A Little Backyard Birding

The weather here in the Boise foothills has been crazy the last few days.  Snow, rain, two or three hail storms per day, and sunny in between.  The kids and I haven't been able to get out much and cabin fever is setting in.  Mrs. Idaho_Birder is off on a ladies weekend in Portland, seeing and photographing birds that I have never before seen, that she only cares a bit about because she can rub it in.  I've been anxious for the return of Lazuli Buntings and Bullock's Orioles to Avimor, but the weather has kept them away and me and kids mostly indoors.

I did get some first of year and first-ever yard birds which I was able to photo-document.  The picture were through the dirty glass of my windows, so are not as polished as I would prefer to post, but you'll get the idea.

Calliope Hummingbird - easily distinguished by the finger-streaks from the bill down the throat.  When the light catches right, the color gives you chills.  Both this and the hummingbird below seem to be among the smaller hummers.  Another feature is the short square-ended tail and dumpy figure

Rufous Hummingbird - now this could in fact be another Calliope, but a few traits point me toward Rufous. First, the amount of orange color on the flanks.  Calliope's may have some of this, but this bird shows more orange/rufous color than buffy like a Calliope would.  The angle doesn't show the tail too well, but it seems longer than the Calliope.  I'm open to correction here.

Spotted Towhee - these are fairly regular here in my neighborhood of Avimor, but this was the first to visit my yard.  It foraged on the ground along with the Mourning Doves, California Quail, White-crowned Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, and one remaining Dark-eyed Junco.  When all my kids had seen it and I had the camera ready, it jumped up into our tree where it was harder to get a clean shot.  Still, always fun to have a new yard bird!