The Past Few Days.

Well I will have no photos to share until I get my camera back from being repaired which is to bad for anyone that reads this. I actually had a professor tell me recently that the quality of my photos is a lot better than the quality of my writing. Well it is true although both need improvement, and that is why I have this blog it has a dual purpose. First this blog is for me I am able to learn as I write and keep a history of what I do and see. Second it is for everyone so that you can enjoy the photos I take, the places, I go and learn what I learn. At the same time I expect comments or emails from people when I make a mistake or miss something. That way I can improve as I go along.

I have seen a couple firsts for this year in the last two days, the first is one that I grew up watching on the eastside of Rexburg out in the Lyman area. It is the Dark-eyed Junco, I really can’t recall the last time I have seen some of these. Well I first saw at where I now live on the west side of Rexburg in the Salem area the I saw quite a few more out at Beaver Dick Park. It was neat to watch them as the fly because of the colors that show through as they fly. If you watch from behind as they fly you will notice a white strip on either side of the tail which is not readily visible when the bird is not in flight. The Dark Eyed Junco typically has a darker head usually black but this ranges from bird to bird and from male to female.

The other first of the year is the Sandhill Crane, I saw the first one out at Beaver Dick Park (just outside of Rexburg) as it was flying over head. I saw another twelve at the Deer Parks WMA most of them were flying overhead together fairly low and making quite a bit of noise. The call of a Sandhill Crane is pretty distinguishable and actually quite pleasing to listen to compared to other birds (killdeer). If you ever see a bid bird flying through the air and are trying to figure out what it is look at its neck. Cranes will fly with a straight neck and herons will fly with a U in its neck.although pelicans have the same shape when they fly their head and beak is quite different.

The Western Meadow Larks are sure here, I opened the window at my place the other day for awhile just to listen to their calls back and forth together.