

Sandpoint area

Terry & Christine Gray

Ruddy Duck ( u )

9/16

Clark Fk drift yard

Mike Haldeman

 

 

 

 

PARTRIDGES, GROUSE, TURKEY

 

 

 

Ring-necked Pheasant ( r )

5/4

Selle Road

Lisa Provolt

Ruffed Grouse ( c )

2/1

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

Spruce Grouse ( s )

10/15

Bath Creek

Paul Seiracki

White-tailed Ptarmigan ( r )

 

 

 

Dusky Grouse ( s )

7/31

Scotchman Peak

Mike Haldeman

Wild Turkey ( c )

1/5

Spirit Lake CBC

Shirley Sturts, Theresa Potts

 

 

 

 

NEW WORLD QUAIL

 

 

 

California Quail ( c )

3/7

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

 

 

 

 

LOONS

 

 

 

Red-Throated Loon ( # )

 

 

 

Pacific Loon ( s )

3/5

Pend Oreille Lake

Mike Haldeman

Common Loon ( c )

3/5

Pend Oreille Lake

Mike Haldeman

Yellow-billed Loon ( # )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GREBES

 

 

 

Pied-billed Grebe ( c )

2/19

Sandpoint area

Coeur d'Alene Audubon field trip, Dick Cripe leader

Horned Grebe ( c )

2/19

Sandpoint area

Coeur d'Alene Audubon field trip, Dick Cripe leader

Red-necked Grebe ( c )

1/29

Sandpoint area

Terry & Christine Gray

Eared Grebe ( r )

 

 

 

Western Grebe ( c )

9/16

Oden Bay

Mike Haldeman

Clark's Grebe ( r )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PELICANS

 

 

 

American White Pelican ( s )

 

 

 

Double-crested Cormorant( u )

1/29

Sandpoint area

Terry & Christine Gray

 

 

 

 

HERONS, BITTERNS

 

 

 

American Bittern ( r )

 

 

 

Great Blue Heron ( c )

3/5

Pend Oreille Lake

Mike Haldeman

Great Egret ( r )

 

 

 

Cattle Egret ( # )

 

 

 

Black-crowned Night-Heron (r)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IBISES

 

 

 

White-faced Ibis ( h -1909 )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEW WORLD VULTURES

 

 

 

Turkey Vulture ( u )

4/18

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

 

 

 

 

 HAWKS, KITES, EAGLES

 

 

 

Osprey ( c )

4/24

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Bald Eagle ( c )

1/16

Blanchard

Charles Swift

Northern Harrier ( c )

4/20

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Sharp-shinned Hawk ( u )

5/12

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Cooper's Hawk ( u )

9/16

Johnson Creek

Mike Haldeman

Northern Goshawk ( s )

 

 

 

Swainson's Hawk ( s )

 

 

 

Red-tailed Hawk ( c )

1/5

Spirit Lake CBC

Shirley Sturts, Theresa Potts

 ----Harlan's Hawk ( s )

1/29

Sandpoint area

Terry & Christine Gray

Rough-legged Hawk ( c )

10/22

Cocolalla

Terry Gray

Golden Eagle ( r )

10/22

Cocolalla

Terry Gray

 

 

 

 

FALCONS

 

 

 

American Kestrel ( c )

1/29

Sandpoint area

Terry & Christine Gray

Merlin ( u )

 

 

 

Peregrine Falcon ( r )

5/13

Coolin area

Robert Bond

 

 

 

 

RAILS, COOTS

 

 

 

Virginia Rail ( s )

 

 

 

Sora ( u )

5/18

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

American Coot ( c )

1/29

Sandpoint area

Terry & Christine Gray

 

 

 

 

CRANES

 

 

 

Sandhill Crane ( r )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PLOVERS

 

 

 

Black-bellied Plover ( r )

 

 

 

American Golden-Plover ( r )

 

 

 

Snowy  Plover ( r )

 

 

 

Killdeer ( c )

3/7

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

 

 

 

 

STILTS, AVOCETS

 

 

 

Black-necked Stilt ( # )

 

 

 

American Avocet ( r )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SANDPIPERS, PHALAROPES

 

 

 

Greater Yellowlegs ( s )

 

 

 

Lesser Yellowlegs ( s )

 

 

 

Solitary Sandpiper ( s )

 

 

 

Willet ( # )

 

 

 

Spotted Sandpiper ( c )

5/3

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Upland Sandpiper ( # )

 

 

 

Whimbrel ( r )

 

 

 

Long-billed Curlew ( r )

 

 

 

Marbled Godwit ( # )

 

 

 

Sanderling ( s )

 

 

 

Semipalmated Sandpiper ( s )

 

 

 

Western Sandpiper ( s )

 

 

 

Least Sandpiper ( s )

 

 

 

Baird's Sandpiper ( s )

 

 

 

Pectoral Sandpiper ( s )

 

 

 

Dunlin ( # )

 

 

 

Short-billed Dowitcher ( r )

 

 

 

Long-billed Dowitcher ( s )

 

 

 

Wilson's Snipe ( c )

3/31

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

Wilson's Phalarope ( s)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GULLS, TERNS

 

 

 

Pomarine Jaeger ( # )

 

 

 

Parasitic Jaeger ( # )

 

 

 

Long-tailed Jaeger  ( # )

 

 

 

Franklin's Gull ( r )

 

 

 

Little Gull ( # )

 

 

 

Bonaparte's Gull ( u )

5/2

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Mew Gull ( r )

 

 

 

Ring-billed Gull ( c )

2/19

Sandpoint area

Coeur d'Alene Audubon field trip, Dick Cripe leader

California Gull ( c )

3/5

Pend Oreille Lake

Mike Haldeman

Herring Gull ( u )

2/19

Sandpoint area

Coeur d'Alene Audubon field trip, Dick Cripe leader

Thayer's Gull ( s )

 

 

 

Slaty-backed Gull ( # )

 

 

 

Glaucous-winged Gull ( r )

 

 

 

Glaucous Gull ( r )

 

 

 

Sabine's Gull ( # )

 

 

 

Black-legged Kittywake ( # )

 

 

 

Caspian Tern ( s )

 

 

 

Common Tern ( s )

 

 

 

Forster's Tern ( s )

 

 

 

Least Tern ( # )

 

 

 

Black Tern ( c )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PIGEONS, DOVES

 

 

 

Rock Pigeon ( c )

2/19

Sandpoint area

Coeur d'Alene Audubon field trip, Dick Cripe leader

Band-tailed Pigeon ( r )

 

 

 

Passenger Pigeon (h-1860) - extinct

 

 

 

Mourning Dove ( c )

4/18

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

 

 

 

 

TYPICAL OWLS

 

 

 

Western Screech Owl ( s )

 

 

 

Great Horned Owl ( u )

 

 

 

Snowy Owl ( r )

 

 

 

Northern Hawk Owl ( r )

 

 

 

Northern Pygmy-Owl ( u )

4/20

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Barred Owl ( s )

4/18

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Great Gray Owl ( r )

 

 

 

Long-eared Owl ( r )

 

 

 

Short-eared Owl ( s )

10/7

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Northern Saw-whet Owl ( s )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GOATSUCKERS

 

 

 

Common Nighthawk ( c )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SWIFTS

 

 

 

Black Swift ( s )

 

 

 

Vaux's Swift ( u )

5/13

Coolin area

Robert Bond

 

 

 

 

HUMMINGBIRDS

 

 

 

Black-chinned Hummingbird( c )

5/14

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Anna's Hummingbird ( # )

9/1

Sandpoint

Stephen Augustine

Calliope Hummingbird ( c )

4/30

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

Rufous Hummingbird ( c )

4/25

Coolin area

Robert Bond

 

 

 

 

KINGFISHERS

 

 

 

Belted Kingfisher ( c )

3/5

Pend Oreille Lake

Mike Haldeman

 

 

 

 

WOODPECKERS

 

 

 

Lewis's Woodpecker ( r )

 

 

 

Red-Headed Woodpecker ( # )

 

 

 

Red-naped Sapsucker ( c )

4/4

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

Downy Woodpecker ( c )

1/19

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

Hairy Woodpecker ( c )

1/19

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

White-headed Woodpecker ( r )

 

 

 

Am. Three-toed Woodpecker ( s )

 

 

 

Black-backed Woodpecker ( s )

 

 

 

Northern Flicker ( c )

3/5

Sandpoint area

Mike Haldeman

Pileated Woodpecker ( u )

4/19

Coolin area

Robert Bond

 

 

 

 

TYRANT FLYCATCHERS

 

 

 

Olive-sided Flycatcher ( u )

7/31

Priest Lake

Robert Bond

Western Wood-Pewee ( c )

5/17

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Willow Flycatcher ( c )

5/25

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Least Flycatcher ( s )

 

 

 

Hammond's Flycatcher ( c )

5/3

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Dusky Flycatcher ( u )

5/13

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Cordilleran / Pacific-slope Flycatcher   (Western Flycatcher) (c)

5/13

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Eastern Phoebe ( # )

5/28

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Say's Phoebe ( r )

 

 

 

Western Kingbird ( u )

 

 

 

Eastern Kingbird ( c )

6/1

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

 

 

 

 

SHRIKES

 

 

 

Northern Shrike ( u )

2/8

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

 

 

 

 

VIREOS

 

 

 

Cassin's Vireo ( c )

5/12

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Warbling Vireo ( c )

5/13

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Red-eyed Vireo ( u )

5/18

Coolin

Robert Bond

 

 

 

 

CORVIDS

 

 

 

Gray Jay ( u )

4/20

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Steller's Jay ( c )

4/19

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Blue Jay ( s )

10/27

Sandpoint

Stephen Augustine

Western Scrub-Jay ( # )

 

 

 

Clark's Nutcracker ( u )

3/5

Sandpoint area

Mike Haldeman

Black-billed Magpie ( c )

5/30

Priest River area

Robert Bond

American Crow ( c )

1/29

Sandpoint area

Terry & Christine Gray

Common Raven ( c )

1/29

Sandpoint area

Terry & Christine Gray

 

 

 

 

LARKS

 

 

 

Horned Lark ( s )

9/11

Coolin

Robert Bond

 

 

 

 

SWALLOWS

 

 

 

Tree Swallow ( c )

4/9

Sandpoint area

Terry & Christine Gray

Violet-green Swallow ( c )

4/9

Sandpoint area

Terry & Christine Gray

N. Rough-winged Swallow ( c )

4/24

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Bank Swallow ( u )

8/2

Coolin

Robert Bond

Cliff Swallow ( c )

4/20

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Barn Swallow ( c )

4/21

Coolin area

Robert Bond

 

 

 

 

CHICKADEES

 

 

 

Black-capped Chickadee ( c )

1/19

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

Mountain Chickadee ( c )

 

 

 

Chestnut-b Chickadee ( c )

1/19

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

Boreal Chickadee ( s )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NUTHATCHES

 

 

 

Red-breasted Nuthatch ( c )

1/19

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

White-breasted Nuthatch ( s )

10/4

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Pygmy Nuthatch ( c )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CREEPERS

 

 

 

Brown Creeper( c )

4/19

Coolin area

Robert Bond

 

 

 

 

WRENS

 

 

 

Rock Wren ( s )

 

 

 

Canyon Wren ( # )

 

 

 

House Wren ( c )

5/30

Priest River area

Robert Bond

Winter Wren ( c )

2/19

Sandpoint area

Coeur d'Alene Audubon field trip, Dick Cripe leader

Marsh Wren ( u )

4/25

Coolin area

Robert Bond

 

 

 

 

DIPPERS

 

 

 

American Dipper ( s )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KINGLETS

 

 

 

Golden-crowned Kinglet ( c )

2/20

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

Ruby-crowned Kinglet ( c )

4/19

Coolin area

Robert Bond

 

 

 

 

THRUSHES

 

 

 

Western Bluebird ( c )

3/19

Kelso Lake

Lisa Provolt

Mountain Bluebird ( c )

3/19

Kelso Lake

Lisa Provolt

Townsend's Solitaire ( u )

5/14

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Veery ( u )

 

 

 

Swainson's Thrush ( c )

5/23

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Hermit Thrush ( s )

5/13

Coolin area

Robert Bond

American Robin ( c )

2/6

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

Varied Thrush ( c )

2/6

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

 

 

 

 

MOCKINGBIRDS, THRASHERS

 

 

 

Gray Catbird ( c )

5/19

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Northern Mockingbird ( # )

 

 

 

Sage Thrasher ( # )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STARLINGS

 

 

 

European Starling ( c )

3/5

Sandpoint area

Mike Haldeman

 

 

 

 

PIPITS

 

 

 

American Pipit ( u )

4/19

Coolin area

Robert Bond

 

 

 

 

WAXWINGS

 

 

 

Bohemian Waxwing ( u )

10/15

Coolin

 

Cedar Waxwing ( c )

9/16

Oden Bay

Mike Haldeman

 

 

 

 

WOOD WARBLERS

 

 

 

Orange-crowned Warbler ( c )

4/22

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Nashville Warbler ( u )

5/8

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Yellow Warbler ( c )

5/8

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Cape May Warbler ( # )

 

 

 

Yellow-rumped Warbler ( c )

4/21

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Townsend's Warbler ( c )

5/13

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Palm Warbler ( # )

 

 

 

Blackpoll Warbler ( # )

 

 

 

American Redstart ( u )

5/15

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Northern Waterthrush ( s )

5/12

Coolin area

Robert Bond

MacGillivray's Warbler ( c )

5/14

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Common Yellowthroat ( c )

5/12

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Wilson's Warbler ( u )

5/14

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Yellow-breasted Chat (h-1917)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TANAGERS

 

 

 

Western Tanager ( c )

5/8

Coolin area

Robert Bond

 

 

 

 

EMBERIZIDS

 

 

 

Spotted Towhee ( c )

3/29

Kelso Lake

Lisa Provolt

American Tree Sparrow ( s )

10/22

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Chipping Sparrow ( c )

5/13

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Clay-colored Sparrow ( # )

 

 

 

Vesper Sparrow ( c )

 

 

 

Lark Sparrow ( r )

 

 

 

Savannah Sparrow ( c )

4/21

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Fox Sparrow ( u )

4/19

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Song Sparrow ( c )

2/19

Sandpoint area

Coeur d'Alene Audubon field trip, Dick Cripe leader

Lincoln's Sparrow ( u )

9/3

Ponderay

Mike Haldeman

Swamp Sparrow ( # )

 

 

 

White-throated Sparrow ( s )

 

 

 

Harris's sparrow ( r )

 

 

 

White-crowned Sparrow ( u )

4/20

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Golden-crowned Sparrow ( r )

10/5

Dover

Barry Kendall

Dark-eyed Junco ( c )

3/9

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

----Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)

 

 

 

Lapland Longspur ( # )

10/21

Sandpoint City Beach

Mike Haldeman

Chestnut-collared Longspur (#)

 

 

 

Snow Bunting ( s )

10/13

Coolin area

Robert Bond

 

 

 

 

SALTATORS

 

 

 

Rose-breasted Grosbeak ( # )

 

 

 

Black-headed Grosbeak ( c )

5/17

Talache

Mike Haldeman

Lazuli Bunting ( u )

5/24

Laclede

Mike Haldeman

Indigo Bunting  ( # )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BLACKBIRDS

 

 

 

Bobolink ( u )

5/27

Colburn-Culver Road

Lisa Provolt

Red-winged Blackbird ( c )

2/6

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

Western Meadowlark ( c )

4/25

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Yellow-headed Blackbird ( c )

5/13

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Rusty Blackbird ( # )

 

 

 

Brewer's Blackbird ( c )

4/20

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Common Grackle ( # )

 

 

 

Brown-headed Cowbird ( c )

4/25

Coolin area

Robert Bond

Baltimore Oriole ( # )

 

 

 

Bullock's Oriole ( u )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CARDUELINE FINCHES

 

 

 

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch ( r )

 

 

 

Pine Grosbeak ( s )

 

 

 

Cassin's Finch ( u )

4/12

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

House Finch ( c )

4/12

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

Red Crossbill ( c )

5/6

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

White-winged Crossbill ( r )

 

 

 

Common Redpoll ( s )

 

 

 

Pine Siskin ( c )

9/16

Oden Bay

Mike Haldeman

American Goldfinch ( c )

3/8

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

Evening Grosbeak ( c )

1/27

Round Lake area

Lisa Provolt

 

 

 

 

OLD WORLD SPARROWS

 

 

 

House Sparrow ( c )

 

 

 

September 5

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