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2005 Bonner County Big Year

2006 Bonner County Big Year

2007 Bonner County Big Year

 

2008 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 155 as of   December 31

1

Species - 2008

Date

Location

Observer

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

3

 SWAN, GEESE, DUCKS

 

 

4

Greater White-Fronted Goose ( r )

 

5

Snow goose ( s )

 

 

 

6

Ross's Goose ( r )

 

 

 

7

Brant ( # )

 

 

 

 

7.5

Cackling Goose ( s )

 

 

 

8

Canada Goose ( c )

1-Jan

Sandpoint City Beach

Terry & Christine Gray

9

Trumpeter Swan ( s )

15-Nov

Sandpoint City Beach

Terry Little

10

Tundra Swan ( c )

11-Jan

Clark Fork WMA

Terry Little

11

Wood Duck ( c )

7-Mar

Sandpoint

Jim Greaves

12

Gadwall ( c )

11-Jan

Pend Oreille River

Terry Little

13

Eurasian Wigeon ( s )

 

 

14

American Wigeon ( c )

11-Jan

Pend Oreille River

Terry Little

15

Mallard ( c )

1-Jan

Sandpoint City Beach

Terry & Christine Gray

16

Blue-winged Teal ( u )

 

 

17

Cinnamon Teal ( c )

1-May

Oldtown

Paul Sieracki

18

Northern Shoveler ( c )

13-Mar

Sandpoint

Doug Ward

19

Northern Pintail ( c )

13-Mar

Pack River delta

Doug Ward

20

Green-winged Teal ( c )

16-Mar

Clark Fork drift yard

CdA Audubon FT

21

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

22

Canvasback ( u )

11-Jan

Sandpoint

Terry Little

23

Redhead ( c )

1-Jan

Sandpoint City Beach

Terry & Christine Gray

24

Ring-necked Duck ( c )

11-Jan

Albeni Dam

Terry Little

25

Greater Scaup ( s )

1-Jan

Sandpoint City Beach

Terry & Christine Gray

26

Lesser Scaup ( u )

1-Jan

Sandpoint City Beach

Terry & Christine Gray

27

Harlequin Duck ( r )

 

 

 

28

Surf Scoter ( r )

13-Oct

Coolin

Robert Bond

29

White-winged Scoter ( r )

october

 

eBird

 

30

Black Scoter ( # )

 

 

 

31

Long-tailed Duck ( r )

 

 

 

32

Bufflehead ( c )

1-Jan

Sandpoint City Beach

Terry & Christine Gray

33

Common Goldeneye ( c )

11-Jan

Albeni Dam

Terry Little

34

Barrow's Goldeneye ( s )

 

 

35

Hooded Merganser ( c )

1-Jan

Sandpoint City Beach

Terry & Christine Gray

36

Common Merganser ( c )

1-Jan

Sandpoint City Beach

Terry & Christine Gray

37

Red-breasted Merganser ( r )

1-Jan

Sandpoint City Beach

Terry & Christine Gray

38

Ruddy Duck ( u )

 

 

 

39

 

 

 

 

 

40

PARTRIDGES, GROUSE, TURKEY

 

41

Ring-necked Pheasant ( r )

may

 

eBird

 

42

Ruffed Grouse ( c )

 

 

 

43

Spruce Grouse ( s )

 

 

 

44

White-tailed Ptarmigan ( r )

 

 

45

Dusky Grouse ( s )

 

 

 

46

Wild Turkey ( c )

28-Feb

Bear Paw Road

Terry Little

47

 

 

 

 

 

48

NEW WORLD QUAIL

 

 

49

California Quail ( c )

may

 

eBird

 

50

Northern Bobwhite

 

 

 

50.5

 

 

 

 

 

51

LOONS

 

 

 

 

52

Red-Throated Loon ( # )

 

 

53

Pacific Loon ( s )

13-Oct

Coolin

Robert Bond

54

Common Loon ( c )

11-Jan

Oden Bay

Terry Little

55

Yellow-billed Loon ( # )

 

 

56

 

 

 

 

 

57

GREBES

 

 

 

 

58

Pied-billed Grebe ( c )

11-Jan

Sandpoint

Terry Little

59

Horned Grebe ( c )

11-Jan

Sandpoint

Terry Little

60

Red-necked Grebe ( c )

1-Jan

Sandpoint City Beach

Terry & Christine Gray

61

Eared Grebe ( r )

30-Mar

Sandpoint

Terry & Christine Gray

62

Western Grebe ( c )

11-Jan

Riley Creek

Terry Little

63

Clark's Grebe ( r )

 

 

 

64

 

 

 

 

 

65

PELICANS

 

 

 

66

American White Pelican ( s )

 

 

67

Double-crested Cormorant( u )

1-Jan

Sandpoint City Beach

Terry & Christine Gray

68

 

 

 

 

 

69

HERONS, BITTERNS

 

 

70

American Bittern ( r )

 

 

 

71

Great Blue Heron ( c )

11-Jan

Laclede

Terry Little

72

Great Egret ( r )

 

 

 

73

Cattle Egret ( # )

 

 

 

74

Black-crowned Night-Heron (r)

 

 

75

 

 

 

 

 

76

IBISES

 

 

 

 

77

White-faced Ibis ( h -1909 )

 

 

78

 

 

 

 

 

79

NEW WORLD VULTURES

 

 

80

Turkey Vulture ( u )

24-Apr

Hoodoo Valley

Shirley Sturts, Roland Craft, Theresa Potts

81

 

 

 

 

 

82

 HAWKS, KITES, EAGLES

 

 

83

Osprey ( c )

9-Apr

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

84

Bald Eagle ( c )

11-Jan

Pend Oreille River

Terry Little

85

Northern Harrier ( c )

september

eBird

 

86

Sharp-shinned Hawk ( u )

8-Apr

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

87

Cooper's Hawk ( u )

 

 

 

88

Northern Goshawk ( s )

 

 

89

Swainson's Hawk ( s )

 

 

90

Red-tailed Hawk ( c )

11-Jan

Hickey Road

Terry Little

91

 ----Harlan's Hawk ( s )

 

 

92

Rough-legged Hawk ( c )

11-Jan

Hickey Road

Terry Little

93

Golden Eagle ( r )

18-May

Coolin

Robert Bond

94

 

 

 

 

 

95

FALCONS

 

 

 

96

American Kestrel ( c )

30-Mar

Sandpoint

Terry & Christine Gray

97

Merlin ( u )

4-Feb

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

98

Peregrine Falcon ( r )

 

 

 

99

 

 

 

 

 

100

RAILS, COOTS

 

 

 

101

Virginia Rail ( s )

 

 

 

102

Sora ( u )

 

 

 

 

103

American Coot ( c )

1-Jan

Sandpoint City Beach

Terry & Christine Gray

104

 

 

 

 

 

105

CRANES

 

 

 

 

106

Sandhill Crane ( r )

 

 

 

107

 

 

 

 

 

108

PLOVERS

 

 

 

109

Black-bellied Plover ( r )

 

 

110

American Golden-Plover ( r )

 

 

111

Snowy  Plover ( # )

 

 

 

112

Killdeer ( c )

23-Feb

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

113

Semipalmated Plover

 

 

 

114

STILTS, AVOCETS

 

 

 

115

Black-necked Stilt ( # )

 

 

116

American Avocet ( r )

 

 

 

117

 

 

 

 

 

118

SANDPIPERS, PHALAROPES

 

 

119

Greater Yellowlegs ( s )

 

 

120

Lesser Yellowlegs ( s )

 

 

121

Solitary Sandpiper ( s )

 

 

122

Willet ( # )

 

 

 

123

Spotted Sandpiper ( c )

august

 

eBird

 

124

Upland Sandpiper ( # )

 

 

125

Whimbrel ( r )

 

 

 

126

Long-billed Curlew ( r )

 

 

127

Marbled Godwit ( # )

 

 

 

128

Sanderling ( s )

 

 

 

129

Semipalmated Sandpiper ( s )

 

 

130

Western Sandpiper ( s )

 

 

131

Least Sandpiper ( s )

 

 

 

132

Baird's Sandpiper ( s )

 

 

133

Pectoral Sandpiper ( s )

 

 

134

Dunlin ( # )

 

 

 

135

Short-billed Dowitcher ( r )

 

 

136

Long-billed Dowitcher ( s )

 

 

137

Wilson's Snipe ( c )

june

 

eBird

 

138

Wilson's Phalarope ( s)

 

 

138.5

Red-necked Phalarope ( r )

september

eBird

 

139

 

 

 

 

 

140

GULLS, TERNS

 

 

 

141

Pomarine Jaeger ( # )

 

 

142

Parasitic Jaeger ( # )

 

 

 

143

Long-tailed Jaeger  ( # )

 

 

144

Franklin's Gull ( r )

 

 

 

145

Little Gull ( # )

 

 

 

146

Bonaparte's Gull ( u )

26-Oct

Sunnyside

Terry & Christine Gray

147

Mew Gull ( r )

29-Sep

Sandpoint City Beach

Terry & Christine Gray

148

Ring-billed Gull ( c )

1-Jan

Sandpoint City Beach

Terry & Christine Gray

149

California Gull ( c )

16-Mar

Sandpoint City Beach

CdA Audubon FT

150

Herring Gull ( u )

1-Jan

Sandpoint City Beach

Terry & Christine Gray

151

Thayer's Gull ( s )

 

 

 

152

Slaty-backed Gull ( # )

 

 

153

Glaucous-winged Gull ( r )

 

 

154

Glaucous Gull ( r )

 

 

 

155

Sabine's Gull ( # )

september

eBird

 

156

Black-legged Kittywake ( # )

 

 

157

Caspian Tern ( s )

 

 

 

158

Common Tern ( s )

september

eBird

 

159

Forster's Tern ( s )

september

eBird

 

160

Least Tern ( # )

 

 

 

161

Black Tern ( c )

 

 

 

162

 

 

 

 

 

163

PIGEONS, DOVES

 

 

 

164

Rock Pigeon ( c )

11-Jan

Kootenay

Terry Little

165

Band-tailed Pigeon ( r )

 

 

165.5

Eurasian Collared-Dove

september

eBird

 

166

Passenger Pigeon (h-1860) - extinct

 

167

Mourning Dove ( c )

march

 

eBird

 

168

 

 

 

 

 

169

TYPICAL OWLS

 

 

 

170

Western Screech Owl ( s )

 

 

171

Great Horned Owl ( u )

15-Feb

Bear Paw Road

Terry Little

172

Snowy Owl ( r )

 

 

 

173

Northern Hawk Owl ( r )

 

 

174

Northern Pygmy-Owl ( u )

15-Feb

Bear Paw Road

Terry Little

175

Barred Owl ( s )

30-Mar

Squaw Valley Road

Terry Little

176

Great Gray Owl ( r )

 

 

 

177

Long-eared Owl ( r )

 

 

 

178

Short-eared Owl ( s )

 

 

 

179

Northern Saw-whet Owl ( s )

30-Mar

Highway 57

Terry Little

180

 

 

 

 

 

181

GOATSUCKERS

 

 

 

182

Common Nighthawk ( c )

june

 

eBird

 

183

 

 

 

 

 

184

SWIFTS

 

 

 

 

185

Black Swift ( s )

 

 

 

186

Vaux's Swift ( u )

5-May

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

187

 

 

 

 

 

188

HUMMINGBIRDS

 

 

 

189

Black-chinned Hummingbird( c )

may

 

eBird

 

190

Anna's Hummingbird ( # )

 

 

191

Calliope Hummingbird ( c )

may

 

eBird

 

192

Rufous Hummingbird ( c )

may

 

eBird

 

193

 

 

 

 

 

194

KINGFISHERS

 

 

 

195

Belted Kingfisher ( c )

11-Jan

Sandpoint

Terry Little

196

 

 

 

 

 

197

WOODPECKERS

 

 

 

198

Lewis's Woodpecker ( r )

 

 

199

Red-Headed Woodpecker ( # )

 

 

200

Red-naped Sapsucker ( c )

10-Apr

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

201

Downy Woodpecker ( c )

17-Feb

Sandpoint

Terry & Christine Gray

202

Hairy Woodpecker ( c )

15-Feb

Bear Paw Road

Terry Little

203

White-headed Woodpecker ( r )

 

 

204

Am. Three-toed Woodpecker ( s )

 

205

Black-backed Woodpecker ( s )

5-May

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

206

Northern Flicker ( c )

1-Jan

Sandpoint

Terry & Christine Gray

207

Pileated Woodpecker ( u )

11-Jan

Bear Paw Road

Terry Little

208

 

 

 

 

 

209

TYRANT FLYCATCHERS

 

 

210

Olive-sided Flycatcher ( u )

 

 

211

Western Wood-Pewee ( c )

 

 

212

Willow Flycatcher ( c )

 

 

213

Least Flycatcher ( s )

16-Jun

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

214

Hammond's Flycatcher ( c )

may

 

eBird

 

215

Dusky Flycatcher ( u )

7-May

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

216

Cordilleran / Pacific-slope Flycatcher 

 (Western Flycatcher) (c)

2-Jun

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

217

Eastern Phoebe ( # )

 

 

 

218

Say's Phoebe ( r )

 

 

 

219

Western Kingbird ( u )

 

 

220

Eastern Kingbird ( c )

June

 

eBird

 

221

 

 

 

 

 

222

SHRIKES

 

 

 

 

223

Northern Shrike ( u )

16-Jan

Clagstone area

Paul Sieracki

224

 

 

 

 

 

225

VIREOS

 

 

 

 

226

Cassin's Vireo ( c )

5-May

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

227

Warbling Vireo ( c )

 

 

 

228

Red-eyed Vireo ( u )

4-Jul

Sandpoint

Terry & Christine Gray

229

 

 

 

 

 

230

CORVIDS

 

 

 

 

231

Gray Jay ( u )

september

eBird

 

232

Steller's Jay ( c )

october

 

eBird

 

233

Blue Jay ( s )

23-Aug

Coolin

Robert Bond

234

Western Scrub-Jay ( # )

 

 

235

Clark's Nutcracker ( u )

17-Feb

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

236

Black-billed Magpie ( c )

11-Jan

Laclerc Creek Road

Terry Little

237

American Crow ( c )

1-Jan

Highway 95

Terry & Christine Gray

238

Common Raven ( c )

1-Jan

Highway 95

Terry & Christine Gray

239

 

 

 

 

 

240

LARKS

 

 

 

 

241

Horned Lark ( s )

 

 

 

242

 

 

 

 

 

243

SWALLOWS

 

 

 

244

Tree Swallow ( c )

may

 

eBird

 

245

Violet-green Swallow ( c )

6-Mar

Priest River, Clark Fork

Paul Sieracki, Jim Greaves

246

N. Rough-winged Swallow ( c )

15-May

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

247

Bank Swallow ( u )

 

 

 

248

Cliff Swallow ( c )

august

 

eBird

 

249

Barn Swallow ( c )

may

 

eBird

 

250

 

 

 

 

 

251

CHICKADEES

 

 

 

252

Black-capped Chickadee ( c )

11-Jan

Bear Paw Road

Terry Little

253

Mountain Chickadee ( c )

5-May

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

254

Chestnut-b Chickadee ( c )

11-Jan

Bear Paw Road

Terry Little

255

Boreal Chickadee ( s )

 

 

256

 

 

 

 

 

257

NUTHATCHES

 

 

 

258

Red-breasted Nuthatch ( c )

11-Jan

Bear Paw Road

Terry Little

259

White-breasted Nuthatch ( s )

september

eBird

 

260

Pygmy Nuthatch ( c )

 

 

261

 

 

 

 

 

262

CREEPERS

 

 

 

263

Brown Creeper( c )

 

 

 

264

 

 

 

 

 

265

WRENS

 

 

 

 

266

Rock Wren ( s )

july

Hoodoo Valley

Judy Fleener

267

Canyon Wren ( # )

 

 

 

268

House Wren ( c )

may

 

eBird

 

269

Winter Wren ( c )

5-May

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

270

Marsh Wren ( u )

 

 

 

271

 

 

 

 

 

272

DIPPERS

 

 

 

 

273

American Dipper ( s )

11-Jan

Lightning Creek

Terry Little

274

 

 

 

 

 

275

KINGLETS

 

 

 

276

Golden-crowned Kinglet ( c )

11-Jan

Bear Paw Road

Terry Little

277

Ruby-crowned Kinglet ( c )

13-Apr

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

278

 

 

 

 

 

279

THRUSHES

 

 

 

280

Western Bluebird ( c )

30-Mar

Sandpoint

Terry & Christine Gray

281

Mountain Bluebird ( c )

march

 

eBird

 

282

Townsend's Solitaire ( u )

august

 

eBird

 

283

Veery ( u )

 

 

 

284

Swainson's Thrush ( c )

2-Jun

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

285

Hermit Thrush ( s )

september

eBird

 

286

American Robin ( c )

11-Feb

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

287

Varied Thrush ( c )

6-Mar

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

288

 

 

 

 

 

289

MOCKINGBIRDS, THRASHERS

 

 

290

Gray Catbird ( c )

15-Jun

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

291

Northern Mockingbird ( # )

 

 

292

Sage Thrasher ( # )

 

 

 

293

 

 

 

 

 

294

STARLINGS

 

 

 

295

European Starling ( c )

11-Jan

Laclerc Creek Road

Terry Little

296

 

 

 

 

 

297

PIPITS

 

 

 

 

298

American Pipit ( u )

september

eBird

 

299

 

 

 

 

 

300

WAXWINGS

 

 

 

301

Bohemian Waxwing ( u )

 

 

302

Cedar Waxwing ( c )

3-Jun

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

303

 

 

 

 

 

304

WOOD WARBLERS

 

 

 

305

Orange-crowned Warbler ( c )

5-May

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

306

Nashville Warbler ( u )

1-May

Oldtown

Paul Sieracki

307

Yellow Warbler ( c )

2-May

Priest River

Paul Sieracki

308

Cape May Warbler ( # )

 

 

309

Yellow-rumped Warbler ( c )

14-Apr