July 16 - Heyburn State Park, Idaho

Marty is busy working at the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s State Office in Spokane, so I after we breakfasted at the Holiday Inn, I decided that I needed to go birding.

'Cause it's summer and the Ocean Spray is a-bloom

There were some fairly intense rain showers as I drove south out of Spokane and east into Idaho, but the rain had diminished to mere light showers by the time I arrived at Heyburn State Park’s Hawley Landing.  This, the oldest State Park in the Pacific Northwest, is situated on Chatcolet Lake, part of the greater Lake Coeur d'Alene where the St. Joe River enters.  According to the Spokesman Review, Lake Chatcolet probably got its name from the Coeur d’Alene Indian word for “lake”: “chatq’ele.”

I stopped at the Park office and gladly paid the $5 daily fee.

Because there are birds here.

As I got my gear from the car, I saw a man with a spotting scope, so went over to chat with him.  Ron was monitoring a Bald Eagle’s nest across the lake with 2 mostly-grown young, as part of Avista’s Spokane River Hydro Project license requirement.

'Way across the lake

We chatted for a bit, and as I began to walk toward the Lakeshore Trail, I heard the call of a Cordilleran Flycatcher, and focused my binoculars on the bird.  This, I’m almost ashamed to say, is a Life Bird for me - ABA No. 625.

Back of an Empidonax occidentalis

The reason I’m somewhat abashed is that this species had been “split” from the “Western Flycatcher” in 1989, and I hadn’t made the effort to go birding in its range to add it to my “Life List” until today.

Poor photo, but it's a Lifer!

I continued my walk along the trail along the shore of the lake, which was somewhat marshy.

Beaver Lodge in the marsh

A rickety old dock had roosting Canada Geese and a watchful Kingfisher.

She kept an eye on me, but wasn't about to stop her fishing

I walked west, toward Plummer Marsh.  En route, I watched a mama raccoon with three kits as they foraged for their breakfast, until she finally spotted me.

Yes, they do look like the bandits they are . . .

Several families of Wood Ducks wended their way through the water lilies.

At the mouth of Plummer Creek, the park had built a viewing blind and a boardwalk where I got views of more marsh birds.

Blue Herons are just Great!

A few interpretive signs, identified the local natural history and the mountains .

The sign . . .

 . . . and the view.

I returned on the trail loop above the lake and road, where the Oregon Juncos seemed surprised to have human companionship.

Oregon Junco - nice to see this subspecies again, now that I'm 'home' in the PNW

So, by "twitching" the Flycatcher today, my goal of seeing 75 new "life birds" this year is 2/3 complete.  With luck, I'll achieve the goal later this year.

I've seen lots of Song Sparrows this year . . .

This evening, Marty & I went to supper with friends Jerry and Tori at Spokane's Park Lodge restaurant.  The food was pretty darned good, but a bit on the expensive end.

Heyburn State Park lakeshore trail eBird Checklist is Here

Plummer Marsh eBird Checklist is Here

Heyburn State Park lakeshore return trail eBird Checklist is Here

Douglas' Spirea was in bloom