Idaho State Bird

Shirley Sturts

The Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides) was designated as Idaho's State Bird by the passing of House Bill 173 on February 18, 1931. It became law on February 28. On that same date, House Bill 172 passed making the syringa the Idaho State Flower. House Bill 172 was approved on March 2. The Library Committee introduced both bills.

Why and how was the Mountain Bluebird chosen? I wrote for information from the Idaho State Library to find out. The following story is gleaned from the Idaho Daily Statesman May 6, 1929, August 31, 1929, September 22,1930, February 18, 1931 and February 20, 1931

In the fall of 1928, Loraine Selby Barton, the newly elected Idaho state chairman of conservation for the Idaho Federation of Women's Clubs, found out that nothing had been done to select a state bird for Idaho. The Bald Eagle had been suggested but she found out that public sentiment was against this choice because it was already a national emblem, symbolic of the greatness and power of the United States. Mrs. Barton then sent out questionnaires to all the women's clubs in the state asking them to study the birds found in Idaho and to nominate birds that would best represent the state. The dove, symbol of peace, was a choice of several clubs. Some clubs chose game birds such as the Sage Hen (Sage Grouse), but by far the majority favored the bluebird.

The interest created by the Idaho State Federation of Women's Clubs in choosing a state bird came to the attention of Mrs. Davis, State Superintendent of Public Instruction for Idaho, who was instrumental in giving the children of Idaho an opportunity to vote on a state bird. The school children of Bingham County cast more than 2000 votes with the bluebird receiving 875. Children gave the following reasons for their vote: "It is one of the last birds to leave in the autumn. It is blue like our summer sky and would advertise the state as well as any other bird. It is beautiful. It is a native bird of Idaho. It is a great help to farmers and will destroy our insects. It stands for happiness. Blue is in our flag. The bluebird is lucky. It is a harbinger of spring. Blue would look pretty with white syringa, the state flower. It is gentle and graceful."

The Western Meadowlark received 539 votes. The reasons the students gave for this choice are "It tells the truth when it says, Idaho's a pretty big state. It arrives early in the spring. It helps farmers. It is beautiful. It destroys bugs and worms. It has a joyful song. It is one of our first spring songsters".

The Chinese (Ring-necked) Pheasant received 303 votes. Some of the reasons given were: "It is here all year round. It is a beautiful bird. It is the strongest and largest of our birds. It doesn't go south in winter and that shows it likes Idaho. Its beautiful colors typify colorings in the west".

The Sage Hen received 236 votes. Students voting for this bird thought "it was truly a western bird. It is not a common bird among all states therefore it would be more unique."

The Canary received 113 votes. (Canary is the obsolete name of either Yellow Warbler or American Goldfinch). Students who voted for it said: "it was a pretty bird and a good songster. It can be kept in the house (this student, no doubt, was thinking of a pet canary) and is a beautiful color". .

Fuertes' Eastern Bird Collection

While this was going on, Mrs. Barton, in her own study of Idaho birds, came across the Western Tanager. She became enthralled with this beautiful bird as it came through the valley in great flocks in the spring. She considered it "truly Idaho's" after reading in a Geographic Bird Book that this tanager had been first discovered in Idaho in 1806 by Lewis and Clark.

A campaign to make the Western Tanager the Idaho State Bird followed her discovery. Letters with a description and history of the bird were sent out to women's clubs. In the fall of 1929 at a state meeting of the Federation of Women's Clubs in Weiser, Idaho, Mrs. Barton gave a report on the outcome of the school votes which had come up with three choices: The meadowlark, bluebird and robin. She indicated that these three birds had already been chosen by other states and presented the tanager as an alternative. A resolution was then passed recommending the Western Tanager be adopted as the state bird, provided the school children favored its adoption.

Conferences with the Governor of Idaho, the State Chamber of Commerce, the State Superintendent of Schools and many others were held. Mrs. Davis offered to present the Western Tanager to the county superintendents as an alternative since the birds originally chosen by the students were already taken by other states. During the summer of 1930, an effort was made to learn more about the Western Tanager. It was not a bird that was well known because it doesn't linger in the valleys. It moves through the valleys in the spring to nest in the more remote mountains. Mrs. Barton made an attempt to put colored pictures of the bird in all the school rooms in Idaho. She sent letters to the National Audubon Society, the National Geographic Bird Book and the American Nature Association. All answers came back: "No pictures or photographs for school purposes on hand." She sent out more correspondence but to no avail.

For two months the campaign was put on hold. Mrs. Barton had family health problems to worry about; scarlet fever. She offered to resign her position but she was asked to continue.

Back to work, she wrote for information and received a letter from the consulting naturalist for the American Nature Association. He ended his letter by saying: "The Mountain Bluebird has not been chosen by any other state. Evidently your school children had this blue bird in mind. It is friendly, nests in bird houses and is your best choice, I believe."

Mrs. Barton then met with the State Superintendent who confirmed this belief: "The County Superintendents and State Board of Education stand behind the children's vote! The governor has not recognized a tanager all summer and he favors a more common bird that the children know and love. We feel that is only right and fair to have the children's choice presented."

In September a meeting of the Idaho Federation of Women's Clubs was held at Hayden Lake. A resolution was passed favoring the adoption of the Mountain Bluebird as the Idaho State bird.

With everyone now in agreement, the Library Committee presented the bill making the Mountain Bluebird, symbol of happiness, to the next session of the Idaho legislature. An article from the Idaho Daily Statesman, February 18, 1931 announed the Mountain Bluebird as the official choice stated "Though it was generally conceded that the turkey is the most important 'bird' in Idaho, the Mountain Bluebird, not bluejay, was voted the state bird."

The Mountain Bluebird is the state bird of both Idaho and Nevada. I have not been able to find out what year Nevada made the Mountain Bluebird its state bird. The Eastern Bluebird is the state bird of Missouri and New York.

The Western Meadowlark is the state bird of Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Kansas, Oregon and Wyoming. The Ring-necked Pheasant is the state bird of South Dakota. The American Robin is the state bird of Connecticut, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The American Goldfinch is the state bird of Iowa, New Jersey and Washington.

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Bird Tracks

Audubon Members make a difference

Conservation Committee

The Conservation Committee is looking for new members. We have been meeting once a month at noon to discuss various issues important to Audubon members. If anyone would like to join the committee they can call Mike Mihelich for further information. 664-4741.

The Chapter LIBRARY

Our Chapter now has a library containing about 67 books, 16 video tapes and a vertical file. This came about when Greg Weller donated books belonging to his wife, Susan Weller, to our Chapter. Susan, as most of you know, passed away in July of this year. She was the founder of our Audubon Chapter. The video tapes we already had in our collection.

We will have the books and video tapes available for check-out before and after our regular meetings. You may pick up a sheet listing our holdings at our regular meetings or go to our Library. If you want to check-out something between meetings or donate books to the library, contact one of the library committee members: Jan Severtson, Theresa Potts, Shirley Sturts or Kris Buchler. Go to officers web page for email and phone numbers.

ADOPT -a- HIGHWAY PROJECT

Judy Waring

Despite a chilly morning, 19 people turned out for our first job of cleaning the two-mile stretch of Highway 95 that our chapter has adopted. We gathered at 8 a.m. and talked about the "do's and don'ts" of pick-up. Then, decked out in our orange vests, we proceeded to the starting

point where we posed for a picture beneath our Adopt-a-Highway sign.

Phil Waring drove the route during the clean-up and saw that we were supplied with bags and kept us up to date about how the teams were doing. It took us 2 ½ hours to complete the route. Thirty-four bags of litter were put out for the highway department to collect. Big finds: Lynn Sheridan came up with 30 cents and Bill Gundlach found a dollar bill - unfortunately it was in small shreds.

It was a fun and productive morning and we all felt proud of our work. It will be interesting
to see how much accumulates over the winter. Join us in the spring to find out the answer to this pressing question.

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Citizen Science

You too can participate!

Thanksgiving Bird Count

Dr. Earnest Edwards and the Lynchburg Bird Club in Virginia started the Eastern Thanks-giving Bird Count in 1966. Dr. John G. Hewston from Humbolt State University, Arcata, California, started the Western State Count in 1992.

It is easy to participate. Choose a circle 15 feet in diameter, the location of which is determined by the participant. Count circles are usually located around feeders, baths, cover, etc. Most participants select a count area visible from a comfortable spot near a window. The same circle should be used each year. Count the birds in your circle for one hour on Thanksgiving Day, fill out the form provided and mail it in. Forms will be available at our November meeting or call Shirley at 664-5318 and she will mail you one.

"Project Feeder Watch"

"Project Feeder Watch", a continent-wide survey of winter birds, starts on November 9^th. There are 10 count periods between Nov. 9^th and April 4^th. Several of our members participate and find it worthwhile and a lot of fun to do.

This is just one of several Citizen Science projects sponsored by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. For information on how to participate in this and other Citizen Science projects go to their website at: www.birds.cornell.edu or call 1 800 843 -BIRD (2473)

The Big Sit!

Shirley Sturts - team captain

Our Chapter participated in the New Haven Bird Club's "Big Sit!" on October 12. This was the 11^th year of this event and our 3^rd year of participation. We held our "Big Sit" from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the platform we built in Mica Bay. Ten participants took two-hour shifts and together counted 19 species.

In 2001 and 2002 we counted 28 and 27 species. This makes having only 19 species a little disappointing. The good news is we had 5 new species for the 3 year totals: Northern Harrier (Bill and Dick), California Gull (Lisa and Shirley), Great Horned Owl (Lisa and Shirley), Steller's Jay (Jan and Roland) and Mountain Chickadee (Janet and Lynn). Our 3-year total is 41 species. See Chart

Check The New Haven Bird Club website for nationwide results. Give them time to get the 2003 results compiled. http://members.aol.com/nhbirdclub/bigsit.htm

My thanks to the following participants for taking part in this fun event: Janet Callen, Roland Craft, Dick Cripe, Bill Gundlach, Lisa Hardy, Jan Severtson, Lynn Sheridan, Phil and Judy Waring.

"If I were to make a study of the tracks of animals and represent them by plates, I should conclude with the tracks of man"

Henry David Thoreau

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Birding with a Brown Bag,

a Brown Dog and a White Dog. Oct 21

Lynn Sheridan

Kris Buchler with Blizzard and Shirley Sturts with Bruno joined Sarah Reed and me at the west end of Fernan Lake. A sunny, warm day with autumn colors reflecting in the water. At least 50 Mallards noisily waited for handouts. Six Canada Geese slipped by to a quieter spot. A silver turtle basked on a bit of flotsam, as a few gulls hung around. At a nearby house, a flock of House Sparrows foraged and entered the many nest boxes. Driving to the east end and along the creek did not produce much more, but we heard a Common Raven, chickadee (species) and a Belted Kingfisher. I guess fall migration is not noticeable yet.

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cranberry trip

Dick Cripe

Sunday, Oct 19, eight berry-pickers embarked in three canoes from the boat launch on Killarney Lake in search of cranberries. The weather was cool and the sky was gray, but there was no wind and the rain that was forecast did not appear. The intrepid party (led by Lisa Hardy and including Judy Waring, Janet Callen, Roberta Rich, Lynne Sheridan, Carol Wiley [from Priest River], and Dick and Antje Cripe) paddled its way across Killarney Lake, found and navigated through the narrow channel, hauled their canoes over a beaver dam, penetrated the marsh, and successfully reached Hidden Lake. The cranberries were ripe and plentiful, the weather remained mild, and the social atmosphere was gemutlich. After about two hours of picking, the party decided to be content with about 15 gallons of berries. We made our way back without incident. Although a little bit sore and damp, the group was happy with their accomplishment and thrilled to be out on the water on such a balmy fall day. In addition to the cranberries, the group saw five Great Blue Heron, one Northern Harrier, one Song Sparrow, numerous Red-winged Blackbird, five Bufflehead, two Belted Kingfisher, several Ring-billed Gull, and heard a Bewick's Wren. You can all look forward to cranberry treats at our meetings through the winter.

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SANDPOINT FIELD TRIP

Lisa Hardy

American Coot and American Wigeon

Photographed by Wayne Tree

On Saturday, October 25, 10 Auduboners from three different chapters journeyed to Pend Oreille Lake for a day of waterfowling. After a stop for coffee in foggy Sandpoint, we traveled to the Clark Fork drift yard beyond Hope. Here, under sunny skies, where we could look back on the cloud bank that obscured Sandpoint, we started to bird in earnest. A single Long-billed Dowitcher stitched the mud in the company of 30 querulous, darting Killdeer. This is a late date for dowitcher in Bonner County. Two Wilson's Snipe (formerly Common Snipe) completed the shorebird tally for this spot.

As we birded our way north along Denton Slough, then around the Pack River delta, and finally along Sunnyside Road, we found huge rafts of waterfowl. Most of these birds were American Coot, which we estimated at nearly 20,000 individuals. Next most numerous were American Wigeon (5000), Lesser Scaup (600), Canada Goose (400), Mallard (400), Northern Pintail (154), Bufflehead (122) and Redhead (102). With so many widgeon, a few of them must surely be the chestnut-headed Eurasians, and Gina searched until she found a pair.

Northern Shoveler

Photographed by Wayne Tree

All the other expected ducks were found in smaller numbers, with the exception of Wood Duck and both species of goldeneye, which completely eluded us. We might have expected a few Greater Scaup also, but we searched for a "clean" white-sided scaup in vain.

Other divers were well represented. We tallied 10 Common Loon and 2 Double-crested Cormorant, plus four grebe species.

Along Sunnyside Road, we encountered mixed flocks in the ponderosa pines which included Brown Creeper and Golden- crowned Kinglet.

Our final stop of the day (after yet more coffee) was at City Beach, where we scanned a flock of about 100 loafing gulls. Thirty-seven diminutive Bonaparte's Gulls in winter plumage were a treat for the eye. We pulled out a loaf of bread to draw the gulls in even closer, and found that only the Ring-bills of the four species present were interested in our offering. The Herring, California and Bonaparte's just turned up their little nasal holes.

Trip participants: Kris Buchler, Harold & Karen Cottet, Roland Craft, Dick Cripe, Lisa Hardy, Jan Severtson, Gina Sheridan, Shirley Sturts, Carol Wiley.

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WHAT OTHERS SEE ON FIELD TRIPS

Dick Cripe

My brother took a clipping from the Boston Globe on a recent trip there. They publish a weekly summary of sightings. I thought that this might be of interest to our readers.

From the Boston Globe,

Wednesday, Sept 24, 2003;

Recent sightings as reported by the Massachusetts Audubon Society:

At South Beach in Chatham were sighted 12 White-winged Scoter, 1800 Black-bellied Plover, one American Golden Plover, 900 Semipalmated Plover, 2 Hudsonian Godwit, 120 Redknot, 3500 Sanderling, 3 Western Sandpiper, 40 White-rumped Sandpipers, 200 Dunlin, 7 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 5000 Common Tern, 250 Roseate Tern, 1 Black Tern, 2000 Tree Swallow.

Migrating raptors counted Sunday at Mt. Wachusett in Princeton included 15 Osprey, 4 Bald Eagle, 7 Northern Harrier, 23 Sharp-shinned Hawk, 5 Cooper's Hawk, 1215 Broad-winged Hawk, 11 American Kestrel, and 1 Peregrine Falcon. Also sighted--1300 Broad-winged Hawk over Petersend, MA and 2650 Chimney Swift coming to an evening roost in Hanover.

Weekend reports from the Great Meadows Refuge in Concord included 2 Great Egret, 75 Green-winged Teal, 12 Northern Pintail, 5 American Wigeon, 3 Sora, 30 Semipalmated Plover, 7 Lesser Yellowlegs, 2 Solitary Sandpiper, 11 Semipalated Sandpiper, 70 Least Sandpiper, 1 White-rumped Sandpiper, 65 Pectoral Sandpiper, 12 Wilson's Snipe, 1 Wilson's Phalarope, four Belted Kingfisher, 3 Northern Rough-winged Swallow, 1 Bank Swallow, 15 American Pipit, 10 Bobolink, and 5 Rusty Blackbird.

At Hummock Pond, Nantucket: 1 Cinnamon Teal 1 American Golden Plover, 1 Baird's Sandpiper, 1 Buff-breasted Sandpiper, 1 Caspian Tern, 1 Royal Tern, 12 Palm Warblers, and 13 Bobolinks.

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MORE CONDORS BEING READIED FOR RELEASE TO THE WILD

From:

THE BIRDER CONSERVATIONIST
an electronic ABA newsletter
Volume 2, No.10 October 2003

Seven male California Condors recently were moved to a pen in the Pinacles, a 24,000-acre park and wildlife area in South Monterey County in California. The site is managed by the National Park Service, and it is said to be an ideal home for condors. The action was taken by the Ventana
Wilderness Society, which will give the birds until December to get used to their new surroundings, then release them into the wild. There are sixjuvenile birds and one 12-year-old adult bird. There are plans to release 20-30 birds at this site. For details, see

<http://www.ventanaws.org/condors.htm>.

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Obervation post

Kootenai County Big Year Additions since the September 2003 Newsletter (see February-September Newsletters or go to our Website to see bird species seen so far this year in Kootenai County (Current total 188)

Great Egret 1 Lane Marsh along Highway 3 October 5 (SSTU,GCOM, PCOM)

Photographed by James Prudente October 9, 2003 at Lane Marsh

Semipalmated Plover 1 Dredge Road (Sawmill Pond) near Cataldo Sept. 28 (LHAR)

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Other Sightings of Interest

River Otter 3 Wolf Lodge Bay, CDA Lake Oct. 5 (GCOM,PCOM,SSTU)

Common Loon 1 Heyburn State Park Oct. 13 (LHAR,SSTU)

Horned Grebe 5 Upper Priest Lake North end Oct. 14 (BGUN)

Western Grebe 5 Upper Priest Lake Oct. 14 (BGUN)

Surf Scoter 1 Sandpoint City Beach Oct. 8 (SSTU,GCOM,PCOM, Oct. 7 KBUC,LHAR); 5 Upper Priest Lake N. end Oct. 14 (BGUN); 1 Coolin (Priest Lake Oct. 13 (BBON)

White-winged Scoter 12 Coolin (Priest Lake Oct. 13 (BBON)

Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 McArthur WMA Oct. 8 (SSTU,PCOM,GCOM)

Osprey 1 near Cataldo area Oct. 26 (BGUN) (This is a late date - possibly it is migrating through our area)

Merlin 1 Wolf Lodge Bay. Coeur d'Alene Lake Oct. 14 (LHAR, SSTU)

Ruffed Grouse 1 Mica Bay Survey Oct. 6 (SSTU,CCAM,TPOT, BGUN, RCRA,PCOM,GCOM)

Semipalmated Plover 1 Dredge Road (Saw Mill Pond) Cataldo Area Oct. 5 (GCOM,PCOM,SSTU)

Lesser Yellowlegs 3 and 1 Dredge Road (Saw Mill Pond) Cataldo Area Oct. 2 (LHAR) and Oct. 5 (GCOM, PCOM,SSTU) ; 4 Boundary Creek WMA Oct. 9 (SSTU,GCOM,PCOM)

Greater Yellowlegs 4 and 1 Dredge Road (Saw Mill Pond) Cataldo Area Oct. 2 (LHAR) Oct. 5 (GCOM,PCOM, SSTU) still there Oct. 13 (SSTU)

Long-billed Dowitcher 39 and 15 Dredge Road (Saw Mill Pond) Cataldo Area Oct. 2 (LHAR) and Oct. 5 (GCOM,PCOM,SSTU)

Red-necked Phalarope 1 Priest Lake (entrance to thoroughfare Oct. 14 (BGUN)

Herring Gull 10+ Sandpoint City Beach Oct. 8 (SSTU,PCOM,GCOM)

Great Horned Owl 1 Atlas Tie Road Sept. 2 (CCAM), 1 Rathdrum Prairie Oct. 6 (SSTU,PCOM,GCOM)

Short-eared Owl 1 Rathdrum Prairie found injured and now in rehab Oct. 27

(BPAR )

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Mica Bay Survey Oct. 6 (SSTU,CCAM,TPOT, BGUN, RCRA,PCOM,RCRA); 1 & 2 Armstrong Park, CDA Oct. 7 and 18 (KBUC)

Winter Wren 1 Armstrong Park CDA Oct. 18 (KBUC)

Marsh Wren 1 Dredge Road (Saw Mill Pond) Cataldo Area Oct. 5 (GCOM,PCOM,SSTU)

Bewick's Wren 3 Mica Bay Survey Oct. 6 (SSTU,CCAM,TPOT, BGUN, RCRA,PCOM,RCRA)

Black-billed Magpie 2 Fairmont Loop RD, CDA Oct.15 (JSEV); 2 at my feeder

In Oct. Fernan Lake (SSTU)

Yellow-Rumped Warbler 14 Mica Bay Survey Oct. 6 (SSTU,CCAM,TPOT, BGUN, RCRA,PCOM,RCRA)

Brewer's Blackbird several at field Fighting Creek Land Fill Oct. 13 (LHAR,SSTU)

Western Meadowlark 1 in a field Fighting Creek Land Fill Oct. 13 (LHAR,SSTU)

Lapland Longspur 5 Coolin (Priest Lake Oct. 13 (BBON)

Observers: Bob Bond (BBON), Kris Buchler (KBUC), Corinne Cameron (CCAM), Gordon and Pam Comrie (GCOM, PCOM), Roland Craft (RCRA), Bill Gundlach (BGUN), Lisa Hardy (LHAR), Beth Paragamian (BPAR), Theresa Potts (TPOT) , Jan Severtson (JSEV), Shirley Sturts (SSTU)

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Home Program Field Trips

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Bird Tracks