The Backyard & Beyond  - October 2002

For years we had observed the Band-tailed Pigeons that were in our neighborhood in Cascade Park but the closest they came to our yard was to sit in the trees. The past couple of years we have attracted them to our feeders by offering chipped sunflower seeds in a small hanging open feeder that would hold 2 pigeons. Several years ago, I had Arden put up a small 12x6 inch platform outside our second story bathroom window so I could feed the jays peanuts without the squirrels getting them. I added a hanging chipped sunflower seed feeder for the finches and had to lower it to just above the shelf to cut the mess on the window. The Band-tailed Pigeons soon discovered this little shelf and that they could sit on the shelf and eat from the feeder. Soon they were fighting for the use of it. They often would flap into the windows nearby leaving their oil, dust and feather imprints and of course making lots of noise. So I asked Arden to build me a bigger shelf to accommodate the pigeons. He built one that is about 24x24 inches. The Pigeons loved it and soon they were all trying to get on it at one time which of course there wasn't room. They would arrive at first light in the morning and fight and squawk and growl at each other. The adult pigeons were joined by young pigeons. Now 12 to 15 or more Band-tailed Pigeons were trying to use the platform at one time so the noise grew. This is all happened near the bedroom and the open window so of course I woke up to them fighting every morning. As fall sets in the fighting has been cut. The pigeons still come but not in the same numbers. But I love the birds and put of with noise and smile since we now have them daily to watch and they are fascinating birds.

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Band-tailed Pigeons at the platform feeder ...but only 2 of them.

One day this summer, I witnessed a laughable sight as a Rufous Hummingbird chased a Band-tailed Pigeon across the yard flying right next to it's tail. That is like a mouse chasing a cat or dog!!!

Arden & I made an early September trip to visit our birding friends in Idaho the Zeillemakers. Besides visiting, we of coursed, went birding. Arden & I were trying to increase our Idaho bird list and I did so by 12 (catching up with Arden a little). Arden was also working on his year list and is just a few short of 400. We made two trips to Crane Creek Reservoir in the dry hills for shorebirds & ducks. Fred & Melly are doing bird surveys on this reservoir and the area that is situated away from major human populations. They are finding that a number of bird species use the out of the way bird site. Last year they had a Sabine's Gull. The ones in Oregon that were found hit the rare bird alert and people traveled to see them. It just goes to show that there are birds in more areas if we just take the time to check them out. But the "hot spots" are often just that because a birder finds something interesting there and another birder checking the sighting out discovers another "good" bird. This is referred to as the "Patagonia Restside Table Effect" so called because the rest pull off hot spot in Arizona outside Patagonia. The area attracts many rare species to its riparian habitat which in turn attracts birder which frequently find another rare species while looking for another one reported.

We encountered a large movement of Yellow-rumped Warblers through the trees in the mountains. We had to check each and every one out looking for something different. After a short time, it was…. It is just another yellow-rumped!!! and another!!!

As we crossed the open highlands several times we watched the birds of prey migrating. Their were Kestrels everywhere you looked. In the skies were Red-tailed, Ferruginous, Swainson's, Marsh & Cooper's Hawks, plus Prairie Falcons and Golden Eagles (which spend the winter their and are easy to see).